Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 102 / Friday, May 25, 2001 / Notices 28899

4 Interventions may also filed electronically via

the Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous

discussion on filing comments electronically.

1Southern’s application was filed with the

Commission under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act

and Part 157 of the Commission’s regulations.

published. We will consider all

comments on the EA before we make

our recommendations to the

Commission.

Currently Identified Environmental

Issues

We have already identified an issue

that we think deserves attention based

on a preliminary review of the proposed

facilities and the environmental

information provided by Columbia and

FPL Energy Marcus Hook, L.P. This

preliminary issue may be changed based

on your comments and our analysis.

• There may be changes in noise

impacts from the compressor unit

additions at the existing compressor

stations. We have not identified any

other significant environmental issues.

Also, we have made a preliminary

decision to not address the impacts of

the FPL Energy Marcus Hook, L.P.

nonjurisdictional cogeneration plant

facilities. We will briefly described its

location and status in the EA.

Public Participation

You can make a difference by

providing us with your specific

comments or concerns about the project.

By becoming a commentar, your

concerns will be addressed in the EA

and considered by the Commission. You

should focus on the potential

environmental effects of the proposal,

alternatives to the proposal (including

alternative locations/routes), and

measures to avoid or lessen

environmental impact. The more

specific your comments, the more useful

they will be. Please carefully follow

these instructions to ensure that your

comments are received in time and

properly recorded:

• Send an original and two copies of

your letter to: David P. Boergers,

Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission, 888 First St., NE., Room

1A, Washington, DC 20426.

• Label one copy of the comments for

the attention of Gas 2.

• Reference Docket No. CP01–260–

000.

• Mail your comments so that they

will be received in Washington, DC on

or before June 20, 2001.

Comments, protests and interventions

may also be filed electronically via the

Internet in lieu of paper. See 18 CFR

385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instruction

on the Commission’s web site at

http://www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm

under the link to the User’s Guide.

Before you can file comments you will

need to create an account which can be

created by clicking on ‘‘Login to File’’

and then ‘‘New User Account.’’

We may issue the EA for comment. If

you are interested in receiving it, please

return the Information Request

(appendix 3). If you do not return the

Information Request, you will be taken

off the mailing list.

Becoming an Intervenor

In addition to involvement in the EA

scoping process, you may want to

become an official party to the

processing known as an ‘‘intervenor.’’

Intervenors play a more formal role in

the process. Among other things,

intervenors have the right to receive

copies of case-related Commission

documents and filings by other

intervenors. Likewise, each intervenor

must provide 14 copies of its filings to

the Secretary of the Commission and

must send a copy of its filings to all

other parties on the Commission’s

service list for this proceeding. If you

want to become an intervenor you must

file a motion to intervene according to

Rule 214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure (18 CFR

385.214) (see appendix 2).4 Only

intervenors have the right to seek

rehearing of the Commission’s decision.

Affected landowners and parties with

environmental concerns may be granted

intervenor status upon showing good

cause by stating that they have a clear

and direct interest in this proceeding

which would not be adequately

represented by any other parties. You do

not need intervenor status to have your

environmental comments considered.

Additional information about the

proposed project is available from the

Commission’s Office of External Affairs

at (202) 208–1088 or on the FERC

website (www.ferc.fed.us) using the

‘‘RIMS’’ link to information in this

docket number. Click on the ‘‘RIMS’’

link, select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the RIMS

Menu, and follow the instructions. For

assistance with access to RIMS, the

RIMS helpline can be reached at (202)

208–2222.

Similarly, the ‘‘CIPS’’ link on the

FERC Internet website provides access

to the texts of formal documents issued

by the Commission, such as orders,

notices, and rulemakings. From the

FERC Internet website, click on the

‘‘CIPS’’ link, select ‘‘DOCKET #’’ from

the CIPS menu, and follow the

instructions. For assistance with access

to CIPS, the CIPS helpline can be

reached at (202) 208–2474.

