[Federal Register: March 26, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 59)]
[Notices]
[Page 15828-15829]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26mr04-69]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-6649-7]
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-D65029-PA Rating LO, Spring Creek Project Area
(SCPA), To Achieve and Maintain Desired Conditions, Allegheny National
Forest, Marienville Ranger District, Elk and Forest Counties, PA.
Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections with the proposed action
which combines the Preferred Alternative and implementing all the
recreation proposals in Alternative 2.
ERP No. D-AFS-J65402-WY Rating EC2, Tongue Allotment Management
Plan, Proposal to Continue Livestock Grazing on All or Portions of the
22 Allotment, Bighorn National Forest, Tongue and Medicine Wheel/
Paintrock Ranger Districts, Johnson, Sheridan and Bighorn Counties, WY.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with continuing
adverse impacts to water quality from livestock grazing and recreation.
Especially impacts to streams and riparian zones from physical
disturbance, fecal coliform and other bacteria in streams, and other
waterbodies and limited resource to manage recreation and livestock
activities.
ERP No. D-AFS-L65447-ID Rating LO, EastBridge Cattle Allotment
Management Plan Revision (AMP), Authorization of Continued Grazing,
Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Soda Springs Ranger District, Caribou
and Bonneville Counties, ID and Lincoln County, WY.
Summary: EPA used a screening tool to conduct a limited review of
the draft EIS and based upon the screen, does not foresee having any
environmental objections to the proposed project.
ERP No. D-NAS-E12006-FL Rating LO, International Space Research
Park (ISRP) to Bring New Research and Development Uses to the John F.
Kennedy Center, Brevard County, FL.
Summary: EPA has no objections to the proposed research center.
ERP No. D-SFW-K39083-CA Rating EC2, South Bay Salt Ponds Initial
Stewardship Plan, To Maintain and Enhance the Biological and Physical
Conditions, South San Francisco Bay, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about how conclusions
were reached regarding air emissions and environmental justice impacts.
Concerns were also expressed about the hydraulic models, monitoring
plan development, the alternatives
[[Page 15829]]
analysis, and Spartina alterniflora eradication. EPA requested that the
final EIS clarify or provide additional information to address these
concerns.
ERP No. D-UAF-D52001-WV Rating EC2, Aircraft Conversion for the
167th Air Wing (167 AW) of the West Virginia Air National Guard,
Converting C-13OH Transport Aircraft to the Larges C-5 Transport
Aircraft, Acquisition of Land via Lease, and Construction of Facilities
on existing and acquired Parcel, Berkeley County, WV.
Summary: EPA expressed concern related to aircraft noise impacts,
land use specific to runway protection zones affecting residences,
agricultural land/undeveloped areas and aviation safety resulting from
the closure of Runway 17/35. EPA requested additional information to
fully assess the impacts associated with the proposed action and its
relationship to the surrounding community and the function of the
airport.
ERP No. D-USN-E11051-MS Rating LO, Purchase of Land in Hancock
County, Mississippi, for a Naval Special Operations Forces Training
Range, To Improve Riverine and Jungle Training Available, John C.
Stennis Space Center, Hancock County, MS.
Summary: EPA has no environmental objections to the proposed land
purchase.
ERP No. DS-NOA-K91008-00 Rating LO, 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 Marianas Islands.
Summary: While EPA has no objection to the proposed project, EPA
requested clarification on upcoming management measures for FMP and on
NMFS's consultation under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-E65064-AL, Alabama National Forests Revised Land and
Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Bankhead National Forest,
Lawrence, Winston and Franklin Counties, AL.
Summary: EPA continues to express concerns about designation of
source water protection areas and provided additional comments on
strengthening forest-wide standards related to protection of water
quality.
ERP No. F-AFS-K65247-CA, Giant Sequoia National Monument Management
Plan, Implementation, Establishment of Management Directions for Land
and Resources, Sequoia National Forest, Fresno, Kern and Tulane
Counties, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed continuing concerns regarding the changes in
guideline for management of sequoia groves and old forest ecosystems,
the deferral of addressing road impacts in the Monument, and the
selection of the alternative that offers less specific environmental
protections, especially in reference to habitat fragmentation road
decommissioning target and reducing sedimentation.
ERP No. F-COME-F36164-IL, Programmatic EIS--East St. Louis and
Vicinity, Illinois Ecosystem Restoration and Flood Damage Reduction
Project, Implementation, Madison and St. Clair Counties, IL.
Summary: EPA has no objection to this multi-objective ecological
restoration and flood control project which will take a tiered approach
to test and implement upland sediment control measures in order to
protect the viability of lowland ecological restoration in the flood
zone.
ERP No. F-DOE-C22003-NY, West Valley Demonstration Project, Waste
Management, Onsite Management and Offsite Transportation of Radioactive
Waste, West Valley, Cattaraugus County, NY.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-FHW-F40412-OH, OH-161/37 Improvement, from OH-161(New
Albany Bypass) to west of OH-161/37 Interchange with OH-16, Funding,
Franklin and Licking Counties, OH.
Summary: While EPA has no objections with the preferred
alternative, EPA did request clarification of indirect wetland impacts,
monitoring/mitigation, and habitat specifics for the Indiana Bat be
included in the ROD.
ERP No. F-FRC-E03011-FL, Tractebel Calypso Pipeline Project,
Natural Gas Transportation Service for 832,000 dekatherms/day to South
Florida, Construction and Operation, Right-of-Way Grant and U.S. Army
COME Section 10 and 404 Permits Issuance, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
with the Bahamas, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, FL.
Summary: EPA's remaining concerns include (1) whether the proposed
Calypso and Ocean Express pipelines could be combined into one single
alignment to reduce potential environmental impacts, (2) the success
potential of the proposed Horizontal Directional Drilling techniques,
(3) qualification of deepwater impacts, and (4) the turbidity threshold
proposed for this project.
ERP No. F-NPS-C61055-NJ, Morristown National Historical Park
General Management Plan, Implementation, Morris and Somerset Counties,
NJ.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-SFW-K91011-CA, Programmatic EIS--San Francisco Estuary
Invasive Spartina Project, Spartina Control Program to Preserve and
Restore Ecological Integrity of the Estuary's Intertidal Habitats,
Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco and San Mateo, CA.
Summary: EPA's previous concerns have been addressed, therefore EPA
has no objections to the action as proposed.
ERP No. FS-AFS-L65232-OR Deep Vegetation Management Project,
Implementation, Selected Preferred Alternative is C, Ochoo National
Forest, Paulina Ranger District, Crook and Wheeler Counties, OR.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
Dated: March 23, 2004.
Ken Mittelholtz,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 04-6850 Filed 3-25-04; 8:45 am]
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