[Federal Register: November 8, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 217)]
[Notices]
[Page 68129-68130]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08no02-79]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-6634-8]
Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of
EPA Comments
Availability of EPA comments prepared 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 12, 2002 (67
FR 11992).
Draft EISs
ERP No. D-AFS-L65395-AK Rating EC2, Otter Lake Timber Sale(s)
Project, Implementation, Plan to Harvest and Sell Timber, Hoonah Ranger
District, Tongass National Forest, AK.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about adverse impacts
to water and air quality, cultural resources and to threatened and
endangered species.
ERP No. D-AFS-L67041-OR Rating EO2, Granite Area Mining Projects,
Proposals to Approve Plans of Operation on 16 Mining Claims within the
Granite Creek Watershed, Implementation North Fork John Day Ranger
District, Umatilla National Forest, Grant County, OR.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections with the preferred
alternative because preliminary determinations indicate that 10 of 16
mine plans would likely adversely affect listed mid-Columbian steel
head, potential impacts to listed bull trout and Forest Service
sensitive fish species, and a lack of alternatives to mitigate already
impacted aquatic resources. EPA recommends that the final EIS include
sufficient measures to protect and restore impaired water bodies and
habitats of listed species.
ERP No. D-FAA-C51022-NJ Rating LO, Atlantic City International
Airport, Air Service Improvements, Economic Development and Enhanced
Efficiency and Safety, Airport Layout Plan Approval, Atlantic County,
NJ.
Summary: EPA has a lack of objections with the project due to our
early coordination with the FAA on the proposed action.
ERP No. D-FHW-F40408-00 Rating EC2, Trunk Highway 60 Reconstruction
Project, Improvements from 1.8 miles south of the Minnesota-Iowa Border
(120th Street) to I-90 north of the City of Worthington, Funding, U.S.
Army COE Section 404 and NPDES Permits Issuance, Nobles County, MN and
Osceola County, IA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding water
quality and natural resource impacts in addition to historic and
cultural resource impacts. EPA requested further analyses in the FEIS
and stronger purpose and need discussion in relation to the project.
ERP No. D-MMS-L02028-AK Rating EO2, Beaufort Sea Planning Area
Multiples Sale 186, 195 and 202 Oil and Gas Lease Sales, Alaska Outer
Continental Shelf, Offshore Marine Environment, Beaufort Sea Coastal
Plain, and the North Slope Borough of Alaska.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections to the proposed
action since it did not include the deferral lease blocks that were
associated with the four deferral alternatives that would protect
subsistence whale areas. EPA also expressed concern about the
sufficiency of analyses addressing impacts of potential oil spills and
noise disturbances to whale hunting, environmental justice, and
threatened eiders. EPA recommended that the EIS's proposed alternative
include deferral blocks that protects subsistence whaling and address
EPA's concerns with additional information and analyses.
ERP No. D-SFW-L02029-AK Rating EC2, Swanson River Satellites
Natural Gas Exploration and Development Project, Evaluation of a Right-
of-Way Permit Application and U.S. Army COE Section 404 and NPDES
Permits Issuance, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Kenai Peninsula, AK.
Summary: EPA identified environmental concerns related to the need
to (1) minimize impacts from exploration activities, (2) maximize the
reclamation and reuse of gravel, (3) minimize impacts to wetlands and
their functions and (4) provided technical support of impact
characterizations. EPA also recommended that government-to-government
consultation with affected Tribal governments be conducted before
issuance of the final EIS.
ERP No. DS-COE-L32010-00 Rating EC2, Columbia River Channel
Improvement Project, Additional Information to Update the Disposal Plan
and to Update the Project Economics, Columbia and Lower Willamette
River Federal Navigation Channel, OR.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and recommended that
the Corps prepare a cumulative effects analysis, explain how this
project will affect the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive
Conservation and Management Plan for the lower Columbia River estuary,
and improve the discussion on project monitoring.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-L65387-AK Helicopter Landing Tours on the Juneau
Icefield 2002 to 2006, Combination Fixed-Wing and Helicopter Landing
Tour Operations to Antler Glacier Lake, Special Use Permits Issuance,
Tongass National Forest, City and Borough of Juneau, AK.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-BIA-K03026-CA Teayawa Energy Center, Construction and
Operation of a 600 megawatt (MW)(nominal output), Natural-Gas-Fired,
Combined-Cycle Energy Center, On Indian Trust Land, Torres Martinez
[[Page 68130]]
Desert Cahuilla Indians Tribe, Coachella Valley, Riverside County, CA.
Summary: EPA reviewed the FEIS and found that the document
adequately addresses the issues raised in our comment letter on the
DEIS.
ERP No. F-FHW-C40155-NY
NY-17, Horseheads Project, Reconstruction from RM 17-6205-1069 to
RM 14-6201-3040, Funding, Town and Village of Horseheads, Chemung
County, NY.
Summary: EPA's comments on the DEIS were adequately addressed.
ERP No. F-FHW-G40168-LA
Bayou Barataria Bridge/LA-302 Replacement, LA-45/Jean Lafitte
Boulevard to LA-3257/Privateer Boulevard, Funding and U.S. Army COE
Section 404 and US Coast Guard Bridge Permits Issuance, Communities of
Jean Lafitte and Barataria, Jefferson Parish, LA.
Summary: EPA expressed no further comments on the Final EIS and has
no objection to the selection of the preferred alternative. EPA's
comments were adequately addressed in the Final EIS.
ERP No. F-FRC-L05223-WA Martin Creek Hydroelectric Project (FERC
Project No.10942), Construction, Operation and Maintenance of a 10.2-
Megawatt (MW) Hydroelectric Run-of-River Facility, License Approval,
Cascade Mountains, Martin and Kelley Creeks, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie
National Forest, King County, WA.
Summary: EPA continues to have environmental objections to the
proposed project because it would undermine the environmental and
biological protection provisions of the Northwest Forest Plan and would
degrade water quality in Martin Creek, designated an ``extraordinary''
water body by the State of Washington. EPA recommended selection of the
No Action alternative based on the negative environmental effects,
negative net power benefits, and extremely small amount of power that
would be generated by the project.
ERP No. F-NPS-C67000-NJ Maurice National Scenic and Recreational
River (NS&RR) Comprehensive Management Plan, Implementation, Atlantic
and Cumberland Counties, NJ.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-NPS-G61040-TX Fort Davis National Historic Site, General
Management Plan, Implementation, Fort Davis, TX.
Summary: EPA has no objection to the selection of the preferred
alternative since the final EIS adequately responded to comments
offered on the Draft EIS.
ERP No. FS-FRC-L05208-WA Irene Creek Hydroelectric Project, (FERC
No.10100-002) and Anderson Creek Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 10416-
003), Construction and Operation, Issuance of Amended License
Applications, Skagit and Whatcom Counties, WA.
Summary: EPA continues to have environmental objections to the
proposed projects (and alternatives to it) because they would undermine
Northwest Forest Plan protections, degrade pristine water quality found
in Irene and Anderson Creek, and likely affect listed bull trout.
Analyses in the EIS show that it would cost more to operate projects
than the value of power produced and that an extremely small amount of
power would be generated. For these reasons, EPA recommends that FERC
select the No Action Alternative.
Dated: November 5, 2002.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 02-28506 Filed 11-7-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P