David P. Boergers,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 01–13218 Filed 5–24–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP01–161–000]

Southern Natural Gas Company;

Notice of Intent To Prepare an

Environmental Assessment for the

Proposed North System Expansion II

Project and Request for Comments on

Environmental Issues

May 21, 2001.

The staff of the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission (FERC or

Commission) will prepare an

environmental assessment (EA) that will

discuss the environmental impacts of

the North System Expansion II Project

involving construction and operation of

facilities by Southern Natural Gas

Company (Southern) in Pickens,

Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega,

and Calhoun Counties in Alabama, and

Noxubee and Lowndes Counties in

Mississippi.1 These facilities would

consist of about 4.6 miles of new

pipeline loop on Southern’s 24-inch

diameter 2nd North Main Line,

replacement of about 11 miles of various

diameter pipeline segments in Alabama,

and requalifying pipeline segments by

hydrostatic testing, and/or adding,

removing, abandoning, replacing,

requalifying and/or modifying

appurtenant facilities within the project

area. In addition, Southern proposes to

add about 6,000 horsepower (hp) of

compression at the existing Pell City

Compressor Station in St. Clair County,

Alabama. This EA will be used by the

Commission in its decision-making

process to determine whether the

project is in the public convenience and

necessity.

If you are a landowner receiving this

notice, you may be contacted by a

pipeline company representative about

the acquisition of an easement to

construct, operate, and maintain the

proposed facilities. The pipeline

company would seek to negotiate a

mutually acceptable agreement.

However, if the project is approved by

the Commission, that approval conveys

with it the right of eminent domain.

28900 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 102 / Friday, May 25, 2001 / Notices

Therefore, if easement negotiations fail

to produce an agreement, the pipeline

company could initiate condemnation

proceedings in accordance with state

law.

A fact sheet prepared by the FERC

entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas

Facility On My Land? What Do I Need

To Know?’’ was attached to the project

notice Southern provided to

landowners. This fact sheet addresses a

number of typically asked questions,

including the use of eminent domain

and how to participate in the

Commission’s proceedings. It is

available for viewing on the FERC

Internet website (www.ferc.fed.us).

Summary of the Proposed Project

Southern wants to uprate its North

Main System by adding and replacing

pipeline segments, requalifying pipeline

segments by hydrostatic testing, and/or

adding, removing, abandoning,

replacing, requalifying and/or

modifying appurtenant facilities within

the project area. Specifically, Southern

seeks authorization to:

(a) Construct, own, and operate a total

of about 4.6 miles of new pipeline loop

on its 24-inch-diameter 2nd North Main

Line extending from milepost (MP)

123.746 to MP 128.339 in Pickens

County, Alabama (see table 1);

(b) Replace about 11 miles of various

segments of the North Main Line and

the Bessemer-Calera Line and Loop in

Pickens, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair,

Talladega, and Calhoun Counties,

Alabama (see table 1). In conjunction

with the replacement of segments of

these pipelines certain segments would

be tested hydrostatically in order to

increase their maximum allowable

operating pressure (MAOP) (see table 1);

(c) Abandon in place three 12-inchdiameter pipeline crossings of the

Tombigbee River. These river crossings

would be replaced by an existing 20-

inch-diameter pipeline connected to

both the North Main Line and North

Main Loop Line. These pipelines

constitute the river crossing for the

North Main Line (see table 2);

(d) Install one electric-motor-driven

6,000 hp reciprocating compressor at

the existing Pell City Compressor

Station in St. Clair County, Alabama;

(e) Construct an interconnecting

facility, the Calhoun Power Tap, at MP

370.0 on the North Main Line and North

Main Loop Line, consisting of dual 18-

inch taps and 1.0 mile of replacement

pipeline in Calhoun County, Alabama,

to provide service to Calhoun Power;

and

TABLE 1.—PIPELINE FACILITIES FOR THE NORTH SYSTEM EXPANSION II PROJECT

Facility Type Length

(miles) Mileposts County/State

Jurisdictional—Pipeline Construction:

North Main Line (Replacement, A).22′′ Replacement ....................... 1.844 227.381–229.225 Pickens, AL.

