Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6243-1]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared May 3, 1999 Through May 7,

1999 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)

564-7176. An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental

impact statements (EISs) was published in FR dated April 9, 1999 (64 FR

17362).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-L65321-00 Rating EC2, Douglas-fir Beetle Project,

Harvest Tree, Regenerated Forest, Aquatic Restoration and Fuels

Reduction, Idaho Panhandle National Forest, Coeur d'Alene River and

Priest Lake Ranger District and Colville National Forest, Newport

Ranger District, Kootenai, Shoshone and Bonner Counties, ID and Pend

Orielle County, WA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the

document's discussion of purpose and need, alternatives, monitoring and

road management. EPA requested that these issues be clarified in the

final document. In addition, EPA requested that the Forest Service

developed a comprehensive plan for dealing with beetle damaged timber

in an area that covers nearly 270,100 acres.

ERP No. D-COE-E39032-AL Rating EC2, Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT)

River Basin Compact, Water Allocation, several counties, AL and GA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that the Draft EIS

may not adequately assess the impacts of the water allocation formulas.

EPA recommended that comprehensive river basin water quality models be

developed to predict impacts to indigenous fish and aquatic life, water

quality, consumptive uses, groundwater and recreation for the affected

reservoirs and rivers within each basin. EPA also recommended that a

baseline be established that would define the water needs for the

rivers basins to function in an acceptable manner and that would

delineate the limit for maximum water withdrawals.

ERP No. D-DOE-G60007-NM Rating EC2, The Conveyance and Transfer of

Certain Land Tracts Administered by the US DOE and Located at Los

Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos and Santa Fe Counties, NM.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns since there is no

assurance that the measures identified would be implemented by the

transferee once transfer occurs. EPA suggests that DOE consider

imposing deed restrictions and easements for those transfer lands

having resources considered sensitive and having natural, cultural,

historical and environmental importance. Further discussion on this

matter should be incorporated in the FEIS.

ERP No. D-TVA-E05122-00 Rating EC2, Peaking Capacity Additions,

Construction and Operation of Natural Gas-Fired Combustion Turbines,

NPDES and COE Section 404 Permits; Three Sites Proposed: Colbert Fossil

Plant, Colbert County, AL, Gallatin Fossil Plant, Sumner County, TN and

Johnsonville Fossil Plant, Humphreys County, TN.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding

coordination of air quality Prevention of Significant Deterioration

permits. EPA also requested additional information on commitments for

mitigation and the impact related to the natural gas pipeline

alternative routes for the Colbert Plant.

ERP No. DS-NOA-B91005-00 Rating LO, Northeast Multispecies Fishery

Management Plan, Updated Information concerning Overfishing of Red Hake

and Silver Hake Fishiers, Northeast United States.

Summary: Review of this EIS was not deemed necessary. No formal

comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-DOE-E00007-SC Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF),

Construction and Operation near the Center of Savannah River Site at H

Area, (DOE/EIS-0271), Aiken and Barnwell Counties, SC.

Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns regarding

response to accidental releases. These issues should be addressed in

further detail during the design and permitting phases of the project.

ERP No. F-DOE-E09802-00 Commercial Light Water Reactor for the

Production of Tritium at one or more Facilities: Watt Bar 1. Spring

City, TN; Sequoyah 1 and 2 Soddy Daisy, TN; Bellefonte Unit 1 and 2,

Holloywood, AL, Approval of Permits and Licenses, (DOE/EIS-0288) TN and

AL.

Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns regarding

potential air quality impacts. These issues should be addressed in

further detail during the design and permitting phases of the project.

ERP No. F-DOE-E09803-SC Accelerator for Production of Tritium at

the Savannah River Site (DOE/EIS-0270), Site Specific, Construction and

Operation, Aiken and Barnwell Counties, SC.

Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns regarding

wetlands, groundwater, and surface water impacts.

ERP No. FA-NOA-B91017-00 Atlantic Sea Scallop, Placopecten

Magellanicus, (Gmelin), Fishery Management Plan (FMP), Updated and

Additional Information, Amendment No. 7.

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

comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

Dated: May 25, 1999.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 99-13665 Filed 5-27-99; 8:45 am]

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