Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5229-3]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared September 11, 1995 Through

September 15, 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).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J61096-CO Rating EC1, Steamboat Ski Area Expansion,

Implementation, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Mt. Weiner,

Special-Use-Permit and COE Section 404 Permit, Routt County, CO.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns over the scope of

wetlands analysis and wetlands impacts in the draft EIS. Information in

the draft EIS was not adequate to identify potential wetland impacts,

or to assess the wetland resources.

ERP No. D-AFS-J65241-MT Rating EC2, Skyline Ridge Project Area

Timber Salvage and Associated Activities, Plan of Approval and

Implementation, Kootenai National Forest, Three Rivers Ranger District,

Lincoln County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential

adverse water quality and channel stability effects to 5 creeks in the

watershed. EPA also believes additional information is needed to fully

assess and mitigate all potential environmental impacts of the actions.

ERP No. D-AFS-L67034-WA Rating EO2, Crown Jewel Mine and Mill

Project, Construction and Operation, Gold and Silver Mining and Milling

Project, Plan of Operations Approval, Special-UsePermits and COE

Section 404 Permit, Chesaw, Okanogan County, WA.

Summary: EPA had environmental objections regarding water quality,

hydrologic alteration, NPDES permitting, reclamation and wetland and

stream mitigation.

ERP No. D-FHW-K40211-HI Rating LO, Kealakehe Parkway Completion,

Queen Kaahumanu Highway and Honokohau Harbor Road Intersection to near

the Mamalahoa Highway and Old Mamalahoa Highway Intersection, North

Korna District, Hawaii County, HI.

Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objection to the project as

proposed.

ERP No. D-NCP-D61040-DC Rating LO, Washington, DC. New Sports and

Entertainment Arena, Construction and Operation, Modern Multi-Purpose

Arena, Eight potential Sites, Washington, DC.

Summary: EPA believed that this project will have minimal adverse

impacts to the environment and therefore has no objection to the

project.

ERP No. DS-BLM-G01010-NM Rating LO, Fence Lake Federal Coal

Project, Updated Information for Approval or Disapproval of Salt River

Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District (SRP), Lease

Approval, Mining Plan Permit Application, Catron and Cibola Cos., NM

and Apache County, AZ.

Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objection for the proposed

actions.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-AFS-G65058-NM, Diamond Bar Allotment Management Plan,

Implementation, Gila National

[[Page 50581]]

Forest, Mimbres Ranger District, Sierra, Catron and Grant Counties, NM.

Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objection to the proposed action.

ERP No. F-AFS-J65149-MT, Big Mountain Ski and Summer Resort

Expansion Project, Special-Use-Permit, Flathead National Forest, Tally

Lake and Glacier View Ranger Districts, Whitefish, Flathead County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding Forest

Service's consistency on air quality conformity determinations for ski

area expansions near nonattainment areas. EPA believes that new growth

in minor source emissions for this expansion will consume PSD increment

in Class I and II areas.

ERP No. F-AFS-J65211-CO, Illinois Creek Timber Sale, Timber

Harvesting, Implementation, Amended Land and Resource Management Plan,

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Taylor River/

Cebolla Ranger District, Gunnison County, CO.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about incomplete

wetland identification, nutrient loading and compliance with section

404 of the CWA.

ERP No. F-AFS-J65227-MT, Wagner-Atlanta Vegetation Treatment

Project, Implementation, Helena National Forest, Townsend Ranger

District, Meagher County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objection with the selection of

Alternative E.

ERP No. F-AFS-K28017-CA, Running Springs Water District Wastewater

Treatment Facilities Upgrading and Reclamation for Irrigation and Snow-

Making at the Snow Valley Ski Resort, Approval, San Bernardino National

Forest, San Bernardino County, CA.

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

formal comment letter was sent to preparing agency.

ERP No. F-FHW-D40271-PA, US 219 Transportation Project, Improvement

from I-68 to Somerset and US 219 to Meyersdale, Funding, Somerset

County, PA.

Summary: EPA has determined that all outstanding issues have been

addressed. EPA had no objections to the issuance of the Record of

Decision provided that the proposed mitigation measures described in

the final EIS be identified and implemented.

ERP No. F-GSA-C80014-NY, U.S. Plaza at Rainbow Bridge Renovation

Project, Leasing of Space for Use by the U.S. Immigration and

Naturalization Service and the U.S. Customs Service, Niagara County,

NY.

Summary: EPA had no objection to the proposed project.

Regulations

ERP No. R-FEM-A99204-00, 44 CFR Part 10 (RIN-3067-AC41)--

Environmental Considerations/Categorical Exclusions: Proposed Rule.

Summary: EPA recommended that some of the proposed categorical

exclusions to environmental review under the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA) be narrowed, and that the proposed regulation be made

consistent with the Stafford Act.

Dated: September 26, 1995.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 95-24277 Filed 9-28-95; 8:45 am]

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