Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill; Draft Phase IV Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessments, 29019-29021 [2015-11945]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Notices
throughout the species’ respective
ranges.
Permit Application Number: TE
63357B–0
Permit Application Number: TE
65002A–1
Applicant: Robert Oney, Apogee
Environmental, Winchester, Kentucky
The applicant requests renewal and
amendment of his current permit to take
(enter hibernacula, capture with mist
nets or harp traps, handle, identify,
band, radio-tag) Indiana bats (Myotis
sodalis), gray bats (Myotis grisescens),
and northern long-eared bats (Myotis
septentrionalis) for the purpose of
conducting presence/absence surveys
throughout the species’ respective
ranges.
Applicant: Timothy Estep, Worcester,
Massachusetts
Permit Application Number: TE
007748–3
Applicant: Jason Nolde, USDA Forest
Service, Pineville, Louisiana
The applicant requests renewal of the
current permit to take (capture, band,
translocate, install artificial nest cavities
and restrictors, monitor nest cavities)
red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides
borealis), primarily for population
monitoring and management in
Louisiana and, secondarily, to assist in
recovery activities throughout the
species’ range in Kentucky, Mississippi,
South Carolina, Florida, Georgia,
Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee,
and Alabama.
Permit Application Number: TE
63355B–0
Applicant: David Heil, T.H.E. Engineers,
Lexington, Kentucky
The applicant requests authorization
to take (capture with mist nets or harp
traps, handle, identify, band, and radiotag) Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis), gray
bats (Myotis grisescens), northern longeared bats (Myotis septentrionalis), and
Virginia big-eared bats (Corynorhinus
townsendii ingens) for the purpose of
conducting presence/absence surveys in
Kentucky.
The applicant requests authorization
to sell in interstate commerce artificially
propagated green pitcher plants
(Sarracenia oreophila), Alabama
canebrake pitcher plants (Sarracenia
rubra ssp. alabamensis), mountain
sweet pitcher-plants (Sarracenia rubra
ssp. jonesii), and hairy rattleweeds
(Baptisia arachnifera) throughout the
United States.
Permit Application Number: TE
056217–4
Applicant: Jeanette Wyneken, Florida
Atlantic University, Boca Raton,
Florida
The applicant requests renewal of her
current permit to take (survey, collect
hatchlings, hold in captivity, examine,
and release) leatherback (Dermochelys
coriacea), green (Chelonia mydas), and
loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles
for the purposes of inventory,
monitoring, and research activities.
Dated: May 11, 2015.
Leopoldo Miranda,
Assistant Regional Director—Ecological
Services, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2015–12188 Filed 5–19–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
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Thursday, June 4, 2015 ............
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National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), and the Framework Agreement
for Early Restoration Addressing
Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill, the Federal and State
natural resource trustee agencies
(Trustees) have prepared a Draft Phase
IV Early Restoration Plan and
Environmental Assessments (Draft
Phase IV ERP/EA) describing and
proposing a suite of early restoration
projects intended to continue the
process of restoring natural resources
and services injured or lost as a result
of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill,
which occurred on or about April 20,
2010, in the Gulf of Mexico. The Draft
Phase IV ERP/EA proposes 10 early
restoration projects that are consistent
with the early restoration program
alternatives selected in the Final Phase
III Early Restoration Plan/Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement (Phase
III ERP/PEIS). The Draft Phase IV ERP/
EA also includes a notice of change and
supporting analysis for one Phase III
Early Restoration Project,
‘‘Enhancement of Franklin County Parks
and Boat Ramps—Eastpoint Fishing Pier
Improvements.’’ The purpose of this
notice is to inform the public of the
availability of the Draft Phase IV ERP/
EA and to seek public comments on the
10 proposed early restoration projects
and supporting analysis.
Comments Due Date: We will
consider public comments received on
or before June 19, 2015.
Public Meetings: The Trustees have
scheduled a series of public meetings to
facilitate public review and comment on
the Draft Phase IV ERP/EA. Both written
and verbal comments will be taken at
each public meeting. The Trustees will
hold an open house for each meeting
followed by a formal meeting. Each
public meeting will include a
presentation of the Draft Phase IV ERP/
EA. The public meeting schedule is as
follows:
DATES:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[FWS–R4–FHC–2015–N088:
FVHC98210408710–XXX–FF04G01000]
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill; Draft
Phase IV Early Restoration Plan and
Environmental Assessments
Interior.
