[Federal Register: December 23, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 246)]
[Notices]               
[Page 72077-72078]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23de99-53]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6249-4]

 
Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared December 6, 1999 through 
December 10, 1999 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) 564-7176.
    An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental 
impact statements (EISs) was published in FR dated April 10, 1998 (63 
FR 17856).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-J60020-00 Rating EC2, Yellowstone Pipeline Missoula 
to Thompson Falls Reroute, Construction and Operation, Special-Use-
Permit and Right-of-Way Easement, Missoula, Sanders and Mineral 
Counties, MT and Shoshone County, ID.
    Summary: EPA supports the preferred alternative, however EPA 
expressed environmental concerns regarding potential surface and ground 
water quality impacts from potential pipeline spills and recommended 
using an industry state-of-the-art pipeline leak detection system. EPA 
recommends including protective measures for the existing pipeline west 
of Thompson Falls.
    ERP No. D-FHW-C40149-NY Rating EC2, Albany Shaker Road and 
Watervliet Shakey Road Improvement Project, Construction and 
Reconstruction, Funding and COE Section 404 Permit, Town of Colonie, 
Albany County, NY.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential 
impacts to wetlands and air quality. EPA requested that additional 
information regarding the minimization

[[Page 72078]]

measures and proposed mitigation plans for wetlands, as well as a more 
thorough cumulative impacts evaluation for wetlands and air quality 
should be included in the final EIS.
    ERP No. D-FRC-E03008-00 Rating EC2, Florida Gas Transmission Phase 
IV Expansion Project (Docket No. CP99-94-000), To Deliver Natural Gas 
to Electric Generator, FL and MS.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concern regarding the impact 
of 297 acres of wetlands including 100 acres of forested wetlands, 72 
perennial waterways and 62 residences within 50 ft of the construction 
ROW, and that the project would induce secondary development impacts. 
EPA requested additional information on certain alternatives/variations 
and of Environmental Justice.
    ERP No. D-FTA-C40150-NY Rating EC2, Manhattan East Side Transit 
Alternatives Study, (MESA), Improve Transit Access Lower Manhattan, 
Lower East Side, East Midtown, Upper East Side and East Harlem, Major 
Investment Study, New York, NY.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the air 
quality analysis and alternatives. EPA requested that this issue be 
clarified and be included in the next document.

    ERP No. D-NPS-C61010-NJ Rating EC2, Great Egg Harbor National 
Scenic and Recreation River, Comprehensive Management Plan, 
Implementation, Atlantic Gloucester, Camden and Cape May Counties, NJ.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the CMP 
recommendations to enhance and protect the River's water quality. The 
final EIS should include a funding plan, and a detailed plan for 
periodic evaluation of the implementation and success of the CMP.

    ERP No. D-NPS-F39038-00 Rating EC2, Lower Saint Croix National 
Scenic Riverway Cooperative Management Plan, Implementation, MN and WI.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns regarding potential water quality 
impacts and the lack of baseline data/indicators. EPA requested that 
these issues be clarified in the final document.

    ERP No. D-USN-C11016-NY Rating EC2, Brooklyn Naval Station Disposal 
and Reuse, Implementation, King County, NY.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding impacts to 
the Brooklyn/Queens Aquifer System and historic resources, and 
requested that additional information be presented in the final EIS to 
address these issues.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-K65307-CA Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group 
Forest Recovery Act, Establishing and Conducting a Pilot Project, 
Lassen, Plumas and Tahoe National Forests, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama, 
Yuba, Plumas and Battle Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections with the 
designation of Alternative 3 as the ``environmentally preferable 
alternative,'' given Alternative 5 would provide maximum level of 
resource protection with the minimum level of new disturbance. EPA 
suggested that the ROD specify mitigation for the new road construction 
and provide a map of spotted owl habitat excluded from harvest.

    ERP No. F-COE-L90028-WA Programmatic EIS--Puget Sound Confined 
Disposal Site Study, Implementation, WA.
    Summary: No formal comment letter sent to the preparing agency.

    ERP No. FS-AFS-L82015-ID St. Joe Noxious Weed Control Project, 
Implementation, St. Maries River, St. Joe River and Little North Fork 
Clearwater River, Benewah, Shoshone and Latah Counties, ID.
    Summary: No formal comment letter sent to the preparing agency.

    ERP No. F1-AFS-L61218-ID Frank Church--River of No Return 
Wilderness (FC-RONRW), Implementation for the Future Management of Land 
and Water Resource, Bitterroot, Boise, Nez Perce, Payette and Salmon-
Challis National Forests, ID.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent the preparing agency.

    Dated: December 20, 1999.
William D. Dickerson,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 99-33358 Filed 12-22-99; 8:45 am]
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