Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the potential for herbicide transport to surface and ground waters. EPA requested additional information on site-specific identification of weed species and weed coverage, application rates for herbicide treatments and herbicide transport and leaching potential. EPA recommended monitoring for herbicides in sensitive waters, a 300 foot buffer width for streams and flagging during aerial herbicide application. ERP No. D-DOE-L08057-OR Rating LO, Umatilla Generating Project, Construction and Operation, Gas-Fired Combined Cycle Electric Power Generation Plant, Nominal Generation Capacity of 550 megawatts (MW) Connection to the Regional Grid at McNary Substation, Umatilla County, AZ. Summary: EPA used a screening tool to conduct a limited review of the draft EIS and, based upon the screen, EPA does not foresee having any environmental objections to the project. Consequently, a detailed review of the draft EIS was not conducted. ERP No. D-FRC-K05057-CA Rating EC2, Big Creek No. 4 Hydroelectric Project, Issuing New License, (FERC Project No. 2017), San Joaquin River Basin, Sierra National Forest, Fresno, Madera and Tulare Counties, CA. Summary: EPA identified environmental concerns with the analysis, including segmenting the analysis of different projects and an insufficient range of alternatives. EPA recommended that the analysis of the Big Creek #4 Project be incorporated into the ongoing basin-wide analysis of the Big Creek System.