Notice of availability; request
for comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In accordance with the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the
SUMMARY:
Date
Tuesday, June 2, 2015 .............
Time
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Location
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Crowne Plaza Pensacola Grand Hotel, 200 East Pensacola
Street, Pensacola, FL.
Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, 64 South Water
Street, Mobile, AL.
University of Southern Mississippi, FEC Auditorium, 730 East
Beach Boulevard, Long Beach, MS.
Belle Chasse Auditorium, 8398 Louisiana 23, Belle Chasse,
LA 70037.
Texas A&M University at Galveston, Seawolf Parkway on
Pelican Island, Auditorium, Galveston, TX.
Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas
A&M University at Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX.
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Notices
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may
download the Draft Phase IV ERP/EA at:
https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov
or https://www.doi.gov/
deepwaterhorizon. Alternatively, you
may request a CD of the Draft Phase IV
ERP/EA (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT). You may also view the
document at any of the public facilities
listed at https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
Submitting Comments: You may
submit comments on the Draft Phase IV
ERP/EA by one of following methods:
• Via the Web: https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
• Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 49567,
Atlanta, GA 30345.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nanciann Regalado, at nanciann_
regalado@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Introduction
On or about April 20, 2010, the
mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater
Horizon, which was being used to drill
a well for BP Exploration and
Production, Inc. (BP), in the Macondo
prospect (Mississippi Canyon 252—
MC252), experienced a significant
explosion, fire, and subsequent sinking
in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in an
unprecedented volume of oil and other
discharges from the rig and from the
wellhead on the seabed. The Deepwater
Horizon oil spill is the largest oil spill
in U.S. history, discharging millions of
barrels of oil over a period of 87 days.
In addition, well over 1 million gallons
of dispersants were applied to the
waters of the spill area in an attempt to
disperse the spilled oil. An
undetermined amount of natural gas
was also released into the environment
as a result of the spill.
The Trustees are conducting the
natural resource damage assessment for
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under
the Oil Pollution Act 1990 (OPA; 33
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). Pursuant to OPA,
Federal and State agencies act as
trustees on behalf of the public to assess
natural resource injuries and losses, and
to determine the actions required to
compensate the public for those injuries
and losses. OPA further instructs the
designated trustees to develop and
implement a plan for the restoration,
rehabilitation, replacement, or
acquisition of the equivalent of the
injured natural resources under their
trusteeship, including the loss of use
and services from those resources from
the time of injury until the time of
restoration to baseline (the resource
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quality and conditions that would exist
if the spill had not occurred) is
complete. Pursuant to the process
articulated in the Framework for Early
Restoration Addressing Injuries
Resulting from the Deepwater Horizon
Oil Spill (Framework Agreement), the
Trustees previously selected, and BP
agreed to fund, a total of 54 early
restoration projects, expected to cost a
total of approximately $700 million,
through the Phase I Early Restoration
Plan/Environmental Assessment (Phase
I ERP/EA), Phase II Early Restoration
Plan/Environmental Review (Phase II
ERP/ER), and the Programmatic and
Phase III Early Restoration Plan and
Early Restoration Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement (Phase
III ERP/PEIS). These plans are available
at: https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/
restoration/early-restoration/.
The Trustees are:
• U.S. Department of the Interior
(DOI), as represented by the National
Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and Bureau of Land
Management;
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), on behalf of
the U.S. Department of Commerce;
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA);
• U.S. Department of Defense
(DOD); 1
• U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA);
• State of Louisiana Coastal
Protection and Restoration Authority,
Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office,
Department of Environmental Quality,
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
and Department of Natural Resources;
• State of Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality;
• State of Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources and
Geological Survey of Alabama;
• State of Florida Department of
Environmental Protection and Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission; and
• For the State of Texas: Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department, Texas General
Land Office, and Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality.
Background
On April 20, 2011, BP agreed to
provide up to $1 billion toward early
restoration projects in the Gulf of
Mexico to address injuries to natural
resources caused by the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill. The Framework
1 Although a trustee under OPA by virtue of the
proximity of its facilities to the Deepwater Horizon
oil spill, DOD is not a member of the Trustee
Council and does not currently participate in
Trustee decision making.
