[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 116 (Friday, June 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30233-30234]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15204]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-5470-5]
Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of
EPA Comments
Availability of EPA comments prepared May 28, 1996 through May 31,
1996 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 5, 1996 (61 FR
15251).
Draft EISs
ERP No. D-AFS-K61141-CA Rating EC2, Snowcreek Golf Course
Expansion, Construction and Operation, Special Use Permit, Inyo
National Forest System Lands, Mono County, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the separate
environmental evaluation of the related Snowcreek ski area and
Snowcreek golf course projects, the need for the golf course, water
quality and quantity, and potential impacts to wildlife habitat. The
final EIS should develop mitigation measures for potential cumulative
impacts.
ERP No. D-AFS-K65181-CA Rating EC2, Sequoia National Forest Land
and Resource Management Plan, Amendment ``Grazing Management'',
Implementation, Kern, Tulare and Fresno Counties, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the preferred
alternative. It does not address forage utilization or an all season
monitoring plan which allows for adaptive management.
ERP No. D-AFS-L65261-AK Rating EC2, Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw
Timber Harvest Sale Project, Implementation, Tongass National Forest,
Chatham and Stikine Areas, South of Juneau, AK.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding project
impacts on water quality and the marine environment.
ERP No. D-BLM-K67034-NV Rating EO2, Talapoosa Gold Mine Project,
Construction and Operation, Plan of Operations Approval, Special-Use-
Permit and COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, Silver Springs, Lyon
County, NV.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections due to potential
groundwater and post-mining pit lake impacts. EPA requested additional
information on groundwater modeling, pit water quality, ecological risk
assessment, geochemical characterization and waste rock disposal,
seepage rates from waste rock dumps, facilities design and reclamation,
and mitigation measures.
ERP No. D-DOE-L09807-WA Rating EC2, Hanford Site K Basins
Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel, Storage and Disposal, Application for
Approval of Construction and NPDES Permit Issuance, Columbia River,
Richland, Benton County, WA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding permitting,
accidential releases, and economic analysis.
ERP No. D-OSM-E67003-TN Rating EC2, Fern Lake Petition Area for
Surface Coal Mining Operations, Designation or Undesignation as
Unsuitable for Coal Mining Operations, Claiborne County, TN.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns over surface mining
in the Fern Lake watershed because of potential adverse impacts to
water quality, aquatic life and the water supply for the City of
Middlesboro.
ERP No. DS-NPS-K61126-AZ Rating LO, Tumacacori National Historical
Park General Management Plan, Additional Information, Santa Cruz
County, AZ.
Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objections with the new preferred
alternative.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-K67031-NV. Dash Open Pit and Underground Mining
Project, Implementation, Expanding existing Gold Mining Operations at
the Jerritt Canyon Project, Plan of Operation Approval and COE Section
404 Permit, Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest, Independence Mountain
Range, Elko County, NV.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential
water quality impacts and recommended that the Forest Service conduct
modeling to predict the concentrations and effects of contaminants in
streams. EPA also expressed concern regarding the placement of waste
rock in waters of the United States and the need for additional
information on mitigation measures for this activity.
ERP No. F-BLM-K67020-AZ. Cyprus Bagdad Copper Mine, Mill Tailings
and Waste Rock Storage Expansion, Plan of Operation Approval, NPDES and
COE Section 404 Permits Issuance, Yavapai County, AZ.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections about the project
as proposed. EPA recommended that quantitative modeling of the post-
project quality of pit water be conducted prior to BLM's Record of
Decision. Mitigation of and monitoring for impacts to waters of the
U.S. should have been addressed in the EIS and EPA suggests that the
mitigation and monitoring plan be discussed in the Record of Decision.
ERP No. F-BLM-K67032-NV. Round Mountain Mine Mill and Tailings
Facility, Construction and Operation for the Smoke Valley Operation,
Plan of Operations Amendment Approval, Nye County, NV.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections regarding
cumulative impacts of the proposed project effectiveness of mitigation
[[Page 30234]]
measures and suggested that the Plan of Operation provide an
appropriate opportunity for BLM and the State of Nevada to collect a
contingency fund, which may be necessary for future remedial action,
based on the predicted pit lake water quality.
Dated: June 11, 1996.
B. Katherine Biggs,
Associate Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal
Activities.
[FR Doc. 96-15204 Filed 6-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
