[Federal Register: January 17, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 12)]
[Notices]
[Page 2539-2540]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17ja03-62]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-6636-8]
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 17992).
Draft EISs
ERP No. D-AFS-L65405-AK Rating NS, Shoreline Outfitter/Guide Plan,
Commercial Permits Issuance for Shoreline-Based Activities on National
Forest System Lands, Admiralty Island National Monument, Hoonah, Sitka
and Juneau Ranger Districts, Tongass National Forest, AK.
Summary: EPA Region 10 used a screening tool to conduct a limited
review of this action. Based on the screen, EPA does not foresee having
major environmental objections to the proposed project. Therefore, EPA
will not be conducting a detailed review.
ERP No. D-APH-A99222-00 Rating LO, Importation of Solid Wood
Packing Material to Exclude, Eradicate and/or Control Invasive Alien
Agricultural Pest, Implementation, United States.
Summary: EPA expressed no objection to the draft EIS and the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) proposal to adopt the
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) ``Guidelines for
Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade''.
ERP No. D-BLM-G65084-00 Rating LO, El Camino Real De Tierra Adentro
National Historic Trail, Comprehensive Management Plan, Implementation,
TX and NM.
Summary: EPA has no objection to the selection of the preferred
alternative.
ERP No. D-BLM-L65402-OR Rating EC2, Cascade--Siskiyou National
Monument (CSNM) Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Klamath and
Rouge River Basins, Jackson County, OR.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that the draft EIS
lacked sufficient information related to: the Purpose and Need
Statement, Tribal consultation and coordination efforts, livestock
grazing impacts, habitat connectivity, CWA section 303(d) Protocols,
and indirect or cumulative effects and should be addressed in the final
EIS.
ERP No. D-DOE-K08024-CA Rating EC2, Sacramento Area Voltage Support
Project, System Reliability and Voltage Support Improvements, Sierra
Nevada Region, Alameda, Contra Costa, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin
and Sutter Counties, CA.
Summary: EPA has environmental concerns about impacts to air
quality, water resources and with the scope of the cumulative impacts
analysis. EPA urged Western Area Power Administration to commit to
follow-up environmental analysis, a discription and evaluation of the
funding process, and how funding and project cost will be integrated
with the environmental analysis.
ERP No. D-FHW-B40092-NH Rating EO2, I-93 Highway Improvements,
Salem to Manchester, Funding, NPDES and U.S. Army COE Section 404
Permits
[[Page 2540]]
Issuance, Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties, NH.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections to impacts to the
aquatic environment which should be addressed through additional
analysis, mitigation and other commitments in the FEIS. Specifically,
EPA recommends that risks to surface and ground waters from road salt
and air quality impacts be addressed in greater detail. Mitigation
plans should also be enhanced in addition to the inclusion of more
information regarding commuter bus and high occupancy vehicle services
in the project plans.
ERP No. DS-FHW-F40118-MI Rating EC2, US-31 Freeway Connection,
Napier Road to I-94, Updated Information concerning Transportation
Improvements, Berrien County, MI.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding project
impacts to wetlands and wildlife connectivity.
Additional information regarding wetlands minimization and
mitigation measures should be included in the final EIS.
ERP No. DS-FTA-E40777-FL Rating EC2, Miami-Miami Beach (Bay Link)
Transportation Corridor Study, Transportation Improvements Connecting
Government Center and Downtown Miami Beach Convention Center, Dade
County, FL.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding social
impacts, noise exposure, and aquatic resource impacts and recommends
minimization or mitigation of these impacts.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-L65400-ID, The West Gold Creek Project, Forest
Management Activities Plan, Implementation, Idaho Panhandle National
Forests, Sandpoints Ranger District, Bonner County, ID.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-BLM-L03012-AK, Renewal of Federal Grant for the Trans-
Alaska Pipeline System, Right-of-Way Grant and Approvals, AK.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-BLM-L60107-OR, Coos County Natural Gas Transmission
Pipeline Construction, Operation and Maintenance, Roseburg to Coos Bay,
Right-of-Way Grant, Coos Bay District, Coos County, OR.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-FHW-C40151-NY, County Road (Mill Hill Road and Glen Road)
Improvements, Howard Drive to NY-9N including a New Bridge over the
East Branch of the Ausable River, Funding and U.S. Army COE Section 404
Permit Issuance, Essex County, NY.
Summary: EPA continued to express environmental concerns with the
project's cumulative impacts and impacts to wetlands.
ERP No. F-FTA-K59002-AZ, Central Phoenix/East Valley Light Rail
Transit Corridor Construction, Operation and Maintenance, Funding,
Cities of Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, Maricopa County, AZ.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-SFW-K70008-AZ, Roosevelt Habitat Conservation Plan,
Issuance of an Incidental Take Permit to Allow Continued Operation of
Roosevelt Dam and Lake, Implementation, Gila and Maricopa Counties, AZ.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
Dated: January 13, 2003.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 03-1048 Filed 1-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P