Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6248-9]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared November 22, 1999 Through

November 26, 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-DOD-J11017-00 Rating EC2, National Missile Defense (NMD)

Deployment System, Selection of Possible Deployment Sites: AK, AS and

ND.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about avoiding and

mitigating wetland impacts, increasing protection of human health and

improving the combative impacts analysis.

ERP No. D-FAA-B51018-CT Rating LO, Tweed-New Haven Airport Runway

Safety Area and Taxiway Improvements, Safety Improvements to Runway 2/

20 and Taxiways `B' and `E', Funding, COE Section 10 and 404 Permits,

New Haven County,CT.

Summary: EPA had a lack of objections to the proposed project.

ERP No. D-IBR-G65070-NM Rating EC2, Elephant Butte and Caballo

Reservoirs, Resource Management Plan (RMP), Implementation, Sierra and

Socorro Counties, NM.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concern regarding floodplain,

water quality, cultural resource, and grazing impacts. EPA requested

that these issues be clarified and that mitigation measures be

included.

ERP No. D-NPS-F39038-00 Rating EC2, Lower Saint Croix National

Scenic Riverway Cooperative Management Plan, Implementation, MN and WI.

Summary: EPA expressed concerns regarding potential water quality

impacts and the lack of baseline data/indicators. EPA requested that

these issues be clarified in the final document.

ERP No. DS-NPS-E61066-FL Rating EO2, Big Cypress National Preserve,

General Management Plan,

[[Page 69268]]

Implementation, New Information on the Special Alternative for the Off-

Road Vehicle Management Plan, Collier, Dade and MonroeCounties, FL.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections due to lack of

information regarding ORV management plan, alternative strategies,

permitting system, enforcement, impact mitigation, water quality,

threatened and endangered species.

FINAL EISs

ERP No. F-COE-E39037-TN Reelfoot Lake Project, Implementation of

Wetland Preservation, Waterfowl Habitat Restoration, Fishery

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

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concern that while the

restoration measures proposed at Reelfoot Lake may result in some long-

term environmental benefits, they will be of lesser magnitude than

would have been fostered by the original plan.

ERP No. F-COE-K36128-CA 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.

Sumary: EPA continues to object due to the lack of a sound habitat

mitigation plan. EPA recommended that the mitigation plan and

additional information regarding project costs and the Highway 190

bridge be obtained before the project is approved.

ERP No. F-IBR-K39045-CA Programmatic EIS--Central Valley Project

Improvement Act (CVPIA) of 1992 Implementation, Central Valley,

Trinity, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara and San Benito Counties,

CA.

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

ERP No. F-IBR-K39056-CA Contra Loma Reservoir Project, Future Use

and Operation of Contra Costa Water District, COE Section 404 Permit,

Contra Costa County, CA.

Summary: EPA's previous concerns with the lack of information on

water quality problems have been resolved. While EPA now has no

objection to the proposed action, EPA did request that additional

information regarding filtration and disinfection under the Surface

Water Treatment Rule be included in the Record of Decision.

ERP No. F-JUS-E81038-AL Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP),

Expand Training for State and Local Emergency First Responders, Located

at Fort McClellan, Calhoun, Cleburne, Randolph, Clay, Talladega, St.

Clair, Etowah and Cherokee Counties, AL.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns due to potential air

emissions and hazardous waste issues related to use of live chemical

agents.

Summary: ERP No. F-UAF-K11016-NV Nellis Airforce Base, Proposal to

Base or Beddown F-22 Aircraft Force Development Evaluation and Weapons

School, Clark County, NV.

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

ERP No. F-USN-K11098-CA Alameda Naval Air Station and Fleet and

Industrial Supply Center, Disposal and Reuse, Alameda Annex and

Facility, City of Alameda and Alameda County, CA.

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

Dated: December 7, 1999.

Ken Mittelholtz,

Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 99-32094 Filed 12-9-99; 8:45 am]

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