[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 59 (Friday, March 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14922-14923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8111]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-5490-3]
Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of
EPA Comments
Availability of EPA comments prepared March 09, 1998 Through March
13, 1998 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 11, 1997 (62
FR 16154).
Draft EISs
ERP No. D-AFS-K65082-CA Rating EC2, Payen, Pass Creek and English
Range Allotments, Grazing Land Management Plan, Implementation, Tahoe
National Forest, Sierraville Ranger District, Sierra and Nevada
Counties, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about insufficient
site information to develop a monitoring plan and suggested the final
EIS contain environmental indicators and establish threshold values to
measure improvement.
ERP No. D-BLM-J31025-WY Rating EO2, Greybull Valley Irrigation
District Dam and Reservoir Project, Issuance of Right-of-Way Permit and
COE Section 404 Permit, Park County, WY.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections about cumulative
adverse impacts to the aquatic system of the Greybull River and
requested that the water conservation alternative be pursued.
ERP No. D-BLM-J60019-WY Rating EC2, Cave Gulch-Bullfrog-Waltman
Natural Gas Development Project, Implementation, Platte River Resource
Area, Natrona County, WY.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts to a
regional ground water recharge area
[[Page 14923]]
and suggested the final EIS develop site-specific ground water data and
define the selected protection measures.
EERP No. D-BLM-J67026-MT Rating EC2, Golden Sunlight Mine
Expansion, Implementation of Amendment 008 to Operating Permit No.
0065, COE Section 404 Permit, Whitehall, Jefferson County MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about implementing
the proposed environmental mitigation measures and suggested the final
EIS calculate the final bonding amount needed to comply with water
quality standards in perpetuity and improve the groundwater mixing zone
procedure.
ERP No. DR-AFS-K65184-CA Rating EC2, Aock Creek Recreational Trails
Management Plan, Implementation, Additional Information, Eldorado
National Forest, Georgetown Ranger Director, Eldorado County, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about numerous
substantive changes to the Forest Service's preferred alternative, and
recommended that the Forest Service take additional steps to address
high road densities and excessive sediment delivery in the project
area. The final monitoring plan identify specific sedimentation
minimization targets and follow-up actions.
ERP No. D1-AFS-J65111-MT, Rating EC2, Flathead National Forest,
Management Direction Plan Related to Old Growth Forests, Forest Plan
Amendment No. 21, Implementation, Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, Missoula and
Lewis and Clark Counties, MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and recommends that
the preferred alternative be modified to include areas of old growth to
monitor ecological responses and to allow protect biodiversity and
grizzly bear habitat.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-J61098-MT, Lost Trail Ski Area Expansion Project,
Implementation, New Master Development Plan, Bitterroot National
Forest, Sula Ranger District, Ravalli County, MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about inadequate
wetlands mitigation, potential water quality degradation associated
with increased wastewater pollutant loading, lack of adequate analysis
and disclosure or indirect growth related impacts and air quality
impacts.
ERP No. F-AFS-J65263-SD, Anchor Hill Mine Expansion Project in Gilt
Edge Mine, Plan-of-Operations, Approval, Black Hills National Forest,
SD.
Summary: The Final EIS has addressed many of EPA's comment however,
EPA has remaining concerns about the inadequate cash reclamation
bonding, the absence of post closure operations and maintenance (O&M)
funding/bonding and contingency plans, and long term water quality
protection.
ERP No. F-AFS-J65271-MT, Jericho Salvage Timber Sale,
Implementation, Salvage Treatments and Temporary Road Construction,
Helena National Forest, Helena Ranger District, Powell County, MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about proposed
reduction of streamside buffer zone widths below INFISH recommended
widths, and inadequate water quality/aquatics monitoring for the
detection and mitigation of all potential environmental impacts of the
management actions.
Dated: March 24, 1998.
William D. Dickerson,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 98-8111 Filed 3-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U
