[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 226 (Friday, November 25, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71138-71139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23272]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6669-7]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared pursuant to the Environmental 
Review Process (ERP), under section 309 of the Clean Air Act and 
section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act as amended. 
Requests for copies of EPA comments can be directed to the Office of 
Federal Activities at 202-564-7167. An explanation of the ratings 
assigned to draft environmental impact statements (EISs) was published 
in FR dated April 1, 2005 (70 FR 16815).

Draft EISs

EIS No. 20050360, ERP No. D-AFS-J65454-SD, Bugtown Gulch Mountain Pine 
Beetle and Fuels Projects, To Implement Multiple Resource Management 
Actions, Black Hills National Forest, Hell Canyon Ranger District, 
Custer County, SD.

    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns about impacts from runoff, 
related soil erosion and sediment losses; cumulative impacts from other 
large scale timber projects to vegetation and wildlife habitat; and 
adverse impacts to water quality.

Rating EC2

EIS No. 20050370, ERP No. D-AFS-L65494-OR, Middle Fork John Day Range 
Planning Project, Livestock Grazing Authorization, Implementation, Blue 
Mountain Range and Prairie City Ranger Districts, Malheur National 
Forest, Grant County, OR.

    Summary: EPA has concerns related to impacts to water qualtiy, 
aquatic habitiat and ecosystem recovery. EPA requested that ``hybrid'' 
alternatives be included that provide greater protections from grazing.

Rating EC2

EIS No. 20050383, ERP No. D-AFS-F65059-IL, Shawnee National Forest 
Trails Designation Project, Phase 1, Designation, Construction and 
Maintenance for Trail System within Four Watershed: Eagle Creek, Big 
Grand Pierre Creek, Lusk Creek and Upper Bay Creek, Hidden Springs 
Ranger District, Gallatin, Hardin, Johnson, Pope and Saline Counties, 
IL.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about reducing trail 
density standards, weather-related trail closures, and the potential 
for adverse impacts to water quality.

Rating EC2

    EIS No. 20050367, ERP No. DS-NOA-B91026-ME, Atlantic Herring 
Fishery Management Plan (FWP), Amendment 1, Management Measure 
Adjustment, Implementation, Gulf of Maine, George Bank, ME.

    Summary: EPA had lack of objections to the proposed project.

Rating LO

Final EISs

EIS No. 20050194, ERP No. F-AFS-D65031-PA, Martin Run Project, To 
Implement Management Direction as Outlined in Allegheny National Forest 
Plan, Bradford Ranger District, Allegheny National Forest, Warren and 
McKean Counties, PA.

    Summary: EPA had lack of objections to the proposed action.

EIS No. 20050243, ERP No.F-AFS-L65469-OR, West Maurys Fuels and 
Vegetation Management Project, Prescribed Fire, Commercial and 
Noncommercial Thinning, Grapple Piling and Hand Piling, Implementation, 
Lookout Mountain Range District, Ochoco National Forest, Crook County, 
OR.

    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

EIS No. 20050379, ERP No. F-FRA-K53009-CA, California High-Speed Train 
System, High-Speed Train (HST) System for Intercity Travel, Extend from 
Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area, in the North, through 
Central Valley, to Los Angeles and San Diego in the South, Orange 
County, CA.

    Summary: EPA's earlier objections regarding potential impacts to 
resources in the Bay Area to Central Valley area have been addressed by 
deferring an alignment decision until an additional, more comprehensive 
environmental analysis can be completed. However, EPA continues to have 
environmental concerns about the cumulative impact analysis.

EIS No. 20050380, ERP No. F-FHW-E40779-NC, Fayetteville Outer Loop 
Corridor Study, Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Cape Fear 
River, Cumberland, Hoke and Robeson Counties, NC.

    Summary: Substantial impact reductions have been accomplished for 
wetland and stream impacts. However, EPA continues to have 
environmental concerns about the high numbers of sensitive noise 
receptors that are impacted, and about the loss of Red-cockaded 
woodpecker habitat.

EIS No. 20050403, ERP No. F-AFS-K65286-CA, Watdog Project, Proposes to 
Reduce Fire Hazards, Harvest Trees, Using Group Selection Methods, 
Feather River Ranger District, Plumas National Forest, Butte and Plumas 
Counties, CA.

    Summary: EPA continued to express concerns about impacts to 
riparian resources, water quality, soils and wildlife habitat.

EIS No. 20050418, ERP No. F-AFS-K65288-CA, Bald Mountain Project, 
Proposes to Harvest Trees Using Group and Individual Trees Selection 
Methods, Feather River Ranger District, Plumas National Forest, Plumas 
and Butte Counties, CA.

    Summary: EPA continues to have concerns about harvest in impaired 
watersheds with high susceptibility for cumulative watershed effects, 
and the lack of a timeline or funding certainty for restoration and 
road decommissioning.

EIS No. 20050431, ERP No. F-FHW-H40181-00, South Omaha Veterans 
Memorial Bridge Improvements, Across the Missouri River for Highway US-
275 between the Cities of Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs, Iowa, 
NPDES and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit, NE and IA.

    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

EIS No. 20050434, ERP No. F-FHW-G40169-AR, Springdale Northern Bypass 
Project, U.S. Highway 412 Construction, Additional Information, 
Designation of a Preferred Alternative,

[[Page 71139]]

Funding and NPDES Permit Issuance, Benton and Washington Counties, AR.

    Summary: EPA does not object to the proposed action.

EIS No. 20050437, ERP No. F-AFS-G65097-NM, Tajique Watershed 
Restoration Project, Proposes Fuel Reduction and Restore Forest Health, 
Cibola National Forest, Torrance County, NM.

    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

    Dated: November 21, 2005.
Ken Mittelholtz,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 05-23272 Filed 11-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P