# Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A96-6289 ## Record - **Collection:** Federal Register - **Document type:** Notice - **Published:** March 15, 1996 - **Citation:** 61 FR 10754 ## Text [[Page 10755]] ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [ER-FRL-5414-4] Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments Availability of EPA comments prepared February 26, 1996 through March 1, 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, 1996 (60 FR 19047). Draft EISs ERP No. D-AFS-J67022-MT Rating EO2, Asarco Rock Creek Copper and Silver Mining Construction and Operation Project, Plan of Operations Approval, Special Use Permit(s), Road Use Permit, Mineral Material Permit, Timber Sale Contract and COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, Kootenai National Forest, Sanders County, MT. Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections to the proposed action based on the integrity of an unlined impoundment, potential groundwater contamination, lack of information on the acid generating potential of the ore and waste rock, ability for the underground reservoir to contain high volumes of poor quality water and lack of details in the mine closure plan. ERP No. D-AFS-K61140-CA Rating EC2, Dinkey Allotment Livestock Grazing Strategies, Implementation, Sierra National Forest, Fresno County, CA. Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about adverse impacts from extensive chiselling, gullying, streambank erosion and disturbed meadow/reparian ecosystems which have been caused in part by past grazing pressures and we urged selection of a reduced grazing strategy which will reverse the above adverse impacts and promote recovery of the damaged watersheds. See ``The Forest Service Program for Forest and Rangeland Resources: A Long-Term Strategic Plan''. ERP No. D-AFS-K65176-CA Rating EC2, Sequoia National Forest Trail System Plan, Implementation, Amendment to the Sequoia National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, Fresno, Kern and Tulare Counties, CA. Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns over potential water quality, fishery and soil impacts. The DEIS did not provide specific information on existing water quality for eight major watersheds in the area, making it difficult to ascertain specific project impacts. The FEIS should contain more detailed information on how the project will affect each watershed and discuss the applicability of the Clean Water Act's stormwater permit provisions. ERP No. D-AFS-K65177-00 Rating EC2, North Shore Ecosystem Management Project, Implementation, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Washoe and Placer County, CA and NV. Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential impacts to water quality in the Lake Tahoe Basin. EPA requested that the FEIS provide further discussion on the relation between Forest Service ``Thresholds of Concern'' for watersheds and compliance with Water Quality Standards and whether herbicide use would be a part of reforestation actions. ERP No. D-AFS-K82005-CA Rating EC2, Placerville Nursery Pest Management Plan, Implementation, Camino, El Dorado County, CA. Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the project's compliance with pesticide and toxicity requirments in the applicable Clean Water Act Basin Plan for the area, and urged the Forest Service to employ methyl bromide and other chemicals at the nursery only after non-chemical control methods are determined to be ineffective in terms of pest management. ERP No. D-AFS-L61206-OR Rating LO, Upper Deschutes Wild and Scenic River and State Scenic Waterway, Management Plan, Implementation, Deschutes National Forest, Deschutes County, OR. Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections to the proposed project. ERP No. D-BLM-J67019-MT Rating EO2, Zortman and Landusky Mines Reclamation Plan Modifications and Mine Life Extensions, Approval of Mine Operation, Mine Reclamation and COE Section 404 Permits, Little Rocky Mountains, Phillip County, MT. Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns because the Draft EIS discloses that there is no assurance that efforts to restore and protect ground and surface waters will be effective or in place as a condition to mine expansion. EPA recommended that the Final EIS address in greater detail the potential effects to groundwater aquifer underlying the Fort Belnap Indian Reservation and a cost and feasibility analysis of altervatives 3 and 7. ERP No. D-BLM-K65179-AZ Rating EC2, Morenci Land Exchange, Implementation, Exchange of Federal Lands for Private Lands, Safford District, Greenlee, Graham, Cochise and Pima Counties, AZ. Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the proposed land exchange. We recommended withdrawing the offered lands from mineral entry and requested additional information in the FEIS on the condition and management plan for the selected and offered lands and on potential impacts of the proposal to air, water resources and reclamation. ERP No. D-BLM-L61205-OR Rating LO, Bal'diyaka Interpretive Center Construction and Operation to Present the Natural History of Oregon's Southern Coast; the Cultural Heritage of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians and Local US Coast Guard History, Implementation, Coos Bay District, Gregory Point, Coos County, OR. Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections to the proposed project. ERP No. D-DOE-A09824-00 Rating EC2, Programmatic EIS--Waste Management, Managing Treatment, Storage and/or Disposal of Radioactive and Hazardous Waste for Five Types of Waste: Low-Level Radioactive; Low-Level Mixed; Transuranic Radioactive; High-Level Radioactive and Hazardous Waste, Sites Selection Around the United States. Summary: EPA requested additional information to strenghten the final EIS and provide more clarity to the public. ERP No. D-NPS-G65063-NM Rating LO, Pecos National Historical General Management Plan and Development Concept Plan, Implementation, San Miguel and Santa Fe Counties, NM. Summary: EPA had no objections to the preferred alternative. ERP No. D-NPS-G65065-NM Rating LO, Carlsbad Caverns National Park General Management Plan, Implementation, Eddy County, NM. Summary: EPA expressed lack of ojections to the preferred alternative. [[Page 10756]] ERP No. D-NPS-L65258-ID Rating LO, Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, General Management Plan, Implementation, Twin Falls and Gooding County, ID. Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections. ERP No. D-USN-K11066-CA Rating EC2, Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Air Stations (MCAS) Tustin and EL Toro Marine Corps Base (MCB) Realignment, Implementation, COE Section 404 Permit, San Diego County, CA. Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and requested additional information on cumulative impacts to the Santa Margarita River flood zone and watershed, wetlands and biological resources. Final EISs ERP No. F-AFS-G65059-NM Santa Fe Ski Area Master Development Plan, Upgrading and Expansion, Special-Use-Permit, Santa Fe National Forest, Espanola Ranger District, Santa Fe County, NM. Summary: EPA had no objections to the preferred alternative. ERP No. F-UAF-E10007-GA F-15 Fighter Aircraft Conversion at Dobbins Air Force Base (AFB), Marietta, GA to B-1B Bomber Aircraft at Robins AFB, Warner Robins, GA and Training Airspace Modifactions Servicing the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) Area, GA. Summary: EPA expressed lack of objection to this project. ERP No. F-USN-K11050-HI Bellows Air Force Station Land Use and Development Plan, Implementation, Waimanalo, Honolulu County, HI. Summary: EPA expressed lack of objection to this project. Regulations ERP No. R-BIA-A99206-00 25 CFR Chapter V and Part 900--Indian Health Service: Indian Self- Determination and Education Assistance Act Amendments; Proposed Rule. Summary: EPA suggested that the methodologies for establishing the carrying capacities of range units specifically include measures that ensure compliance with applicable sections of federal environmental law. ERP No. R-DOI-A60117-00 25 CFR Part 161--Navajo Partitioned Land Grazing Regulations-- Proposed Rule. Summary: EPA suggested that the proposed regulation indicate that the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service will exercise independent review of information submitted during environmental reviews and that this regulation describe how environmental reviews will be conducted for land acquisitions under Indian Self-Determination grants and contracts. Dated: March 12, 1996. William D. Dickerson, Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities. [FR Doc. 96-6289 Filed 3-14-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A96-6289. Public record. Not legal advice.