NEPA Blog

The Billings Gazette has an AP report:

"Environmental groups are appealing the U.S. Forest Service's plan to reduce fire risk in the Basin Creek watershed south of here, saying the thinning project would cause irreparable harm to the forest.

The Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Ecology Center Inc., both based in Missoula, and the Boulder-based Deerlodge Forest Defense Fund filed the 28-page joint appeal Monday. They join the Willow Creek-based Native Ecosystems Council, which filed an appeal earlier this month.

The groups contend the Forest Service's proposal to remove beetle-infested trees from roughly 2,600 acres violates three federal environmental protection acts, the official forest plan, and a previous settlement agreement reached after lengthy negotiations.

 
Major concerns are the effect of proposed logging on soil health, on water quality in the Basin Creek Reservoir and on threatened and sensitive species — including the lynx, northern goshawk, and boreal toad.

Butte District Ranger Steve Egeline said the project was designed to avoid loading sediments into the reservoir, which is up to 3 miles away from some areas proposed to be logged. Also, all roads will be 'completely closed and obliterated' when the sale is finished, he said.

Butte-Silver Bow government officials have been pressuring the Forest Service to reduce fire risk for several years. The Basin Creek Reservoir provides Butte with roughly 40 percent of its municipal supply, and building a water filtration plant in the aftermath of a fire would cost millions.

 
Egeline said the main purpose of this thinning project is to remove dead trees from key areas to help reduce the likelihood of a major wildfire that would consume everything in the watershed.

The Forest Service also thoroughly studied the potential effects on wildlife, particularly lynx, before choosing this course of action, Egeline said.

'I think we're on pretty good grounds with our environmental impact statement,' he added."

 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers) published Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Integrated Project Implementation Report/Environmental Impact Statement for the Broward County Water Preserve Areas in South Florida, as Part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY published Notice of Availability of EPA Comments on the following Draft and Final EISs: 

Draft EISs   
ERP No. D-BIA-C60004-NY Rating EC2, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Mohawk Mountain Casino and Resort, Proposed Transfer of 66 Acres of Land into Federal Trust Status, Fee-to-Trust Acquisition, Sullivan County, NY.    ERP No. D-BLM-J67031-ND Rating EC2, West Mine Area, Freedom Mine Project, Application to Acquire Federal Coal Lease, Mercer County, ND.   
ERP No. D-COE-C40162-NJ Rating EO2, NJ 92 Project, New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Transportation Improvement from East-West Highway Link Connecting U.S. Route1 in South Brunswick Township with the New Jersey Turnpike at Interchange 8A in Monroe Township, Middlesex County, NJ.   
ERP No. D-COE-E39065-FL Rating LO, Central and Southern Florida Project, Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Pilot Operation, Aquifer Storage and Recovery Pilot Project, To Test the Feasibility Utilizing ASR Technology for Water Storage at Seven Well Sites, Right-of-Way and NPDES Permits, Several Counties.   
ERP No. D-DOI-J39031-UT Rating EC2, Utah Lake Drainage Basin Water Delivery System (ULS), Construction and Operation, Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Project (CUP), Utah, Salt Lake, Wasatch and Juab Counties, UT.   
ERP No. D-HUD-C85045-NY Rating EC2, Ridge Hill Village Project, Construction, Comprehensive Development Plan, (CDP), Planned Mixed-Use Development District (PMD), U.S. Army COE Section 404, City of Yonkers, Westchester County, NY.   
ERP No. D-NOA-E39066-FL Rating LO, Programmatic EIS--Seagrass Restoration in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Implementation, U.S. Army COE Section 404 and CZMA Permits, Monroe County, FL.   
ERP No. D-NOA-L91023-00 Rating EC2, Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, Amendment 16-3 Adopts Rebuild Plans for Bocaccio, Cowcod, Widow Rockfish and Yelloweye Rockfish, Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), Implementation, WA, OR, ID and CA.   
ERP No. D-NOA-L91024-00 Rating EC2, Puget Sound Chinook Harvest Resource Management Plan (RMP) 2004-2009, Implementation, Endangered Species Act, OR and WA.   
ERP No. D-SFW-B64004-ME Rating LO, Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Comprehensive Conservation Plan, Implementation, the Gulf of Maine. 

Final EISs   
ERP No. F-AFS-J65405-ND Equity Oil Company Federal 32-4 and 23-21 Oil and Gas Wells Surface Use Plan of Operation (SUP0), Implementation, Located in the Bell Lake Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA), Dakota Prairie Grasslands, Medora Ranger District, Goldon Valley County, ND.   
ERP No. F-BLM-J01080-WY West Hay Creek Coal Lease Application, Federal Coal Leasing, Buckskin Mine, Powder River Basin, Campbell County, WY.   
ERP No. F-COE-G61042-NM Closure of the Al Black Recreation Area at the Cochiti Lake Dam Outlet Works, Implementation, Sandoval County, NM.   
ERP No. F-DOE-F09004-OH Portsmouth, Ohio Site Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Facility, Construction and Operation, Pike County, OH.   
ERP No. F-FRC-B05193-CT Housatonic River Hydroelectric Project, Application to Relicense Existing Licenses for Housatonic Project No. 2576-022 and the Falls Village Project No. 2597-019, Housatonic River Basin, Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield Counties, CT.   
ERP No. F-FRC-L05230-OR Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project, (FERC No. 2030-036), Application for a New License for Existing 366.82-megawatt Project, Deschutes River, OR.   
ERP No. F-UAF-K11113-00 Air Force Mission at Johnston Atoll Airfield (Installation) Termination, Implementation, Johnston Atoll is an Unincorporated Territory of the United States.   
ERP No. F-USA-K11111-HI Transformation of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light) to a Stryker Brigade Combat Team in Hawai'i, Implementation, Honolulu and Hawai'i Counties, HI. 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY published Notice of Receipt of Environmental Impact Statements Filed July 19, 2004 Through July 23, 2004. 

EIS No. 040339, Draft EIS, NPS, GA, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area General Management Plan, Implementation, Chattahoochee River, Atlanta, GA, Comment Period Ends: September 13, 2004, Contact: Dave Elk (678) 538-1321.
EIS No. 040340, Final EIS, NRS, TN, Cane Creek Watershed Remedial Plan, Widening and Degradation of the Cane Creek Channel, Lauderdale County, TN, Wait Period Ends: August 30, 2004, Contact: James W. Ford (615) 277-2531.
EIS No. 040341, Final EIS, NPS, NY, Saratoga National Historical Park General Management Plan, Implementation, Hudson River Valley, Towns of Stillwater and Saratoga, Saratoga County, NY, Wait Period Ends: August 30, 2004, Contact: Doug Lindsay (518) 664-9821.
EIS No. 040342, Draft EIS, AFS, MT, Gallatin National Forest, Main Boulder Fuels Reduction Project, Implementation, Gallatin National Forest, Big Timber Ranger District, Big Timber, Sweet Grass and Park Counties, MT, Comment Period Ends: September 13, 2004, Contact: Barbara Ping (406) 522-2570. This document is available on the Internet here.
EIS No. 040343, Draft EIS, FHW, OH, U.S. 33, Nelsonville Bypass Project, To Upgrade Existing Four-Lane Controlled Access Expressway between Haydenville in Hocking County and New Floodwood in Hocking and Athens Counties, OH, Comment Period Ends: September 13, 2004, Contact: Davis Synder (614) 280-6852.
EIS No. 040344, Draft EIS, AFS, AL, Longleaf Ecosystem Restoration Project, Proposes a Five-Year Project to Begin Restoration of Native Longleaf, Talladega National Forest, Oakmulgee District, Tuscaloosa, Hale, Bibbs and Perry Counties, AL, Comment Period Ends: September 13, 2004, Contact: Jim Shores (205) 926-9765.
EIS No. 040345, Final EIS, NOA, WA, ID, OR, CA, Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, Amendment 16-3 Adopts Rebuild Plans for Bocaccio, Cowcod, Widow Rockfish and Yelloweye Rockfish, Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), Implementation, WA, OR, ID and CA, Wait Period Ends: August 30, 2004, Contact: D. Robert Lohn (206) 526-6150. This document is available on the Internet here.
EIS No. 040346, Final EIS, DOE, OR, Northeast Oregon Hatchery Program, Grande Ronde--Imnaha Spring Chinook Hatchery Modification and Modernization of Two Existing Hatchery Facilities and Construction of Three New Auxiliary Hatchery Facilities, Wallowa County, OR, Wait Period Ends: August 30, 2004, Contact: Mickey Carter (503) 230-5885.
EIS No. 040347, Final EIS, UAF, WV, Aircraft Conversion for the 167th Air Wing (167 AW) of the West Virginia Air National Guard, Converting C-13OH Transport Aircraft to the Larges C-5 Transport Aircraft, Acquisition of Land via Lease, and Construction of Facilities on existing and acquired Parcel, Berkely County, WV, Wait Period Ends: August 30, 2004, Contact: Ray Detig (301) 836-8120. 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Forest Service) published Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the B&B Fire Recovery Project, Deschutes National Forest, Jefferson and Deschutes Counties, Oregon.
SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on a proposed action to salvage dead and severely damaged trees, reduce post-harvest/smaller diameter fuels and plant trees on salvage units, and close or obliterate roads to assist in the restoration of the area burned in the Link and B&B Complex Fires on the Sisters Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest. The wildfires, located about 12 miles northwest of Sisters, Oregon, burned approximately 95,600 acres across mixed ownership. The B&B Fire Recovery Project covers approximately 42, 143 acres of the total fire area of which 97% is on National Forest System Lands. The alternatives will include the proposed action, no action, and additional alternatives that respond to issues generated during the scoping process. The agency will give notice of the full environmental analysis and decision making process so interested and affected people may participate and contribute to the final decision. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Land Management) published Notice of Availability of a Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement (PRMP/FEIS) for the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area (CCNCA).  The PRMP/FEIS and other associated documents or background information may be viewed and downloaded in PDF format here.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Land Management) published Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Las Vegas Valley Disposal Area as expanded by the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002, Public Law 107-282, November 6, 2002.  The DEIS is available online here. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Land Management) published Notice of Extension of the Public Comment Period for the Northeast National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Integrated Activity Plan Amendment.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Minerals Management Service) published Notice of Availability of a Programmatic Environmental Assessment of Geological and Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Resources on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf.
SUMMARY: The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of geological and geophysical (G&G) activities in the Gulf of Mexico. The activities analyzed in the EA include seismic surveys, deep-tow side-scan surveys, electromagnetic surveys, geological and geochemical sampling, and remote-sensing surveys. The impact-producing factors considered in the EA include seismic survey noise, vessel and aircraft noise, seafloor disturbance, and space-use conflicts with seismic arrays.  The EA is on the MMS Web site here.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License; Amendment for Philadelphia Health & Education Corporation's Facility at the Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute in Philadelphia, PA.

