[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 102 (Friday, May 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 28903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13293]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6618-4]


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-J65334-MT Rating EC2, Keystone-Quartz Ecosystem 
Management, Implementation, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Wise 
River Ranger District, Beaverhead County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with low standard 
roads. EPA suggests that the final EIS include information regarding 
enforcement of off-road vehicle travel restrictions, and proposed 
noxious weed treatment, including potential environmental impacts from 
weed control chemicals.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65335-MT Rating EC2, Dry Fork Vegetation Restoration 
Project, To Improve Forest and Watershed Health and Sustainability, 
King Hill Ranger District, Lewis and Clark National Forest, Cascade and 
Judith Basin Counties, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with low standard 
roads and recommends restoration. EPA recommends that the final EIS 
include information on aquatic monitoring, enforcement of off-road 
vehicle travel restrictions, proposed noxious weed treatments, and 
potential environmental impacts from weed control chemicals.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L65376-OR Rating EC2, Silvies Canyon Watershed 
Restoration Project, To Improve the Ecosystem Health of the Watershed, 
Grant and Harney Counties, OR.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with road densities 
exceeding forest plan objectives, access issues posed by ATVs, adverse 
impacts to aquatic and upland resources and impacts from livestock 
grazing activities. EPA suggests that the final EIS include a Clean 
Water Act Section 303(d) Protocal for listed waters, and a smoke 
management program for prescribe fires.
    ERP No. D-BLM-K67054-NV Rating 3, Phoenix Project, Expansion of 
Current Mining Operations and Processing Activities, Battle Mountain, 
Plan of Operations, Lander County, NV.
    Summary: EPA determined that the DEIS was inadequate because it 
lacked any itemized cost estimate for closure and perpetually operating 
and maintaining the site, and did not include an adequate guarantee 
that a financial instrument will exist to ensure funds would be 
available in perpetuity to prevent degradation of groundwater quality 
and impacts to biological resources. Given the very clear evidence that 
this mining project would create a perpetual and significant acid mine 
drainage problem, EPA believes a cost estimate and detailed discussion 
is necessary in order to determine the magnitude and certainty of the 
mitigation measures.
    ERP No. D-DOE-K08023-AZ Rating EC2, Sundance Energy Project, 
Interconnecting a 600-megawatt Natural Gas-Fired, Simple Cycle Peaking 
Power Plant with Western's Electric Transmission System, Construction 
and Operation on Private Lands, Pinal County, AZ.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the 
availability of process water, the storage and use of wastewater, 
potential significant air quality impacts, and consultation with Indian 
Tribal governments. EPA advocated an energy development approach which 
assures a long-term, sustainable balance between available energy 
supplies, energy demand, and protection of ecosystem and human health.
    ERP No. D-NPS-G65079-OK Rating LO, Washita Battlefield National 
Historic Site, General Management Plan, Implementation, Roger Mill 
County, OK.
    Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections.
    ERP No. DA-DOE-A22088-SC Rating EC2, Savannah River Site Salt 
Processing Alternatives, Evaluation for Separating High-Activity and 
Low-Activity Fractions of Liquid High-Level Radio-active Waste and 
Potential Environmental Impacts of Alternatives to the In-Tank-
Precipitation Process (ITP), Aiken and Barnwell Counties, SC.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding cumulative 
impacts and the need to provide additional alternative analysis.

    Dated: May 22, 2001.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 01-13293 Filed 5-24-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U