[Federal Register: August 1, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 148)]
[Notices]
[Page 45238-45239]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01au03-62]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-6642-6]
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 4, 2003 (68 FR 16511).
Draft EISs
ERP No. D-AFS-J65383-MT Rating EC2, Logan Creek Ecosystem
Restoration Project, Hazardous Fuel Reduction across the Landscape and
Vegetation Management Restoration or Maintenance, Flathead National
Forest, Tally Lake Ranger District, Flathead County, MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with public health
and safety issues and recommended the final EIS include a comprehensive
risk notification and communication program for the community. The
final EIS should also include additional information on facility
design, safety features and risk assessment and analysis.
ERP No. D-AFS-K65256-NV Rating EO2, Jarbidge Canyon Project, Road
Management Plan Implementation,
[[Page 45239]]
Water Projects Construction along Charleston-Jarbidge Road and South
Canyon Road Reconstruction, Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest, Jarbidge
Ranger District, Elko County, NV.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections on the Proposed
Action due to projected violations of Federally approved water quality
standards and potential impacts to waters of the United States
(including special aquatic sites) regulated under the Clean Water Act
Section 404. EPA requested that the Final EIS include appropriate water
quality mitigation to avoid violating water quality standards and to
address the project's consistency with Section 404.
ERP No. D-CGD-G03021-LA Rating LO, Port Pelican Deepwater Port
Construction and Operation, License Approval, Vermillion Lease Block
140 on the Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico southwest of
Freshwater City, LA.
Summary: EPA had no objection to the preferred alternative. ERP No.
D-NIH-J81012-MT Rating EC2, Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML)
Integrated Research Facility, Construction and Operation, To Improve
the Nation's Ability to Study and Combat Emerging Infectious Disease
and to Protect Public Health, Hamilton, Ravalli County, MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the need to
better address public health and safety concerns, and recommended
development of a comprehensive risk notification and communication
program for the local community. EPA also believes additional
information on risk assessment and analysis should be disclosed, and
questions, comments, and concerns on alternatives and on facility
design and safety features should be addressed in the final EIS.
ERP No. DC-FHW-D40118-00 Rating EC1, Appalachian Corridor H
Project, Construction of a 10-mile Highway between the Termini of
Parsons and Davis, New Information concerning One or More Alignment
Shifts for the Thomas-Davis Section of the Parsons-to-Davis Project,
Funding and US Army COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, Tucker County, WV.
Summary: EPA has environmental concerns regarding the proposed
project with respect to the endangered West Virginia Northern Flying
Squirrel. Potential habitat exists within the entire study area. EPA
encourages the continued coordination already underway with U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service to identify the most appropriate alternative to
limit the impact to such an important species as well as valued
resources.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-MMS-E02012-00; Eastern Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental
Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales 189 (proposed for 2003) and 197 (proposed
for 2005) Leasing Program 2002-2007, Eastern Planning Area, Counties
and Parishes of TX, LA, MS, AL and FL.
Summary: While EPA has no objection to the proposed action since
previous issues have been resolved, EPA did request clarification
regarding presentation of deep drilling parameters and the importance
of complete quantification of impacts from discharges of drilling muds
and cuttings.
ERP No. F-NOA-E91011-00 Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management
Plan, Implementation of Management Measures, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act, New England Fishery Management
Council.
Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objection to the strategies as
proposed in the FEIS.
ERP No. F-NPS-H65011-MO Wilson's Creek National Battlefield General
Management Plan, Implementation, Battle of Wilson's Creek Commemoration
and Associated Battlefield Preservation, Greene and Christian Counties,
MO.
Summary: EPA did not express objections to the preferred Management
Plan.
ERP No. FS-AFS-J65334-MT Keystone-Quartz Ecosystem Management Plan,
Implementation, Updated Information on Alternatives, Beaverhead-
Deerlodge National Forest, Wise River Ranger District, Beaverhead
County, MT.
Summary: While EPA supports the Forest Service's preferred
alternative to manage and treat Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine and aspen
forest we expressed environmental concerns with potential impacts to
water quality from existing low standard roads.
ERP No. FS-AFS-L65300-ID Goose Creek Watershed Project, Reviewing
and Updating Information Regarding the Pileated Woodpecker and Soil
Impacts, Payette National Forest, New Meadows Ranger District, Adam
County, ID.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. FS-AFS-L65325-ID Sloan-Kennally Timber Sale Project,
Reviewing and Updating Information Regarding the Pileated Woodpecker
and Soil Impacts, Payette National Forest, McCall Ranger District, Adam
County, ID.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. FS-AFS-L65336-ID Brown Creek Timber Sale Project, Reviewing
and Updating Information Regarding the Pileated Woodpecker and Soil
Impacts, Payette National Forest, New Meadow Ranger District, Adam
County, ID.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. FS-AFS-L65346-ID Middle Fork Weiser River Watershed
Project, Reviewing and Updating Information Regarding the Pileated
Woodpecker and Soil Impacts, Payette National Forest, Council Ranger
District, Adam County, ID.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. FS-AFS-L65379-ID Little Weiser Landscape Vegetation
Management Project, Reviewing and Updating Information Regarding the
Pileated Woodpecker and Soil Impacts, Payette National Forest, Adam
County, ID.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. FS-NOA-A64058-00 Pelagic Sargassum Habitat Fishery
Management Plan, Implementation, Updated Information concerning the
Public's Opportunity to Comment on Proposed Actions, South Atlantic
Region.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the harvest
of Sargassum due to the loss of its nursery habitat value for
endangered juvenile species such as sea turtle hatchlings, small sized
species and pelagic adult species.
Dated: July 29, 2003.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 03-19642 Filed 7-31-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P