AP reports:

"A judge denied efforts Wednesday to at least temporarily halt a timber sale in the Gallatin National Forest brought by a coalition of conservation groups that claims the sale will harm wildlife habitat near Yellowstone National Park. U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull found that the three groups are unlikely to prevail in their arguments which include the contention that the U.S. Forest Service contract with R-Y Timber violates the National Environmental Policy Act. The Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Bear Creek Council and Native Ecosystems Council also argued that the Darroch-Eagle Project requires an environmental impact statement and that the Forest Service used improper data in an environmental assessment.

'We're consulting with our attorney about the possibility of appealing to 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals,' said Michael Garrity, executive director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies.

The groups filed for the injunction July 23, saying logging activity could begin as early as this week. Lorette Ray, a spokeswoman with the Gallatin National Forest, said plans call for the harvest of 2.9 million board feet on about 195 acres."

 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (Department of the Army) published Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Transformation of the 172nd Infantry Brigade, U.S. Army Alaska.
SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the ROD for the transformation of the 172nd Infantry Brigade, USARAK. The ROD documents and explains the Army's decision to proceed with full transformation of USARAK forces at Fort Wainwright, Fort Richardson, and outlying training areas (e.g., Gerstle River Training Area and Black Rapids Training Site). This decision was based on the analysis described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement, supporting studies, and comments provided during formal comment and review periods.  The ROD is available online here.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (Coast Guard) and DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Maritime Administration) published Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Main Pass Energy Hub LLC Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port License Application for the proposed Main Pass Energy Hub deepwater port, to be located approximately 16 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana with its associated onshore and offshore components.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION published Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the transfer and disposal of approximately nine obsolete vessels from the James River Reserve Fleet to the Able UK facility located in Teeside, United Kingdom.  The Final EA is available on the MARAD Web site, here.

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION published Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Outrigger Telescopes Project at the W.M. Keck Observatory within the Mauna Kea Science Reserve on the summit of Mauna Kea, Island of Hawai'i. The Draft EIS is available here.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) published Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact Statement Addressing Essential Fish Habitat Requirements of the Fishery Management Plans of the Gulf of Mexico.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (National Park Service) published Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for Saratoga National Historical Park General Management Plan.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (National Park Service) published Notice of Termination of Environmental Impact Statement for the Exit Glacier Area Plan.
SUMMARY: The NPS is terminating the Environmental Impact Statement for the Exit Glacier Area Plan because it has determined an Environmental Assessment will suffice.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (National Park Service) published Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision on the Abbreviated Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan Amendment, Green Spring Unit, Colonial National Historical Park.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION published Notice of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company’s South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, located in Matagorda County, Texas.

A three-judge panel of the Court issued its opinion in Village of Bensenville v. FAA.  Circuit Judge Henderson, writing for the Court, opened with the following quote from Mark Twain:

[T]hat astonishing Chicago—a city where they are always rubbing the lamp, and fetching up the genii, and contriving and achieving new impossibilities. It is hopeless for the occasional visitor to try to keep up with Chicago—she outgrows his prophecies faster than he can make them.

The Court held that FAA did not find, as required by statute, that Chicago’s passenger facility fee will generate only that revenue necessary to fund the EIS for the O'Hare International Airport modernization program.  The Court granted the municipalities’ petition and remanded for the FAA’s further consideration.

The Washington Times has a report.

UPDATE: The Chicago Tribune has a report (registration required).

 
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment for Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. continued operation of the Buffalo River Hydroelectric Project, located on the Buffalo River near its confluence with the Henry's Fork River in Fremont County, Idaho. 

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment for King's College's Facility in Wilkes-Barre, PA. 

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION published Notice of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment for University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX.

US Newswire has a report:

"The U.S. Department of Energy broke ground today for the construction of a depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) conversion facility at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah, Ky. The groundbreaking signaled the start of a major environmental cleanup project that will bring hundreds of new jobs to Kentucky. Kyle McSlarrow, Deputy Secretary of Energy; Sen. Mitch McConnell; Sen. Jim Bunnings; and U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield attended the groundbreaking ceremony, joined by state officials, representatives of community organizations and individuals from the Paducah area.

'This major cleanup initiative in Paducah, Ky., is expected to create from one to two hundred construction jobs plus 150 long- term positions during the 25-year operation lifetime of this facility,' said Kyle McSlarrow, Deputy Secretary of Energy, who attended the ceremony for the Department. 'With this groundbreaking the Energy Department is beginning a major environmental cleanup that will benefit Kentucky and its citizens.'

The new facility will convert depeleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) to a more stable chemical form for beneficial use or disposal. About 36,000 cylinders of DUF6, a by-product of the uranium enrichment processing conducted for defense and commercial uses, have been maintained at the Paducah plant. Concern over potential health risks of continued long-term storage prompted the DOE to focus on the converting the material to a safer form.

The facilities will use a proprietary technology of Uranium Disposition Services LLC (UDS), the contractor chosen to design, construct and operate the facility for the first five years of operations. UDS will also construct and operate a similar facility at the Portsmouth, Ohio gaseous diffusion plant. That plant will convert about 21,000 cylinders, most of which are stored at Portsmouth. The other 5,000 DUF6 cylinders are being transported from the East Tennessee Technology Park in Oak Ridge, Tenn."

 
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY published a Record of Decision for Construction and Operation of a Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Facility at the Paducah, KY, Site.  The FEIS and ROD are available here and here. 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY published a Record of Decision for Construction and Operation of a Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Facility at the Portsmouth, OH, Site.  The FEIS and ROD are available here and here.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation’s Proposed Columbia Pavonia Storage Wells 8901 and 12446 Project and the Pavonia Storage Wells 3731 and 12447 Project, in Ashland County, Ohio, and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (National Park Service) published Notice of Intent to prepare a Revised Draft Backcountry Management Plan, General Management Plan Amendment and Environmental Impact Statement for Denali National Park and Preserve. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (National Park Service) published Notice of Intent To Prepare Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Merced Wild and Scenic River Revised Comprehensive Management Plan, Yosemite National Park, Mariposa and Madera Counties, CA.

