Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5481-7]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared June 2, 1997 through June 6,

1997 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 4, 1997 (62 FR

16154).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J65262-MT Rating EC2, asin Creek Drainage, Salvage

Timber and Watershed Rehabilitation, Kootenai National Forest, Three

Rivers Ranger District, Lincoln County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential

adverse impacts to water quality, fisheries (redband trout), and

wildlife. The Final EIS should fully assess and mitigate all potential

environmental impacts of the management actions.

ERP No. D-AFS-J65263-SD Rating EC2, Anchor Hill Mine Expansion

Project in Gilt Edge Mine, Plan-of-Operations Approval, Black Hill

National Forest, SD.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about existing mine

acid mine drainage problems affecting surface and ground water. EPA's

main concerns regard successfully reclaiming the mine, and operating

and maintaining the acid mine drainage controls after the mine closes.

ERP No. D-AFS-J65266-MT Rating EC2, Tansy Ragwort Control Project,

Implementation, Little Wolf Fire Area, Flathead National Forest, Tally

Lake Ranger District, Flathead County, MT.

[[Page 33641]]

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential

herbicide contamination of ground waters, and surface waters, including

wetlands and indicated that there was insufficient information in the

DEIS regarding ground water depths, soil types, wetlands, and the water

quality/aquatics monitoring program. The Final EIS should fully assess

and mitigate all potential impacts of the management actions.

ERP No. D-BLM-J65267-WY Rating EO2, Gillette South Coal Bed Methane

Project, Approval of an Application for a Permit to Drill (APD), Powder

River Basin, Buffalo Resource Area, Campbell County, WY.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections to the proposed

action due to potential air quality, water quality (surface discharge

and ground water depletion) and wildlife adverse impacts. EPA requested

the above issues be addressed in the Final EIS.

ERP No. D-UAF-G11031-TX Rating EC2, Programmatic EIS--Kelly Air

Force Base (AFB), Disposal and Reuse, Implementation, San Antonio

County, TX.

Summary: EPA had expressed environmental concerns and has requested

additional information including noise impact mitigation.

ERP No. DS-BLM-J65191-00 Rating EC2, Standards for Rangeland Health

and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management on Bureau of Land

Management Administered Lands, Implementation, MT, ND and SD.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding protection

of surface water quality and the ability to achieve water quality

standards. The Final EIS should fully assess and mitigate all potential

impacts of the management actions.

FINAL EISs

ERP No. F-COE-L36104-WA, Howard A. Hanson Dam Continued Operation

and Maintenance Plan, Implementation, Green River, King County, WA.

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

formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. F-DOE-L09811-00, Wildlife Mitigation Program Standards and

Guidelines, Implementation, Columbia River Basin, WA, OR, ID, MT, WY

and NV.

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

formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. F-FHW-L40198-WA, North Spokane Freeway Project,

Improvements Transportation through the City of Spokane and Spokane

County between I-90, Spokane County, WA.

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

formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. F-NPS-K65187-CA, Santa Rosa Island Resources Management

Plan, Improvements of Water Quality and Conservation of Rare Species

and their Habitats, Channel Islands National Park, Santa Barbara

County, CA.

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

formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. F-USA-H11004-MO, U.S. Army Chemical School and U.S. Army

Military Police School Relocation to Fort Leonard Wood (FLW) from Fort

McClellan, Alabama, Implementation, Cities of St. Robert, Waynesville,

Richland, Dixon, Crocker, Rolla, Houston and Lebanon; Pulaski, Texas,

Phelps and Laclede Counties, MO.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections to unknown human

health risks and ecological risks resulting from generated oil fog used

during obscurant training. Also EPA objected to initiating any new

activities at the installation during the air quality permit renewal

process which were not specifically evaluated with the preferred

alternative within the EIS. EPA suggested that there be continuing

public involvement during implementation of the preferred alternative.

Dated: June 17, 1997.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 97-16234 Filed 6-19-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P