[Federal Register: December 5, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 234)]
[Notices]
[Page 68037-68038]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05de03-57]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-6646-2]
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 the Federal Register dated April 4, 2003 (68 FR 16511).
Draft EISs
ERP No. D-AFS-F65044-MI Rating EC1, Baltimore Vegetative Management
Project, implementation, Ottawa National Forest, Ontonagon Ranger
District, Ontonagon County, MI.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential
impacts to riparian areas and to the complexity of forest structure
from fragmentation, management of early successional species and the
control of invasives. The final EIS should address impacts from
dispersed recreation to soil and water resources. EPA offered several
suggested modifications the preferred alternative.
ERP No. D-AFS-J65391-WY Rating EC1, Blackhall-McAnulty Analysis
Area, proposal to reduce the spread of Dwarf Mistletoe and Mountain
Pine Beetle in Lodgepole Pine stands, Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger
District, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin
National Grassland, Carbon County, WY.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential
impacts to aquatic systems and resources, terrestrial habitat and
soils.
ERP No. D-AFS-L65434-WA Rating EC1, Crupina Integrated Weed
Management Project, control and eradication of Crupina, implementation,
Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests, Chelan Ranger District, Chelan
County, WA.
Summary: EPA has environmental concerns and recommends that the
FEIS provide an improved discussion and definition of suitable habitat
for Crupina vulgaris, disclosure of Lake Chelan's potential role as a
vector, and improve the document's cartographic information.
ERP No. D-BLM-K08027-NV Rating EC2, Tracy to Silver Lake
Transmission Line Project, construction, operation and maintenance of a
120kV transmission line from Tracy Power Plant to new substations in
the Spanish Spring Valley and Stead Areas, right-of-way application,
Washoe County, NV.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential
impacts to water quality, especially wetlands and aquatic resources,
and air quality. The final EIS should adequate assess all
jurisdictional waters, discuss minimization of impacts and mitigation
if needed, as well as conformity and cumulative impacts to air quality.
ERP No. D-FHW-F40416-00 Rating EC2, US 24 Transportation
Improvements Project, I-469 in New Haven, Indiana to OH-15 in Defiance,
OH, funding, NPDES permit and U.S. Army COE section 404 permit,
Westernmost and Allen Counties, IN and Paulding and Defiance Counties,
OH.
Summary: EPA has environmental concerns with the proposed project
related to wetlands impacts and the need for more information on
wetlands mitigation, and the impacts of runoff from roadways.
ERP No. D-IBR-K65259-CA Rating EC2, Pajaro Valley Water Management
Agency (PVWMA) Revised Basin Management Plan Project, connection of
PVWMA pipeline to the Santa Clara conduit of the Central Valley Project
(CVP), Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Berito Counties, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the
potential cumulative impacts to water quality and supply associated
with this project and related projects in Pajaro Valley. EPA requested
additional information related to water quality impacts, alternatives
analysis, water conservation commitments, and environmental justice
impacts.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-L65428-ID, Twin Creek Timber Sale Project, proposal
to
[[Page 68038]]
cut and remove Lodgepole Pine sawtimber and road construction/
reconstruction, Montpelier Ranger District, Caribou National Forest,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit, Bear Lake County, ID.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-BLM-J65374-WY, Snake River Resource Management Plan, BLM-
administrated public land and resources allocation and management,
Snake River, Jackson Hole, Teton County, WY.
Summary: EPA supports BLM's decision to select the preferred
alternative to transfer ownership of BLM-administered lands to other
agencies. While this alternative has potential for minimal impacts to
the environment, it contains uncertainties regarding the impacts to
riparian areas and achieving management goals under future land-
transfer agreements.
ERP No. F-BLM-K65241-CA, Headwaters Forest Reserve, Implementation
Resource Management Plan, long-term management plan and planning
framework, located in the northwestern Coast Ranges near Humboldt Bay
in Humboldt County, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed no objection to the proposed project.
ERP No. F-COE-E39061-MS, Royal D'Iberville Hotel and Casino
Development Project, construction and operation, U.S. Army COE section
10 and 404 and NPDES permits issuance, City of D'Iberville on the Back
Bay, Mississippi Gulf Coast, Harrison County, MS.
Summary: EPA has no significant environmental concerns regarding
construction of this casino hotel complex if the mitigation is
performed as noted.
ERP No. F-COE-G35022-TX, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in the Laguna
Madre, maintenance dredging from the JFK Causeway to the Old Queen
Isabella Causeway, Nueces, Kleberg, Kenedy, Willacy and Cameron County,
TX.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-FAA-C51022-NJ, Atlantic City International Airport, air
service improvements, economic development and efficiency and safety
enhancements, airport layout plan approval, Atlantic County, NJ.
Summary: EPA has no concerns with the implementation of the
proposed project.
ERP No. F-NRS-G36165-OK, Cavalry Creek Watershed supplemental plan
for Floodwater Retarding Structure No. 6, Washita River Basin, Washita
County, OK.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
Dated: December 2, 2003.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 03-30274 Filed 12-4-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P