The Billings Gazette has an AP report:

"A coalition of conservation groups has filed suit seeking to halt a timber sale in the Gallatin National Forest, contending it would harm key wildlife habitat near Yellowstone National Park.

The three groups want a federal judge to stop the Darroch-Eagle timber sale until U.S. Forest Service officials more fully study its potential environmental effects.

The suit filed Friday in U.S. District Court contends that the sale was under contract when the agency conducted a revised environmental assessment and that the Forest Service 'failed to take the hard look required.'

The Bear Creek Council, Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Native Ecosystems Council also are seeking a temporary restraining order.

Hank Rate of the Bear Creek Council said logging activity is set to begin as early as Monday.

Listed as defendants are the Forest Service and two officials: Rebecca Heath, supervisor at the Gallatin National Forest, and Abigail Kimbell, regional forester for the Northern Region.

Lorette Ray, a spokeswoman with the Gallatin National Forest, said she had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment on the groups' claims.

Legal challenges in the sale go back to 1999, when conservationists sued over the Forest Service's environmental study of the Darroch-Eagle project. A District Court found for the defendants and the Bear Creek Council and Native Ecosystems Council went to federal appeals court.

In summer 2001 the sale was advertised and awarded.

But a 2002 order by the appeals court found issues the Forest Service needed to address and put the sale on hold until they were, helping bring about a revised environmental study, the lawsuit says.

That assessment was released for public comment earlier this year without the timber sale contract having been canceled, the lawsuit says. In April, forest officials announced plans to continue with a sale. "

According to Alaskan prosecutors.  Maritime Global Net has a report:

"ALASKAN prosecutors have filed charges against environmental campaign group Greenpeace, the master of one of its vessels and the local ship’s agent alleging violations of two of the US state’s environmental laws. The master and agent could be fined up to US$10,000 each while Greenpeace potentially faces a US$200,000 fine.

It is alleged that Greenpeace was criminally negligent for operating in state waters without an oil discharge prevention and contingency plan and for failing to file proof of financial responsibility for oil discharge damages.

According to an Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) statement learnt on July 14 that the Greenpeace vessel, Arctic Sunrise, had entered Alaska waters without the required oil spill prevention plan and proof of financial responsibility.

The statement continues: 'According to the information, Greenpeace’s ship agent Mr Beekman agreed the vessel would remain on anchor in Ketchikan pending compliance with state law; however, on the morning of July 14th the vessel left port while still in violation.'

Greenpeace has claimed that the lack of certificates was due to a clerical error.

However DEC Commissioner Ernesta Ballard said: 'There is no such thing as a paperwork violation.  Compliance is not a mere technicality. We require evidence of spill response capability because we know that any ship can hit a rock at any time. The vessel relocated from a safe anchorage to navigate remote, high risk, narrow Southeast waters in traditional subsistence use and environmentally sensitive areas during peak salmon runs; without care or consideration for the catastrophic impacts that would occur from failure to have the necessary resources to initiate a response.'”

Compliance is not a mere technicality!

Cumulative Impacts has more.

 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment for Field Test of Genetically Engineered Organisms and Extension of Comment Period.  The environmental assessment is available on the Internet here. 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment for Field Test of Genetically Engineered Organisms and Extension of Comment Period.  The environmental assessment is available on the Internet here.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Northwest Pipeline Corporation’s (a Williams Gas Pipeline company) Proposed Capacity Replacement Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Federal Highway Administration) published Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a proposed highway project in Los Angeles County, California.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Land Management) published Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the South Powder River Basin Coal Final Environmental Impact Statement, NARO North LBA Tract, Wyoming.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the South Powder River Basin Coal FEIS; NARO North LBA Tract.  The document will be available electronically here.

The Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project, a project of the League of Wilderness Defenders, and Cascadia Wildlands Project filed suit in federal district court [Tuesday] challenging the Deep Timber Sale.

BMBP press release is here.  BMBP's extraordinarily well-crafted petition is here.

 
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY published Notice of Availability of EPA Comments on the following Draft and Final EISs:

Draft EISs
    ERP No. D-BLM-J65413-MT Rating EC2, Dillon Resource Management Plan, Provide Direction for Managing Public Lands within the Dillon Field Office, Implementation, Beaverhead and Madison Counties, MT.
Final EISs
    ERP No. F-AFS-J65016-UT, Bear Hodges II Timber Sale Management Plan, Selective Timber Harvest of Spruce Stands With or Without Road Construction, Implementation, Wasatch National Forest (WCNF), Logan Ranger District, Cache and Rich Counties, UT.
    ERP No. F-AFS-J65406-MT, West Troy Project, Proposes Timber Harvesting, Natural Fuels Reduction Treatments, Pre-Commercial Thinning, and Watershed Rehabilitation (Decommissioning) Work, Kootenai National Forest, Three River Ranger District, Lincoln County, MT.
    ERP No. F-AFS-L65447-00, East Bridge Cattle Allotment Management Plan Revision (AMP), Authorization of Continued Grazing, Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Soda Springs Ranger District, Caribou and Bonneville Counties, ID and Lincoln County, WY.
    ERP No. F-NPS-J65384-MT, Glacier National Park Commercial Services Plan, General Management Plan, Implementation, Glacier National Park, a Portion of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Flathead and Glacier Counties, MT.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY published Notice of Receipt of Environmental Impact Statements Filed July 12, 2004 Through July 16, 2004.
EIS No. 040328, Final EIS, COE, LA, Bayou Sorrel Lock Replacement (formerly IWW Locks) Feasibility Study to Relieve Navigation Delays and/or Provide Adequate Flood Protection, Atchafalaya Basin Floodway, Iberville Parish, LA, Wait Period Ends: August 23, 2004, Contact: Richard E. Boe (504) 862-1505.
EIS No. 040329, Draft EIS, AFS, OR, Tamarack Quarry Expansion Project, Secure a Long-Term, Economical Source of Rock Material to Use for Highway and Road Maintenance, Mt. Hood National Forest, Clackamas County, OR, Comment Period Ends: September 7, 2004, Contact: Mike Redmond (503) 668-1776. This document is available on the Internet here.
EIS No. 040330, Final EIS, AFS, CA, Larson Reforestation and Fuel Reduction Project, Implementation, Stanislaus National Forest, Groveland Ranger District, Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties, CA, Wait Period Ends: August 23, 2004, Contact: John R. Swanson Ext 550 (209) 962-7825.
EIS No. 040331, Final EIS, FHW, MD, MD-210 (Indian Head Highway) Multi-Modal Study, MD-210 Improvements between I-95/I-495 (Capitol Beltway) and MD-228 Funding and U.S. COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, Prince George's County, MD, Wait Period Ends: August 23, 2004, Contact: Mary Huie (703) 329-3712.
EIS No. 040332, Final EIS, FHW, IL, Macomb Area Study, Construction from U.S. Route 67 (FAP-310) and Illinois Route 336 (FAP-315), City of Macomb, McDonough County, IL, Wait Period Ends: August 23, 2004, Contact: Norman R. Stoner (217) 492-4640.
EIS No. 040333, Final EIS, NAS, FL, International Space Research Park (ISRP) to Bring New Research and Development Uses to the John F. Kennedy Center, Brevard County, FL, Wait Period Ends: August 23, 2004, Contact: Mario Busacca (321) 867-8456.
EIS No. 040334, Draft EIS, SFW, WA, ID, OR, CA, Caspian Tern (sterna caspia) Management to Reduce Predation of Juvenile Salmonids in the Columbia River Esturary, To Comply with the 2002 Settlement Agreement, Endangered Species Act (ESA), Columbia River, WA, OR, ID and CA, Comment Period Ends: September 22, 2004, Contact: Nanette Seto (503) 231-6164. This document is available on the Internet here.
EIS No. 040335, Final EIS, COE, AZ, EL Rio Antiguo Feasibility Study, Ecosystem Restoration along the Rillito River, Pima County, AZ, Wait Period Ends: August 23, 2004, Contact: John Moeur (213) 452-4219.
EIS No. 040336, Draft EIS, AFS, MT, Frenchtown Face Ecosystem Restoration Project, Maintain or Improve Forest Health and Reduce the Risk of Damage Insects and Disease, Lolo National Forest, Ninemile Ranger District, Missoula County, MT, Comment Period Ends: September 7, 2004, Contact: Brian Riggers (406) 329-3793. This document is available on the Internet here.
EIS No. 040337, Final EIS, AFS, UT, State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) Access Route on East Mountain, National Forest System Lands Administered by Mantila Sal National Forest, Ferron/Price Ranger District, Emery Counties, UT, Wait Period Ends: August 23, 2004, Contact: Leland Matheson (435) 637-2817.
EIS No. 040338, Draft EIS, BLM, UT, Price Field Office Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Proposed Areas of Critical Environmental Concerns Suitable Wild and Scenic River Segments and Special Recreation Management Area, Carbon and Emery Counties, UT, Comment Period Ends: October 15, 2004, Contact: Floyd Johnson (435) 636-3600. This document is available on the Internet here.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Federal Aviation Administration) published Notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision on a Final Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Federal Action at Covington Municipal Airport, Covington, GA.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Fish and Wildlife Service) published Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Caspian Tern Management To Reduce Predation of Juvenile Salmonids in the Columbia River Estuary.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) Management to Reduce Predation of Juvenile Salmonids in the Columbia River Estuary is available for review and comment. This Draft EIS was prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) and evaluates the environmental impacts of the proposed action of redistributing the Caspian tern colony on East Sand Island, Columbia River estuary, and reasonable alternatives. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) are cooperating agencies in the preparation of this Draft EIS.  The Draft EIS will be available for viewing and downloading online here.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Fish and Wildlife Service) published Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit for the Ranch View Terrace Project, University of California, Santa Cruz County, CA.
SUMMARY: Regents of the University of California at Santa Cruz have applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for an incidental take permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The Service is considering issuing a 60-year permit to the applicant that would authorize take for the federally listed Ohlone tiger beetle (Cicendela ohlone) and the California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii) incidental to otherwise lawful activities associated with the proposed Ranch View Terrace faculty housing development and Emergency Response Center. The proposed take would occur within the southwestern portion of the UCSC campus through the construction and occupation/operation of the proposed Ranch View Terrace faculty housing development, a portion of the proposed Emergency Response Center, and implementation of the habitat conservation plan (HCP).  The draft documents are available online here.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Fish and Wildlife Service) published Notice of Availability of Restoration Compensation Determination Plan/Environmental Assessment for the Grand Calumet River, Indiana Harbor Ship Canal, Indiana Harbor and Associated Lake Michigan Environments.  The RCDP/EA is available here.
 

