Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5495-2]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared August 3, 1998 Through August

7, 1998 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)

260-5076. An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental

impact statements (EISs) was published in FR dated April 10, 1998 (62

FR 17856).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J67027-MT Rating EC2, Stillwater Mine Revised Waste

Management Plan and Hertzler Tailings Impoundment, Construction and

Operation, Plan-of-Operation, and COE Section 404 Permit, Custer

National Forest, Stillwater County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impact to water

quality and suggested linkage between NPDES and groundwater permit,

application of non-degradation water quality standard and water

balance/pollutant load data.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65289-00 Rating EC2, Eastside Ecosystem Based Lands

Management Plan, Implementation, Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem

Management Project, WA, OR, ID and MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns. EPA's most

significant concerns are: (1) the lack of adequate provisions to

identify and protect high quality waters and aquatic habitats, (2) the

uncertainty with how impaired waters will be addressed, (3) the

uncertainty with the nature of restoration and conservation efforts and

their associated impacts, (4) the lack of a clear protocol for

determining how conflicts between competing objectives and needs will

be resolved, (5) the implications of less than full budget for

implementation. EPA suggests combining some of the features of

Alternatives 7 and with Alternative 4. EPA strongly supports ecosystem

management principles on a broad scale to analyze resource issues that

transcend jurisdictional boundaries.

ERP No. D-FHW-G40150-NM Rating EC2, I-25/I-40 Interchange and

Adjacent Sections of I-25 and I-40, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue

to Comache Road and Carlise Boulevard to South Street, Reconstruction,

Funding and Right-of-Way Acquisition, Bernalillo County, NM.

Summary: EPA identified environmental concerns in the area of

relocation, economic impacts, noise, and cumulative impact that need to

be included in the final EIS. This information will complement the NEPA

document and assure full compliance with the CEQ regulations.

ERP No. D-FHW-L40206-WA Rating EC2, WA-104/Edmonds Crossing

Project, Connecting Ferries, Bus and Rail, Funding, NPDESs Permit and

COE Section 10 and 404 Permit, City of Edmonds, Snohomish County, WA.

Summary: EPA expressed concern regarding the traffic analysis and

how the alternative would result in decreased single-occupancy vehicle

use as it related to air quality impacts. EPA also expressed concern

regarding disposition of pier and terminal impact, and hazardous waste

issues. EPA requested that there issues be clarified in the final

document.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-COE-C39009-NY, Atlantic Coast of Long Island Jones Inlet

to East Rockaway Inlet Storm Damage Reduction Project, Construction,

Long Beach Island, Nassau County, NY.

Summary: EPA had no objections to the Corp's proposed storm damage

protection project. EPA recommended that fully evaluate cumulative

impacts prior to issuance of the Record of Decision (ROD), and commit

to a flexible beach nourishment schedule in the ROD.

ERP No. F-FHW-E40355-FL, Miami Intermodal Center (MIC),

Construction, Bounded by FL-112 on the north, FL-836 on the south,

Miami International Airport landside terminal NW 27th Avenue on the

east, along FL-836 that extends West to NW 57th Avenue, Dade County.

Summary: EPA review of the document finds that the environmental

impacts of concern to EPA agency have been adequately addressed.

ERP No. FS-COE-E34002-00, Lake Seminole Hydrilla Action Plan

Updated Information to the Lake Seminole and Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam,

Operation and Maintenance Project, Implementation, Gadsden and Jackson

Counties, FL; Decatur and Seminole Counties, GA and Houston County, AL.

Summary: EPA noted that the proposed modified aquatic weed control

plan has some adverse environmental consequences, the plan represents a

reasonable approach to balancing the many interests involved in this

issue.

[[Page 47290]]

Dated: September 1, 1998.

Ken Mittelholtz,

Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 98-23943 Filed 9-3-98; 8:45 am]

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