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Agreement represents a preliminary step
toward the restoration of injured natural
resources and is intended to expedite
the start of restoration in the Gulf in
advance of the completion of the injury
assessment process. The Framework
Agreement provides a mechanism
through which the Trustees and BP can
work together ‘‘to commence
implementation of early restoration
projects that will provide meaningful
benefits to accelerate restoration in the
Gulf as quickly as practicable’’ prior to
the resolution of the Trustees’ natural
resource damages claim. Early
restoration is not intended to and does
not fully address all injuries caused by
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Restoration beyond early restoration
projects will be required to fully
compensate the public for natural
resource losses, including recreational
use losses, from the Deepwater Horizon
oil spill.
The Trustees actively solicited public
input on restoration project ideas
through a variety of mechanisms,
including public meetings, electronic
communication, and creation of a
Trustee-wide public Web site and
database to share information and
receive public project submissions.
Their key objective in pursuing early
restoration is to secure tangible recovery
of natural resources and natural
resource services for the public’s benefit
while the longer term process of fully
assessing injury and damages is under
way. The Trustees released the Phase I
ERP/EA in April 2012 and the Phase II
ERP/ER in December 2012 after public
review of drafts of those documents.
After public review, the Trustees
released the Phase III ERP/PEIS on June
26, 2014. Subsequently, the Trustees
approved the Phase III ERP/PEIS in a
Record of Decision on October 31, 2014.
The Trustees are proposing 10
additional early restoration projects in
Phase IV to address injuries from the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The 10
projects proposed in this Draft Phase IV
ERP/EA are consistent with the
Programmatic ERP and PEIS included in
the Final Phase III ERP/PEIS previously
developed by the Trustees. The Trustees
are proposing these projects at this time
while continuing to work with BP to
develop additional early restoration
projects in accordance with the
Framework Agreement. The Draft Phase
IV ERP/EA is not intended to and does
not fully address all injuries caused by
the spill or provide the extent of
restoration needed to make the public
and the environment whole.
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Notices
Overview of the Draft Phase IV ERP/EA
Invitation to Comment
The Draft Phase IV ERP/EA is being
released in accordance with the Oil
Pollution Act (OPA), the Natural
Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA)
regulations found in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR 990, the
National Environmental Policy Act (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and the Framework
for Early Restoration Addressing
Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill.
The Trustees are considering 10
projects in the Draft Phase IV ERP/EA.
The total estimated cost for proposed
Phase IV projects is approximately $134
million. Details on the proposed
projects are provided in the Draft Phase
IV ERP/EA. The Draft Phase IV ERP/EA
also includes a notice of change and
supporting analysis for one Phase III
Early Restoration Project,
‘‘Enhancement of Franklin County Parks
and Boat Ramps—Eastpoint Fishing Pier
Improvements.’’
The proposed restoration projects are
intended to continue the process of
using early restoration funding to
restore natural resources, ecological
services, and recreational use services
injured or lost as a result of the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The
Trustees considered hundreds of
projects leading to the identification of
these 10 projects and considered both
ecological and recreational use
restoration projects to restore injuries
caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil
spill, addressing both the physical and
biological environment, as well as the
relationship people have with the
environment.
Early restoration actions are not
intended to provide the full extent of
restoration needed to make the public
and the environment whole. The
Trustees anticipate that additional early
restoration projects will be proposed in
the future as the early restoration
process continues.
The Trustees seek public review and
comment on the 10 proposed early
restoration project and supporting
analysis included in the Draft Phase IV
ERP/EA. Before including your address,
phone number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment, including your
personal identifying information, may
be made publicly available at any time.
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Next Steps
As described above, public meetings
are scheduled to facilitate the public
review and comment process. After the
public comment period ends, the
Trustees will consider and address the
comments received before issuing a
Final Phase IV Early Restoration Plan
and Environmental Assessments (Final
Phase IV ERP/EA). After issuing a Final
Phase IV ERP/EA, the Trustees will file
negotiated stipulations for approved
projects with the court. Approved
projects will then proceed to
implementation, pending compliance
with all applicable State and Federal
laws.
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23:50 May 19, 2015
Jkt 235001
Administrative Record
The documents comprising the
Administrative Record can be viewed
electronically at the following location:
https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon.