 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (Office of the Secretary) published a Finding of No Significant Impact for the Mobile Launch Platform.
SUMMARY: The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of activities associated with using the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) as a platform for testing sensors, launching target missiles, and launching interceptor missiles and the EA is hereby incorporated by reference. The MLP is the former USS Tripoli (LPH 10), a converted U.S. Navy Iwo Jima class Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter). The EA considers the impacts of specific tests that propose to use the MLP. After reviewing and analyzing currently available data and information on existing conditions, project impacts, and measures to mitigate those impacts, the MDA has determined that the proposed action is a Federal action that would not significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended. Therefore the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required and MDA is issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The MDA made this determination in accordance with all applicable environmental laws. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Fish and Wildlife Service) published Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for an Amendment to the Incidental Take Permit for the San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan, San Mateo County, CA.

 
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for El Paso Pipeline Group, Western Pipelines’s Piceance Basin Expansion Project in northwestern Colorado and south-central Wyoming, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Route Inspection.

The LA Times has a report (registration required):
 
"Two environmental groups announced Monday that they intended to sue the Department of Energy for allegedly violating federal law in its cleanup of nuclear and chemical contamination at Boeing's Rocketdyne field laboratory near Chatsworth.
 
The Natural Resources Defense Council and the Committee to Bridge the Gap say the Energy Department's cleanup plan for the site — where U.S. agencies conducted nuclear research over four decades — would leave dangerous levels of radioactive material and other toxic chemicals in the soil at the field lab.
 

 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Indian Affairs) published Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians' Trust Acquisition and Casino Project, Contra Costa County, CA. 
 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Minerals Management Service) published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Nuevo Energy Company's Submarine Power Cable Repair Project, Outer Continental Shelf, Pacific Region.
 

 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Fish and Wildlife Service) published Notice of Intent To Prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Associated Environmental Assessment for Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Cameron and Willacy Counties, TX.
 
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (National Marine Fisheries Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) published Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement; request for written comments; preliminary notice of scoping meetings.
SUMMARY:  NMFS and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) intend to prepare an EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 to analyze a range of alternatives for the annual allocation of the Pacific sardine harvest guideline.
 

The Southern Oregon Mail Tribune has a report:
 
"Nearly 42 million board feet of fire-killed timber will be offered for sale Friday, the first for the Biscuit fire salvage project in the Siskiyou National Forest.

Despite lawsuits by both those hoping to stop the salvage and those wanting to speed it up, there was no indication Tuesday that litigation would halt the planned oral auction, said John Fertig, timber program manager for the Siskiyou and Rogue River national forests.

The first of the five sales will be auctioned off at 10 a.m. in the Rogue River forest headquarters in Medford.

The second one will be offered at 11 a.m., followed by the third at 1 p.m. and the final two at 2 p.m.
 
* * * 
 
Each sale will begin with sealed buds followed by an oral auction. Participants must first submit sealed bids to qualify, then bid for the sale, Fertig explained.

The largest unit to be offered is the Fiddler sale, which includes some 14.5 million board feet. Located in the Illinois Valley Ranger District, it covers 697 acres. It was appraised at $1,060,790.

Appraised at $546,857, the Berry sale in the Gold Beach district includes 12.8 million board feet on 339 acres.

The Flattop sale in the Galice Ranger District includes about 7 million board feet. Appraised at $563,415, it will be harvested on 596 acres.

Offering some 6.3 million board feet of timber, the Indi sale in the Gold Beach district covers 153 acres. It was appraised at $681,066.

The smallest unit to be offered Friday is the 1 million-board-foot Cedar sale on 127 acres in the Galice Ranger district. Its appraisal is $48,466.

Five more Biscuit fire salvage sales are expected to be sold in a few weeks, Fertig said.

The Forest Service's salvage plans call for harvesting 370 million board feet of fire-killed timber on about 19,400 acres. Much of the half-million-acre Biscuit fire, sparked by a lightning storm July 13, 2002, burned in the Siskiyou forest.

Late last week the American Forest Resource Council, a group representing land and mill owners, filed a federal lawsuit along with several timber firms and private property owners to speed up salvage logging on the public lands burned by the Biscuit fire.

Environmental groups countered with a lawsuit of their own on Monday, seeking to halt the salvage project. They also asked a judge to stop both the Fiddler and Berry sales from being auctioned Friday."

The Juneau Empire has a report:
 
"The U.S. Forest Service has agreed to trim its 1,477-acre Fusion timber sale on Prince of Wales Island as part of a legal settlement with environmental groups.

The agency also reduced the contract period for the Tongass National Forest timber sale from 10 to five years.

* * *

Tongass spokesman Dennis Neill said his agency agreed to the settlement because it allowed the timber contractor, Viking Lumber Co. of Klawock, to harvest enough timber to remain open and keep revenue coming into the small community.

'We were still able to provide 32 million board feet,' Neill said.

The previous Fusion sale volume was 39 million board feet. The area of the sale was reduced by about 300 acres, all of which was in one of the island's few remaining roadless areas, McDonnell said.

The parties have signed the settlement but it remains up to the federal district court branch in Juneau to approve it, she added.

The Alaska Forest Association had intervened in the case on behalf of the Forest Service and dismissed the settlement's significance on Wednesday.

AFA Executive Director Owen Graham said he thought the lawsuit was 'frivolous' and the roadless area trimmed from the sale was small.

He said the Tongass has 60 million board feet of timber contracted for sale and a remaining 240 million board feet is 'tied up in environmental lawsuits.'

'I believe this (case) was a delaying tactic,' he said."

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers) published Notice of Intent To Prepare One Environmental Impact Statement for the Combined Phase I and Phase II Elements of the Arkansas River Navigation Study, AR and OK.
 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers) published Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Lower Rio Grande Basin, Texas, Flood Control and Major Drainage, Raymondville Drain Project.  
 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers) published Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) for the Atchafalaya Basin Floodway System Project, Buffalo Cove Management Unit, Located in Both St. Martin and Iberia Parishes, LA.
 