North Main Line (Replacement B).22′′ Replacement ....................... 1.073 240.978–242.051 Pickens, AL.

2nd North Main Line ............ New 24′′ Loop Pipeline .............. 4.613 123.726–128.339 Pickens, AL.

Bessemer Calera 12′′ Line .. 12′′ Replacement ....................... 0.017 10.479–10.496 Jefferson, AL.

Bessemer-Calera 8′′ Loop

Line.

12′′ Replacement ....................... 2.400 12.900–15.300 Jefferson, AL.

Bessemer-Calera 8′′ Loop

Line (Cahaba River).

12′′ Replacement ....................... 0.2 20.900–21.100 Shelby, AL.

North Main Line (Replacement C).20′′ Replacement ....................... 0.496 354.303–354.799 St. Clair, AL.

North Main Line (Replacement D).20′′ Replacement ....................... 0.169 355.556–355.725 St. Clair, AL.

North Main Line (Replacement E).20′′ Replacement ....................... 3.140 356.360–359.500 Talladega, AL.

North Main Line (Replacement F).20′′ Replacement ....................... 1.717 367.150–368.867 Talladega/Calhoun, AL.

North Main Line (Replacement G).20′′ Replacement ....................... 1.050 369.650–370.700 Calhoun, AL.

Pipeline Requalification:

Bassemer-Calera 12′′ Line .. Hydrostatic Test ......................... 2.674 7.972–10.646 Jefferson, AL.

Bessemer-Calera 8′′ Loop

Line.

Hydrostatic Test ......................... 2.319 21.013–23.332 Shelby, AL.

North Main Line (Requalification 1).Hydrostatic Test ......................... 0.757 354.799–355.556 St. Clair, AL.

North Main Line (Requalification 2).Hydrostatic Test ......................... 0.635 355.725–356.360 Talladega, AL.

North Main Line (Requalification 3).Hydrostatic Test ......................... 1.093 368.710–369.803 Calhoun, AL.

Non-Jurisdictional—Pipeline

Construction:

Calhoun Power Pipeline 16′′ New Pipeline .............................. 1.000 .............................. Calhoun, AL.

TABLE 2.—ABOVEGROUND FACILITIES FOR THE NORTH SYSTEM EXPANSION II PROJECT

Facility New/modified Type of work Mileposts County/state

Jurisdictional:

Brooksville Junction ............... Modified ....... New Feed Line ............................. 208.478 Noxubee, MS.

M.V.G. Farm Tap 121 ........... Modified ....... Remove Farm Tap ....................... 209.767 Noxubee, MS.

Pugh Tap ............................... Modified ....... New Check Valve ......................... 217.500 Noxubee, MS.

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 102 / Friday, May 25, 2001 / Notices 28901

TABLE 2.—ABOVEGROUND FACILITIES FOR THE NORTH SYSTEM EXPANSION II PROJECT—Continued

Facility New/modified Type of work Mileposts County/state

Togo Gate .............................. Modified ....... Crossovers .................................... 220.927 Lowndes, MS.

M.V.G. Farm Tap 123 ........... Modified ....... Over-pressure Protection ............. 223.100 Lowndes, MS.

Tombigbee River Crossing

(Auxiliary River Crossing

Line).

Modified ....... Disconnect and abandon line; replace Valves and Fittings.224.189–224.350

224.550–224.606

Lowndes, MS.

Reform Tap ............................ Modified ....... Over-pressure Protection ............. 241.887 Pickens, AL.

Reform Compressor Station .. Modified ....... Tap, Pigging Facilities, Valves,

Regulators, Over-Pressure Protection.

242.223 Pickens, AL.

Crossover and Pigging Facility.New .............. Add New Crossover and Pigging

Facilities.

123.746 Pickens, AL.

Pleasant Grove Tap, Gate

Setting and Meter Station.

Modified ....... Tap and Tap Line ......................... 7.972 Jefferson, AL.

