[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 17 (Friday, January 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4559-4561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1310]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER--FRL-6695-4]


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

[[Page 4560]]

impact statements (EISs) was published in FR dated April 6, 2007 (72 FR 
17156).

Draft EISs

EIS No. 20070332, ERP NO. D-BLM-L65541-OR, Western Oregon Bureau of 
Land Management Districts of Salem, Eugene, Roseburg, Coos Bay, and 
Medford Districts, and the Klamath Falls Resource Area of the Lakeview 
District, Revision of the Resource Management Plans, Implementation, 
OR.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections because of 
potential long-term impacts to water quality and further exceedances of 
water quality standards in impaired water bodies under Alternatives 2 
or 3. In addition, EPA suggests modifications to reduce significant 
impacts to drinking water and aquatic species, and believes that 
direct, indirect and cumulative impacts would affect waters on both BLM 
and non-BLM lands. Rating EO2.

EIS No. 20070362, ERP No. D-FRC-L03013-00, Bradwood Landing Project, 
Liquified Natural Gas Import Terminal and Natural Gas Pipeline 
Facilities, Construction and Operation, U.S. Army COE Section 10 and 
404 Permits, Clatsop County, OR and Cowlitz County, WA.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential 
environmental impacts, including impacts to wetlands and air quality. 
EPA also commented on the alternatives analysis and recommended that 
additional information about interrelated projects be provided. Rating 
EC2.

EIS No. 20070420, ERP No. D-SFW-K99038-CA, Agua Caliente Tribal Habitat 
Conservation Plan (THCP), Application for an Incidental Take Permit for 
24 Covered Species, Coachella Valley, Riverside County, CA.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns because the most 
environmentally protective alternative was formulated with 
unmitigatable impacts to Tribal sovereignty and was therefore rejected. 
EPA recommends that the Service and the Tribe create an alternative 
that promotes a greater conservation goal while honoring Tribal 
sovereignty. EPA also recommends smart growth conservation measures be 
included for areas to be developed. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20070447, ERP No. D-FHW-K40266-CA, Marin-Sonoma Narrows (MSN) 
HOV Widening Project, Propose to Relieve Recurrent Congestion along 
U.S. 101 south of the Route 37 Interchange in the City of Novato (Marin 
County) and ends north of the Corona Road Overcrossing in the City of 
Petaluma (Sonoma County), Marin and Sonoma Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed concern about wetland impacts, and requested 
that CalTrans choose an option that will minimize wetland impacts. 
Rating EC1.

EIS No. 20070455, ERP No. D-SFW-K99039-CA, Coyote Spring Investment 
Multispecies Conservation Plan, Issuing a 40-year Incidental Take 
Permit for Five Species, Clark and Lincoln Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections because of 
potentially significant impacts to waters of the U.S. and insufficient 
alternatives analysis. EPA also expressed concerns about insufficient 
analysis for groundwater cumulative impacts, traffic-related air 
quality impacts, biological resources, and population growth. Rating 
EO2.

EIS No. 20070480, ERP No. D-AFS-J65499-UT, Pockets Resource Management 
Project, Proposes to Salvage Dead and Dying Spruce/Fir, Regenerate 
Aspen, and Manage Travel, Escalate Ranger District, Dixie National 
Forest, Garfield County, UT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts to 
water quality from activities associated with roads and water crossings 
for vegetation treatments, and requested the final EIS further discuss 
road management decisions, and road inspection, evaluation and 
enforcement activities. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20070496, ERP No. D-FRC-G03036-00, Fayetteville/Greenville 
Expansion Project, Construction and Operation of the Natural Gas 
Pipeline Facilities in Arkansas and Mississippi.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and requested that 
the Final EIS provide additional information concerning environmental 
justice, wetland impacts and mitigation, and air quality impacts. 
Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20070503, ERP No. D-AFS-L65544-AK, Navy Timber Sale Project, To 
Address the Potential Effects of Timber Harvesting on Etolin Island, 
Wrangell Ranger District, Tongass National Forest, AK.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the potential 
for water quality impacts, particularly in the Anita Creek, Quiet 
Creek, and Kindergarten Lake watersheds, as well as destruction of 
relatively high amounts of Productive Old Growth (POG) habitat. Rating 
EC2.
EIS No. 20070481, ERP No. DS-COE-E67005-NC, PCS Phosphate Mine 
Continuation, New Information on Additional Alternative ``L'' and 
``M'', Proposes to Expand its Existing Open Pit Phosphate Mining 
Operation into a 3,412 Acre Tract, Pamlico River and South Creek, near 
Aurora, Beaufort County, NC.