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY published Notice of Availability of EPA Comments on the following Draft and Final EISs:

Draft EISs
    ERP No. D-AFS-E65067-00 Rating LO, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Proposes to Revise TVA's 1994 Natural Resources Management Plan, to Develop an Land Management Resource Plan or Area Plan, Gold Pond, Trigg and Lyon Counties, KY and Stewart County, TN.
    ERP No. D-COE-E36183-FL Rating LO, Southern Golden Estates Ecosystem Restoration Project, Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, Implementation, Collier County, FL.
    ERP No. D-COE-H39012-MO Rating EC2, Howard Bend Floodplain Area Study, Improvements to Future Land, Future Road and Stormwater Management, U.S. Army COE Section 10 and 404 Permits, Missouri Flood Plain Developments, Cities of Maryland Heights and Chesterfield, St. Louis County, MO.
    ERP No. D-COE-K39084-AZ Rating EC2, Va Shly'ay Akimel Salt River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study, Increasing and Improving Native Vegetation, in Portions of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC) and the City of Mesa, Maricopa County, AZ.
    ERP No. D-FTA-K59003-CA Rating EC2, Capitol Expressway Corridor Project, Improve Public Transit Services, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, City of San Jose, Santa Clara County, CA.
    ERP No. D-NPS-E65068-00 Rating LO, Vicksburg Campaign Trail (VCT) Feasibility Study, To Examine and Evaluate a Number of Sites, Implementation, Mississippi River, AR, LA, TN and MS.
    ERP No. D-NPS-J61105-CO Rating EC2, Colorado National Monument General Management Plan, Implementation, Mesa County, CO.
 
Final EISs
    ERP No. F-AFS-L65421-WA, 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort Revised Master Development Plan, Implementation, Colville National Forest, Newport Ranger District, Stevens County, WA.
    ERP No. F-FRC-G02012-TX, Freeport Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project, To Deliver Imported Liquefied Natural Gas to Shippers, Authorization of Site, Construction and Operation, Stratton Ridge Meter Station 2007, City of Freeport, Brazoria County, TX.
    ERP No. F-IBR-K64024-CA, Lower Santa Ynez River Fish Management Plan and Cachuma Project, Biological Opinion for Southern Steelhead Trout and Endangered Southern Steelhead Habitat Conditions Improvements, Santa Barbara County, CA.
    ERP No. F-SFW-K39083-CA, South Bay Salt Ponds Initial Stewardship Plan, To Maintain and Enhance the Biological and Physical Conditions, South San Francisco Bay, CA.
    ERP No. F-SFW-K70013-CA, Multiple Habitat Conservation Program for Threatened and Endangered Species Due to the Urban Growth within the Planning Area, Adoption and Incidental Take Permits Issuance, San Diego County, CA.
    ERP No. FS-AFS-G65062-NM, Agua/Caballos Timber Sale, Timber Harvest and Existing Vegetation Management, Implementation, Carson National Forest, EL Rito Ranger District, Taos County, NM.
 
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY published Notice of Receipt of the following Environmental Impact Statements Filed July 5, 2004 Through July 9, 2004:
 
EIS No. 040316, DRAFT EIS, AFS, NM, Invasive Plant Control Project, To Protect the Abundance and Biological Diversity of Desired Native Plant,Carson National Forest and Santa Fe National Forest, Rio Arriba, Colfax, Los Alamos, Mora and San Miguel Counties, NM, Due: August 30, 2004, Contact: Sanford Hurlocker (505) 753-7331.
EIS No. 040317, FINAL EIS, FHW, MD, MD-97, Brookeville Project Improvements and Preservation, South of Gold Mine Road to North of Holliday Drive, Funding and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 10 and 404 Permits Issuance, Montgomery County, MD, Due: August 16, 2004, Contact: Denise W. King (410) 779-7145.
EIS No. 040318, FINAL EIS, AFS, MT, Lower Big Creek Project, To Implement Timber Harvest and Prescribed Burning, Kootenai National Forest Plan, Rexford Ranger District, Lincoln County, MT, Due: August 16, 2004, Contact: Ron Komac (406) 296-2536.
EIS No. 040319, FINAL EIS, FHW, UT, I-15, 31st Street in Ogden to 2700 North in Farr West, Reconstruction, Widening and Interchange Improvements, Funding and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit, Weber County, UT, Due: August 16, 2004, Contact: Sandra Garcia (801) 963-0182. EIS No. 040320, DRAFT EIS, NOA, ME, MA, RI, NH, CT, Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan, Minimizing Impacts on Essential Fish Habitat of Any Species, Gulf of Maine--Georges Bank, ME, NH, MA, CT and RI, Due: October 13, 2004, Contact: Peter D. Colosi (978) 281-3332. This document is available on the Internet here.
EIS No. 040321, DRAFT EIS, AFS, MT, Gallatin National Forest Noxious and Invasive Weed Control Project, To Prevent and Reduce Loss of Native Plant, Bozeman, Carbon, Madison, Gallatin, Meagher, Park, and Sweet Grass Counties, MT, Due: August 30, 2004, Contact: Susan LaMont (406) 832-6976.  This document is available on the Internet here.
EIS No. 040322, DRAFT EIS, BLM, CA, Clear Creek Resource Management Area Plan Amendment, Hollister Resource Management Plan, Implementing the Decision Made in the 1999 CCMA ROD, San Benito and Fresno Counties, CA, Due: October 15, 2004, Contact: Robert Beehler (831) 630-5000. This document is available on the Internet here.
EIS No. 040323, DRAFT EIS, COE, CA, Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study, Restoring Anadromous Fish Populations, Matilija Creek, Ventura River, Ventura County Watershed Protection District, Ventura County, CA, Due: August 30, 2004, Contact: Chris Serjak (213) 452-3865.
EIS No. 040324, DRAFT EIS, BIA, WY, Wind River Natural Gas Field Development Project, Construction, Drilling and Production Operation of Natural Gas Wells, Fremont County, WY, Due: August 30, 2004, Contact: Ray A. Nation (307) 332-3718.
EIS No. 040325, FINAL EIS, BLM, WY, Jack Morrow Hills Coordinated Activity Plan, Implementation, Rock Springs, Portion of Sweetwater, Fremont and Subelette Counties, WY, Due: August 16, 2004, Contact: Renee Dana (307) 352-0256.  This document is available on the Internet here.
EIS No. 040326, FINAL EIS, BLM, NV, Tracy to Silver Lake Transmission Line Project, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of a 120kV Transmission Line from Tracy Power Plant to New Substations in the Spanish Spring Valley and Stead Areas, Right-of-Way Application, Washoe County, NV, Due: August 16, 2004, Contact: Terri Knutson (775) 885-6156.  This document is available on the Internet here.
EIS No. 040327, FINAL EIS, AFS, UT, Trout Slope West Timber Project, Harvesting Timber, Ashley National Forest, Vernal Ranger District, Uintah County, UT, Due: August 16, 2004, Contact: Jeff Underhill (435) 781-5174.
 
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Availability of Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment and Notice of Application Tendered for Filing With the Commission, Establishing Procedural Schedule for Relicensing and a Deadline for Submission of Final Amendments; Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County (Chelan PUD)’s Rocky Reach Hydroelectric Project, located on the Columbia River, near the town of Entiat, in Chelan County, Washington. 
 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Forest Service) published Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Bridger-Teton National Forest--Big Piney and Jackson Ranger Districts, WY; Lower Valley Energy Natural Gas Pipeline.  
 
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (Environmental Planning Program) published Notice of Reopening of Comment Period for Draft Environmental Directive.  
 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Land Management) published Notice of Availability for the Draft Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Price Field Office Planning Area in Carbon and Emery Counties, UT.  The Draft RMP/EIS may be viewed and downloaded in PDF format at the project Web site, here. 
 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Land Management) published Notice of Availability for the Tracy To Silver Lake Transmission Line Project Final Environmental Impact Statement and Initiation of a 30-day Public Comment Period, Carson City Field Office, NV.  The FEIS is available electronically via the Carson City Field Office Home Page, here. 
 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Land Management) published Notice of Availability of the Rogue National Wild and Scenic River: Hellgate Recreation Area Management Plan and Record of Decision.  Copies of the RAMP and ROD are available on the District's Web site, here.

The Salem Statesman-Journal has an AP report:

"The plan for logging trees killed by the 2002 Biscuit fire was hit with another lawsuit on Wednesday, this one claiming the U.S. Forest is illegally 'outsourcing' responsibility for marking the trees to be cut to the timber buyer.

Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, based in Eugene, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Medford against the U.S. Forest Service, alleging that two of the five timber sales to be auctioned on Friday have not been properly marked by the Forest Service.

