Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 171 (Friday, September 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48393-48394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23054]



[[Page 48393]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6245-8]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared July 23, 1999 through July 
30, 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 09, 1999 (64 
FR 17362).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-J65303-MT Rating EC2, Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Permit 
Renewal and Master Development Plan Update, Implementation, Special Use 
Permit and COE Section 404 Permit, Gallatin National Forest, in the 
City of Bozeman, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns regarding lack of information to 
support expansion of the ski area beyond the existing ski area 
boundaries; inadequate analysis and disclosure of indirect effects of 
induced development that may be associated with the ski area expansion 
and doubling of skier capacity; potential increased wastewater 
pollutant loadings to area ground water; and erosion from ski area 
vegetation clearing and ski run development. Additional information is 
needed to fully assess and mitigate all potential environmental impacts 
of the management actions.
    ERP No. D-COE-K36127-CA Rating EO2, Arroyo Pasajero Watershed 
Feasibility Investigation, Implementation, Flood Damage Reduction Plan, 
San Joaquin River Basin, City of Huron, Fresno County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed objections to the Gap Dam alternative due to 
significant impacts on biological resources, wetlands and endangered 
species. EPA expressed concerns regarding the Westside Detention Basin 
alternative. Additional information on nonstructural methods and 
mitigation of project impacts is required for EPA to fully assess 
whether significant environmental impacts have been avoided to fully 
protect the environment.
    ERP No. D-COE-K36128-CA Rating EO2, 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.
    Summary: EPA expressed objections regarding the lack of a full 
alternative analysis. In addition, habitat protection and mitigation 
success associated with the project are uncertain, and the project 
lacks planning for long-term sustainability of the water resource and 
flood protection goals and could result in cumulative impacts.
    ERP No. D-FHW-D40298-MD Rating EC2, MD-32 Planning Study, 
Transportation Improvement from MD 108 to Interstate 70, Funding, NPDES 
Permit and COE Section 404 Permit, Howard County, MD.
    Summary: EPA is primarily concerned with secondary impacts 
including land use issues and development pressure from the increased 
access that this project would induce. An enhancement of the existing 
highway may meet the purpose and needs while considerably reducing 
wetland impacts.
    ERP No. D-FHW-D40300-MD Rating EC1, Middle River Employment Center 
Access Study, Transportation Improvements, NPDES and COE Section 404 
Permit, Baltimore County, MD.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the direct, 
cumulative and secondary impacts that are associated with the 
development that will occur as a result of this new highway project. 
EPA urged Baltimore County to implement aggressive conservation 
practices when reviewing plans and processing permits that will allow 
development to occur in Middle River Employment Center.
    ERP No. D-FHW-E40088-MS Rating EC2, Airport Parking/Mississippi 25 
Connectors, Construction at Intersection of High Street/Interstate 55 
(I-55) in the City of Jackson, Hinds and Rankin Counties, MS.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential 
long-term wetland impacts associated with building the proposed highway 
as described in the preferred alternative. EPA suggested incorporating 
sub-alternatives that address the various bridging and interchange 
options using the alignments similar to the preferred alternative.
    ERP No. D-FHW-K40148-NV Rating EO2, US-95 Improvements, Along 
Summerlin Parkway to the Local and Arterial Road Network in the 
Northwest Region of Las Vegas, Construction and Operation, Clark 
County, NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed objections with respect to the project, 
given the severe nonattainment for CO and PM10; the lack of significant 
permanent reduction of traffic congestion, VMT, v/c ratios and CO 
violations; and significant impacts to noises, in established core 
neighborhoods, and community and 4(f) facilities. EPA proposed an 
alternative phased approach with aggressive implementation of TDM and 
mass transit measures.
    ERP No. D-FTA-D40289-VA Rating EC2, Norfolk-Virginia Beach Light 
Rail Transit System East/West Corridor Project, Transportation 
Improvements, Tidewater Transportation District Commission, COE Section 
404 Permit, City of Norfolk and City of Virginia Beach, VA.
    Summary: EPA is concerned about potential noise vibration and 
displacement impacts to existing neighborhood.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-FHW-L40184-WA, WA-167 Corridor Adoption, WA-167 Freeway 
Extension from WA-167/Meridian Street North in the City of Puyallup to 
the proposed WA-509 Freeway/East-West Alignment in the City of Tacoma, 
Funding and COE Section 404 Permit, Pierce County, WA.
    Summary: EPA expressed objections to the Tier I process that 
eliminated alternatives that should have been fully analyzed and which 
may have had potential to avoid social, economic and environmental 
impacts. EPA requested that the Tier II process provide a detailed 
analyses of environmental, economic and social impact and avoidance and 
mitigation for those impacts.
    ERP No. F-NCP-D61050-MD, National Harbor Project, Construction and 
Operation along the Potomac River on a 534 acre site adjacent to the 
Capital Beltway and Oxon Hill Manor, COE Section 10 and 404 Permits, 
Prince George's County, MD.
    Summary: EPA has concerns regarding impacts to aquatic resources, 
air pollution and environmental justice issues. EPA is trying to 
resolve some of the outstanding issues with the applicant.
    ERP No. FS-AFS-J65283-CO, Upper Elk River Access Analysis, 
Implementation, Proposal to Remove and/or Treat Blowdown Trees, Routt 
Divide Blowdown, Medicine Bow-Routt-National Forests, Hahn Peak/Bears 
Ears Ranger District, Routt County, CO.
    Summary: EPA expressed its view that the preferred alternative, as 
disclosed in the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

[[Page 48394]]

(FSEIS) and recorded in the Record of Decision (ROD), can be 
implemented without significant impact to the environment.

Regulations

    ERP No. R-BLM-A02241-00, 43 CFR Part 3100 et al.--Onshore Oil and 
Gas Leasing and Operations; Proposed Rule.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns that the proposed action could lead 
to or have significant impacts to air and water quality. EPA suggests 
that BLM analyze and discuss the cumulative impacts of oil and gas 
leasing to air and water quality before issuing the final rule and 
include proposed clarifications to the sections on produced water 
disposal, underground injection control permits, bonding and plugging 
abandonment.

    Dated: August 31, 1999.
B. Katherine Biggs,
Associate Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal 
Activities.
[FR Doc. 99-23054 Filed 9-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6550-60-U