    Summary: EPA continues to express environmental objections to the 
applicant's preferred alternative due to the significant wetland 
resource impacts. Rating EO2.

Final EISs

EIS No. 20070449, ERP No. F-BLM-L67046-ID, Smoky Canyon Mine Panels F & 
G, Proposed Mine Expansion, Caribou County, ID.

    Summary: EPA continues to express environmental objections because 
of the potential for adverse effects to groundwater and surface water 
in the project area from release of Se from the proposed expansion.

EIS No. 20070456, ERP No. F-DOE-D09800-PA, Gilberton Coal-to-Clean 
Fuels and Power Project, Construction and Operation a New Demonstration 
Plant, Preferred Alternative Selected, Schuylkill County, PA.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns because the proposed 
project would cause an increase in CO2 emissions over 
conventional coal-fired power plants.

EIS No. 20070472, ERP No. F-DOE-D09801-WV, Western Greenbrier Co-
Production Demonstration Project, Construction and Demonstration of a 
98 megawatt (MWe) Net Power Plant and Ash Byproduct Manufacturing 
Facility, Rainelle, WV.

    Summary: EPA's previous issues have been resolved; therefore, EPA 
does not object to the proposed action.

EIS No. 20070499, ERP No. F-FRC-L05238-00, Klamath Hydroelectric 
Project, Continued Operations for Hydropower License FERC No. 2082-27, 
Klamath River, Klamath County, OR and Siskiyou County, CA.

    Summary: EPA recommended that additional monitoring and adaptive 
management measures be incorporated into the Record of Decision. EPA 
also recommended that additional analyses be performed prior to 
initiation of Clean Water Act Section 401 certification process.

EIS No. 20070500, ERP No. F-COE-K35044-CA, Berth 136-147 [TraPac] 
Container Terminal Project, Upgrade Existing Wharf Facilities, Install 
a Buffer Area between the Terminal and Community, U.S. Army COE Section

[[Page 4561]]

10 and 404 Permit, West Basin Portion of the Port of Los Angeles, CA.

    Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about air 
quality and wetland impacts, and recommended air quality mitigation 
measures and the selection of the no-fill alternative.

EIS No. 20070511, ERP No. F-BLM-L65524-AK, Bay Resource Management 
Plan, Implementation, Located within the Bristol Bay and Goodnews Bay 
Areas, AK.

    Summary: The final EIS addressed EPA's concerns about cumulative 
impacts and developing a monitoring plan. However, EPA continues to 
have concerns about impacts to resources after lease expiration, and 
lack of information specific to tribal consultation in the planning 
area, in accordance with Executive Order 13075.

EIS No. 20070513, ERP No. F-FHW-G40173-TX, Grand Parkway/TX-99 Segment 
E Improvement Project, IH-10 to U.S. 290, Funding, Right-of-Way Grant 
and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, Harris County, TX.

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

EIS No. 20070535, ERP No. F-AFS-K65295-CA, Horse Heli Project, Harvest 
Merchantable Timber, Thin Stands, Treat Fuels, and Conduct Associated 
Activities, Klamath National Forest, Oak Knoll Ranger District, 
Siskiyou County, CA.

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

EIS No. 20070548, ERP No. F-NPS-J65463-CO, Rocky Mountain National 
Park, Elk and Vegetation Management Plan, Implementation, Grand and 
Larimer Counties, CO.

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

EIS No. 20070554, ERP No. F-FRC-J03019-CO, High Plains Expansion 
Project, (Docket No. CP07-207-000) Natural Gas Pipeline Facility, 
Construction and Operation, U.S. Army COE 404, Weld, Adams, and Morgan 
Counties, CO.

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

EIS No. 20080003, ERP No. F-AFS-L65540-WA, Old Curlew Ranger Station 
Facilities Disposal Project, Proposal to Sell 3-Acre Parcel Including 
Buildings, Republic Ranger District, Colville National Forest, South 
Side of Curlew, Ferry County, WA.

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

EIS No. 20070487, ERP No. FA-COE-E39051-FL, Lake Okeechobee Regulation 
Schedule Study, New Updated Information, Evaluation of Three New 
Alternatives on Operational Changes to the Current Water Control Plan, 
Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades Agricultural Area, Lake Okeechobee, 
Glades, Okeechobee Hendry, Palm Beach and Martin Counties, FL.

    Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about impacts 
on the lower river and estuaries from Lake Okeechobee flow releases.

    Dated: January 22, 2008.
Robert W. Hargrove,
Director, NEPA, Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
 [FR Doc. E8-1310 Filed 1-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P