[Federal Register: June 21, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 120)]
[Notices]               
[Page 42253-42254]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21jn02-61]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6630-5]

 
Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared pursuant to the Environmental

[[Page 42254]]

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 12, 2002, (67 FR 11992).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-DOE-L05224-WA Rating LO, Maiden Wind Farm Project, 
Proposes to Construct and Operate up to 494 megawatts (MW) Wind 
Generation on Privately- and Publicly-owned Property, Conditional Use 
Permits, Benton and Yakima Counties, WA.
    Summary: EPA has no significant concerns with the project.
    ERP No. D-FHW-F40404-MN Rating EO2, Trunk Highway (TH) 53 Project, 
Transportation Improvements, from 1.2 km (\3/4\ mile) South of St. 
Louis County Road 307 to the South City Limits of Cook, NPDES Permit, 
COE Section 10 and 404 Permits, St. Louis County, MN.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections regarding the 
magnitude of wetland impacts, lack of a detailed wetland mitigation 
plan, impacts to U.S. Forest Service land, and possible forest 
fragmentation and wildlife habitat issues. EPA requested that 
additional information on wetland mitigation, forest fragmentation and 
wildlife habitat impacts be developed and taken into consideration when 
identifying a preferred alternative.
    ERP No. D-FHW-H40403-KS Rating EC2, US 59 Highway Construction 
Improvements, Lawrence to Ottawa, Funding, NPDES Permit Issuance and 
Possible US Army COE Permit Issuance, Douglas and Franklin Counties, 
KS.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the degree of 
information provided on cultural resources, noise impacts, and 
endangered species. EPA requested that appropriate mitigation measures 
be described in more detail for these three project impacts.
    ERP No. D-NPS-D65025-WV Rating LO, National Coal Heritage Area, 
Strategic Management Action Plan, Implementation, Boone, Cabal, 
Layette, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne and 
Wyoming Counties, WV.
    Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections to the preferred 
alternative.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-F65029-IL Midewin National Tallgrass, Proposed Land 
and Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Prairie Plan Development, 
Will County, IL.
    Summary: EPA has no objection to the action as proposed since the 
final EIS addressed previous concerns regarding water quality, 
preserving wetland functions, invasive species, and non-target 
agricultural practice impacts.
    ERP No. F-BLM-K67052-NV Newmont Gold Mining, South Operations Area 
Project Amendment, Operation and Expansion, Plan of Operations, Elko 
and Eureka Counties, NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed continuing objections to the proposed 
project because the existing mine is currently out of compliance with 
its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) discharge 
effluent limitations for total dissolved solids (TDS) and possibly 
other constituents. EPA recommended that BLM not approve the Plan of 
Operations for the proposed expansion until the mine comes into 
compliance with its permit. EPA also expressed concerns regarding the 
acid generating potential of the waste rock, and recommended that BLM 
include specific commitments in its Record of Decision (ROD) to ensure 
the appropriate ratio of acid neutralizing waste rock to acid 
generating waste rock during disposal. EPA recommended that BLM 
consider additional monitoring and address any long-term bonding needs 
prior to issuance of the Plan of Operations.
    ERP No. F-MMS-L03010-AK Liberty Development and Production Plan, 
Beaufort Sea Oil and Gas Development, Implementation, To Transport and 
Sell Oil to the U.S. and World Markets, Right-of-Way Application, 
Offshore Beaufort Sea Marine Environment and Onshore North Slope of 
Alaska Coastal Plan, AK.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-USA-D11032-PA Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard Training 
Center, Training and Operations Enhancement, Pennsylvania National 
Guard (PANG), Annville, Dauphin and Lebanon Counties, PA.
    Summary: EPA has no objection to the proposed action since previous 
issues were adequately addressed within the Final EIS.

    Dated: June 18, 2002.
B. Katherine Biggs,
Associate Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal 
Activities.
[FR Doc. 02-15727 Filed 6-20-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P