Language in the contracts for the five timber sales call for the timber purchaser to select the standing dead trees and downed logs to be left behind for wildlife and ecological needs according to Forest Service guidelines. The Forest Service would have to approve those selections.

* * *

The lawsuit filed by [the] group cites a portion of the National Forest Management Act of 1976, which declares that designation, marking and supervision of harvesting trees shall be done by employees of the Secretary of Agriculture."

A three-judge panel of the Court issued its opinion in Cold Mountain v. Garber, the "bison hazing" case. The Court affirmed the District Court's summary judgment for the state and federal defendants. Appellants' NEPA claims are addressed in Section C of the opinion.

Cold Mountain argued that, because of the project’s “controversial” nature and potentially detrimental environmental impacts, the Forest Service violated NEPA by failing to prepare an EIS before issuing the Permit and FONSI for the bison capture facility. It further contended that new information regarding violations of the hazing restrictions outlined in the Permit and the failure of the Ridge nest require the Forest Service to prepare a supplemental NEPA analysis.

The federal defendants respond that mere opposition is insufficient to show that the bison capture project was so controversial as to require an EIS, and that the initial EA and FONSI adequately analyzed the environmental impact of the proposed capture facility. They also argue that supplemental NEPA analysis is not required here because there has been no demonstration of a significant environmental impact warranting agency reexamination. No new information or substantially changed circumstances have been established, the federal defendants continue, and Cold Mountain has particularly failed—both before the issuance of the Permit and after —to introduce scientific evidence compelling supplemental analysis. Finally, they point out that any “major Federal action” was completed upon issuance of the Permit and the FONSI, thereby eliminating the Forest Service’s obligation under NEPA to prepare supplemental analyses.

The Court was satisfied that the Forest Service took the hard look required by NEPA before issuing the Permit and FONSI and concluded that the Forest Service provided the “requisite convincing statement of reasons” explaining why an EIS was unnecessary. The Court further concluded that there was no ongoing “major Federal action” requiring supplementation.

The Billings Gazette has an AP report:

"A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld a judge's decision to dismiss a lawsuit environmental groups filed to stop the hazing of bison wandering from Yellowstone National Park.

A three-member panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that U.S. District Judge Charles Lovell properly dismissed the suit in April 2003 because the groups had not proven their case against the federal agencies involved in the management of bison.

The groups had argued that efforts to haze or capture bison that leave the park were adversely affecting nearby nesting bald eagles, and that officials had not properly studied the effects on the protected birds.

They also claimed federal agencies, particularly the U.S. Forest Service, had violated guidelines for the hazing operation.

The appeals court ruled against the groups on all counts.

Bison that wander from Yellowstone into Montana are subject to capture and sometimes slaughter under a joint state-federal management plan. Many of the park's bison are believed to be infected with brucellosis, a disease that can cause cattle to abort.

Officials use different methods, including snowmobiles and helicopters, to try to coax animals back into the park. If they cannot be returned, the animals are captured and, if they test positive for brucellosis, are slaughtered.

The Buffalo Field Campaign, the Ecology Center and Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers, sued federal agencies including the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, arguing that the use of helicopters in particular had disrupted the nesting and breeding habits of three pairs of bald eagles."

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Office of Fossil Energy) published Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement; Sharyland Utilities, L.P.
SUMMARY: Sharyland Utilities, L.P. has applied for a Presidential permit to construct, operate, maintain, and connect an electric transmission line across the U.S. border with Mexico. The proposed action has the potential to impact on a floodplain/wetlands. In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain/wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR Part 1022), a floodplain or wetlands assessment will be performed for the proposed action in a manner so as to avoid or minimize potential harm to or within potentially affected floodplain and wetlands.
Before making a final decision on granting or denying a Presidential permit, DOE will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to address the environmental impacts that would accrue from the proposed project and reasonable alternatives. The EA will be prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Because the proposed action has the potential to impact on a floodplain/wetlands, the EA will include a floodplain and wetlands assessment. A floodplain statement of findings will be included in any Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) that may be issued following completion of the EA.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Federal Aviation Administration) published Supplemental Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport, Sitka, AK.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Fish and Wildlife Service) published Notice of Intent to Conduct Environmental Review of Proposed Incidental Take Permit and Habitat Conservation Plan for the Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative, Hawai'i.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is advising the public that we intend to gather information necessary to prepare, in coordination with the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), a joint Federal/State environmental document (Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement) for a proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) that is being prepared by the Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC). The proposed HCP is being prepared under section 10(a) of the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and section 195D-21 of the Hawai'i Revised Statutes (HRS). The KIUC intends to apply for an incidental take permit under the ESA and a State section 195D-21 incidental take license to authorize take of the federally endangered Hawaiian petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), the federally threatened Newell's shearwater (Puffinus auricularis newelli), and the band-rumped storm-petrel (Oceanodroma castro), a federal candidate that may become listed under the ESA during the term of the permit.

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION published Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the International Space Research Park at the John F. Kennedy Space Center. The FEIS can be accessed electronically here.

A three-judge panel of the Court issued its opinion in Westlands Water District v. Department of Interior, involving a challenge to a congressional plan to increase flows into the Trinity River to restore fish habitat.

The Court summarized its holding as follows:

We reverse the district court’s holding that the EIS failed to consider a reasonable range of alternatives, and that a supplemental EIS was required to discuss the NMFS’s BioOp requiring mitigation of impacts to Sacramento River temperatures and the effect of the California energy crisis. Because the FWS BioOp RPM involving the mitigation of X2 movement is a major change, and therefore invalid under ESA’s regulations, we affirm the district court’s setting aside of this RPM. Accordingly, we do not reach the issue of NEPA compliance on this RPM and vacate the district court’s order to the extent that it may require inclusion of X2 movement in an SEIS. We affirm the district court’s holding that set aside the NMFS RPM mandating immediate implementation of a flow regime.

The number and length of the studies on the Trinity River, including the EIS, are staggering, and bear evidence of the years of thorough scrutiny given by the federal agencies to the question of how best to rehabilitate the Trinity River fishery without unduly compromising the interests of others who have claim on Trinity River water. We acknowledge, as the district court highlighted, concerns that the federal agencies actively subverted the NEPA process, but our review of the EIS shows that the public had adequate opportunity to demand full discussion of issues of concern.

Twenty years have passed since Congress passed the first major Act calling for restoration of the Trinity River and rehabilitation of its fish populations, and almost another decade has elapsed since Congress set a minimum flow level for the River to force rehabilitative action. Flow increases to the River have been under study by the Department of the Interior since 1981. “[R]estoration of the Trinity River fishery, and the ESA-listed species that inhabit it . . . are unlawfully long overdue.”

As we have disposed of all of the issues ordered to be considered in the SEIS, nothing remains to prevent the full implementation of the ROD, including its complete flow plan for the Trinity River. We remand to the district court for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.

Yahoo!News has an AP report:

"A federal appeals court Tuesday approved a congressional plan to increase flows into the Trinity River to restore fish habitat, reducing water to California farmers and hydroelectric plants.

Most of the water in the Trinity, which originates in northern California's Trinity Alps and flows west into the Klamath River, has been diverted for decades to serve a fast-growing population in a state where much of the water is located far from where people live and farm.

In 1984, Congress mandated the 112-mile-long river's restoration to combat dwindling supplies of salmon, steelhead and other aquatic life. In 2000, after years of study, the Interior Department approved a plan to increase Trinity water.

The plan was backed by Indian tribes who use the waters for sustenance fishing, while farming and hydroelectric power interests opposed it.

The Trinity is a major artery in a system of dams, tunnels, canals and reservoirs that supply 30 million people in the agricultural rich Central Valley. It churns turbines for nine power generating stations.

The plan approved Tuesday diverts as much as 9 percent of the system's capacity.

The utilities argued that the Interior Department's plan would decrease water that eventually reaches the parched Central Valley, and the government did not study what effect that would have on the millions of water users downstream. A spokesman for 600 California agricultural customers said farmers would likely get less water under the plan.

* * *

Westlands is considering asking the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (news - web sites) to reconsider its ruling, [Tupper Hull of the Westlands Water District] said.

The Yurok Tribe celebrated the decision. The state's poorest tribe, which fishes the river for a subsistence living, was hit hard in 2002 when thousands of salmon died because of low flows.

The tribe's attorney, Scott Williams, said in the 1800s, the 5,000-member tribe gave up thousands of acres of land in exchange for a promise that its fishing would be protected."

Yurok!

