Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-4716-5]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared October 03, 1994 Through

October 07, 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 FR dated April 08, 1994 (59

FR 16807).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J65200-CO Rating EO2, Telluride Ski Area Expansion

Project, Implementation, Special-Use-Permit and COE Section 404 Permit,

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnion National Forests, Norwood Ranger

District, San Miguel County, CO.

Summary

EPA expressed environmental objections due to potential impacts to

air quality (carbon monoxide and PM-10) in the project area. EPA also

requested additional discussion concerning the potential for

degradation of air quality in an existing Class I airshed.

ERP No. D-AFS-J65219-WY Rating LO1, Shoshone National Forest

Allowable Timber Sale Quantity, Implementation, Fremont, Hot Springs,

Park, Sublette and Teton Counties, WY.

Summary

EPA had no objection to the proposed alternative.

ERP No. D-BLM-J60015-WY Rating LO1, Creston/Blue Gap Natural Gas

and Oil Development Project, Construction and Operation, Special-Use-

Permit, Right-of-Way and COE Section 404 Permit, Carbon and Sweetwater

Counties, WY.

Summary

EPA had no objection to the project as proposed.

ERP No. DS-DOE-A22088-SC Rating EC2, Savannah River Site,

Construction and Operation of Defense Waste Processing Facility,

Updated Information, Aiken and Barnwell Counties, SC.

Summary

EPA had environmental concerns about the project due to the lack of

detail on cumulative impacts as it relates to other pending EISs. EPA

recommended that information from these EISs' be included in the final

EIS.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-AFS-J02028-00. North Slope Oil and Gas Leasing,

Application for Permit to Drill, High Uinta Mountain, Evanston and

Mountain View Ranger District, Wasatch-Cache National Forest and

Flaming Gorge District, Ashley National Forest, Intermountain Region,

Summit and Daggett Counties, UT and Uinta County, WY.

Summary

EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the lack of full

discussion of air and water quality studies and monitoring requirement

that should be provided in the leasing analysis documents.

ERP No. F-AFS-J65195-WY. Grand Targhee Ski Area Expansion Master

Development Plan, Implementation, Targhee National Forest, Teton

County, WY.

Summary

EPA had no objection to the project as proposed. Initial concerns

regarding air quality have been adequately addressed in the final EIS.

ERP No. F-AFS-J65209-MT. Middle Fork Ecosystem Management Project,

Implementation, Flathead National Forest, Hungry Horse Ranger District,

Flathead River, Flathead County, MT.

Summary

EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential effects of

proposed prescribed burning and protection of air quality in nearby

Class I areas and nearby PM-10 nonattainment areas. EPA also indicated

that some level of water quality monitoring would be appropriate to

document effectiveness of BMPs and to assess actual sediment increases

and aquatic biological effects.

ERP No. F-AFS-L65210-ID.West Fork Papoose Timber Sale,

Implementation, Clearwater National Forest, Powell Ranger District,

Idaho County, ID.

Summary

EPA continued to have environmental concerns regarding the sediment

levels that currently exist in the Papoose Creek and Parachute Creek

Watershed.

ERP No. F-BLM-J02029-WY.Enron Burly Field Oil and Gas Leasing,

Permit to Drill, Temporary Use Permits, COE Section 404 Permit and

Right-of-Way Grants, Pinedale Resource Area, Sublette County, WY.

Summary

EPA had no objection to the project as proposed. The Final EIS has

adequately addressed groundwater quality issues and other concerns.

ERP No. F-COE-D39025-00.Anacostia River and Tributaries Feasibility

Study relating to Restoration of Fish and Wild Habitat, Implementation,

Prince George's and Montgomery Cos., MD, and DC.

Summary

EPA had no objection to the project as proposed.

ERP No. F-FHW-E40132-FL.North Suncoast Corridor, Transportation

Improvement and Construction, Northwest Expressway Zone 1 in

Hillsborough Co. to US 98 in Hernando Co. to Zone 2 FL-52 in Pasco Co.,

Funding, COE Section 404 Permit, Hillsborough, Hernando and Pasco

Counties, FL.

Summary

EPA expressed environmental objections to the project due to

significant wetland and upland resources impacts. EPA expressed concern

that the proposed wetland mitigation relies too heavily on creation of

new wetlands that have a low probability for success. EPA recommended

that the alignment be reexamined during the final design stage to

further reduce wetland upland losses.

ERP No. F-FHW-L40182-WA.Twin Bridges Replacement Project, Grosscup

Road over the Yakima River, Funding and COE Section 10/404 Permit,

Benton County, WA.

Summary

EPA provided no formal written comments. EPA had no objection to

the preferred alternative as described in the EIS.

ERP No. F-SFW-G64011-LA.Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge

Master Plan, Implementation, Orleans Parish, LA.

Summary

EPA had no objection to the action as proposed.

ERP No. F-SFW-J61090-SD.Conata Basin/Badlands Area Black-Footed

Ferret Reintroduction, Implementation, Badlands National Park and

Buffalo Gap National Grassland, Conata Basin, several counties, SD.

Summary

EPA had no objection to the action as proposed.

ERP No. FS-AFS-J82005-MT.Lewis and Clark National Forest Noxious

Weed Control Program, Updated Information, Implementation, several

counties, MT.

Summary

Review of the Final Supplemental EIS has been completed and the

project found to be satisfactory. No formal comment letter was sent to

the preparing agency.

Dated: October 18, 1994.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, Federal Agency Liaison Division.

[FR Doc. 94-26145 Filed 10-20-94; 8:45 am]

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