Dr. Cales Farm Tap (Abandoned pursuant to blanket

certificate authorization).

Modified ....... Remove Taps ............................... 8.955 Jefferson, AL.

Bessemer Lateral Tap ........... Modified ....... Check Valve and Blind Flange ..... 10.429 Jefferson, AL.

Bessemer Gate and Crossover.Modified ....... Replace and Remove Valves ....... 10.646 Jefferson, AL.

NATCO Tap ........................... Modified ....... Remove Obsolete Tap ................. 14.655 Jefferson, AL.

Bessemer No. 2 Tap and

Meter Station.

Modified ....... Replace Tap and Install New Tap

Line.

14.740 Jefferson, AL.

Hopewell Block Gate ............. Modified ....... Test Crossovers ........................... 15.537 Jefferson, AL.

Genery Gap Tap and Meter

Station.

Modified ....... Test or Remove Taps ................... 19.498 Shelby, AL.

Cahaba Field Tap .................. Modified ....... Install Blind Flange ....................... 22.200 Shelby, AL.

Calera Line Regulatory Station.Modified ....... Valve and Tap Settings ................ 23.332 Shelby, AL.

Helena-Alagasco Meter Station and Tap.Modified ....... Relocate Taps .............................. 23.332 Shelby, AL.

Gas Cooler at Tarrant Compressor Station (2nd North

Mail Line.

Modified ....... Install Electric Motor Fin Fan

Cooler.

321.947 Jefferson, AL.

Compressor at Pell City Compressor Station (North Main

Line/2nd North Main Line).

Modified ....... Install 6000 HP Electric Driven

Compressor.

352.478 St. Clair, AL.

Pell City Compressor Station

Power Substation.

Modified ....... Construct 115kV/4160V Capacity

Electrical Substation.

( 1) St. Clair, AL.

Vincent Tap and Meter Station (North Main Line).Modified ....... Monitor, Regulator and Tap Valve 352.700 St. Clair, AL.

Lincoln No. 2 Tap and Meter

Station.

Modified ....... Monitor, Regulator and Tap Valve 353.834 St. Clair, AL.

Childersburg No. 2 Tap and

Meter Station.

Modified ....... Monitor, Regulator and Tap Valve 358.000 Talladega, AL.

Rowe Block Gate No. 1 ......... Modified ....... Gate Setting, blowoff crossovers 358.510 Talladega, AL.

Lincoln Tap and Meter Station.Modified ....... Monitor, Regulator and Tap Valve 360.365 Talladega, AL.

Talladega Tap ........................ Modified ....... Monitor, Regulator and Tap Valve 361.014 Talladega, AL.

Lincoln Block Gate ................ Modified ....... Gate Setting, blowoff crossovers 361.666 Talladega, AL.

Talladega Raceway Tap ........ Modified ....... Monitor, Regulator and Tap Valve 365.385 Talladega, AL.

Eastaboga Gate ..................... Modified ....... Gate Setting .................................. 369.078 Calhoun, AL.

Calhoun Power Meter Station New .............. Meter Station ................................ 370.000 Calhoun, AL.

Anniston No. 3 Tap and

Meter Station.

Modified ....... Monitor and Regulator .................. 371.641 Calhoun, AL.

Coldwater Regulator Station New .............. Monitor, Regulator and Block

Valves.

371.852 Calhoun, AL.

Non-Jurisdictional:

Pell City Compressor Station

115 kV Power Line.

New .............. New 115 kV Power Line ............... ( 1) St. Clair, AL.

1Approximate M.P. 352.478 on Southern’s North Main Line.

(f) modify several aboveground

facilities in Mississippi and Alabama

(see table 2).

Nonjurisdictional facilities

(a) Calhoun Power would construct

certain nonjurisdictional facilities

consisting of a simple cycle power

generation plant, a meter station, and

about 1 mile of 16-inch-diameter

connecting pipeline extending from

Southern’s mainline to its plant.