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment of International Paper Company’s application for a subsequent license for the De Pere Hydroelectric Project No. 4914, located at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (COE) De Pere Dam, on the Fox River, in the City of De Pere, Brown County, Wisconsin.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment for Suncook Leathers, Inc.’s application for surrender of exemption for the Pittsfield Project, located on the Suncook River in Merrimack County, New Hampshire.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for Colorado Interstate Gas Company’s Proposed Boehm Storage Field Abandonment and Conversion Project in Morton County, Kansas, and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Land Management) published Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Jack Morrow Hills Coordinated Activity Plan and Proposed Green River Resource Management Plan Amendment, Wyoming. The document will be available electronically here.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Land Management) published Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Eastern San Diego County, CA to evaluate the effects of land and resource management decisions in the Eastern San Diego County Planning Area.

NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION published Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and of a Scoping Meeting for the Lytton Rancheria San Pablo Casino Project, San Pablo, CA.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment for U.S. Department of the Army's Facility in Fort Detrick, Frederick County, MD. The EA and the documents related to this proposed action, including the application for the license amendment and supporting documentation, are available for inspection at NRC's Public Electronic Reading Room, here.

A three-judge panel of the Court issued its opinion in Citizens Against the Pellissippi Parkway Extension, Inc. v. Mineta.

FHWA issued a FONSI for a proposed 4.5 mile extension of a highway in Tennessee. Citizens Against brought suit in federal district court alleging that the agency’s finding violated NEPA, because the project was a "Class I" project under FHWA regulations, and the EA and FONSI failed to explain why an EIS was not needed. The district court issued a broad preliminary injunction that prevented state or federal agencies from “planning, financing, contracting, land acquisition, [or] construction” for the highway extension. In response, the FHWA withdrew the FONSI and sought a voluntary remand so that it could reconsider its decision. The district court denied the FHWA’s motion for a remand. FHWA appealed, arguing that it acted properly by withdrawing the FONSI, that the district court erred in refusing to modify the injunction to allow the agency to reconsider the FONSI, and that the agency is entitled to a voluntary remand to consider the regulation that it did not address in the preparation of the initial FONSI.

The Court held that the district court erred in denying the FHWA an opportunity to revisit its decision, reversed the judgment of the district court and remanded the case to the district court with instructions to vacate or modify the injunction so as to allow the FHWA to comply with NEPA.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Bureau of Indian Affairs) published Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians' Proposed 79 Acre Fee-to-Trust Transfer and Casino Project in Emmett Township, Calhoun County, MI.

Final Rule published in the Federal Register, July 6.

SUMMARY: The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has adopted amendments to the regulations setting forth how federal agencies take into account the effects of their undertakings on historic properties and afford the ACHP a reasonable opportunity to comment, pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Most of the amendments respond to court decisions which held that the ACHP could not require a Federal agency to change its determinations regarding whether its undertakings affected or adversely affected historic properties, and that Section 106 does not apply to undertakings that are merely subject to State or local regulation administered pursuant to a delegation or approval by a Federal agency. Other amendments clarify an issue regarding the time period for objections to ``No Adverse Effect'' findings and establish that the ACHP can propose an exemption to the Section 106 process on its own initiative, rather than needing a Federal agency to make such a proposal.

The Council's News Release is here.

A three-judge panel of the Court issued its opinion in National Committee for the New River, Inc. v. FERC, involving a challenge to a pipeline extension through southwest Virginia and North Carolina known as "the Patriot Project." The National Committee for the New River, Inc. and others (together "New River") contend that the Commission's environmental review of the Patriot Project was deficient in several respects: (1) the draft environmental statement was inadequate and incomplete in its disclosure and analysis of the environmental effect of the project; (2) neither the draft nor the final environmental impact statements adequately identified alternate routes for the pipeline; (3) the location of the underground taps should not have been considered in evaluating alternative routes for the pipeline, or if considered, their environmental impacts should have been considered; and (4) the draft environmental impact statement was deficient for failing to consider the impacts of two proposed generating plants.

The Court summarized its holding as follows:

We hold that the record demonstrates, consistent with the evolving nature of a major project, that the Commission's process for ventilating and analyzing potential environmental impacts of the Patriot Project involved the requisite 'hard look,'...that any deficiencies in the draft environmental impact statement as may have existed were cured by the final environmental impact statement. Accordingly, because the Commission's approval of East Tennessee's application and the conditional issuance of a certificate of public convenience and necessity to East Tennessee was not arbitrary and capricious or an abuse of discretion, we deny the petition.

The Court specifically determined that (A) FERC "was not arbitrary and capricious and did not abuse its discretion in determining that the DEIS had served its purpose and was not prematurely published, that the DEIS was not improperly segmented or sequenced, and that revision or supplementation of the DEIS was unnecessary;" (B) New River had waived its contention that neither the DEIS or FEIS adequately considered alternatives to the proposed route for the pipeline extension by failing to raise it before the Commission on rehearing, and offers no explanation for its reasons for not having done so; (C) it was not improper for FERC to permit the pipeline company to determine the location of taps, that the location of the pipeline extension was not determined by the location of the taps, and that FERC did not abuse its discretion by not evaluating the environmental impacts of the taps; and (D)FERC reasonably concluded that proposed power plants were "non-jurisdictional facilities for which it was not required to evaluate their environmental impact or viability."

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment for a municipal water withdrawal from the Georgia Power Company’s Sinclair Project, located on the Oconee River in Baldwin, Putnam, and Hancock Counties, Georgia.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment for the request to use South Carolina Public Service Authority’s Santee-Cooper Project lands and waters in the development of a Lake Marion Regional Water System Project located on the Santee and Cooper Rivers (Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie) in Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg, and Sumter Counties, South Carolina.

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE (Trade Policy Staff Committee) published Notice of Availability and Request for Public Comment on Interim Environmental Review of United States-Panama Free Trade Agreement.

A three-judge panel of the Court has issued its opinion in Nuclear Energy Institute, Inc. v. EPA, the consolidated Yucca Mountain cases.

The Court addresses the Petitioners' NEPA claims against Department of Energy in pages 95-99 of the 100-page opinion. The Court held that "Insofar as Nevada’s instant challenge to the FEIS is intended to reverse the decision to select the Yucca site, the challenge is moot." The Court went on to agree with DOE that "any challenge to the [Final Environmental Impact Statement], insofar as it may be adopted in support of a future NRC construction-authorization or licensing decision or used by DOE in support of a future transportation-alternative selection, is not yet ripe for review."

USAToday has a report. National Review Online has some reaction here.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY published Notice of Availability of EPA Comments on the following Draft and Final EISs:

Draft EISs
ERP No. D-AFS-L65455-ID Rating EC2, Clearwater National Forest, Proposes to Approve Plans-of-Operation for Small-Scale Suction Dredging in Lolo Creek and Moose Creek, Clearwater National Forest, North Fork Ranger District, Clearwater and Idaho Counties, ID.
ERP No. D-FTA-K53010-CA Rating EC2, Gold Line Phase II--Pasadena to Montclair--Foothill Extension, To Address Transportation Problems and Deficiencies, Cities of Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Durate, Irwindale, Azusa, Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona and Claremont in Los Angeles County and Cities of Montclair and Upland in San Bernardino County, CA.
ERP No. D-NPS-K61159-CA Rating LO, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Middle and South Forks of the Kings River and North Fork of the Kern River, General Management Plan, Tulare and Fresno Counties, CA.

Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-F65040-WI, Programmatic EIS--Cheguamegon-Nicolet National Forests Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Ashland, Bayfield, Florence, Forest, Langlade, Oconto, Oneida, Price, Sawyer, Taylor and Vilas Counties, CA.
ERP No. F-AFS-H65015-NB, Pine Ridge Geographic Area Rangeland Allotment Management Planning, To Permit Livestock Grazing on 34 Allotments, Nebraska National Forest, Pine Ridge Ranger District, Dawes and Sioux Counties, NB.
ERP No. F-AFS-J65394-MT, Basin Creek and Blacktail Hazardous Watershed Fuels Reduction Project, Implementation, Highland Mountains, Butte Ranger District, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Butte-Silver Bow County, MT.
ERP No. F-IBR-L39059-WA, Banks Lake Drawdown Project, Proposal to Lower the Water Surface Elevation from 1565 feet to 1560 feet in August of each year, Columbia River, Douglas and Grant Counties, WA.
ERP No. F-NPS-K65244-CA, Yosemite Fire Management Plan, Alternative for Carrying out the Fire Management Program, Implementation, Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Madera and Mono Counties, CA.
ERP No. FR-BLM-G70005-NM, Sierra and Otero Counties Resource Management Plan Amendment and Federal Fluid Minerals Leasing and Development, Additional Information to Improve the Public Understanding of the Proposed Plan, Implementation, Sierra and Otero Counties, NM.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY published Notice of Receipt of the following Environmental Impact Statements Filed June 28, 2004, Through July 2, 2004.

