[Federal Register: February 28, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 40)]
[Notices]
[Page 9651-9652]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28fe03-85]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-6638-1]
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 Federal Register dated April 12, 2002 (67 FR 17992).
Draft EISs
ERP No. D-AFS-J65373-MT Rating EC2, Canyon Lake Dam and Wyant Lake
Dam Project, Proposal to Authorize Access to their Facilities with
Prescribe Terms and Conditions, Canyon Creek Irrigation District
(CCID), Bitterroot National Forest, Selway Bitterroot Wilderness,
Ravalli County, MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and recommended
integrating 404 permitting requirements into the EIS process and
decision making for selecting among Canyon Lake dam rehabilitation
options. EPA recommended preparing a preliminary 404(b)(1) evaluation
for proposed placement of dredged or fill materials in U.S. waters, and
wetlands for the dam rehabilitation. EPA believes additional
information is needed to fully assess and mitigate all potential
environmental impacts of the management actions.
ERP No. D-AFS-L65412-OR Rating EC2, Metolius Basin Forest
Management Project, Fuel Reduction and Forest Health Management
Activities, Implementation, Deschutes National Forest, Sisters Ranger
District, Jefferson County, OR.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns due to impacts to
aquatic resources, endangered and threatened species, silvicultural
practices, dispersed recreation, tribal consultation, and indirect and
cumulative effects.
ERP No. LD-AFS-L65411-WA Rating NS, I-90 Wilderness Study, Review
of Land Comprising of 15,000 Acres for Suitability for Preservation as
Wilderness, Cle Elum and Leavenworth Ranger Districts, Olanogan and
Wenatchee National Forests, Kittitas and Chelan Counties, WA.
Summary: EPA Region 10 used a screening tool to conduct a limited
review of this action. Based on this screen EPA does not foresee having
any environmental objections to the proposed action. Therefore, EPA
will not be conducting a detailed review.
ERP No. D-MMS-L02030-AK Rating EC2, Cook Inlet Planning Area Oil
and Gas Lease Sales 191 and 199, Outer Continental Shelf, Offshore
Marine Environment, Cook Inlet, AK.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that an alternative
that deferred both the Lower Kenai Peninsula and Barren Islands areas
was not included. EPA recommended that the Environmental Justice
Analysis explain the methods and criteria used to determine minority
and low income significance, and identify if the low income and/or
people of color communities will be disproportionately impacted. EPA
also requested that mitigating measures to protect endangered and
threatened species and their critical habitat be adopted as standard
lease stipulations.
ERP No. D-USN-K11108-CA Rating EC2, China Lake Naval Air Weapons
Station, Proposed Military Operational Increases and Implementation of
Associated Comprehensive Land Use and Integrated Natural Resources
Management Plans, Located on the
[[Page 9652]]
North and South Ranges, Inyo, Kern and San Bernardino Counties, CA.
Summary: EPA raised environmental concerns about potential impacts
associated with past use of munitions containing depleted uranium (DU),
potential impacts associated with continued or renewed use of DU
munitions under any of the fully-evaluated alternatives, and the Navy's
environmental restoration efforts to date for DU contamination. EPA
also raised concerns about potential air quality impacts associated
with the project's implementation, including emissions of air toxics,
which can be potentially reduced with mitigation.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-FSA-A65172-00, Programmatic EIS--Conservation Reserve
Program Implementation and Expansion, Farm Security and Rural
Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill), in the United States.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-NOA-K91011-00, 2003 Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery,
Groundfish Acceptable Biological Catch and Optimum Yield Specifications
and Management Measures, Implementation, WA, OR and CA.
Summary: EPA expressed continuing environmental concerns regarding
impacts on overfished bocaccio stocks, and the effectiveness of
enforcement measures for the 2003 harvest.
ERP No. F-NPS-K61156-00, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Long-
Term Management of Lake Mead and Mohave and Associated Shoreline and
Development Area, Lake Management Plan, Clark County, NV and Mohave
County, AZ.
Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F1-FAA-D51026-00, Potomac Consolidated Teminal (PCT) Radar
Approach Control Facility (TRACON) Airspace Redesign in the Baltimore-
Washington Metropolitan Area. Newly Consolidated TRACON, Aircraft
Performance Improvements and Emerging PCT Technologies, PA, MD, DE, VA,
WV and DC.
Summary: EPA has no objection to the proposed action since our
previous issues have been addressed in the final EIS.
Dated: February 25, 2003.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 03-4780 Filed 2-27-03; 8:45 am]
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