[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 223 (Friday, November 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69511-69512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29528]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6612-8]


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 14, 2000 (65 
FR 20157).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-L39057-OR Rating EC2, Rimrock Ecosystem Restoration 
Project, To Promote Healthy and Sustainable Watershed Conditions, 
Implementation, Umatilla National Forest, Heppner Ranger District, 
Grant, Morrow and Wheeler Counties, OR.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns regarding air quality due to 
prescribed burning, funding of K-V projects, and roads. EPA requested 
that the EIS commit to completing restoration projects; describe the 
smoke management program and provide information on road density.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L65365-ID Rating EC2, Swan Flat Timber Sale, Proposal 
to Cut and Haul Sawtimber, Caribou National Forest, Land Resource 
Management Plan (LRMP), Montpelier Ranger District, Bear Lake County, 
ID.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns regarding road obliteration, air 
quality, harvesting in a roadless area, and beetle infestation. EPA 
requested clarification and additional information on these issues.
    ERP No. D-BLM-K67053-CA Rating EC2, Mesquite Mine Expansion 
Project, To Expand the Existing Open-Pit, Heap-Leach, and Precious 
Metal Mine, Federal Mine Plan of Operations Approval, Conditional Use 
Permits and Reclamation Plan Approval, Imperial County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns based on the project's predicted 
long-term pit water quality, potential

[[Page 69512]]

ecological risk, and impacts to waters of the U.S. EPA recommended 
additional information in the FEIS regarding pit water quality 
predictions, mitigation, reclamation and bonding, and inclusion of the 
waste rock sampling and disposal plan and a demonstration of compliance 
with the Clean Water Act section 404(b)(1) guidelines.
    ERP No. D-FRC-E08020-00 Rating EO2, Gulfstream Natural Gas System 
Project, Construction and Operation, To Provide Natural Gas 
Transportation Service, AL, MS and FL.
    Summary: EPA is concerned that the Gulfstream proposal would impact 
forested wetlands and marine hard ``live'' bottoms along the proposed 
pipeline route. Hard bottoms are essentially ``unmitigatable''. EPA 
also suggested that only one of the two competing alignments across the 
Gulf of Mexico (separate EISs) should be potentially certificated by 
FERC (Gulfstream vs. Buccaneer) or only one larger joint effort with 
modification and further mitigation.
    ERP No. DR-BLM-K65213-NV Rating LO, Black Rock Desert area. Minor 
issues were raised concerning construction of fee collection stations 
and monitoring for OHV impacts.
    Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objections to BLM's preferred 
management plan for the Black Rock Desert area. Minor issues were 
raised concerning construction of fee collection stations and 
monitoring for OHV impacts.
    ERP No. DR-FAA-K51037-CA Rating EC2, Metropolitan Oakland 
International Airport (MOIA), Airport Development Plan (ADP), 
Reevaluation of the Forecasts and Planning Assumptions in the ADP, 
Airport Layout Plan Approval, Funding and COE section 404 and 10 
Permits Issuance, Port of Oakland, Alameda County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns on cumulative noise, air quality 
and wetland impacts; impacts to areas regulated under section 10 of the 
Rivers and Harbors Act; and environmental justice impacts. EPA also 
expressed concern with the narrow range of alternatives and requested 
that one alternative eliminated from consideration be analyzed in 
detail.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-E65052-KY Daniel Boone National Forest, 
Implementation, Salvage Harvest Due to 1998 Storm Damage Timber, 
McCreary and Pulaski County, KY.
    Summary: EPA remains concerned about degradation of the Rock Creek 
and Marsh Creek waterways from erosion and siltation associated with 
road building and forestry activities in these areas. Adherence to Best 
Management Practices and preventing use of off-highway vehicles in 
these areas should be vigorously implemented and strictly monitored to 
ensure that water quality and in-stream habitat are fully protected.
    ERP No. F-BIA-K65223-CA Cortina Integrated Solid Waste Management 
Project, Development and Operation, Approval of Land Lease Cortina 
Indian Rancheria of Wintin Indians, Colusa County, CA.
    Summary: The Final EIS addressed the concerns raised by EPA on the 
Draft EIS. EPA requested that commitments and mitigation measures in 
the FEIS be reflected in BIA's Record of Decision. Because the project 
is on tribal land, EPA noted its continuing regulatory and/or permit 
role under several federal laws, including the Clean Water Act, the 
Clean Air Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
    ERP No. F-NPS-J61102-00 Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks 
and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway Winter Use Plan, 
Implementation, Fremont County, ID, Gallatin and Park Counties, MT and 
Park and Teton Counties, WY.
    Summary: EPA's review has concluded that the preferred alternative 
for this project would adequately remedy the on-going significant 
impacts to environmental resources and human health in these Parks. The 
document provides a reasonable range of alternatives and discloses, in 
detail, the environmental effects of each alternative.
    ERP No. F-SFW-K99029-NV Clark County Multiple Species Habitat 
Conservation Plan, Issuance of a Permit to Allow Incidental Take-of-79 
Species, Clark County, NV.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. FS-COE-K32046-CA Port of Los Angeles Channel Deepening 
Project, To Improve Navigation and Disposal of Dredge Material for the 
Inner Harbor Channels, Los Angeles County, CA.
    Summary: EPA's review found the Final Supplemental EIS to be 
generally responsive to concerns EPA raised on the Draft Supplemental 
EIS. EPA provided comments on toxic air contaminants (hazardous air 
pollutants) associated with the project and the suitability of dredged 
materials for aquatic or ocean disposal. EPA asked the Corps to explore 
the feasibility of reasonable mitigation measures for reducing 
emissions of air toxics.

    Dated: November 14, 2000.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 00-29528 Filed 11-16-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U