Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6246-9]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared September 20, 1999 Through

September 24, 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

10, 1999 (63 FR 17856).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J65311-MT Rating EC2, Good Creek Resource Management

Project, Implementation, Vegetation Treatments and Other Activities to

Restore Watershed, Flathead National Forest, Tally Lake Ranger

District, Flathead County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding increased

water yield, channel erosion, and water quality impacts. EPA

recommended that the Forest Service pick and chose and combine

treatment methods and units from among alternatives to create a new

modified preferred alternative to better optimize and balance resource

and environmental trade offs. EPA requested additional information to

help assess and mitigate potential impacts of the management actions.

ERP No. D-COE-E39050-FL Rating EC2, Herbert Hoover Dike Major

Rehabilitation Evaluation Study, Improvements to the Breach of Reach

One, Lake Okeechobee, FL.

Summary: EPA expressed concern regarding impacts to recreation/

infrastructure features, erosion control and loss of project

effectiveness during heavy rain/or backpumping. EPA requested that

these issues be addressed in the final document.

ERP No. D-FHW-E40779-NC Rating EO2, Fayetteville Outer Loop

Corridor Study, Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Cape Fear

River, Cumberland, Hoke and Robeson Counties, NC.

Summary: EPA expressed objections due to substantial impacts to

water/wetland resources and social impacts (relocations, noise and

community disruption). EPA is requesting further analysis of secondary

project impacts, reconsideration of each interchange location and is

requesting additional data on potential impacts to minority and low

income neighborhood.

ERP No. DR-BIA-K61146-CA Rating EC2, Programmatic--Cabazon Resource

Recovery Park Section 6 General Plan, Cabazon Indian Reservation,

Implementation, Approval of Master Lease and NPDES Permit, the City of

Mecca, Riverside County, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential

cumulative impacts associated with component facilities at the resource

recovery park that may contaminate groundwater, emit hazardous air

pollutants and/or generate hazardous waste. EPA requested a clear

commitment that future site-specific facilities and projects raising

these concerns are subject to subsequent environmental documentation

under the National Environmental Policy Act.

ERP No. DS-IBR-K39045-CA Rating LO, Programmatic EIS--Central

Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) of 1992 Implementation,

Additional Information for the Project Simulation Model (PROSIM)

Hydrology, Central Valley, Trinity Contra Costa, Alamenda, Santa Clara

and San Benito Counties, CA.

Summary: Because of the limited scope of the Supplemental DPEIS and

the good description of implications of the revised PROSIM analysis, we

have

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not identified any potential environmental impacts and have no

objections to the revised PROSIM analysis. This lack of objections does

not extend to the Environmental Concerns expressed on the broader DPEIS

CVPIA which evaluated potential effects of various CVPIA Alternatives.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-BLM-J65298-CO Yankee Gulch Sodium Minerals Project, To

Produce Sodium Products, Piceance Basin, Right-of-Way Permit and COE

Section 404 Permit, Rio Blanch County, CO.

Summary: EPA continues to express concern regarding the need to

protect ground water from spills and to ensure adequate reclamation

bonding coverage.

ERP No. F-COE-K67041-CA Morrison Creek Mining Reach Downstream

(South) of Jackson Highway, Mining and Reclamation Project, COE Section

404 Permit Issuance, Sacramento County, CA.

Summary: EPA continues to object to the preferred alternative since

it has not been demonstrated that the preferred alternative is the

least damaging practicable alternative. EPA believes that other

alternatives would have fewer impacts on waters of the United States

ERP No. F-GSA-E11044-TN Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant, Disposal

and Transfer Ownership of Property to Other Federal Agencies and

Private Entities, City of Chattanooga's, Hamilton County, TN.

Summary: EPA continues to be concerned that all environmental

impacts were not fully addressed. To this end, EPA looks forward to

working with GSA in the future to help identify project-specific

impacts and the avoidance, minimization and mitigation during the

scoping and NEPA review process.

ERP No. F-NPS-A61319-00 Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer and Pony

Express National Historic Trails, Implementation, Comprehensive

Management and Use Plan, OR, CA, MO, IA, IL, KS, NB, CO, WY, ID, WA, UT

and NV.

Summary: EPA supports the preferred alternative.

Dated: October 5, 1999.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division,

Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 99-26411 Filed 10-7-99; 8:45 am]

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