Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-4712-6]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared June 6, 1994 through June 10,

1994 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)

260-5076.

An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental

impact statements (EISs) was published in Federal Register dated April

08, 1994 (59 FR 16807).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J65217-MT Rating LO, Bear Timber Sales,

Implementation, Bitterroot National Forest, Darby Ranger District,

Ravalli County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed lack of objection. EPA supported alternative

B, but suggested air quality be monitored.

ERP No. D-BLM-J60014-MT Rating EC2, Rosebud Coal Mine Project,

Implementation, Approval of Coal Lease Application (MTM-80697) on

Federal Coal Lands, Powder River Resource Area, Miles City District

Office, Rosebud County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns based on groundwater,

stream and riparian area/wetlands impacts and potential air quality

impacts. EPA requested that these issues and more emphasis on

cumulative effects analysis be addressed in the final EIS.

ERP No. D-CDB-C80013-NY Rating LO, Southwest Middle School Project,

Construction and Operation, Site Approval and CDBG Funds, City of

Rochester, Monroe County, NY.

Summary: EPA had no objection to the implementation of the proposed

project.

ERP No. D-DOE-J05074-00 Rating EC2, Energy Planning and Management

Program to service (15) States from Minnesota in the northeast to

California in the southwest, Power Marketing Initiative,

Implementation.

Summary: EPA had environmental concerns with this document's lack

of information on rate design improvements that would promote

successful load management and energy conservation.

ERP No. D-FHW-J40132-MT Rating EC2, US 93 (Somers to Whitefish

West) Transportation Improvements, Funding and COE Section 404 Permit,

Glacier National Park and Flathead National Forest, Flathead County,

MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding wetlands

and air quality. EPA indicated that the Alternative A alignment of the

existing US 93 corridor through Kalispell was environmentally

preferable to the Alternative B bypass west of Kalispell.

ERP No. D-UAF-C11009-NJ Rating EC2, McGuire Air Force Base (AFB)

Realignment, Implementation, Burlington County, NJ.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that there was a lack

of sufficient information on interim spill plans. EPA also recommended

that the final EIS include additional information on wetlands,

groundwater, air quality and noise levels.

ERP No. D-USN-E11033-FL Rating EC2, Pensacola Naval Air Station

Realignment, Relocation of Memphis Naval Air Station and Closure of San

Diego Naval Training Center, Implementation, Pensacola Bay, FL.

Summary: EPA had environmental concerns regarding a degree of

uncertainty from the loss of wetland/biological functions associated

with airfield construction and the potential adverse effects from the

release of hazardous materials into the atmosphere during fire

suppression training exercises. Additional information should be

provided in the final document regarding these matters.

ERP No. DS-ICC-J53004-MT Rating EO2, Tongue River Railroad

Additional Rail Line Construction and Operation, Additional Information

concerning the Four Mile Creek Alternative, Ashland to Decker,

Approval, Rosebud and Big Horn Counties, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental objection with the preferred

alternative, which would require the construction of five bridges over

the Tongue River, each of which would require excavation and/or fill

within the river's high water line, which could result in significant

adverse impacts to the chemical, physical and biological integrity of

the Tongue River. EPA also believed that the construction and operation

of a railroad along the proposed alignment in the relatively

undisturbed Tongue River canyon would result in significant adverse

impacts to recreational, aesthetic and wildlife values, including the

habitat of the bald eagle.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-AFS-J65206-CO, Snowmass Ski Area Upgrading and Expansion

Development Plan, Special Use Permit and COE Section 404 Permit, White

River National Forest, Aspen Ranger District, Pitkin County, CO.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns based on potential

effects to wetlands and aquatic resources. EPA recommended developing a

wetland plan pursuant to Section 404 and the no-net-loss policy.

Inadequate data was given for the air quality modelling analysis.

ERP No. F-AFS-K65159-NV, East Shore Land and Resource Management

Plan, Implementation, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), Washoe

and Douglas Counties, NV.

Summary: Review of the Final EIS was not deemed necessary. No

formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. F-APH-A99185-00, Nationwide Cooperative Animal Damage

Control Program, Integrated Pest Management Approach, Implementation.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that the EIS does not

fully discuss environmental impacts and, instead, relies more on the

fact that standards are met. EPA recommended that APHIS discuss the

Animal Damage Control's program for widespread and repeated mortality

of non-target species.

ERP No. F-APH-C99009-NY, Gull Hazard Reduction Program, John F.

Kennedy International Airport, Implementation, Gateway National

Recreation Area, Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Queens County,

NY.

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

ERP No. F-COE-E40749-NC, Fairfield Bridge Replacement Project,

Implementation, Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Hyde County, NC.

Summary: EPA had environmental concerns about the losses associated

with upgrading the Fairfield Bridge which have been satisfactorily

addressed in the final EIS.

ERP No. F-FHW-C40128-NY, I-90/Interchange 8 Connector to Route 4 at

Washington Avenue Transportation Improvements, Funding and COE Permits,

Town of North Greenbush, Rensselaer County, NY.

Summary: EPA had an environmental concern with the potential

inclusion of storm water retention ponds in the project's wetlands

mitigation plan. EPA requested that this issue be clarified in the

project's record of decision.

ERP No. F-SFW-J99050-WY, Gray Wolves (Canis Lupus) Reintroduction

into the Yellowstone National Park and Central Idaho, Implementation,

MT, WY and ID.

Summary: Review of the Final EIS has been completed and the project

found to be satisfactory.

ERP No. FS-AFS-E65029-NC, Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests

Land and Resource Management Plan, Updated Information, Amendment 5,

Implementation, several counties, NC.

Summary: EPA supported alternative E-modified, but expressed

environmental concerns regarding impacts from logging on water quality

and riparian zones.

ERP No. FS-GSA-C81014-NY, Foley Square Federal Courthouse and

Federal/ Municipal Office Building Development and Construction,

Updated Information, New York County, NY.

Summary: EPA had no objection to the proposed action.

Dated: June 21, 1994.

Marshall Cain,

Senior Legal Advisor, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 94-15433 Filed 6-23-94; 8:45 am]

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