[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 241 (Friday, December 15, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75539-75540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-21407]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6682-2]


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 7, 2006 (71 FR 17845).

Draft EISS

EIS No. 20060295, ERP No. D-BLM-J65468-WY, Casper Field Office Planning 
Area Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Natrona, Converse, 
Goshen, and Platte Counties, WY.

    Summary: EPA supports BLM's goal to update the RMP based on 
emerging issues and changing circumstances and appreciates efforts to 
address impacts to wetlands, riparian habitat, and water quality, but 
had environmental concerns about impacts to these resources and the 
Final EIS should include additional mitigation measures. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20060311, ERP No. D-NPS-J61110-UT, Utah Museum of Natural 
History, Construction and Operation, New Museum Facility at University 
of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.

    Summary: EPA does not object to the proposed action. Rating LO.

EIS No. 20060362, ERP No. D-NOA-L91028-AK, Alaska Groundfish Harvest 
Specifications Project, Establish Harvest Strategy for the Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Groundfish 
Fisheries, AK.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns because the preferred 
alternative would have greater impacts to target and non-target species 
than other alternatives, and requested additional information on how 
environmental justice requirements were met. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20060374, ERP No. D-AFS-J65472-CO, Bull Mountain Natural Gas 
Pipeline, Construct, Operate and Maintain Natural Gas Pipeline, 
Issuance of Right-of-Way Grant and Temporary Use Area Permits, 
Gunnison, Delta, Mesa, Garfield Counties, CO.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential 
adverse impacts to wetlands and riparian areas, vegetation, air and 
water quality, and off-road vehicle and inventoried road-less area 
aspects within the pipeline disturbance corridor, and suggests that the 
Final EIS include additional BMPs that avoid or reduce impacts. Rating 
EC2.

EIS No. 20060420, ERP No. DS-AFS-F65047-IN, German Ridge Restoration 
Project, New Information on 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan and 
on the Inadequate Effects Analysis, Implementation, Hoosier National 
Forest, Tell City Ranger District, Perry County, IN.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and recommended the 
FEIS include additional analysis focusing on quantity of habitat types 
affected/created by proposed management activities at the project, 
cumulative impacts, and forest levels. Rating EC2.

Final EISs

EIS No. 20060371, ERP No. F-BLM-J65432-CO, Roan Plateau Resource 
Management Plan Amendment, Including Former Naval Oil Shale Reserves 1 
and 3, Garfield and Rio Blanco Counties, CO.

    Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about 
potential adverse impacts from increased access to the top of the Roan 
Plateau, fragmentation of critical winter habitat for mule deer (base 
of plateau), maintaining areas with wilderness characteristics, and 
adverse impacts from sedimentation on the Colorado cutthroat.

EIS No. 20060396, ERP No. F-NPS-J65442-WY, Grand Teton National Park 
Transportation Plan, Implementation, Grand Teton National Park, Teton 
County, WY.

    Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about the 
NPS's wetland impairment classification process and potential for 
adverse impacts to wetlands from the selected alternative.

EIS No. 20060398, ERP No. F-AFS-J65460-UT, Upper Strawberry Allotments 
Grazing, Authorize Livestock Grazing, Hebert Ranger District, Pinta 
National Forest, Wasatch County, UT.


[[Page 75540]]


    Summary: EPA's environmental concerns about adverse impacts from 
cattle grazing on riparian habitat and water quality have been 
addressed by the development of a more comprehensive Adaptive 
Management Plan; therefore, EPA does not object to the proposed action.
EIS No. 20060447, ERP No. F-BLM-K08031-00, Devers-Palo Verde No. 2 
Transmission Line Project, Construction and Operation of a New 230-mile 
500 kV Electric Transmission Line between Devers Substation in 
California and Harquahala Generating Substation in Arizona.

    Summary: The Final EIS addressed EPA's concerns with potential 
cumulative impacts to air quality, and compliance with CWA section 404; 
therefore, EPA does not object to the proposed action.

EIS No. 20060450, ERP No. F-NRS-B36026-MA, Cape Cod Water Resources 
Restoration Project, Restore Degraded Salt Marshes, Restore Anadromous 
Fish Passages, and Improve Water Quality for Shellfishing Area, Cape 
Cod, Barnstable County, MA.

    Summary: EPA does not object to the project.
EIS No. 20060439, ERP No. FS-AFS-K65184-CA, Rock Creek Recreational 
Trails Project, Updated Information on Habitat Status and Population 
Trend for the Pacific Deer Herd, Implementation, Eldorado National 
Forest, Eldorado County, CA.

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

    Dated: December 12, 2006.
Robert W. Hargrove,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. E6-21407 Filed 12-14-06; 8:45 am]
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