[Federal Register: February 27, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 39)]
[Page 9313-9314]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27fe04-49]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-6648-8]
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 04, 2003 (68
FR 16511).
Draft EISs
ERP No. D-COE-E39063-NC Rating EC2, Bogus 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 expressed environmental concerns about the proposal to
establish a given channel alignment and beach profile in a dynamic
nearshore ecosystem.
ERP No. D-FHW-E40801-NC Rating EC2, US 74 Improvements Corridor,
between U.S. 601, north of Monroe in Union County and I-485 (Charlotte
Outer Loop), Funding and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit Issuance,
Mecklenburg and Union Counties, NC.
Summary: EPA has environmental concerns with the proposed project
regarding stream and water quality impacts, noise receptor impacts,
upland forest communities and terrestrial wildlife, endangered species,
agricultural land impacts and air quality. Additionally, EPA also has
concerns about indirect and cumulative impacts from induced development
effecting natural resources.
ERP No. D-FHW-F40419-MN Rating EC2, MN-371 North Improvement
Project, Reconstruction from the Intersection of Crow Wing County Road
18 in Nisswa to the Intersection of Cass County Road 42 in Pine River,
Funding, NPDES Permit and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit Issuance,
Crow Wing and Cass Counties, MN.
Summary: EPA has environmental concerns with the proposed project
regarding wetland mitigation, wetland impacts, noise monitoring, water
quality, and cumulative and indirect impacts.
ERP No. D-FHW-L40220-OR Rating EC2, Pioneer Mountain to Eddyville
Project on U.S. 20, Corvallis-Newport Highway Improvements, Funding,
Right-of-Way Grant and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit Issuance,
Lincoln County, OR.
Summary: EPA has environmental concerns with the proposed project
regarding the range of alternatives evaluated in the EIS, potential
impacts to headwater streams and terrestrial wildlife, and the design
of the conceptual mitigation plan. EPA recommends that additional
information related to these topics be included in the final EIS, along
with information related to wildlife crossings, the disposition of the
present highway, and cuts and fills.
ERP No. DB-COE-E34030-FL Rating LO, Central and Southern Florida
Project, Indian River Lagoon--South Feasibility Study, to Address the
Requirement of section 601 of the Water Resources Development Act 2000
and Three Additional Alternatives, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee
Counties, FL.
Summary: EPA continues to fully support the project goals and
recommended that water quality elements be maximized in these
restoration efforts.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-J65386-MT, Programmatic EIS--Winter Motorized
Recreation Amendment 24, Proposal to Change the Flathead National Land
and Resource Management Plan, Flathead National Forest, Flathead, Lake
and Lincoln Counties, MT.
Summary: EPA continues to express environmental concerns that the
preferred alternative potentially decreases protections to grizzly bear
security compared with other alternatives meeting the purpose and need.
EPA suggested mitigation for potential impacts to air quality and human
health in areas of concentrated use.
ERP No. F-BLM-G70005-NM, Sierra and Otero Counties Resource
Management Plan Amendment and Federal Fluid Minerals Leasing and
Development, Implementation, Sierra and Otero Counties, NM.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-COE-E30042-FL, Broward County Shore Protection Project,
Fill Placement in Segment II (Hillsboro Inlet to Port Everglades) and
Segment III (Port Everglades to the south County Line), Broward County,
FL.
Summary: While EPA has no objections to the beach nourishment
proposal, EPA did suggest further turbidity control measures in areas
adjacent to hardbottom resources and recommended that the Record of
Decision outline the consequences when all practicable sources of sand
have been expended.
ERP No. F-COE-K32012-CA, San Diego Harbor Deepening (Central
Navigation Channel) Involving Three Components: Federal Central
Navigation Channel Deepening, Disposal of the Dredged Material at the
LA-5 Ocean Disposal Site and Relocation and Disposal and Abandonment of
a 69 kV Electrical Site, San Diego County.
Summary: While EPA found that the final EIS adequately addressed
many of the issues raised in EPA's comment
[[Page 9314]]
letter on the draft EIS, including the beneficial reuse of dredged
material, EPA continued to express concerns that the final EIS did not
demonstrate independence of the proposed action and the planned
Terminal Deepening Project; provide specific Best Management Practices
to protect water quality; or provide further information on air
pollution due to the increased number of large vessels using the Port.
ERP No. F-FHW-F40407-IN, I-69 Evansville to Indianapolis Corridor
Study, I-69 Completion in Southwestern Indiana and Corridor Selection,
IN.
Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns with the
proposed project regarding future project compliance with CWA section
404 and potential impacts in karst areas. EPA recommends that the Tier
1 ROD commit to all proposed mitigation measures and advises that Tier
2 EISs contain adequate indirect and cumulative impacts analyses.
ERP No. F-NPS-F65038-OH, Cuyahoga Valley National Park Rural
Landscape Management Program, Rural Landscape Resources Preservation
and Protection, Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga and Summit Counties, OH.
Summary: The final EIS addressed EPA's previous comments, therefore
EPA has no objection to the action as proposed.
ERP No. F-NPS-G65085-AR, Arkansas Post National Memorial General
Management Plan, Implementation, Osotouy Unit, Arkansas and Mississippi
Rivers, Arkansas County, AR.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
Dated: February 24, 2004.
Ken Mittelholtz,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 04-4389 Filed 2-26-04; 8:45 am]
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