Authority
The authority of this action is the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et
seq.) and the implementing Natural
Resource Damage Assessment
regulations found at 15 CFR 990.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
DOI Authorized Official.
[FR Doc. 2015–11945 Filed 5–19–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLORE00000.L63500000.DR0000.
LXSS021H0000.15XL1116AF HAG 15–0077]
Notice of Availability of the Record of
Decision for the West Eugene
Wetlands in Oregon and Approved
Resource Management Plan
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) announces the
availability of the Record of Decision
(ROD) for the Approved Resource
Management Plan (RMP) for the West
Eugene Wetlands planning area located
in western Oregon. The Oregon/
Washington State Director signed the
ROD on April 17, 2015, which
constitutes the final decision of the BLM
and makes the Approved RMP effective
immediately.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD/
Approved RMP are available upon
request from the Eugene District
Manager, Bureau of Land Management,
3106 Pierce Parkway, Suite E,
Springfield, OR 97477, or via the
internet at: https://www.blm.gov/or/
districts/eugene/plans/eugenermp.php.
Copies of the ROD/Approved RMP are
SUMMARY:
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29021
available for public inspection at the
above-listed address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Panchita Paulete, Planning and
Environmental Coordinator, telephone
541–683–6976; address 3106 Pierce
Parkway, Suite E; Springfield, OR
97477; email BLM_OR_EU_Mail@
blm.gov. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
to contact the above individual during
normal business hours. The FIRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
to leave a message or question with the
above individual. You will receive a
reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Interaction with the public regarding
this RMP began in 2011. The BLM
worked with three cooperating agencies:
the US Army Corps of Engineers, the
City of Eugene Parks and Open Space
Division, and The Confederated Tribes
of the Grand Ronde. The RMP
establishes direction for approximately
1,340 acres of BLM-administered lands
in and near the city of Eugene in Lane
County, Oregon; the planning area did
not previously have an RMP. The
planning area is made up of acquired
lands and survey hiatuses. The
Approved RMP describes the actions
that will meet desired resource
conditions for threatened and
endangered species and habitat
management, while providing other
benefits. The Preferred Alternative,
described in the October 2011 Draft
RMP/Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS), was modified to
increase acreage within the Prairie
Restoration Area land use allocation for
threatened and endangered species
management, to provide increased
opportunities for recreation, and to
provide for coordinated management in
traditional use plant collection and was
carried forward as the Proposed RMP in
the Final EIS (November 2014). No
protests were received on the Proposed
RMP/Final EIS.
The Governor of Oregon was provided
a formal, 60-day review period to
determine if the Proposed RMP/Final
EIS was consistent with existing state or
local plans, programs, and policies. No
inconsistencies were identified.
There are two implementation
decisions in the Approved RMP which
are appealable under 43 CFR part 4: (a)
designation of travel management
networks, including identifying the
specific roads and trails that are
available for public use and the
limitations on use of roads and trails
and (b) continued application of the
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 97 (Wednesday, May 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29019-29021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11945]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[FWS-R4-FHC-2015-N088: FVHC98210408710-XXX-FF04G01000]
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill; Draft Phase IV Early Restoration
Plan and Environmental Assessments
AGENCY: Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Framework Agreement
for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill, the Federal and State natural resource trustee
agencies (Trustees) have prepared a Draft Phase IV Early Restoration
Plan and Environmental Assessments (Draft Phase IV ERP/EA) describing
and proposing a suite of early restoration projects intended to
continue the process of restoring natural resources and services
injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which
occurred on or about April 20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico. The Draft
Phase IV ERP/EA proposes 10 early restoration projects that are
consistent with the early restoration program alternatives selected in
the Final Phase III Early Restoration Plan/Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement (Phase III ERP/PEIS). The Draft Phase IV ERP/EA also
includes a notice of change and supporting analysis for one Phase III
Early Restoration Project, ``Enhancement of Franklin County Parks and
Boat Ramps--Eastpoint Fishing Pier Improvements.'' The purpose of this
notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Draft Phase
IV ERP/EA and to seek public comments on the 10 proposed early
restoration projects and supporting analysis.
DATES: Comments Due Date: We will consider public comments received on
or before June 19, 2015.