Southern would operate and maintain

this connecting pipeline in Calhoun

County, Alabama for Calhoun Power.

(b) Alabama Power would construct a

0.5-mile-long nonjurisdictional 115 kV

transmission line to provide power to

the compressor to be installed at the Pell

City Compressor Station. Alabama

Power would coordinate construction of

this power line with the construction of

the new compressor.

28902 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 102 / Friday, May 25, 2001 / Notices

2The appendices referenced in this notice are not

being printed in the Federal Register. Copies are

available on the Commission’s website at the

‘‘RIMS’’ link or from the Commission’s Public

reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First

Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, or call (202)

208–1371. For instructions on connecting to RIMS

refer to the last page of this notice. Copies of the

appendices were sent to all those receiving this

notice in the mail.

3 ‘‘We’’, ‘‘us’’, and ‘‘our’’ refer to the

environmental staff of the Office of Energy Projects

(OEP).

4 Interventions may also be filed electronically via

the Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous

discussion on filing comments electronically.

The location of the project facilities is

shown in appendix 1.2

Land Requirements for Construction

Construction of the proposed facilities

would require about 274.5 acres of land.

Following construction, about 92.5 acres

of land would be restored and allowed

to revert to its former use. No new

permanent right-of-way is proposed by

Southern except for the two new meter

stations (Calhoun Meter Station and

Coldwater Regulator Station) which

would require a total of 8.09 acres (0.46

acre permanent and 7.63 existing

permanent right-of-way).

The EA Process

The National Environmental Policy

Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to

take into account the environmental

impacts that could result from an action

whenever it considers the issuance of a

Certificate of Public convenience and

Necessity. NEPA also requires us 3 to

discover and address concerns the

public may have about proposals. We

call this ‘‘scoping’’. The main goal of the

scoping process is to focus the analysis

in the EA on the important

environmental issues. By this Notice of

Intent, the Commission requests public

comments on the scope of the issues it

will address in the EA. All comments

received are considered during the

preparation of the EA. State and local

government representatives are

encouraged to notify their constituents

of this proposed action and encourage

them to comment on their areas of

concern.

The EA will discuss impacts that

could occur as a result of the

construction and operation of the

proposed project under these general

headings:

• Geology and soils

• Water resources, fisheries, and

wetlands

• Vegetation and wildlife

• Endangered and threatened species

• Public safety

• Land use

• Cultural resources

• Air quality and noise

• Hazardous waste

We will also evaluate possible

alternatives to the proposed project or

portions of the project, and make

recommendations on how to lessen or

avoid impacts on the various resource

areas.

Our independent analysis of the

issues will be in the EA. Depending on

the comments received during the

scoping process, the EA may be

published and mailed to Federal, state,

and local agencies, public interest

groups, interested individuals, affected

landowners, newspapers, libraries, and

the Commission’s official service list for

this proceeding. A comment period will

be allotted for review if the EA is

published. We will consider all

comments on the EA before we make

our recommendations to the

commission.

To ensure your comments are

considered, please carefully follow the

instructions in the public participation

section below.

Currently Identified Environmental

Issues

We have already identified several

issues that we think deserve attention

based on a preliminary review of the

proposed facilities and the

environmental information provided by

Southern. This preliminary list of issues

may be changed based on your

comments and our analysis.

• Eight federally listed endangered or

threatened species may occur in the

project area (bald eagle, red cockaded

woodpecker, Cahaba shiner, finelined

pocketbook mussel, flattened musk

turtle, goldline darter, round rocksnail,

and triangular kidneyshell mussel).

With the exception of the bald eagle and

red cockaded woodpecker all other

federally listed species occur in the

Cahaba River. Southern proposes to

directionally drill the Cahaba river

which would avoid impact on these

species.

• The project would require three

major waterbody crossings greater than

100 feet in width (Cahaba River, Coosa

River, and Blue Eye Creek).

• A total of 72 residences are located

within 50 feet of the construction work

area, of which 50 are within 25 feet of

the construction work area.

