Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5228-8]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared August 28, 1995 Through

September 01, 1995 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 14, 1995 (60

FR 19047).

[[Page 47945]]

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J65238-MT Rating EC2, Bull Sweats Vegetation

Manipulation Project, Implementation, Helena National Forest, Helena

Ranger District, Lewis and Clark Counties, MT.

SUMMARY: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential

air quality impacts of proposed prescribed burning, and believes

additional information on air quality impacts, timber harvest

prescriptions, and water quality/wetlands impacts are needed to fully

assess and mitigate all potential impacts of the management actions.

ERP No. D-AFS-J65239-MT Rating EC2, South Fork Yaak Salvage

Project, Implementation, Kootenai National Forest, Three Rivers Ranger

District, Lincoln County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the existing

condition, sensitivity to disturbance, and slow recovery of Fowler and

Can Creeks, and potential air quality impacts of proposed activities.

The EPA also believes additional information is needed to fully assess

and mitigate all potential environmental impacts of the management

actions.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65172-ID Rating EC2, Idaho Panhandle National

Forests Noxious Weed Management Projects, Implementation, Bonners Ferry

Ranger District, Boundary County, ID.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and believes that

information is required to effectively address risks associated with

the proposed herbicide treatments related to specific management

objectives. Potential impacts to ground and surface water should be

expanded.

ERP No. D-BLM-J01073-WY Rating EC2, Jackpot Underground Uranium

Mine Project, Construction and Operation, Plan of Operation Approval,

NPDES Permit and COE Section 404 Permit, Fremont and Sweetwater

Counties, WY.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and believes that air

dispersion modeling in a screening mode should be performed to estimate

impacts to NAAQS. The final EIS should address procedures when PM-10

has been trigged and include a contingency plan for the permit.

ERP No. D-BLM-L65243-OR Rating EC2, Lake Abert Area Designation as

an Area of Critical Environmental Concerns (ACEC), High Desert

Management Framework Amendment Plan, Right-of-Way Grant and Drilling

Permit, Valley Falls, Lake County, OR.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and recommends that a

grazing-prohibition alternative be considered, and that potential noise

impacts should be addressed in the final EIS.

ERP No. D-NOA-A29004-00 Rating LO, Programmatic EIS--Coastal

Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, Implementation, Approval for 29

States and Territories Coastal Nonpoint Program.

Summary: EPA rated the draft EIS as ``LO'' (lack of objections). As

a cooperating agency on the EIS EPA provided some suggestions to

strengthen the document in providing a thorough explanation of the

program and the problems it is designed to address.

ERP No. D-NPS-K65171-CA Rating EC2, Cabrillo National Monument,

General Management Plan/Development Concept Plans, Implementation, San

Diego County, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns in these the major

areas: air quality, National Pollution Discharge Elimination System

permitting, and Coastal Zone Management Act requirements. The draft EIS

lacked discussion of air impacts and EPA provided extensive comments

and guidance for conformity determinations and analyzing air impacts to

be included in the final EIS.

ERP No. DR-DOE-L91009-WA Rating EC2, Yakima River Basin Fisheries

Project, Updated and Additional Information, Construction, Operation

and Maintenance, Funding, COE Section 10/404 Permits and NPDES Permit,

Yakima Indian Nation, Yakima County, WA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns based on the

potential impacts to fisheries resources and the need to ensure that

the BPA and other responsible parties are evaluating opportunities to

complement their respective management actions/objectives within the

Yakima River Basin. EPA has requested additional information on fish

habitat conditions, and clarification on the relationship of the

proposed action with the Bureau of Reclamation's water enhancement

project.

ERP No. DS-NPS-L65229-AK Rating EC2, Brooks River Area, Katmai

National Park and Preserve Development Concept Plan, Updated

Information Concerning a New Proposal Alternative for Beaver Pond

Terrace, Implementation, AK.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about wetlands, water

quality and mitigation.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-BLM-K60026-CA, Mesquite Regional Landfill Project,

Implementation, Federal Land Exchange, Right-of-Way Approval,

Conditional-Use-Permit and General Plan Amendment, Imperial County, CA.

Summary: The final EIS satisfactorily addressed issues raised in

EPA's comments on the draft EIS. EPA believed it may be possible to

further reduce air quality impacts by implementing EPA's proposed New

Source Performance Standard for MSW landfills (56 FR 24476, May 30,

1991).

ERP No. F-NPS-D61036-DC, Rock Creek Park Tennis Center and

Associated Recreation Fields, Implementation, Northwest Quadrant of

Washington, DC.

Summary: EPA believes the documentation and range of alternatives

discussed are sufficient and no further comments are warranted. EPA had

no objections to the preferred alternative described in the FEIS.

ERP No. F-NPS-K61133-CA, Joshua Tree National Monument General

Management Plan and Development Concept Plan, Implementation, Riverside

and San Bernardino Counties, CA.

Summary: The final EIS has been responsive to concerns expressed in

EPA's comments on the draft EIS.

ERP No. F-NPS-K61135-AZ, Grand Canyon National Park General

Management Plan, Implementation, Coconino and Mohave Counties, AZ.

Summary: EPA had environmental concerns with the potential adverse

impacts with road realignment on the east rim, development of area

services on the south rim and compliance with drinking water standards.

ERP No. F-NPS-L61197-OR, Fort Clatsop National Memorial General

Management and Development Concept Plans, Implementation, Astoria,

Clatsop County, OR.

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

found to be satisfactory. EPA provided no formal written comments. EPA

had no objection to the preferred alternative as described in the FEIS.

ERP No. F-USN-E11035-SC, Charleston Naval Base Disposal and Reuse,

Implementation, Charleston and Dorchester Counties, SC.

Summary: EPA environmental concerns with the DEIS were addressed.

However, EPA expressed environmental concerns with water quality and

radiological issues in the FEIS.

ERP No. FS-AFS-J65183-UT, East Fork Blacks Fork Multiple Use

Management Project, Implementation, Additional Information, Wasatch-

Cache National Forest, Evanston Ranger District, Summit County, UT.

[[Page 47946]]

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

Regulations

ERP No. R-AFS-A65162-00, Forest Service Handbook for Review of FERC

Hydropower Authorizations on National Forest Service Lands--RIN 0596-

AA47.

Summary: EPA agrees that the USFS and FERC should streamline their

process and interactions concerning hydropower projects, however it is

critical that the USFS maintain sufficient, independent authority to

ensure that its environmental responsibilities with regard to National

Forest Lands are met.

Dated: September 12, 1995.

B. Katherine Biggs,

Associate Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal

Activities.

[FR Doc. 95-23007 Filed 9-14-95; 8:45 am]

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