Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6247-6]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared October 11, 1999 Through

October 15, 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-J65308-UT Rating EC2, Wasatch Powderbird Guides

Permit Renewal, Proposal to Conduct Guided Helicopter Skiing Activities

on National Forest System Land, Issuance of a Special-Use-Permit,

Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Uinta National Forest, Salt Lake County,

UT.

Summary: EPA expressed concern regarding potential wildlife

impacts, air quality impacts and human disturbance from helicopter

noise. EPA requested that these issues be addressed in the final EIS.

ERP No. D-AFS-J65309-UT Rating EC2, Trout Slope East Timber

Project, Timber Harvest and Associated Activities, Implementation,

Vernal Ranger District, Ashley National Forest, Uintah County, UT.

Summary: EPA requested additional information on sediment control

procedures and water quality to fully assess impacts from the Preferred

Alternative.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65325-ID Rating EC2, Sloan-Kennally Timber Sale,

Proposal to Harvest and Regenerate Timber Strands, Implementation,

Payette National Forest, McCall Ranger District, Valley County, ID.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding lack of

information with how this project relates to TMDL efforts and the

construction of roads in a roadless area. EPA requested that

information be provided on any expectations of the Payette National

Forest to help implement any TMDL and that an explanation be provided

on why entry into a roadless area cannot be avoided.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65327-WA Rating EC2, Stimson ANILCA Access Easement

Project, Reconstruct and Construct, Colville National Forest, Sullivan

Lake Ranger District, Pend Oreille County, WA.

Summary: EPA identified concerns with the purpose and need, the

treatment of reasonably foreseeable actions. the characterization of

impacts to grizzly bears from Alternative C, and the lack of baseline

information. EPA recommended that a revised purpose and need statement

be developed, and that additional baseline information and analyses be

included in the final EIS.

ERP No. D-COE-E39037-TN Rating EC2, Reelfoot Lake Project,

Implementation of Wetland Preservation, Waterfowl Habitat Restoration,

Fishery Improvement, Lake and Obion Counties, TN and Fulton County, KY.

Summary: The restoration measures proposed should result in

significant long term environmental benefits. EPA requested the

collection of additional information to determine how design features

will be installed.

ERP No. D-FHW-C40148-NY Rating EC2, Miller Highway Project (P.I.N.

103.27), Relocation of Miller Highway between West 59th Street to West

72nd Streets, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Funding and COE

Section 404 Permit, New York County, NY.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the lack of

characterization of the contaminated materials at the areas of concern.

EPA requested that these issues be address in the final document.

ERP No. D-FHW-G40152-LA Rating EC2, North-South Expressway Const.

I-220 in Shreveport, LA to the Arkansas State Line, Funding and COE

Section 404 Permit Issuance, Caddo Parish, LA.

Summary: EPA has environmental concerns in the areas of impacts on

transportation, air quality, construction, induced growth/secondary

economic impacts, impacts to oil and gas facilities, agriculture,

property values, and other resources. EPA requested that these issues

be clarified.

ERP No. D-FTA-C53004-NY Rating LO, Mid-Harlem Line Third Track

Project, Construct a New 2.5 mile Third Track between Fleetwood and

Crestwood Stations, Funding, Westchester County, NY.

Summary: EPA has no objection to the project as proposed.

ERP No. D-NPS-L65328-WA Vancouver National Historic Reserve

Cooperative Management Plan, Preservation, Education and Public Use,

Implementation, Clark County, City of Vancouver, WA.

Summary: EPA Region 10 used a screening tool to conduct a limited

review of this action. Based on this screen, EPA does not foresee

having any environmental objections to the proposed project. Therefore,

EPA will not be conducting a detailed review.

ERP No. D-SFW-L64046-WA Rating LO, Little Pend Oreille National

Wildlife Refuge, Implementation, Comprehensive Conservation Plan,

Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties, WA.

Summary: EPA is pleased to see that the USFWS has developed a plan

that incorporates better management and protection of the natural

resources while maintaining and in some cases, enhancing the

recreational uses within the refuge.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-AFS-J65298-CO South Fork Salvage Analysis Area,

Implementation, Routt Divide Blowdown, Land and Resource Management

Plan, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, Hahns Peak/Bears Ears Ranger

District, Rounty County, CO.

Summary: EPA review finds the alternative selected can be

implemented without significant impact to the environment, therefore

EPA has no objection to the proposed action.

ERP No. F-BLM-J65294-UT Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Management Plan, Implementation, Cedar City, UT.

Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. F-FHW-H40155-MO MO-13 and MO-7 Highway/Freeway

Improvements, MO-13 from US 24 in Lexington to Truman Reservoir south

of Clinton and MO-7 in the immediate area of Clinton, Funding,

Lafayette, Johnson and Henry Counties, MO.

Summary: EPA concerns expressed in 1995 have been adequately

addressed in the FEIS.

[[Page 58404]]

ERP No. F-NPS-J61101-MT Glacier National Park, General Management

Plan, Implementation, Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, Lake

National Park, Flathead and Glacier, MT.

Summary: EPA supports the preferred alternatives for each of the

issues in the Final EIS which have the potential for environmental

impact. In each case, the selection of the preferred alternative would

offer maximal environmental protection while also protecting the

experiences of Park visitors.

ERP No. F-UMC-K11096-AZ Yuma Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), To

Improve Ordnance Handling and Storage, Construct a new Combat Aircraft

Loading Area (CALA); New Station Ordnance Area and Relocation of MCAS

Yuma, AZ.

Summary: No formal comments were sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. FA-AFS-J65200-CO Telluride Ski Area Expansion Project,

Implementation, New/Additional Information, Special-Use-Permit and COE

Section 404 Permit, Grand Mesa Uncompahgre and Gunnison National

Forests, Norwood Ranger District, San Miguel County, CO.

Summary: EPA continues to express concerns with proposed adverse

impacts to wetlands from indirect and cumulative impacts from ski area

expansion activities.

Dated: October 26, 1999.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 99-28431 Filed 10-28-99; 8:45 am]

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