Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5483-9]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared August 4, 1997 Through August

8, 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-FHW-K40142-CA Rating EC2, CA-4 ``GAP'' Closure Project,

Improvements between I-80 and Cunninings Skyway, Funding, NPDES Permit

and COE Section 404 Permit, City of Hercules, Contra Costa County, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns due to: a need for

additional information regarding wetlands, water and biological

resources and air quality data and analysis.

ERP No. D-FHW-K40224-CA Rating EU3, I-880/CA-92 Interchange

Reconstruction, I-880 from Winton Avenue to Tennyson Road and CA-92

from Hesperian Boulevard to Santa Clara Street, Funding, City of

Hayward, Alameda County, CA.

Summary: EPA found the DEIS for the I-880/92 interchange project to

have inadequate information because the DEIS did not account for the

related SR 92 San Mateo-Hayward bridge widening project which had been

analyzed in a separate document. EPA believes the two projects should

be analyzed together as one since both are dependent on one another,

and that the information did not present a complete picture of the

impacts to the public and to the decisionmaker.

ERP No. D-FHW-K40225-CA Rating EC2, Marin US-101 High Occupancy

Vehicle (HOV) Gap Closure Project, Construction from US 101 I-580 on

US-101 from Lucky Drive to North San Pedro Road and I-580 from Irene

Street to US-101, Funding, COE Section 404 and Bridge Permits, Marin

County, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential

air quality impacts, relocation of the San Rafael Viaduct, impacts to

the future rail project, minimization of impacts of coastal zone

resources, and indirect impacts.

ERP No. D-TVA-E09803-MS Rating EC2, Exercise of Option Purchase

Agreement with LSP Energy Limited Partnership for Supply of Electric

Energy, Construction and Operation, Batesville Generation Facility,

Funding, COE Section 10 and 404 Permits and NPDES Permit, City of

Batesville, Coahoma, Panola, Quitman and Yalobusha Counties, MS.

Summary: EPA's primary concern involves the fact that the proposed

power plant site is not close to waterbodies required for process water

supply and discharge, so that pipeline interconnection with associated

impacts (including loss of forested wetlands) are proposed.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-FHW-J40140-MT, US 93 Highway Transportation Improvements,

between Hamilton (Milepost 49.0) to Lolo (Milepost 83.2), Funding and

COE Section 404 Permit, Ravalli and Missoula Counties, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential

induced and hastened changes in the pattern of land use, population

density or growth rate of the Bitteroot Valley resulting indirectly

from the project and potential adverse effects to wetlands, riparian

areas, wildlife habitat, and other natural systems, including

ecosystems.

Dated: August 26, 1997.

B. Katherine Biggs,

Associate Director, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 97-23120 Filed 8-28-97; 8:45 am]

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