In addition, the project would involve

lands owned by the City of Bessemer

and the University of Alabama, the State

of Alabama along the Bessemer-Calera

Lines; and the property of the Alabama

Development Office on the North Main

Line. All of these lands are crossed by

the existing pipelines.

Also, we have made a preliminary

decision to not address the impacts of

the nonjurisdictional facilities. We will

briefly describe their location and status

in the EA.

Public Participation

You can make a difference by

providing us with your specific

comments or concerns about the project.

By becoming a commentor, your

concerns will be addressed in the EA

and considered by the Commission. You

should focus on the potential

environmental impact. The more

specific your comments, the more useful

they will be. Please carefully follow

these instructions to ensure that your

comments are received in time and

properly recorded:

Send an original and two copies of

your letter to: David P. Boergers,

Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission, 888 First St., N.E., Room

1A, Washington, DC 20426.

• Label one copy of the comments for

the attention of Gas 2.

• Refernce Docket No. CP01–161–

000.

• Mail your comments so that they

will be received in Washington, DC on

or before June 21, 2001.

Comments may also be filed

electronically via the Internet in lieu of

paper. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii)

and the instructions on the

Commission’s web site at http://

www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm under

the link to the User’s Guide. Before you

can file comments you will need to

create an account which can be created

by clicking on ‘‘Login to File’’ and then

‘‘New User Account.’’

We may mail the EA for comment. If

you are interested in it, please return the

information request (appendix 3).

Becoming an Intervenor

In addition to involvement in the EA

scoping process, you may want to

become an official party to the

proceeding known as an ‘‘intervenor’’.

Intervenors play a more formal role in

the process. Among other things,

intervenors have the right to receive

copies of case-related Commission

documents and filings by other

intervenors. Likewise, each intervenor

must provide 14 copies of its filings to

the Secretary of the Commission and

must send a copy of its filings to all

other parties on the Commission’s

service list for this proceeding. If you

want to become an intervenor you must

file a motion to intervene according to

Rule 214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure (18 CFR

385.214) (see appendix 2).4 Only

intervenors have the right to seek

rehearing of the Commission’s decision.

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 102 / Friday, May 25, 2001 / Notices 28903

Affected landowners and parties with

environmental concerns may be granted

intervenor status upon showing good

cause by stating that they have a clear

and direct interest in this proceeding

which would not be adequately

represented by any other parties. You do

not need intervenor status to have your

environmental comments considered.

Additional information about the

proposed project is available from the

Commission’s Office of External Affairs

at (202) 208–1088 or on the FERC

website (www.ferc.fed.us) using the

‘‘RIMS’’ link to information in this

docket number. Click on the ‘‘RIMS’’

link, select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the RIMS

Menu, and follow the instructions. For

assistance with access to RIMS, the

RIMS helpline can be reached at (202)

208–2222.

Similarly, the ‘‘CIPS’’ link on the

FERC Internet website provides access

to the texts of formal documents issued

by the Commission, such as orders,

notices, and rulemakings. From the

FERC Internet website, click on the

‘‘CIPS’’ link, select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the

CIPS menu, and follow the instructions.

For assistance with access to CIPS, the

CIPS helpline can be reached at (202)

208–2474.

David P. Boergers,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 01–13219 Filed 5–24–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

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 LowActivity 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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[ER–FRL–6618–3]

Environmental Impact Statements;

Notice of Availability

Responsible Agency:

Office of Federal Activities, General

Information (202) 564–7167 or

www.epa.gov/oeca/ofa

Weekly receipt of Environmental Impact

Statements Filed May 14, 2001

Through May 18, 2001

Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.9.

EIS No. 010174, FINAL EIS, FHW, CA,

U.S. Highway 101 Transportation

Improvement Project, between

Vineyard Avenue to Johnson Drive,

Funding, in the Cities of Oxnard and

San Buenaventura, Ventura County,

CA, Due: June 18, 2001, Contact: Jeff

Kolb (916) 498–5037.

This EIS should have appeared in the

FR on 05/18/2001.