[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 250 (Friday, December 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78426-78427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22412]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6682-6]


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 the Federal Register dated April 7, 2006 (71 FR 17845).

Draft EISs

    EIS No. 20060075, ERP No. D-AFS-J65458-00, Wasatch-Cache National 
Forest Noxious Weed Treatment Program, Proposes to Treat Noxious Weeds 
1.2 Million Acres of Wilderness and Non-Wilderness Areas, several 
counties, UT and Uinta County, WY.
    Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about 
potential impacts to source and ground water. The Final EIS should 
include a monitoring and adaptive management program to assure that 
program objectives are met.

Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20060213, ERP No. D-CGD-B03013-MA, Northeast Gateway Deepwater 
Port License Application to Import Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) (USCG-
2005-22219), Massachusetts Bay, City of Gloucester, MA.

    Summary: EPA offered comments and suggestions about the analysis 
and discussion of impacts to air and water quality and to marine 
organisms as well as measures to avoid, minimize and mitigate for 
unavoidable impacts from the project.

Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20060325, ERP No. D-FRC-L05237-00, Hells Canyon Hydroelectric 
Project, Application for Relicensing to Authorize the Continued 
Operation of Hydroelectric Project, Snake River, Washington and Adams 
Counties, ID and Wallowa and Baker Counties, OR.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections based on impacts to 
water temperature. EPA requested additional analysis of the potential 
for temperature control structures to minimize water quality impacts.

Rating EO2.
EIS No. 20060395, ERP No. D-FRC-L05238-00, Klamath Hydroelectric 
Project, Continued Operation for Hydropower License FERC No. 2082-27, 
Klamath River, Klamath County, OR and Siskiyou County, CA.

    Summary: EPA has environmental objections to the proposed 
relicensing in light of the potential for the project to continue to 
cause or contribute to water quality criteria exceedence and related 
adverse impacts on designated uses. EPA recommended that the final EIS 
analyze, as appropriate, mitigation measures that would help meet 
applicable water quality standards. EPA also recommended that the final 
EIS evaluate an alternative that demonstrates that the project's 
contribution to water quality standard exceedences would be addressed 
throughout the Project area or discuss why such an alternative was not 
considered reasonable.

Rating EO2.
EIS No. 20060443, ERP No. D-AFS-L65525-AK, Baht Timber Sale Project, 
Proposes to Harvest Timber and Temporary Road Construction on Zarembo 
Island, Wrangell Ranger District, Tongrass National Forest, AK.

    Summary: EPA express environmental concerns about the potential for 
adverse impacts to water quality, aquatic resources, air quality, 
soils, and biological diversity from the proposed actions, especially 
related to roads. The Final EIS should include additional mitigation 
for impacts and more detail on the monitoring plan.

Rating EC2.
EIS No. 20060445, ERP No. D-NPS-J65474-MT, Avalanche Hazard Reduction 
Project, Issuance of Special Use Permit for the Use of Explosives

[[Page 78427]]

in the Park, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Glacier National 
Park, Flathead National Forest, Flathead and Glacier Counties, MT.

    Summary: EPA supports new and expanded snowshed construction 
without the use of explosives, given the avalance hazard and impacts to 
wildlife.
    However, we expressed environmental concerns about barriers to 
wildlife travel, and recommended incorporating measures for wildlife 
passage into snowshed design and construction.

Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20060101, ERP No. DR-UAF-E11056-FL, Eglin Air Force Base and 
Hurlburt Field, New Revision to Preferred Alternatives, Military Family 
Housing Demolition, Construction, Renovation, and Leasing (DCR & L) 
Program, Okaloosa County, FL.

    Summary: EPA requested that additional data and analysis be 
included in the final EIS.

Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20060361, ERP No. DS-NRS-D36121-WV, Lost River Subwatershed of 
the Potomac River Watershed Project, Construction of Site 16 on Lower 
Cove Run and Deletion of Site 23 on Upper Cove Run, US Army COE Section 
404 Permit, Hardy County, WV.

    Summary: EPA has environmental objections with the project due to 
potential adverse impacts to aquatic resources. EPA requested 
additional information regarding the need for the project, as well as 
analysis of alternatives, secondary and cumulative effects, and 
potential mitigation measures.

Rating EO2.

Final EISs

EIS No. 20060062, ERP No. F-AFS-J61104-CO, Copper Mountain Resort 
Trails and Facilities Improvements, Implementation, Special Use Permit, 
White River National Forest, Dillon Ranger District, Summit County, CO.

    Summary: The final EIS addressed EPA's concerns with impacts to 
water quality from snowmaking, mitigation for wetlands impacts and 
impacts to wildlife. EPA recommended additional monitoring to assure 
that extensive wetland mitigation measures are successful and continue 
to function as designed.

EIS No. 20060123, ERP No. F-AFS-J65429-CO, Village at Wolf Creek 
Project, Application for Transportation and Utility Systems and 
Facilities, Proposed Development and Use of Road and Utility Corridors 
Crossing, National Forest System Lands to Access 287.5 Acres of Private 
Property Land, Mineral County, CO.

    Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about 
potential impacts to water quality, site hydrology and wetlands from 
the proposed action, especially from roads and new access.

EIS No. 20060172, ERP No. F-AFS-J65421-00, Grizzly Bear Conservation 
for the Greater Yellowstone Area National Forests, Implementation, 
Amend Six Forest Plans: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Bridger-
Teton National Forest, Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Custer National 
Forest, Gallatin National Forest and Shoshone National Forest, MT, WY, 
and ID.

    Summary: The Final EIS addressed EPA's concerns in terms of 
limiting the number of roads, trails and campsites. However, the ROD 
should consider including a commitment to increase mitigation to the 
level of use over time as well as include a more comprehensive 
monitoring plan. Added protections to grizzly bear habitat will also 
protect water quality and other forest resources.

EIS No. 20060193, ERP No. F-AFS-J65435-UT, Ogden Ranger District Travel 
Plan, To Update the Travel Management Plan, Wasatch-Cache National 
Plan, Ogden Ranger District, Box Elder, Cache, Morgan, Weber and Rich 
Counties, UT.

    Summary: EPA continues to express environmental concerns with the 
potential for adverse impacts to aquatic and terrestrial resources from 
the existing and proposed travel systems and particularly from 
unauthorized motorized trails.

EIS No. 20060409, ERP No. F-AFS-J65452-UT, Lake Project, Proposal to 
Maintain Vegetative Diversity and Recover Economic Value of Dead, Dying 
and High Risk to Mortality Trees, Manti-La Sal National Forest, Ferron/
Price Ranger District, Emery and Sanpete Counties, UT.

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

EIS No. 20060425, ERP No. F-AFS-K65298-CA, Kings River Project, 
Proposal to Restore Historical Pre-1850 Forest Conditions, 
Implementation, High Sierra Ranger District, Sierra National Forest, 
Fresno County, CA.

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

    Dated: December 26, 2006.
Ken Mittelholtz,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Federal Activities.
 [FR Doc. E6-22412 Filed 12-28-06; 8:45 am]
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