Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5413-7]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared February 05, 1996 Through

February 09, 1996 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) 564-7167.

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-L65173-ID

Rating LO, Lower South Fork Salmon River Post-Fire Project, Fire-

Killed and Imminently Dead Timber Harvesting, Implementation and COE

Section 404 Permit Issuance, Payette National Forest, Mc Call Ranger

District, Idaho and Valley Counties, ID.

Summary: EPA's abbreviated review revealed no concerns with the

proposed project.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65247-AK

Rating EC2, Lab Bay Project Area Timber Harvest, Implementation,

COE Section 404, EPA NPDES and Coast Guard Bridge Permits Issuance,

Thorne Bay Ranger District, Ketchikan Administrative Area, Tongass

National Forest, Prince of Wales Island, AK.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the direct

and cumulative impacts to water quality from construction and operation

of a new LTF on the west side of Thorne Island, and the continued

operation of LTFs existing. The Final EIS should address site specific

bark accumulation and potential impacts to the marine environment.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65249-AK

Rating EO2, Northwest Baranof Timber Sale (s), Implementation,

NPDES, Coast Guard Bridge, COE Section 10 and 404 Permits, Tongass

National Forest, Sitka Ranger District, Baranof Island, AK.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections based on water

quality impacts, especially to impaired waters and riparian areas. The

final EIS should address effects to degraded waters, effects of timber

harvest and road construction, the Fish and Wildlife Service dive

survey information for LTF sites, and the

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effects of logging camp and LTF removal.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65250-ID

Rating LO, White Sand Planning Area Ecosystem Management Project,

Implementation, Clearwater National Forest, Powell Ranger District,

Idaho County, ID.

Summary: EPA's abbreviated review has revealed no concerns with the

proposed project.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65252-OR

Rating EC2, Hoodoo Master Plan, Plan of Operation Approval and

Special-Use-Permit Issuance, Willamette National Forest, McKenzie

Ranger District, Linn County, OR.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns over potential

impacts to air and water from land-use under the proposed expansion.

The final EIS needs to further characterize these impacts and

appropriate mitigation measures.

ERP No. D-BLM-L60102-OR

Rating EC2, Tucker Hill Perlite Quarry Project, Implementation,

Mining Plan of Operation, Approval, Town of Lakeview, Lake County, OR.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding tribal

issues and noise impacts to this site and suggests additional

mitigation measures be included in the final EIS.

ERP No. D-COE-K36114-CA

Rating EC2, Magpie Creek Channel Section 205 Flood Control

Investigation Project, Improvements, Implementation, National Economic

Development Plan and Levee Plan, NPDES Permit Issuance, McCellan Air

Force Base, City of Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns over the lack of

information regarding potential non-structural alternatives to increase

the level of flood protection. EPA also requested additional discussion

or data in the final EIS regarding air quality impacts and mitigation.

ERP No. D-UAF-C11011-NY

Rating EC2, Griffis Air Force Base (AFB) Disposal and Reuse,

Implementation, Oneida County, NY.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the reuse

plans for Installation Restoration Program sites and potential

contamination issues. EPA also noted discrepancies regarding the extent

of wetlands at the site. Accordingly, additional information must be

provided in the final EIS.

ERP No. DS-FHW-E40010-SC

Rating EO2, Mark Clark Expressway Facility Construction, Sam

Rittenberg Boulevard (SC-7) to Folly Road (SC-171) crossing the Stono

River, Updated Information concerning the last portion of the

Charleston Inner Belt Freeway, Funding and COE Sections 404 and 10

Permits and US Coast Guard Bridge Permit Issuance, Chareston County,

SC.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental objection due to the potential

estuarine and freshwater wetland impact. EPA requested that the final

EIS contain an acceptable mitigation plan.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-AFS-L65237-ID

Thunderbolt Wildfire Recovery Project, Implementation, Boise and

Payette National Forests, Valley County, ID.

Summary: EPA continues to find the proposed project environmentally

unsatisfactory due to the potential adverse impacts to water quality

and the spawning and rearing habitat for the federally endangered Snake

River spring/summer Chinook salmon in the South Fork Salmon river. EPA

will continue to work with the USFS and follow the results of any

monitoring efforts.

ERP No. F-DOE-L05212-WA

Columbia Wind Farm #1 Project, Construction and Operation of a 25

Megawatt (MW) Wind Power Project in the Columbia Hills Area,

Conditional-Use-Permit, NPDES Permit and COE Section 404 Permit,

Klickitat County, WA.

Summary: EPA had no comment to the proposed action. Review of the

Final EIS was not deemed necessary.

ERP No. F-FHW-B40065-RI

Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park Highway Access

Improvement, RI-4 Freeway between North Kingstown and East Greenwich,

Funding, Kent and Washington Counties, RI.

Summary: EPA expressed concern regarding longterm maintenance of

stormwater management structures and water quality monitoring.

ERP No. F-FHW-L40185-WA

WA-520 Corridor Improvements, Construction and Reconstruction,

between 104th Avenue N.E. and West Lake Sammamish Parkway (Formerly WA-

901), Funding and COE Section 404 Permit, the Cities of Bellevue and

Redmond, King County, WA.

Summary: EPA had no objection to the preferred alternative as

described in the EIS.

Dated: February 20, 1996.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 96-4153 Filed 2-22-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-U