Public Meetings: The Trustees have scheduled a series of public
meetings to facilitate public review and comment on the Draft Phase IV
ERP/EA. Both written and verbal comments will be taken at each public
meeting. The Trustees will hold an open house for each meeting followed
by a formal meeting. Each public meeting will include a presentation of
the Draft Phase IV ERP/EA. The public meeting schedule is as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Time Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, June 2, 2015......... 6:00 p.m. Open Crowne Plaza
House. Pensacola Grand
6:30 p.m. Public Hotel, 200 East
Meeting. Pensacola Street,
Pensacola, FL.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015....... 6:00 p.m. Open Renaissance Mobile
House. Riverview Plaza
6:30 p.m. Public Hotel, 64 South
Meeting. Water Street,
Mobile, AL.
Thursday, June 4, 2015........ 6:00 p.m. Open University of
House. Southern
6:30 p.m. Public Mississippi, FEC
Meeting. Auditorium, 730 East
Beach Boulevard,
Long Beach, MS.
Monday, June 8, 2015.......... 6:00 p.m. Open Belle Chasse
House. Auditorium, 8398
6:30 p.m. Public Louisiana 23, Belle
Meeting. Chasse, LA 70037.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015...... 6:00 p.m. Open Texas A&M University
House. at Galveston,
6:30 p.m. Public Seawolf Parkway on
Meeting. Pelican Island,
Auditorium,
Galveston, TX.
Thursday, June 11, 2015....... 6:00 p.m. Open Harte Research
House. Institute for Gulf
6:30 p.m. Public of Mexico Studies,
Meeting. Texas A&M University
at Corpus Christi,
6300 Ocean Drive,
Corpus Christi, TX.
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[[Page 29020]]
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may download the Draft Phase IV ERP/EA at:
https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov or https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon. Alternatively, you may request a CD of the Draft
Phase IV ERP/EA (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). You may also
view the document at any of the public facilities listed at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
Submitting Comments: You may submit comments on the Draft Phase IV
ERP/EA by one of following methods:
Via the Web: https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box
49567, Atlanta, GA 30345.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nanciann Regalado, at
nanciann_regalado@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
On or about April 20, 2010, the mobile offshore drilling unit
Deepwater Horizon, which was being used to drill a well for BP
Exploration and Production, Inc. (BP), in the Macondo prospect
(Mississippi Canyon 252--MC252), experienced a significant explosion,
fire, and subsequent sinking in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in an
unprecedented volume of oil and other discharges from the rig and from
the wellhead on the seabed. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is the
largest oil spill in U.S. history, discharging millions of barrels of
oil over a period of 87 days. In addition, well over 1 million gallons
of dispersants were applied to the waters of the spill area in an
attempt to disperse the spilled oil. An undetermined amount of natural
gas was also released into the environment as a result of the spill.
The Trustees are conducting the natural resource damage assessment
for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under the Oil Pollution Act 1990
(OPA; 33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). Pursuant to OPA, Federal and State
agencies act as trustees on behalf of the public to assess natural
resource injuries and losses, and to determine the actions required to
compensate the public for those injuries and losses. OPA further
instructs the designated trustees to develop and implement a plan for
the restoration, rehabilitation, replacement, or acquisition of the
equivalent of the injured natural resources under their trusteeship,
including the loss of use and services from those resources from the
time of injury until the time of restoration to baseline (the resource
quality and conditions that would exist if the spill had not occurred)
is complete. Pursuant to the process articulated in the Framework for
Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill (Framework Agreement), the Trustees previously
selected, and BP agreed to fund, a total of 54 early restoration
projects, expected to cost a total of approximately $700 million,
through the Phase I Early Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment
(Phase I ERP/EA), Phase II Early Restoration Plan/Environmental Review
(Phase II ERP/ER), and the Programmatic and Phase III Early Restoration
Plan and Early Restoration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
(Phase III ERP/PEIS). These plans are available at: https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration/early-restoration/.
The Trustees are:
U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), as represented by
the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau
of Land Management;
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), on
behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce;
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA);
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD); \1\
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\1\ Although a trustee under OPA by virtue of the proximity of
its facilities to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, DOD is not a
member of the Trustee Council and does not currently participate in
Trustee decision making.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA);
State of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration
Authority, Oil Spill Coordinator's Office, Department of Environmental
Quality, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and Department of
Natural Resources;
State of Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality;
State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources and Geological Survey of Alabama;
State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection
and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; and
For the State of Texas: Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, Texas General Land Office, and Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality.
