Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6245-8]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared July 23, 1999 through July

30, 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 09, 1999 (64

FR 17362).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J65303-MT Rating EC2, Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Permit

Renewal and Master Development Plan Update, Implementation, Special Use

Permit and COE Section 404 Permit, Gallatin National Forest, in the

City of Bozeman, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed concerns regarding lack of information to

support expansion of the ski area beyond the existing ski area

boundaries; inadequate analysis and disclosure of indirect effects of

induced development that may be associated with the ski area expansion

and doubling of skier capacity; potential increased wastewater

pollutant loadings to area ground water; and erosion from ski area

vegetation clearing and ski run development. Additional information is

needed to fully assess and mitigate all potential environmental impacts

of the management actions.

ERP No. D-COE-K36127-CA Rating EO2, Arroyo Pasajero Watershed

Feasibility Investigation, Implementation, Flood Damage Reduction Plan,

San Joaquin River Basin, City of Huron, Fresno County, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed objections to the Gap Dam alternative due to

significant impacts on biological resources, wetlands and endangered

species. EPA expressed concerns regarding the Westside Detention Basin

alternative. Additional information on nonstructural methods and

mitigation of project impacts is required for EPA to fully assess

whether significant environmental impacts have been avoided to fully

protect the environment.

ERP No. D-COE-K36128-CA Rating EO2, Tule River Basin Investigation

Project, Plan to Increase Flood Protection Downstream of Success Dam

and Increase Storage Space in Lake Success for Irrigation Water, Tule

River, Tulace and King Counties, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed objections regarding the lack of a full

alternative analysis. In addition, habitat protection and mitigation

success associated with the project are uncertain, and the project

lacks planning for long-term sustainability of the water resource and

flood protection goals and could result in cumulative impacts.

ERP No. D-FHW-D40298-MD Rating EC2, MD-32 Planning Study,

Transportation Improvement from MD 108 to Interstate 70, Funding, NPDES

Permit and COE Section 404 Permit, Howard County, MD.

Summary: EPA is primarily concerned with secondary impacts

including land use issues and development pressure from the increased

access that this project would induce. An enhancement of the existing

highway may meet the purpose and needs while considerably reducing

wetland impacts.

ERP No. D-FHW-D40300-MD Rating EC1, Middle River Employment Center

Access Study, Transportation Improvements, NPDES and COE Section 404

Permit, Baltimore County, MD.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the direct,

cumulative and secondary impacts that are associated with the

development that will occur as a result of this new highway project.

EPA urged Baltimore County to implement aggressive conservation

practices when reviewing plans and processing permits that will allow

development to occur in Middle River Employment Center.

ERP No. D-FHW-E40088-MS Rating EC2, Airport Parking/Mississippi 25

Connectors, Construction at Intersection of High Street/Interstate 55

(I-55) in the City of Jackson, Hinds and Rankin Counties, MS.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential

long-term wetland impacts associated with building the proposed highway

as described in the preferred alternative. EPA suggested incorporating

sub-alternatives that address the various bridging and interchange

options using the alignments similar to the preferred alternative.

ERP No. D-FHW-K40148-NV Rating EO2, US-95 Improvements, Along

Summerlin Parkway to the Local and Arterial Road Network in the

Northwest Region of Las Vegas, Construction and Operation, Clark

County, NV.

Summary: EPA expressed objections with respect to the project,

given the severe nonattainment for CO and PM10; the lack of significant

permanent reduction of traffic congestion, VMT, v/c ratios and CO

violations; and significant impacts to noises, in established core

neighborhoods, and community and 4(f) facilities. EPA proposed an

alternative phased approach with aggressive implementation of TDM and

mass transit measures.

ERP No. D-FTA-D40289-VA Rating EC2, Norfolk-Virginia Beach Light

Rail Transit System East/West Corridor Project, Transportation

Improvements, Tidewater Transportation District Commission, COE Section

404 Permit, City of Norfolk and City of Virginia Beach, VA.

Summary: EPA is concerned about potential noise vibration and

displacement impacts to existing neighborhood.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-FHW-L40184-WA, WA-167 Corridor Adoption, WA-167 Freeway

Extension from WA-167/Meridian Street North in the City of Puyallup to

the proposed WA-509 Freeway/East-West Alignment in the City of Tacoma,

Funding and COE Section 404 Permit, Pierce County, WA.

Summary: EPA expressed objections to the Tier I process that

eliminated alternatives that should have been fully analyzed and which

may have had potential to avoid social, economic and environmental

impacts. EPA requested that the Tier II process provide a detailed

analyses of environmental, economic and social impact and avoidance and

mitigation for those impacts.

ERP No. F-NCP-D61050-MD, National Harbor Project, Construction and

Operation along the Potomac River on a 534 acre site adjacent to the

Capital Beltway and Oxon Hill Manor, COE Section 10 and 404 Permits,

Prince George's County, MD.

Summary: EPA has concerns regarding impacts to aquatic resources,

air pollution and environmental justice issues. EPA is trying to

resolve some of the outstanding issues with the applicant.

ERP No. FS-AFS-J65283-CO, Upper Elk River Access Analysis,

Implementation, Proposal to Remove and/or Treat Blowdown Trees, Routt

Divide Blowdown, Medicine Bow-Routt-National Forests, Hahn Peak/Bears

Ears Ranger District, Routt County, CO.

Summary: EPA expressed its view that the preferred alternative, as

disclosed in the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

[[Page 48394]]

(FSEIS) and recorded in the Record of Decision (ROD), can be

implemented without significant impact to the environment.

Regulations

ERP No. R-BLM-A02241-00, 43 CFR Part 3100 et al.--Onshore Oil and

Gas Leasing and Operations; Proposed Rule.

Summary: EPA expressed concerns that the proposed action could lead

to or have significant impacts to air and water quality. EPA suggests

that BLM analyze and discuss the cumulative impacts of oil and gas

leasing to air and water quality before issuing the final rule and

include proposed clarifications to the sections on produced water

disposal, underground injection control permits, bonding and plugging

abandonment.

Dated: August 31, 1999.

B. Katherine Biggs,

Associate Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal

Activities.

[FR Doc. 99-23054 Filed 9-2-99; 8:45 am]

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