[Federal Register: August 29, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 168)]
[Notices]
[Page 52017-52018]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29au03-54]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-6643-4]
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 the Federal Register dated April 4, 2003 (68 FR 16511).
Draft EISs
ERP No. D-AFS-F65040-WI Rating EC2, Programmatic EIS--Cheguamegon-
Nicolet National Forests Revised Land and Resource Management Plan,
Implementation, Ashland, Bayfield, Florence, Forest, Langlade, Oconto,
[[Page 52018]]
Oneida, Price, Sawyer, Taylor and Vilas Counties, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding lack of
management strategies for watershed protections, problem species,
alternative descriptions, and unauthorized ATV traffic.
ERP No. D-AFS-J65381-SD Rating EC2, Sioux Ranger District Oil and
Gas Leasing Project, Implementation, Sioux Ranger District, Custer
National Forest, Harding County, SD.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential
adverse impacts to air quality and cultural resources. The final EIS
should include information on potential air quality impacts from the
fire flood oil recovery method and consideration of both direct and
indirect project impacts to traditional cultural properties.
ERP No. D-AFS-J65386-MT Rating EC2, Programmatic EIS--Winter
Motorized Recreation Amendment 24, Proposal to Change the Flathead
National Land and Resource Management Plan, Flathead National Forest,
Flathead, Lake and Lincoln Counties, MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential
impacts to air quality and human health in areas of concentrated use.
Also, EPA expressed environmental concerns with the preferred
alternative which potentially reduces protection to grizzly bear
security.
ERP No. DC-AFS-L65155-00 Rating EC2, Northern Spotted Owl
Management Plans, Removal or Modification of the Survey and Manage
Mitigation Measure Standards and Guidelines in the Final Supplemental
EIS (1994) and Final Supplement EIS (2002) for Amendments, Northwest
Forest Plan, WA, CA and OR.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the protection
of high risk species. An alternative limiting Survey and Manage
requirements to a smaller number of species at high risk should be
considered. More detail is needed on implementing special species
programs, including a detailed implementation and proposed mitigation
plan and for species removed from Survey and Manage.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-F65037-MI, Interior Wetlands Project, Timber Harvest,
White Pine Trees Pruning, Growth System Adjustment, Wildlife Openings
Creation and Maintenance and Transportation System Improvements,
Hiawatha National Forest, Eastside Administrative Unit, Chippewa
County, MI.
Summary: EPA continues to have no objections to the project, since
no major changes have been made. The preferred alternative was also the
alternative favored by EPA.
ERP No. F-AFS-J65342-00, Wasatch-Cache National Forest Revised Land
and Resource Management Plan, Implementation, several counties, UT and
Uinta County, WY.
Summary: EPA has remaining environmental concerns regarding
protection of the watershed and ecological values. Implementation of
the monitoring plan is critical to assuring that environmental
improvements targets are met.
ERP No. F-AFS-K65417-CA, Blue Fire Forest Recovery Project,
Proposal to Move the Existing Condition Caused by the Blue Fire of 2001
Towards the Desired Condition, Modoc National Forest, Warner Mountain
Ranger District, Lassen and Modoc Counties, CA.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-AFS-L65410-ID, Gaylord North Timber Sale Project,
Harvesting Timber, Council Ranger District, Payette National Forest,
Adam County, ID.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-AFS-L65416-ID, Upper Bear Timber Sale Project, Fuel
Reduction, Forest Vegetation and Roads Management, Payette National
Forest, Council Ranger District, Adams County, ID.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-COE-J28021-CO, Rueter-Hess Reservoir Project,
Construction and Operation, Proposed Water Supply Reservoir and Off-
Stream Dam, U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit, Endangered Species Act
(Section 7) Permit and Right-of-Way Use Permit, Located on Newlin Gulch
along Cherry Creek, Town of Parker, Douglas County, CO.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-UAF-K11110-CA, Los Angeles Air Force Base Land
Conveyance, Construction and Development Project, Transfer Portions of
Private Development in Exchange for Construction of New Seismically
Stable Facilities, Cities of EL Sequndo and Hawthorne, Los Angeles
County, CA.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. FS-AFS-J65353-MT, Threemile Stewardship Project, Additional
Information concerning the Potential Effects on the Goshawk Habitat,
Ashland Ranger District, Custer National Forest, Powder and Rosebud
Counties, MT.
Summary: EPA did not object to the preferred alternative to harvest
and thin timber, use prescribed fire, and manage road systems. EPA
continues to have environmental concerns with potential project effects
to goshawk nest territories, and measures for implementing adequate
oversight of the timber contractor during project implementation via
stewardship contracting to adequately address environmental and
ecological concerns.
ERP No. FS-COE-E36154-FL, Upper St. Johns River Basin and Related
Areas, Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project, Proposed
Modifications to Project Features North of the Fellsmere Grade to
Preserve and Enhance Floodplain and Aquatic Habitats, Brevard County,
FL.
Summary: EPA has no objections to the proposed project
modifications to improve water quality.
Dated: August 26, 2003.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 03-22164 Filed 8-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P