EIS No. 040302, Final Supplement, AFS, OR, Rimrock Ecosystem Restoration Projects, New Information on the Commercial and Non-commercial Thinning Treatments in the C3 Management Area, Umatilla National Forest, Heppner Ranger District, Grant, Morrow and Wheeler Counties, OR, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: David S. Herr (541) 278-3869.
EIS No. 040303, Final EIS, NPS, MT, Glacier National Park Commercial Services Plan, General Management Plan, Implementation, Glacier National Park, a Portion of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Flathead and Glacier Counties, MT, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Mary Riddle (406) 888-7898.
EIS No. 040304, Final EIS, FHW, NE, SD, U.S. 81 Highway, Yankton Bridge Replacement, Missouri River Crossing between the City of Yankton, Yankton County, South Dakota and Cedar County, Nebraska, Funding and Permit Issuance, SD and NE, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Edward Kosola (402) 437-5521.
EIS No. 040305, Final EIS, FRC, AK, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Falls Creek Hydroelectric Project (FERC. NO. 11659) and Land Exchange Project, Issuance of License and Land Exchange, Kahtaheena River (Falls Creek) near Gustavus in Southeastern, AK, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Robert Easton (202) 502-6045.
EIS No. 040306, Final EIS, IBW, TX, NM, Rio Grande Canalization Project (RGCP), Long-Term River Management Alternatives Practices, Implementation, from below Percha Dam in Sierra County, NM to American Dam in El Paso, TX, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Douglas Echlin (915) 832-4741.
EIS No. 040307, Final EIS, DOE, OR, COB Energy Facility, Proposes to Construct a 1,160-megawatt (MW) Natural Gas-Fired and Combined-Cycle Electric Generating Plant, Right-of-Way Permit cross Federal Land under the Jurisdiction of BLM, Klamath Basin, Klamath County, OR, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Thomas C. McKinney (503) 230-4749.
EIS No. 040308, Final EIS, AFS, AK, Threemile Timber Sale, Implementation, Petersburg Ranger District, Tongass National Forest, AK, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Jim Brainard (907) 772-3871.
EIS No. 040309, Final EIS, NRC, IL, Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3, Supplement 17, NUREG 1437, Renewal of a Nuclear Power Plant Operating License, Grundy County, IL, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: James Wilson (301) 415-1108.
EIS No. 040310, Final EIS, AFS, KY, Gray Mountain Coal Lease Land Use Analysis, Application for Leasing Tracts 3094Bb, 3049Be and 3049Az, Daniel Boone National Forest, Leslie County, KY, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Corey Miller (859) 745-3149.
EIS No. 040311, Final EIS, AFS, MT, Pipestone Timber Sale and Restoration Project, Timber Harvest, Prescribed Fire Burning, Watershed Restoration and Associated Activities, Kootenai National Forest, Libby Ranger District, Lincoln County, MT, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Leslie Ferguson (406) 283-7568.
EIS No. 040312, Final EIS, NRC, IL, Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station Units 1 and 2, Supplement 16 to NUREG-1437, License Renewal, IL, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Louis L. Wheeler (301) 415-1444.
EIS No. 040313, Draft EIS, COE, LA, Programmatic--EIS Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Ecosystem Restoration Study, Implementation, Tentatively Selected Plan, Mississippi River, LA, Comment Period Ends: August 23, 2004, Contact: William P. Klein (504) 862-2540.
EIS No. 040314, Final EIS, COE, PR, Port of The Americas Project, Development of a Deep-Draft Terminal at the Port of Ponce to Receive Post-Panamax Ships, COE Section 10 and 404 Permits, Municipalities of Guayanilla-Penuelas and Ponce, Puerto Rico, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Jose E. Rosario (787) 729-6905.
EIS No. 040315, Final EIS, AFS, ID, South Fork Wildfire Salvage Project, Harvesting Fire-Killed and Imminently Dead Trees, Cascade Ranger District, Boise National Forest, Valley County, ID, Wait Period Ends: August 9, 2004, Contact: Keith Dimmett (208) 382-7430.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (National Park Service) published Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, Big Bend National Park, Texas.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION published Notice of Availability of the Final Supplement 16 To Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the License Renewal of Exelon Generation Company, LLC’s Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rock Island County, Illinois, approximately 4 miles north of Cordova, Illinois.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION published Notice of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Florida Power and Light Company, et al.’s St. Lucie Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, located in St. Lucie County, Florida.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION published Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment for Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc.'s Facility in Malvern, PA.

KITV TheHawaiiChannel.com (via Yahoo!News) has a report:

"The U.S. Army announced Wednesday that it will establish a Stryker Brigade Combat Team in Hawaii. The move means the Army will be expanding at Schofield Barracks and at the Pohakuloa Training Center on the Big Island.

Nearly 300 of the Stryker Armored Vehicles will be arriving in Hawaii soon. "

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Abandonment of CenterPoint Energy--Mississippi River Transmission Corp.’s Main Line No. 1 Pipeline, running from Perryville, Louisiana, across the state of Arkansas to Poplar Bluffs, Missouri, and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment for Compass Pass Pipeline LLC’s Proposed Compass Pass Pipeline Project in Mobile County, Alabama, and Notice of Site Visit.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Seafarer U.S. Pipeline System, Inc.’s Proposed Seafarer U.S. Pipeline System Project in south Florida, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT published Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision and Lead Agency Findings Statement for the World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, NY. A copy of the ROD is also available on LMDC's Web site, here.

NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION published Notice of Adoption of Final Environmental and Historic Preservation Policies and Procedures. The Policies and Procedures can be found here.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION published Notice of Availability of the Final Supplement 17 to Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the License Renewal of Exelon Generation Company, LLC’s Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3, located in Goose Lake Township, Grundy County, Illinois, adjacent to the Illinois River at the confluence of the Des Plaines and Kankakee Rivers.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin has a "breaking" report:

"The 25th Infantry Division could clear its final hurdle tomorrow in bringing 300 Stryker combat vehicles to Hawaii and beefing up its 2nd Brigade by another 810 soldiers.
Lt. Gen. James Campbell, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, was expected to sign as early as tomorrow the record of decision on the final environmental impact statement on the transformation of the 25th Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade to a Stryker Brigade Combat Team. This would complete a three-year long study making the Tropic Lightning the fifth of six Stryker units in the $4 billion Army transformation program.

More than $693 million in military construction projects, ranging from roads to new buildings and facilities at Schofield Barracks, are planned. Of the $693 million, $439 million for the 28 projects have been committed.

The additional soldiers for the 2nd Brigade would begin arriving at Schofield shortly after the brigade returns from Iraq next spring, bringing the unit’s manning to 4,000.

The 300, 20-ton, eight-wheeled Stryker vehicles should be at Schofield by 2006.

The Army has said it will purchase 23,000 acres on the west side of the Big Island from Parker Ranch to support the Stryker unit on the Big Island. It also plans to build roads on the Big Island and along the Leeward area of Oahu to keep its military convoys off island roads.

The Army’s 27,000 acre Schofield Barracks in Wahiawa is expected to grow by another 1,402 acres with new facilities and three live fire ranges.

The first Stryker unit — the 3rd Brigade from Fort Lewis’ 2nd Infantry Division — was deployed to Iraq last fall. It will be replaced in October by another Fort Lewis Stryker unit: the 1st Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division.

Leeward Oahu activists, who want the Army to close the Makua Valley training range, say the Stryker EIS does not address the environmental and cultural significance of Makua Valley."

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment for Appalachian Power Company's application requesting approval to permit Resource Partners, L.L.C. (permittee) to install and operate fifteen stationary docks with a total of 62 covered boat slips and 30 floaters, the project boundary of the Smith Mountain Project at the Cottages of Contentment Island development located along the Blackwater River portion of Smith Mountain Lake.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) published Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment for the McKenzie Hydroelectric Project, located on the McKenzie River, Lane County, Oregon.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Forest Service) published Notice of Cancellation of a Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Manti-La Sal National Forest regarding Fortuna Company Gas Exploration Wells, Emery and Sanpete Counties, Ut