Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of
EPA Comments
[Federal Register: July 27, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 144)]
[Notices]
[Page 41322-41324]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27jy07-43]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-6689-4]
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 6, 2007 (72 FR 17156).
Draft EISs
EIS No. 20070038, ERP No. D-BLM-J65475-WY, Pinedale Resource Management
Plan (RMP), Implementation of Public Lands Administered, Sublette and
Lincoln Counties, WY.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the potential
for adverse impacts to air and water quality with full field
development, and suggested that the final EIS include additional
information and discussion on cumulative impacts analysis, mitigation
measures, and adaptive management. Rating EC2.
EIS No. 20070168, ERP No. D-FTA-K59006-CA, Alameda-Contra Transit (AC
Transit) East Bay Bus Rapid Transit Project, Improve Transit Serve in
cities of Berkeley, Oakland and San
[[Page 41323]]
Leandro, San Francisco Bay Area, Alameda County, CA.
Summary: While EPA does not object to the proposed project, but
suggested additional mitigation measures to minimize air quality
impacts during construction. Rating LO.
EIS No. 20070177, ERP No. D-AFS-L65536-OR, Spears Vegetation Management
Project, Proposal to Use Commercial Timber Harvest, Pre-commercial
Thinning, Prescribed Fire, Grapple Piling and Hand Piling in the Mark
Creek Watershed and Veaqie Creek Subwatershed, Lookout Mountain Ranger
District, Ochoco National Forest, Crook and Wheeler Counties, OR.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential
impacts to water quality and if the level of monitoring is sufficient.
The final EIS should provide additional information on mitigation
related to roads and reducing sedimentation, and on methodology for
determining critical shade in riparian areas proposed for harvest.
Rating EC1.
EIS No. 20070184, ERP No. D-AFS-J65480-MT, North Bridger Allotment
Management Plan Update, Proposal to Update Allotment Management Plan on
11 Livestock Grazing Allotments, Bozeman Ranger District, Gallatin
National Forest, Gallatin County, MT.
Summary: EPA supports the proposed grazing improvements and the
preferred alternative, but believes additional information should be
provided regarding sites degraded by grazing and the management actions
that would be taken to address the degradation in each allotment, and
the updated riparian grazing guidelines, and recommends that some
inconsistencies in information disclosure be corrected. EPA also has
concerns about the availability of adequate funds and resources to
implement proposed range improvements and the proposed monitoring
program. Rating EC2.
EIS No. 20070187, ERP No. D-COE-G39049-TX, Calhoun County Navigation
District's (CCND), Proposed Matagorda Ship Channel Improvement Project
to Widened and Deepen Berthing Facilities, U.S. Army COE Section 10 and
404 Permits, Calhoun and Matagorda Counties, TX.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts related
to ocean disposal of dredged material and air quality. Rating EC2.
EIS No. 20070190, ERP No. D-AFS-J65481-MT, Lolo National Forest
Integrated Weed Management, To Establish Beneficial Vegetation and Weed
Resistant Plant Communities, Missoula, Mineral, Sanders, Granite,
Powell, Lewis and Clark, Flathead, Ravalli and Lake Counties, MT.
Summary: EPA supports improvements to the Integrated Weed
Management Program, but suggests additional measures to further
mitigate potential environmental effects of proposed weed treatments.
EPA expressed environmental concerns about herbicide drift into streams
and leaching into groundwater; the final EIS should include additional
information on monitoring programs that will be used to validate the
program's effectiveness. Rating EC2.
EIS No. 20070200, ERP No. D-AFS-F65067-WI, Fishel Vegetation and
Transportation Management Project, To Implement Land Management
Activities, Eagle River-Florence Ranger District, Chequamegor-Nicolet
National Forest, Forest and Vilas Counties, WI.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the Preferred
Alternative's ability to provide sufficient snags and coarse woody
debris, implement measures to promote species health, and treatments
within goshawk nest territories to support management objectives.
Rating EC2.
EIS No. 20070208, ERP No. D-HUD-K80048-CA, Vista Village Workforce
Housing Project, To Provide Professional Managed Affordable Housing,
Tahoe Vista, Placer County, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about air quality and
water quality impacts, and suggested that Alternative D-72 Units be
selected as this alternative has fewer environmental impacts. EPA also
recommended that the project utilize the Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) standard for green building. Rating EC1.
EIS No. 20070211, ERP No. D-AFS-L65538-OR, Thorn Fire Salvage Recovery
Project, Salvaging Dead and Dying Timber, Shake Table Fire Complex,
Malheur National Forest, Grant County, OR.
Summary: EPA supports the mitigation measures such as helicopter
logging included for the proposed salvage harvest; however, we have
environmental concerns about potential impacts to non-motorized, semi-
primitive management areas from salvage activities and long term
recreational activities. Rating EC2.
EIS No. 20070241, ERP No. D-NPS-J61023-00, Quarry Visitor Center
Treatment Project, To Address the Structural Deterioration, Dinosaur
National Monument, CO and UT.
Summary: EPA recognizes that the proposed action is fostered by the
need to protect, preserve and reduce physical hazards and we support
the green practices and mitigation measures included in the proposed
project. Rating LO.
Final EISs
EIS No. 20070032, ERP No. F-AFS-K61164-CA, Commercial Pack Station and
Pack Stock Outfitter/Guide Permit Issuance, Implementation, Special-
Use-Permit to Twelve Pack Station and Two Outfitter/Guides, Inyo
National Forest, CA.
