Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5497-5]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared November 16, 1998 Through

November 20, 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) 564-7167.

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-DOE-L09813-ID Rating EC2, Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment

Project, Construction and Operation, Site Selection, Idaho National

Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Eastern Snake River

Plain, ID.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that the draft EIS

does not mention the cumulative impacts of present and reasonably

foreseeable action caused by such pending project proposals.

ERP No. D-UAF-G11034-NM Rating LO, University of New Mexico (UNM),

Construction of the Enchanted Skies Park and Observatory on Horace Mesa

near Grants, Cibola County, NM.

Summary: EPA had no objection to the selection of the agency's

selected plan of action.

ERP No. D-UAF-J11015-ND Rating EC2, Minuteman III Missile System

Dismantlement, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Launch

Facilities (LFs) and Missile Alert Facilities (MAFs), Deployment Areas,

Grand Forks Air Forces Base, ND.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and offered several

recommendations to protect ground water during and after demolition.

There may also be opportunities to create wetlands when the sewage

lagoons are decommissioned.

ERP No. D-USA-K11090-AZ Rating LO1, Fort Huachuca Real Property

Master Planning, Approval of Land Use and Real Estate Investment

Strategies, Cochise County, AZ.

Summary: EPA expressed a lack objection to the proposed project.

ERP No. D-USN-K11089-HI Rating EO2, Pacific Missile Range Facility

Enhanced Capabilities, To Accommodate Theater Ballistic Missile Defense

(TBMD) Training & Testing and Theater Missile Defense (TMD) Testing,

NPDES Permit, several counties, HI.

Summary: EPA expressed objections due to insufficient information

and analysis of biological resource issues. The proposed action may

significantly impact entire breeding populations of sea and shore birds

on Johnston Atoll (East, North, Sand, and Johnston Islands), however,

no impacts or mitigation have been described.

ERP No. D-USN-K11093-HI Rating EC2, Barbers Point Naval Air

Station, Disposal and Reuse of Land Facilities, HI.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that contamination of

an underground source of drinking water has not been sufficiently

described, that the possible impacts of changes in airport use has not

been sufficiently developed in the analysis, and that the DEIS does not

fully develop relevant, reasonable mitigation that could help to

improve reuse plans for the protection of human health and the

environment.

ERP No. DR-USN-K11078-00 Rating EC2, Marianas Islands Military

Training, Implementation, Continue Use of DOD-Controlled Lands,

Proposed sites Tinian Military Lease Area, Guam Active Military Bases

and Farallon de Medina (FDM) a Navy-Leased Island, HI.

Summary: EPA raised concerns on rating biological resources and

hazardous materials. EPA requested that the final contain a full

analysis of the reasonable alternative identified in the document.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-USN-K11082-CA San Diego Naval Training Center (NTC)

Disposal and Reuse of Certain Real Properties, Implementation, City of

San Diego, San Diego 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-USN-K11084-CA Miramar Naval Air Station Realignment of E-

2 Aircraft Squadrons, Three Installations are consider: Point Muga

Naval Air Weapons Station, Lemoore Naval Air Station and El Centro,

Ventura, Fresno, King and Imperial Counties, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that the final EIS

did not include a sufficient analysis of a no action alternative.

ERP No. FA-USA-A11072-00 Theater Missile Defense (TMD) Extended

Test Range (ETR) Project, Eglin Gulf Test Range to Conduct (TMD)

Testing or Training Activities, Santa Rosa Island and Cape San Blas,

FL.

Summary: EPA had no objection to the proposed project provided that

monitoring remains in effect.

Other

ERP No. LD-USN-K11091-NV Rating EC2, Fallon Naval Air Station,

Renewal of the B-20 Land Withdrawal, City of Fallon, Churchill County,

NV.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding cultural

resources, public health and safety, and transportation.

Dated: December 1, 1998.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 98-32346 Filed 12-3-98; 8:45 am]

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