Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

(ER-FRL-6243-4)

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared May 10, 1999 through May 14,

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)

564-7167. 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-FHW-E50292-FL Rating EC1, St. Augustine Bridge of Lions

(SR AIA Rehabilitating or Replacing the Existing Two Lane Bridge,

Crossing of the Matanzas River/Intracoastal Waterway, US Coast Guard

Permit, NPDES and COE Nationwide Permits, St. Augustine, St. John

County, FL.

Summary: EPA's review found that impacts were adequately described.

Concern was raised over water quality degradation during the

construction phase of the project.

ERP No. D-FHW-F40382-MN Rating EC2, Ayd Mill Road Corridor,

Improvements from I-35 E to St. Anthony Avenue (I-94) 2.6 kilometer

(1.6 miles), Funding, Ramsey County, City of Saint Paul, MN.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding (1) purpose

and need statement, (2) contaminated sites remediation, and (3)

treatment of storm water runoff. EPA requested that additional

information be provided in the final document to address these

concerns.

ERP No. D-FHW-K40235-CA Rating EC2, California Forest Highway 137,

Improvements to Wentworth Springs Road and the Stumpy Meadows Reservoir

Dam eastward (14.4 miles) to Ice House Road, Eldorado National Forest,

El Dorado County, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns because the document

did not reflect the consideration of pollution prevention measures. EPA

recommended that the FEIS include such pollution prevention measures

for the project's design, construction and maintenance, and that these

measures be included in the record of decision.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-DOE-A09829-00 Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) Facility

Construction and Operation, Implementation and Site Selection, Oak

Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN; Argonne National Laboratory,

Argonne, IL; Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY; and Los Alamos

National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM.

Summary: EPA's previous concerns have been resolved therefore EPA

does not object to proceeding with detailed design work and site

evaluation for this project. Should these studies produce significant

new information or adverse environmental impacts, EPA will review DOE's

supplemental EIS.

ERP No. F-FHW-K40227-CA I-880 Interchange at Dixon Landing Road

Reconstruction Improvements, Funding and COE Section 404 Permit,

Fremont, Milpitas, Alameda and Santa Clara Counties, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed continuing concerns with potential impacts

to nearly 17 acres of wetlands and salt marsh harvest mouse habitat.

EPA asked that FHWA's Record of Decision discuss whether opportunities

may still exist to avoid and reduce adverse impacts to wetlands as

project development proceeds, in keeping with Clean Water Act Section

404 requirements.

EPA recommended that several issues regarding mitigation for

wetland impacts be included in the Record of Decision, including a 2:1

mitigation ratio for wetlands loss rather than the 1:1 ratio proposed

in the EIS.

ERP No. F-FHW-L40197-OR Mount Hood Corridor Study, US 26

Rhododendron to OR-35 Junction, Improvements, Funding, Clackamas

County, OR.

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

formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. F-USA-F11034-IN Camp Atterbury Training Areas and

Facilities Upgrading, Implementation, Bartholomew, Brown, Johnson,

Marion and Shelby Counties, IN.

Summary: EPA has no objection to the proposed action but did

encourage ongoing management of resources in the Integrated Natural

Resource Management Plan (INRMP) and other resource management plans

for Camp Atterbury.

Other

ERP No. LF-UAF-K11095-AZ Barry M. Goldwater Ranger (BMGR), Renewal

of the Military Land Withdrawal, Yuma, Pima and Maricopa Counties, AZ.

Summary: EPA continues to object to the length of the withdrawal

time period. EPA recommended a new 10 year alternative be provided.

ERP No. LF-UAF-K11096-NV Nellis Air Force Range (NAFR), Renewal of

the Land Withdrawal to Provide a Safe and Secure Location to Test

Equipment and Train Military Personnel, Clark, Lincoln and Nye

Counties, NV.

Summary: EPA continues to object to the excessively long proposed

periods between public reviews of the land withdrawal (i.e.

indefinitely or 25 years) of the roughly 3 million acre area. EPA

recommended a new 10 year alternative be provided.

Dated: June 1, 1999.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 99-14225 Filed 6-3-99; 8:45 am]

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