FACTS ON U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION FIVE 1 N. Wacker Dr. Chicago, Illinois 60606 312-353-5800 Federal Activities Coordination Branch This branch is organized to accommodate the activities of (l) Federal Activities - Coordination and assistance, (2) Section 10, Corps of Engineers Permit Program, and (3) coordination and review of Environmental Impact Statements. Staff assignments within the branch are varied from time to time as the work load of the several segments changes. Within Region V the support for Executive Order 1150? includes the pre- vention, control, and abatement of water pollution at about 2300 Federal installations. About 2,000 of these installations can be considered minor, while the remainder are major installations. The operational procedures include arranging for site visits to Federal installations and preparation of site visit reports. All of the site visits are coordinated with the respec- tive state agencies. The Branch arranges predesign conferences regarding the design of treatment facilities at Federal installations in conjunction with the particular installation, the design office of the consultant, and the instal- lations headquarters. State agencies are requested to review and comment on all federal installation waste treatment projects. The priorities used with respect to the completion of remedial measures for treatment at Federal Installations are established in accordance with (a) location in an enforcement conference area, (b) citing by a state or interstate pollution control body, (c) location in a high use water area such as, whole-body contact water sports, etc. Section 10 permit applications from the Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard are routed to various staff members for review. In some instances, particularly dredging projects, district offices may be requested to provide comments, and if a project is located in a critical pollution area the dis- trict office may be requested to collect and analyze bottom sediment samples. A total of approximately 1,200 Corps of Engineers and 50 Coast Guard appli- cations are reviewed yearly. The general instructions regarding the review of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) were established by EPA headquarters, but the routine reviews at the Regional level are carried out using procedures established in this office. Approximately 550 EIS's are received for coordination and review each year. Included in this number are 60 sensitive projects. Many Impact EPA 905-F-73-002 ------- Statements are routed to other components of the regional office, such as radiation, air pollution, solid waste, etc. for comments in their particular areas of expertise. All matters pertaining to evaluation of water pollution and noise are resolved in the Branch. A special procedure has been developed regarding the reviews of nuclear power plant Impact Statements. This involved the establishment of a temporary office housing all pertinent documents per- taining to these projects plus the assignment of staff in the district offices and laboratories to participate in this effort. Priorities for impact statement reviews are established depending upon the degree of impact on the environment. The nuclear power reviews have the highest priority at this time. Others, not necessarily in order are contro- versial freeway projects, Corps of Engineers reservoir projects, waste water management projects, and urban transportation projects. ------- |