[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 182 (Friday, September 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 49222]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24980]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5484-5]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared August 18, 1997 Through 
August 22, 1997 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, 1997 (62 FR 16154).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-J65269-MT Rating EC2, Poorman Project, 
Implementation, Harvesting and Road Construction, Helena National 
Forest, Lincoln Ranger District, Lewis and Clark County MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about inadequate 
analysis and disclosure of potential adverse impacts to air quality and 
wetlands, and identified the need for a project water monitoring 
program, and for TMDL development for Poorman Creek. Additional 
information is needed to fully assess and mitigate all potential 
environmental impacts of the management actions.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65271-MT Rating EC2, Jericho Salvage Timber Sale, 
Implementation, Salvage Treatments and Temporary Road Construction, 
Helena National Forest, Helena Ranger District, Powell County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about sediment 
transport to area streams and the proposed reduction of streamside 
buffer zone widths below INFISH recommended widths. EPA also expressed 
concerns about the limited range of alternatives analyzed in the draft 
EIS, and about insufficient analysis and disclosure of potential 
adverse impacts to air quality and wetlands; and identified the need 
for a project water monitoring program, and for TMDL development for 
Telegraph Creek. Additional information is needed to fully assess and 
mitigate all potential environmental impacts of the management actions.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65274-MT Rating EC2, Beaver Creek Ecosystem 
Management Project and Associate Timber Sale, Implementation, Little 
and Big Beaver Creek Drainage, Kootenai National Forest, Cabinet Ranger 
District, Sanders County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential 
adverse water quality, fisheries, wetlands, and wildlife impacts, and 
the lack of analysis and disclosure of the monitoring plan to evaluate 
impacts to aquatic and air resources. Additional information is needed 
to fully assess and mitigate all potential environmental impacts of the 
management actions.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L65291-ID Rating EC2, Paradise Integrated Resource 
Management Project, Implementation, To Commercial Thin and Timber 
Salvage Harvest Boise National Forest, Mountain Home Ranger District, 
Elmore County, ID.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns on the potential 
impacts to water quality, impacts to the Rainbow Roadless Area, the 
need for information to support modeling methodologies, the lack of 
grazing impact evaluation and monitoring needs.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-J65266-MT, Tansy Ragwort Control Project, 
Implementation, Little Wolf Fire Area, Flathead National Forest, Tally 
Lake Ranger District, Flathead County, MT.
    Summary: EPA supported control of the tansy ragwort weed 
infestation, and expressed lack of objections.
    ERP No. F-AFS-K61141-CA, Snowcreek Golf Course Expansion, 
Construction and Operation, Special Use Permit, Inyo National Forest 
System Lands, Mono County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the approval of 
a special use permit to expand a golf course onto Forest Service land 
may result in impacts to wetlands in violation of the Clean Water Act, 
and requested that the Forest Service delay issuing the special use 
permit pending the completion of a federally-acceptable jurisdiction 
delineation of ``waters of the United States.''
    ERP No. F-AFS-K65197-CA, Canyons Analysis Area, Implementation, 
Tahoe National Forest, Trucker Ranger District, Sierra and Nevada 
Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding to 
construction of 1 mile OHV trail without appropriate NEPA analysis, and 
requested that the Forest Service modify the Canyons Record of Decision 
to eliminate this new construction or prepare an addendum to the 
Canyons Final EIS disclosing the impacts associated with this 
construction.
    ERP No. F-AFS-K65270-CA, Damon Fire Salvage and Restoration 
Project, Implementation, Modoc National Forest, Modoc County, CA.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS has been completed and the project 
found to be satisfactory. No formal comment letter was sent to the 
preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-AFS-L65137-AK, Tongass Land Management Plan, 
Implementation, Tongass National Forest, AK.
    Summary: EPA provided no formal written comments. EPA had no 
objection to the preferred alternative as described in the EIS.
    ERP No. F-AFS-L65282-OR, Robinson-Scott Landscape Management 
Project, Timber Harvest and other Vegetation Management, Willamette 
National Forest, McKenzie Ranger District, Lane and Linn Counties, OR.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS was not deemed necessary. No 
formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-FTA-G54005-LA, Canal Streetcar Line Reintroduction, Canal
    Street from the Mississippi River to the Cemeteries, with a Spur 
Line to City Park, Funding, City of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS has been completed and the project 
found to be satisfactory. No formal comment letter was sent to the 
preparing agency.

Other

    ERP No. LF-AFS-L61187-WA, Legislative EIS--Upper White Salmon River 
Wild and Scenic River Study, Possible Designation, National Wild and 
Scenic Rivers System, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Yakima Indian 
Nation, Klickitat County, WA.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS has been completed and the project 
found to be satisfactory. No formal comment letter was sent to the 
preparing agency.

    Dated: September 16, 1997.
William D. Dickerson,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 97-24980 Filed 9-18-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U