Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-4716-7]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared October 10, 1994 through

October 14, 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-J65221-MT Rating EC2, Beaverhead National Forests Oil

and Gas Leasing, Exploration, Development and Land Acquisition,

Beaverhead, Madison, Silver Bow, Deer Lodge and Gallatin, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential

impacts to wetlands, water quality, fisheries, and air quality. The EPA

indicated that the EIS requires additional resource information and

further explanation regarding resource issues in order to fully assess

impacts and to assure that the environment will be fully protected.

ERP No. D-AFS-J65222-ND Rating EC2, Southern Little Missouri and

Cedar River Oil and Gas Leasing, Approvals, Custer National Forest,

Medora Ranger District, Cedar River National Grassland, Grant River

Ranger District, Billings, Golden Valley, Slope, Grant and Sioux

Counties, ND.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential

drilling impacts to surface and ground water resources and air quality

impacts. EPA requested that the final EIS provide additional discussion

of these issues.

ERP No. D-AFS-L61199-ID Rating LO, Salmon Wild and Scenic River

Corridor Implementation, Issuance of Special-Use-Permits for three

Private Camps, Salmon National Forest, Salmon County, ID.

Summary: EPA had no objection to the actions as proposed.

ERP No. D-COE-C36070-PR Rating EC2, Rio Guanajibo River Basin Flood

Protection Project, Implementation, NPDES Permit, Mayaguez and San

German, PR.

Summary: EPA had expressed environmental concerns about the

proposed project's non-structural alternatives evaluation; soil,

sediment, and water quality impacts; hazardous substance identification

and management; wetlands impacts and mitigation plan; agricultural

impacts; and cumulative impacts. Accordingly, additional information

was requested to be included.

ERP No. D-FAA-C51017-NJ Rating EC2, Newark International Airport

Ground Access Monorail-Northeast Corridor Connection Project, Funding,

Construction, Operation, Airport Layout Plant and Approval, Essex and

Union Counties, NJ.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the proposed

project's conformance with the New Jersey SIP, potential for

encountering hazardous contaminants, and wetland impacts. Accordingly,

additional information should be presented in the final EIS to address

these concerns.

ERP No. DS-USA-A11072-00 Rating EC2, Theater Missile Defense (TMD)

Extended Test Range Project, US Army Ground-Based TMD Missiles Extended

Range Test Using New Potential Booster Drop Zones, White Sands Missile

Range and Fort Wingate Depot Activity, NM; and Green Launch Complex,

UT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the lack of

adequate information to fully assess environmental impacts.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-BLM-J60015-WY 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 proposed action.

ERP No. F-BLM-K60027-CA Southeast Regional Wastewater Treatment

Plant and Geysers Effluent Pipeline Injection Project, Improvements,

Funding, COE Section 404 Permit and NPDES Permit, City of Clearlake,

Lake County, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the EIS Record

of Decision that addressed the project's consistency with the Clean

Water Act Section 404(b) (1) Guidelines as well as adopt mitigation to

reduce noise levels from project-related pumps.

ERP No. F-UAF-C11009-NJ McGuire Air Force Base (AFB) Realignment,

Implementation, Burlington County, NJ.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the project's

interim spill plan, the timing of the capping of ST-22 in relation to

the site's remediation, and ground water withdrawals. EPA requested

that these issues be addressed in the ROD.

ERP No. F-UAF-J11009-CO Lowry Air Force Base (AFB) Disposal and

Reuse, Implementation, Denver County, CO.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding conformance

with the Clean Air Act general conformity regulations. EPA requested

that additional information be included in the final EIS on this issue.

Other

ERP No. LD-AFS-J65223-WY Rating EC2, Bridger-Teton National Forest,

Wild and Scenic River Study for the Yellowstone, Buffalo Fork, Gros

Ventre, Hoback, Greys, Salt and Green Rivers, Suitable or Nonsuitable

Designation, WY.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the

protection of water resources and requested that the final document

evaluate an additional alternative that may enhance the level of water

resources protection provided.

Dated: October 25, 1994.

Marshall Cain,

Senior Legal Advisor, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 94-26727 Filed 10-27-94; 8:45 am]

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