Environmental Impact Statements; Availability, etc.: Regulations; EPA Comments

Federal Register: June 13, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 115)

Notices

Page 33813-33814

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr13jn08-52

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

ER-FRL-6699-8

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 11, 2008 (73

FR 19833).

Draft EISs

EIS No. 20080067, ERP No. D-FHW-F40442-MT, Detroit River International

Crossing Study, Propose Border Crossing System between the

International Border Cities of Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario,

Wayne County, MI.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about particulate matter and mobile source air toxics impacts, and recommended using energy efficiency and sustainability principles. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080103, ERP No. D-USN-E11064-FL, Mayport Naval Station

Project, Proposed Homeporting of Additional Surface Ships, Several

Permits, Mayport, FL.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about to the magnitude of proposed dredged material and the capacity and management limitations of existing ocean dredged material disposal sites to handle this additional material. EPA recommends additional mitigation measures for other on-shore environmental impacts related to the proposed homeporting. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080115, ERP No. D-UAF-E15001-FL, Eglin Air Force Base

Program, Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 2005 Decisions and Related

Action, Implementation, FL.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts to air quality, low-income/minority populations, aquatic habitats, water quality and noise impacts and recommended several mitigation measures.

Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080120, ERP No. D-USN-ELL065-FL, Naval Surface Warfare Center

Panama City Division (NSWC PCD), Capabilities to Conduct New and

Increased Mission Operations for the Department of Navy (DON) and

Customers within the three Military Operating Area and St. Andrew Bay

(SAB), Gulf of Mexico, FL.

Summary: EPA expressed concerns about impacts to marine mammals, sea turtles, and marine fish. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080137, ERP No. D-AFS-L65552-OR, East Maury Fuels and

Vegetation Management Project, Proposed Fuels and Vegetation Treatments

Reduce the Risk of Stand Loss, Lookout Mountain Ranger District, Ochoco

National Forest, Crook County, OR.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential impacts to water quality from mass wasting associated with road construction in management units with dormant landslide terrain. EPA requested additional information regarding road closures and stream crossings. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080144, ERP No. D-CGD-E03019-FL, Port Dolphin LLC Liquefied

Natural Gas Deepwater Port License Application, Proposes to Own,

Construct and Operate a Deepwater Port, Outer Continental Shelf,

Manatee County, FL.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about construction impacts to hard bottom habitat and port operation impacts to icthyoplankton. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20080184, ERP No. D-FHW-H40193-IA, I-29 Improvements in Sioux

City, Construction from Burlington Northern Santa Fe Rail Road (BNSF)

Bridge over the Missouri River to Existing Hamilton Boulevard

Interchange, Woodbury County, IA.

Summary: EPA does not object to the proposed action. Rating LO.

EIS No. 20080128, ERP No. DS-MMS-A02245-00, Gulf of Mexico Outer

Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2009-2012 Western Planning

Area Sales: 210 in 2009, 215 in 2010, and 218 in 2011, and Central

Planning Area Sales: 208 in 2009, 213 in 2010, 216 in 2011, and 222 in 2012, TX, LA, MS, AL, and FL.

Summary: EPA does not object to the proposed action. Rating LO.

Final EISs

EIS No. 20080052, ERP No. F-FTA-E40816-FL, Tier 1 Programmatic--

Jacksonville Rapid Transit System (RTS), Improvement to Transportation in Four Primary Transit Corridors Radiating from Downtown Jacksonville,

Duval County, FL.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about indirect impacts, and requested additional information on cumulative, and irreversible/irretrievable impacts.

EIS No. 20080147, ERP No. F-AFS-J65479-MT, Trapper Bunk House Land

Stewardship Project, Reduce Risk from Stand-Replacing and

Uncontrollable Fires, Improve Resiliency and Provide Forest Products,

Fuel Reduction Research and Watershed Improvement, Bitterroot National

Forest, Darby Ranger District, Ravalli County, MT.

Summary: EPA supports project objectives to reduce fire risk, improve vegetative resiliency, conduct fuel reduction research, provide timber and improve watersheds. However, EPA expressed environmental concerns about water quality impacts from sediment transport and a budget process that requires commercial timber harvest to provide funding for road maintenance or decommissioning.

EIS No. 20080155, ERP No. F-AFS-J65502-MT, Cooney McKay Forest Health and Fuels Reduction Project, Proposed to Restore Desirable Vegetative

Conditions, Swan Valley near Condon, Swan Lake Ranger District,

Flathead National Forest, Lake and Missoula Counties, MT.

Summary: EPA supports activities to reduce hazardous fuels and fire risk in wildland urban interface areas, but expressed environmental concerns

Page 33814

regarding inadequate funding to implement needed watershed restoration work and mitigation measures.

EIS No. 20080161, ERP No. F-NPS-J61023-00, Quarry Visitor Center

Treatment Project, To Address the Structural Deterioration, Dinosaur

National Monument, CO and UT.

Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

EIS No. 20080170, ERP No. F-AFS-J65509-MT, Young Dodge Project,

Proposed Timber Harvest and Associate Activities, Prescribed Burning,

Road and Recreation Management, Kootenai National Forest, Rexford

Ranger District, Lincoln County, MT.

Summary: EPA supports the reduction of hazardous fuels and fire risk in wildland urban interface and restoring declining tree species.

However, EPA continues to have environmental concerns about erosion and sediment production associated with ground disturbing timber harvests and wildlife impacts associated with the exceedance of open road density standards.

Dated: June 10, 2008.

Robert W. Hargrove,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.

FR Doc. E8-13343 Filed 6-12-08; 8:45 am

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

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