[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 169 (Friday, August 29, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50961-50962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-20123]



[[Page 50961]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-8585-2]


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 202-564-7146.
    An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental 
impact statements (EISs) was published in FR dated April 6, 2008 (73 FR 
19833).

Draft EISs

EIS No. 20080218, ERP No. D-AFS-J65517-SD, West Rim Project, Proposes 
To Implement Multiple Resource Management Actions, Northern Hills 
Ranger District, Black Hills National Forest, Lawrence County, SD.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts to 
water quality, aquatic resources, and wildlife habitats. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080220, ERP No. D-FHW-K40268-CA, Jepson Parkway Project, 
Proposes To Upgrade and Link a Series of Existing Two and Four-Lane 
Roadways, Right-of-Way, Endangered Species Act Section 7 and U.S. Army 
COE Section 404 Permits, Solano County, CA.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts to 
wetlands, air quality, and wildlife habitat. EPA is also concerned 
about indirect impacts from induced growth. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080225, ERP No. D-AFS-J65518-SD, South Project Area, Proposes 
Multiple Resource Management Actions, Hell Canyon Ranger District, 
Black Hills National Forest, Custer County, SD.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the potential 
environmental impacts to water quality and habitat from Mountain Pine 
Bark (MPB) beetle epidemics. The final EIS should consider land-use 
activities that enhance forest heterogeneity and thus potentially 
reduce susceptibility to bark beetle outbreaks and the associated 
impacts to water quality and habitat. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080237, ERP No. D-NPS-J65519-SD, Wind Cave National Park 
Project, Elk General Management Plan, Implementation, Custer County, 
SD.

    Summary: EPA has no environmental objections to the preferred 
Alternative (B). Rating LO.

EIS No. 20080243, ERP No. DP-USN-E11066-00, Jacksonville Range Complex 
Project, To Support and Conduct Current and Emerging Training and RDT&E 
Operations, NC, SC, GA and FL.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the effect of 
the Navy's training activities primarily associated with the deposition 
of expended training materials and their accumulation over time. EPA 
requested additional monitoring commitments to address these concerns. 
Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080251, ERP No. D-AFS-K65342-CA, Moonlight and Wheeler Fires 
Recovery and Restoration Project, Proposes To Harvest Fire-Killed 
Merchantable Trees on 15,568 Acres, Mt. Hough Ranger District, Plumas 
National Forest, Plumas County, CA.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections about impacts to 
water quality and the watershed. EPA requested that the Final EIS 
should consider an alternative that minimizes adverse impacts to the 
damaged watershed, and prioritizes the removal of highly valued timber 
first. Rating EO2.

EIS No. 20080252, ERP No. D-DHS-A10077-00, National Bio and Agro-
Defense Facility, Propose To Site, Construct and Operate at one of the 
Proposed Locations: (1) South Milledge Avenue Site, Clarke County, GA; 
(2) Manhattan Campus Site, Riley County, KS; (3) Flora Industrial Park 
Site, Madison County, MS; (4) Plum Island Site, Suffolk County, NY; (5) 
Umstead Research Park Site, Granville County, NC; and (6) Texas 
Research Park Site, Bexar and Medina Counties, TX.

    Summary: EPA does not object to the proposed project. Rating LO.

EIS No. 20080256, ERP No. D-NOA-E91024-00, Amendment 29 Reef Fish 
Fishery Management Plan, Effort Management in the Commercial Grouper 
and Tilefish Fisheries, Reducing Overcapacity, Gulf of Mexico.

    Summary: While EPA has no objections with the proposed action, EPA 
requested clarification on environmental justice issues. Rating LO.

EIS No. 20080257, ERP No. D-FAA-G52000-NM, Spaceport America Commercial 
Launch Site, Proposal To Develop and Operate, Issuance of License, 
Sierra County, NM.

    Summary: EPA does not object to the preferred action. Rating LO.

EIS No. 20080217, ERP No. DA-COE-K32046-CA, Pacific Los Angeles Marine 
Terminal Crude Oil Marine Terminal, Construction and Operation of a New 
Marine Terminal from Pier 400, Berth 408 Project, U.S. Army COE section 
10 and 404 Permits, Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA.

