Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

(ER-FRL-6241-2)

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared March 01, 1999 Through March

05, 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, 1998 (63

FR 17856).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J65297-MT

Rating EC2, Bull Lake Estates Road Access Project, Implementation,

Easement Grant Permit, Kootenai National Forest, Three Rivers Rangers

District, Lincoln County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential

adverse social, water quality, fisheries, and wildlife impacts of the

development of the Bull Lake Estates subdivision. The Final EIS should

discuss the environmental impacts of the management actions and

mitigation measures.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65312-WA

Rating EO2, Olympic Cross Cascade Pipeline Project, Construct and

Operate a Common Carrier Petroleum Pipeline, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and

Wenatchee National Forests, City of Pasco, Snohomish, King, Kittitas,

Adams, Grant and Franklin Counties, WA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections because the draft

EIS does not adequately discuss the need for the project in terms of a

public interest, a range of alternatives needed to meet the purpose and

need for the project, and environmental risks posed by the proposed

alternative.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65316-ID

Rating EC2, Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District Noxious Weed

Control

[[Page 14720]]

Project, Treating 76 Specific Sites across District, Kootenai and

Shoshone Counties, ID.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the proposed

methodologies for the controlling noxious weeds. The Final EIS should

address operational objectives or performance standards, additional

strategies to prevent the spread of noxious weeds, funding for the

control of weed expansion and adaptive management that addresses

treatment other than chemical ones.

ERP No. D-BLM-K65217-AZ

Rating EO2, Ray Land Exchange/Plan Amendment, Implementation,

Exchange of Federal Lands for Public Lands, Pinal, Gila and Mohave

Counties, AZ.

Summary: EPA expressed strong objections to the proposed project

because of its potential for significant environmental degradation. EPA

recommended that BLM consider preparing a revised DEIS with

substantially more information regarding other alternatives, the

affected environment, and environmental consequences, including

indirect and cumulative impacts, with respect to site geology and

geochemistry, hydrology and hydrogeology, existing and potential future

water and air quality, riparian and aquatic resources, facilities

design, minerals and land management, environmental justice, and

mitigation measures.

ERP No. D-DOA-G36150-AR

Rating EC2, Departee Creek Watershed Plan Flood Prevention,

Implementation, COE Section 404 Permit, Independence and Jackson

Counties, AR.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding wetland

impacts, alternative, mitigation, and environmental justice. Additional

information concerning these issues was requested.

ERP No. DS-AFS-L67036-OR

Rating EC2, Nicore Mining Project, Implementation, New Information

on Six New Alternatives, Plan-of-Operations, Mining of Four Sites, Road

Construction, Reconstruction, Hauling and Stockpiling of Ore, Rough and

Ready Creek Watershed, Illinois Valley Ranger District, Siskiyou

National Forest, Medford District.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with mining in the

Rough and Ready watershed because of potential impacts to water quality

and the unique ecological values of the area. The Final EIS should

disclose complete monitoring plan and mitigation plans.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-BLM-L65272-ID

Challis Land and Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Upper

Columbus--Salmon Clearwater Districts, Salmon River, Lemhi and Custer

Counties, ID.

Summary: Review of the Final EIS has been completed and the project

found to be satisfactory.

ERP No. F-GSA-C60004-NY

Governors Island Disposition of Surplus Federal Real Property,

Implementation, Upper New York Bay, NY.

Summary: EPA's review of the Final EIS have been adequately

addressed. In light of the covenants that will be set forth in the

transfer deed, EPA have concluded that the proposed project would not

result in significant adverse environmental impacts; therefore, EPA has

no objections to the implementation of the proposed project.

ERP No. F-IBR-K28018-CA

Central Valley Project, Municipal and Industrial Water Supply

Contracts under Public Law 101-514 (Section 206), Sacramento County

Water Agency and San Juan Water District, City of Folsom, Sacramento

County, CA.

Summary: EPA continues to be concerned with the probability of

additional diversions from the American river. EPA urge selection of

diversion point on the American River below the courthouse of the

American River.

ERP No. F-STA-G50007-00

Programmatic EIS--International Bridge Crossing Project,

Construction and Operation, Along the United States--Mexico Border from

EL Paso to Brownsville, TX, Presidential Permit, NM and TX.

Summary: EPA finds that the Final Programmatic EIS to be adequate

and has no objections to preferred alternative.

ERP No. FS-UMC-K24018-CA

Sewage Effluent Compliance Project, Updated and Additional

Information, Implementation, Lower Santa Margarita Basin, Marine Corps

Base Camp Pendleton, San Diego County, CA.

Summary: EPA indicated that the FSEIS adequately addressed EPA

environmental objections. EPA request that a Record of Decision (ROD)

not be made until the Navy fully evaluates a final percolation pond

study. EPA also asked the Navy to provide a detailed monitoring and

reporting program and contingency measures, for their selected

alternative, to ensure that no adverse impacts would occur to the

nearby salt marsh. EPA also commented on concerns regarding long term

health of riparian habitat and asked the Navy to acknowledge its

intent, in the ROD, to seek funding for tertiary treatment facilities.

Other

ERP No. LD-UAF-K11096-NV

Rating EO2, 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 expressed objections due 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

requested additional information regarding impacts to ground and

surface water, hazardous materials and waste, safety, and biological

resources.

Dated: March 23, 1999.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 99-7490 Filed 3-25-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-U