Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 224 (Friday, November 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64472-64473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31094]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5497-2]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared November 2, 1998 through 
November 6, 1998 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 (62 FR 17856).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-J61100-CO: Rating EO2, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area Master 
Development Plan, Construction and Operation, COE Section 404 Permit, 
White River National Forest, Dillon Ranger District, Summit County, CO.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections based on the 
projects potential adverse impacts to wetlands, water quality and 
quantity, as well as aquatic resources.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65287-SD: Rating EC2, Veteran/Boulder Area Project, 
Enhancement of Vegetative Diversity, Improve Forest Health and to 
Improve Wildlife Habitats, Implementation, Black Hills National Forest, 
Spearfish and Nemo Ranger District, Lawrence and Meade Counties, SD.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns of the project on 
existing 303(d) listed waters.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L65308-ID: Rating EC2, Eagle Bird Project Area, 
Timber Harvesting and Road Construction, Idaho Panhandle National 
Forests, St. Joe Ranger District, Shoshone County, ID.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about lack of 
cumulative impacts analysis and adverse impacts to vegetation.
    ERP No. D-BLM-K65206-NV: Rating EC2, Caliente Management Framework 
Plan Amendment, Implementation, Management of Desert Tortoise Habitat 
(Gopherus agassizii), Northeastern Mojave Recovery Unit, Lincoln 
County, NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the range 
of alternatives selected for analysis in the DEIS, and recommended that 
BLM consider an alternative which would place 100% of critical habitat 
designated by the Fish and Wildlife Service into protected status. EPA 
also expressed concerns that two of the action alternatives do not 
appear to meet project purpose and need.
    ERP No. D-COE-G11035-00: Rating LO, Programmatic--Fort Bliss 
Mission and Real Property Master Plan, Revised Land Use and Enhance 
Management of the Land, Airspace and Infrastructure, El Pasco County, 
TX and Dona Ana and Otero Counties, NM.
    Summary: EPA had no environmental objections, and recommended 
selection of Alternative 3.2.
    ERP No. D-NPS-K65208-CA: Rating LO, Redwood National and State 
Parks General Management Plan, Implementation, Humboldt and Del Norte 
Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objections to the project plan, 
but recommended that the Final EIS/EIR include specific information on 
the Parks' role in the total maximum daily load (TMDL) development, 
timber harvest plan review, and Clean Water Action Plan implementation.
    ERP No. DS-BLM-J65106-CO: Rating EC2, Glenwood Springs Resource 
Area, Updated Information, Oil & Gas Leasing and Development, Leasing 
Lands in the Naval Oil Shale Reserves, Resource Management Plan 
Amendment, Garfield County, CO.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about adverse impact 
to air quality in the Flat Tops Wilderness Class 1 area. EPA recommends 
that a cumulative air quality impact analysis be prepared and made 
available to the public prior to publishing the FEIS.

[[Page 64473]]

    ERP No. DS-BLM-J70017-MT: Rating EC2, Judith-Valley-Phillips 
Comprehensive Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Lewistown 
District, Judith Basin, Fergus, Petroleum, Phillips and Valley 
Counties, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential 
adverse impact to Fisheries, Wildlife, and air and water quality, and 
that more data and analyses of cumulative impacts is needed.
    ERP No. RD-NOA-A64058-00: Rating EC2, Calico Scallop Fishery and 
Sargassum Habitat Fishery, Fishery Management Plans Establishment and 
Implementation, South Atlantic Region.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that the Calico 
Scallop Fishery Management Plan contained data that was too old to 
fully assess impact of the fishery and collateral impacts threatened 
and endangered species. EPA requested that these issues be fully 
discussed in the next environmental document.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-BLM-L08054-AK: Northern Intertie Project, Construction of 
230 kV Transmission Line from Healy to Fairbanks, AK, Application for 
Right-of-Way Grant, Gold Valley Electric Association, AK.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS was not deemed necessary. No 
formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. FS-COE-E36013-MS: Mississippi River and Tributaries Flood 
Control Plan, Construction of the remaining portion of the Mississippi 
River Mainline Levees Enlargement and Seepage Control Project, Flood 
Protection and Damage Reduction, Lower Mississippi River Valley, Cape 
Girardeau, MO to Head of Passes, LA; MO, IL, KY, TN, AR, MS and LA.
    Summary: EPA continued to have environmental concerns based on the 
scope/duration of these projects. On-going coordination will be 
necessary to resolve EPA's outstanding concerns.

    Dated: November 17, 1998.
William D. Dickerson,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 98-31094 Filed 11-19-98; 8:45 am]
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