    Summary: EPA expressed concerns about impacts to air quality, 
environmental justice communities, and aquatic/biological resources. 
Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080172, ERP No. DS-COE-K60037-CA, Rio del Oro Specific Plan 
Project, New Information on Biological Resource and Water Supply, City 
of Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, CA.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts to 
wetlands, waters of the U.S., and habitat resources. EPA recommends 
efforts to maximize water conservation and integrate water use 
efficiencies through ``green infrastructure'' into the design of the 
development. Rating EC2.

Final EISs

EIS No. 20080265, ERP No. F1-DOE-A06181-00, Rail Alignment for the 
Construction and Operation of a Railroad in Nevada to a Geologic 
Repository (DOE/EIS-0369) at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, NV.

    Summary: While EPA's previous concerns were resolved, EPA requested 
clarification on compensatory wetland mitigation options. EPA also 
recommended the development/implementation of a monitoring and 
management plan consistent with the requirements of the Wetlands 
Compensatory Mitigation Rule and Army COE guidelines.

EIS No. 20080255, ERP No. F-AFS-J65395-UT, Indian Springs Road 
Realignment, Reducing Adverse Impacts to Watershed and Fisheries, U.S. 
Army COE Section 404 Permit, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 
Wasatch County, UT.

    Summary: The Final EIS addressed EPA's previous environmental 
concerns with mitigation measures and road closures including, 
education, signage and restoration of non-authorized roadways in the 
Inventoried Roadless Areas.

EIS No. 20080270, ERP No. F-NSF-A12045-00, PROGRAMMATIC--Integrated 
Ocean Drilling Program--

[[Page 50962]]

United States Implementing Organizations Participation in the 
Development of Scientific Ocean Drilling, IODP-USIO.

    Summary: EPA has no objection to the proposed action.

EIS No. 20080273, ERP No. F-FRC-E03018-FL, Floridian Natural Gas 
Storage Project, Construction and Operation, Liquefied Natural Gas 
(LNG) Storage and Natural Gas Transmission Facilities, Martin County, 
FL.

    Summary: EPA continues to have concerns about environmental justice 
issues.

EIS No. 20080285, ERP No. F-NPS-J65474-MT, Avalanche Hazard Reduction 
Project, Issuance of Special Use Permit for the Use of Explosives in 
the Park, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Glacier National Park, 
Flathead National Forest, Flathead and Glacier Counties, MT.

    Summary: EPA does not object to the preferred alternative.

EIS No. 20080299, ERP No. F-IBR-K91014-CA, American Basin Fish Screen 
and Habitat Improvement Project, Construction and Operation of one or 
two Positive-Barrier Fish Screen Diversion Facilities, Funding and U.S. 
Army COE Section 10 and 404 Permits, Natomas Mutual, Sacramento and 
Sutter Counties, CA.

    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

EIS No. 20080264, ERP No. FA-DOE-A06181-00, Geologic Repository for the 
Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at 
Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada--Nevada Rail Transportation Corridor 
(DOE/EIS-0250F-S2).

    Summary: EPA does not object to the proposed project.

EIS No. 20080266, ERP No. FS-DOE-A06181-00, Geologic Repository for the 
Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste, 
Construction, Operation, Monitoring and Eventually Closing a Geologic 
Repository (DOE/EIS-0250F-S1D) at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, NV.

    Summary: The final SEIS has addressed EPA's concerns about the 
language regarding EPA's radiation protection standards and the 
explanation of DOE's determination of the appropriate strain rates to 
be incorporated into the conceptual seismic model; therefore, EPA does 
not object to the proposed project.

EIS No. 20080284, ERP No. FS-USA-A15000-00, PROGRAMMATIC--Army Growth 
and Force Structure Realignment, Evaluation of Alternatives for 
Supporting the Growth, Realignment, and Transformation of the Army To 
Support Operational in the Pacific Theater, Implementation, Continental 
United States and Pacific Region of Alaska and Hawaii.

    Summary: EPA does not object to the proposed project.

    Dated: August 26, 2008.
Ken Mittelholtz,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. E8-20123 Filed 8-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P