[Federal Register: May 7, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 89)]
[Notices]
[Page 25573-25574]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07my04-50]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-6651-1]
Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of
EPA Comments
Availability of EPA comments prepared pursuant to the Environmental
ReviewProcess (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 2, 2004 (69 FR 17403).
Draft EISs
ERP No. D-AFS-J65404-UT Rating EC2, Trout Slope West Timber
Project, Harvesting Timber, Ashley National Forest, Vernal Ranger
District, Uintah County, UT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding direct and
cumulative impacts to aquatic and terrestrial resources in the project
area.
ERP No. D-AFS-J65406-MT Rating EC2, West Troy Project, Proposes
Timber Harvesting, Natural Fuels Reduction Treatments, Pre-Commercial
Thining, and Watershed Rehabilitation (Decommissioning) Work, Kootenai
National Forest, Three River Ranger District, Lincoln County, MT.
Summary: While EPA supports the project purpose and need to manage
vegetation for a fire-adapted ecosystem, EPA expressed concerns that
necessary watershed restoration actions do not have guaranteed funding.
ERP No. D-AFS-J65409-MT Rating EC2, Lower Big Creek Project, To
Implement Timber Harvest and Prescribed Burning, Kootenai National
Forest Plan, Rexford Ranger District, Lincoln County, MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding impacts to
water quality from potential sediment production and transport
associated with tractor logging and associated road reconstruction. EPA
also expressed concerns that there may not be adequate funding to
implement road-related watershed restoration work.
ERP No. D-FHW-G40180-TX Rating EC2, Grand Parkway (State Highway
TX-99) Segment F-2 from TX-249 to Interstate Highway (IH) 45
Construction of a New Location Facility, Right-of-Way Permit and U.S.
Army COE Section 404 Permit, City of Houston, Harris County, TX.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns relating to wetlands
impacts/mitigation and air quality impacts.
ERP No. D-NOA-L91021-AK Rating EC2, Essential Fish Habitat
Identification and Conservation, Implementation, North Pacific Fishery
Management Council, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, AK.
Summary: EPA expressed concerns for rescinding Habitat Areas of
Particular Concern. EPA requested additional information on an
ecosystem approach for identifying Essential Fish Habitat, the
potential for increasing the Observer Program and Environmental
Justice/Tribal Consultation.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-J65268-CO, North Fork of the South Platte and the
South Platte Rivers, Wild and Scenic River Study, ToDetermine their
Suitability for Inclusion into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers
System, Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Comache and Cimarron
National Grasslands, Douglas, Jefferson, Park and Teller Counties, CO.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and recommended that
the lead agency add specific protections in the Record of Decision to
preserve the ``free flowing'' character and other ``outstandingly
remarkable values'' until Wild and
[[Page 25574]]
Scenic River designation decisions are made.
ERP No. F-AFS-L65385-WA, Stimson Access Project, To Access their
Private Property through National Forest System Lands, Idaho Panhandle
National Forests, Priest Lake Ranger District, Pend Oreille County, WA.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-AFS-L65437-OR, Toolbox Fire Recovery Project, Promote the
Recovery of the Toolbox Complex Fires of July 2002, Fremont-Winema
National Forest, Silver LakeRanger District, Lake County, OR.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-COE-E39063-NC, Bogue Inlet Channel Erosion Response
Project, Relocation of the Main Ebb Channel to Eliminate the Erosive
Impact to the Town of Emerald Isle, Carteret and Onslow Counties, NC.
Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about the
proposal to establish a given channel alignment and beach profile in a
dynamic near shore ecosystem.
ERP No. F-FHW-D40319-PA, Mon/Fayette Transportation Project,
Improvements from PA-51 to I-376 in Monroeville and Pittsburg, Funding,
U.S. Coast Guard Bridge Permit and USArmy COE Section 404 Permit
Issuance, Allegheny County, PA.
Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns relating to
wetland impacts and open space habitat mitigation.
ERP No. F-IBR-K39081-CA, Freeport Regional Water Project, To
Construct and Operate a Water Supply Project to Meet Regional Water
Supply Needs, Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) and the East Bay
Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin,
Sacramento Counties, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed concerns regarding potential cumulative
impacts to habitat, water quality, and water supply reliability. EPA
requested additional information regarding the applicability of a Clean
Water Act 404 Permit for impacts to wetlands.
ERP No. F-USA-G11042-LA, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Transformation and Installation Mission Support, Joint Readiness
Training Center (JRTC) Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Long-Term Military
Training Use of Kisatchie National Forest Lands, Fort Polk, LA.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-USN-K11108-CA, China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station,
Proposed Military Operational Increases and Implementation of
Associated Comprehensive Land Use and Integrated Natural Resources
Management Plans, Located on the North and South Ranges, Inyo, Kern and
San Bernardino Counties, CA.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. FS-NOA-K91008-00, Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific
Region, Fishery Management Plan, Regulatory Amendment,Management
Measures to Implement New Technologies for the Western Pacific Pelagic
Longline Fisheries, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Island.
Summary: EPA supports the objectives of the proposed amendments to
the FMP for Pelagic Fisheries, and has no objections to the proposed
project.
Dated: May 4, 2004.
Ken Mittelholtz,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 04-10452 Filed 5-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P