Summary: EPA supports the improvements that will result from
Amendment #6, which include forage utilization standards for
all pack stock grazing; additional water quality mitigation measures;
reduced use levels in the GT/SS Wilderness; and a detailed monitoring,
enforcement, and adaptive management plan providing greater riparian
protection in 6 pastures. However, EPA continues express environmental
concerns about water quality impacts and recommends relocating of
Truman Camp out of the riparian area, limits on cross-country travel,
and alignment of pack stock trail use levels with the level of trail
development.
EIS No. 20070036, ERP No. F-AFS-K65309-00, Heavenly Mountain Resort
Master Plan Amendment 2005 (MPA 05), Improve and Enhance the Resorts
Over Winter and Summer Recreation Opportunities, Special-Use-Permit,
Lake Tahoe Basin, El Dorado County, CA and Douglas County, NV.
Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about
watershed and habitat impacts, especially to old growth habitat if
Alternative 4 is selected.
EIS No. 20070186, ERP No. F-SFW-K64025-AZ, Cabeza Prieta National
Wildlife Refuge, Comprehensive Conservation Plan, Wilderness
Stewardship Plan, Implementation, Ajo, AZ.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
EIS No. 20070194, ERP No. F-AFS-L65504-ID, Payette National Forest
Travel Management Plan, Designate a System of Roads, Trails and Areas
Open to Motorized and Non-Motorized Use, Implementation, Adam,
Washington, Idaho, Valley Counties, ID.
Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns and encourages
[[Page 41324]]
the further reduction of designated ATV and OHV trails, and review the
decision to retain road and trail miles that would have been eliminated
under Alternative B. Also, we recommend giving consideration to the
commitment of resources in Alternative E and its consistency with
existing planning direction in the 2003 Forest Plan, and interagency
agreements such as the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
Protocol for Addressing Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Listed Waters.
EIS No. 20070199, ERP No. F-FHW-E40771-NC, Wilmington Bypass
Transportation Improvements, U.S. 17 to U.S. 421, Funding, COE Section
10 and 404 Permits and U.S. Coast Guard Bridge Permit Issuance,
Brunswick and New Hanover Counties, NC.
Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about stream
and wetland impacts, indirect and cumulative air quality impacts from
Mobile Source Air Toxics and impacts to Significant Natural Heritage
Areas. EPA requested additional avoidance and minimization measures be
considered to lessen these impacts.
EIS No. 20070220, ERP No. F-BLM-J65468-WY, Casper Field Office Planning
Area Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Natrona, Converse,
Goshen, and Platte Counties, WY.
Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about air
quality impacts and the need to do a quantitative analysis based on
dispersion modeling. In addition, there is potential for adverse
impacts to wetlands from OHV use.
EIS No. 20070228, ERP No. F-AFS-G65102-NM, Canadian River Tamarisk
Control, Proposes to Control the Nonnative Invasive Species Tamarisk
(also known as salt cedar) Cibola National Forest, Canadian River,
Harding and Mora Counties, New Mexico.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
EIS No. 20070242, ERP No. F-COE-F36167-OH, Dover Dam Safety Assurance
Program Project, Modifications and Upgrades, Funding, Muskingum River
Basin, Tuscarawas County, OH.
Summary: EPA's previous issues have been resolved; therefore, EPA
does not object to the proposed action.
EIS No. 20070245, ERP No. F-FHW-C40336-NY, Long Island Expressway (LIE)
Rest Area Upgrade Project, Upgrading the Existing Rest Area from Route
1-495/Long Island Expressway between Exits 51 and 52, Funding, Town of
Huntington, Suffolk County, NY.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
EIS No. 20070246, ERP No. F-MMS-L02033-AK, Chukchi Sea Planning Area
Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193 and Seismic Surveying Activities, Offshore
Marine Environment, Chukchi Sea Coastal Plain, and the North Slope
Borough of Alaska.
Summary: EPA's previous concerns have been resolved; therefore, EPA
does not object to the action as proposed.
EIS No. 20070223, ERP No. FA-AFS-K65283-CA, Empire Vegetation
Management Project, Reducing Fire Hazards, Harvesting of Trees Using
Group Selection (GS) and Individual Trees Selection (ITS) Methods, Mt.
Hough Ranger District, Plumas National Forest, Plumas County, CA.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
EIS No. 20070225, ERP No. FD-AFS-L65155-00, Northern Spotted Owl
Management Plan, Removal or the Modification to the Survey and Manage
Mitigation Measures, Standards and Guidelines (to the Northwest Forest
Plan) New Information to Address Three Deficiencies Final Supplemental
EIS (2004), Northwest Forest Plan, OR, WA, and CA.
Summary: The analysis in FEIS supports both the utilization of the
Special Status Species Programs and previous determinations made as a
part of the Annual Species Review Process. Given the importance of the
current network of late successional forests in late-successional
species' persistence and viability, EPA continues to encourage the
Agencies to consider any reasonably foreseeable reserve network or
management changes when predicting habitat outcomes.
EIS No. 20070226, ERP No. FS-AFS-J65417-MT, Frenchtown Face Ecosystem
Restoration Project, Additional Information Maintenance and Improvement
of Forest Health, Risk Reduction of Damage Insects and Disease, Lolo
National Forest, Ninemile Ranger District, Missoula County, MT.
Summary: The final supplement addressed EPA's concerns about the
preferred alternative. EPA believes watershed restoration activities
included in the project will likely result in overall water quality
improvement in the long-term.
Dated: July 24, 2007.
Robert W. Hargrove,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. E7-14569 Filed 7-26-07; 8:45 am]
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