Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5414-2]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared February 19, 1996 Through

February 23, 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-DOE-L09806-WA Rating EC2, Northwest Regional Power

Facility (NRPF), Construction and Operation if a 838 Megawatt (MW) Gas-

fired Combustion Turbine Facility, Approval of Permits, Located near

the Town of Creston, WA.

Summary: EPA's environmental concerns are based on potential

impacts to water quality, wetlands and air quality.

ERP No. D-DOE-L09808-WA Rating EC2, Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP)

Stabilization, To Safely Reduced Radiation Exposure to Workers and

Environment, Hanford Site, Richland, Benton County, WA.

Summary: EPA's environmental concerns are based on the need to

clarify the alternative analysis and better reference the proposed

activity and the Tri-Party Agreement for the Hanford Facility.

ERP No. D-NOA-K90028-HI Rating EC2, Hawaiian Islands Humpback

Whales and Their Habitat National Marine Sanctuary Management Plan,

Implementation, Honolulu, Kauai and Maui Counties, HI.

Summary: EPA had environmental concerns regarding the potential

impacts to the management and regulatory flexibility of existing

regulatory programs. EPA's concerns included potential impacts to

existing and future designations of dredge disposal sites,

modifications to the seabed, the National Pollution Discharge

Elimination System (NPDES) permitting system, and water quality

programs. EPA supports the development of MOUs with other agencies and

stresses the need for close coordination with EPA, U.S. Corps of

Engineers, and Hawaii's Department of Health regarding the above

regulatory programs and any enforcement actions. Additional

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detailed data was requested to support evaluations regarding potential

benefits or adverse impacts.

ERP No. D-SFW-L99005-WA Rating EC2, Plum Creek Timber Sale,

Issuance of a Permit to Allow Incidental Take and Habitat Conservation

Plan (HCP) for Threatened and Endangered Species, Implementation,

Eastern and Western Cascade Provinces in the Cascade Mountains, King

and Kittitas Counties, WA.

Summary: EPA had environmental concerns with the project based on

the potential impacts of land management activities on water quality,

particularly to existing water quality limited/303(d)--listed streams

in the HCP area, and on the effective implementation of an adaptive

management strategy. EPA requests that the HCP incorporate more in-

depth monitoring activities for changed in water quality related to

sediment loading and temperature, and a stronger commitment toward

possible adjustments of land management activities in response to

monitoring results.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-DOE-E06015-SC, Savannah River Site Interim Management of

Nuclear Materials, Implementation, Aiken and Barnwell Counties, SC.

Summary: EPA's draft EIS comments were adequately addressed in the

final EIS. Additional comments were provided in support of DOE's

preferred alternative.

ERP No. F-FAA-K51032-CA, Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport,

Replacement Passenger Terminal Construction, Approval, Los Angeles

County, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding air

conformity, asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls requirement. EPA

recommended that these issues be addressed in the Record of Decision.

Dated: March 5, 1996.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 96-5576 Filed 3-7-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-U