Background
On April 20, 2011, BP agreed to provide up to $1 billion toward
early restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico to address injuries to
natural resources caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The
Framework Agreement represents a preliminary step toward the
restoration of injured natural resources and is intended to expedite
the start of restoration in the Gulf in advance of the completion of
the injury assessment process. The Framework Agreement provides a
mechanism through which the Trustees and BP can work together ``to
commence implementation of early restoration projects that will provide
meaningful benefits to accelerate restoration in the Gulf as quickly as
practicable'' prior to the resolution of the Trustees' natural resource
damages claim. Early restoration is not intended to and does not fully
address all injuries caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Restoration beyond early restoration projects will be required to fully
compensate the public for natural resource losses, including
recreational use losses, from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The Trustees actively solicited public input on restoration project
ideas through a variety of mechanisms, including public meetings,
electronic communication, and creation of a Trustee-wide public Web
site and database to share information and receive public project
submissions. Their key objective in pursuing early restoration is to
secure tangible recovery of natural resources and natural resource
services for the public's benefit while the longer term process of
fully assessing injury and damages is under way. The Trustees released
the Phase I ERP/EA in April 2012 and the Phase II ERP/ER in December
2012 after public review of drafts of those documents. After public
review, the Trustees released the Phase III ERP/PEIS on June 26, 2014.
Subsequently, the Trustees approved the Phase III ERP/PEIS in a Record
of Decision on October 31, 2014.
The Trustees are proposing 10 additional early restoration projects
in Phase IV to address injuries from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The 10 projects proposed in this Draft Phase IV ERP/EA are consistent
with the Programmatic ERP and PEIS included in the Final Phase III ERP/
PEIS previously developed by the Trustees. The Trustees are proposing
these projects at this time while continuing to work with BP to develop
additional early restoration projects in accordance with the Framework
Agreement. The Draft Phase IV ERP/EA is not intended to and does not
fully address all injuries caused by the spill or provide the extent of
restoration needed to make the public and the environment whole.
[[Page 29021]]
Overview of the Draft Phase IV ERP/EA
The Draft Phase IV ERP/EA is being released in accordance with the
Oil Pollution Act (OPA), the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA)
regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR
990, the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.),
and the Framework for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting
from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
The Trustees are considering 10 projects in the Draft Phase IV ERP/
EA. The total estimated cost for proposed Phase IV projects is
approximately $134 million. Details on the proposed projects are
provided in the Draft Phase IV ERP/EA. The Draft Phase IV ERP/EA also
includes a notice of change and supporting analysis for one Phase III
Early Restoration Project, ``Enhancement of Franklin County Parks and
Boat Ramps--Eastpoint Fishing Pier Improvements.''
The proposed restoration projects are intended to continue the
process of using early restoration funding to restore natural
resources, ecological services, and recreational use services injured
or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Trustees
considered hundreds of projects leading to the identification of these
10 projects and considered both ecological and recreational use
restoration projects to restore injuries caused by the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill, addressing both the physical and biological
environment, as well as the relationship people have with the
environment.
Early restoration actions are not intended to provide the full
extent of restoration needed to make the public and the environment
whole. The Trustees anticipate that additional early restoration
projects will be proposed in the future as the early restoration
process continues.
Next Steps
As described above, public meetings are scheduled to facilitate the
public review and comment process. After the public comment period
ends, the Trustees will consider and address the comments received
before issuing a Final Phase IV Early Restoration Plan and
Environmental Assessments (Final Phase IV ERP/EA). After issuing a
Final Phase IV ERP/EA, the Trustees will file negotiated stipulations
for approved projects with the court. Approved projects will then
proceed to implementation, pending compliance with all applicable State
and Federal laws.
Invitation to Comment
The Trustees seek public review and comment on the 10 proposed
early restoration project and supporting analysis included in the Draft
Phase IV ERP/EA. Before including your address, phone number, email
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire comment, including your personal
identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time.
Administrative Record
The documents comprising the Administrative Record can be viewed
electronically at the following location: https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon.
Authority
The authority of this action is the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) and the implementing Natural Resource Damage
Assessment regulations found at 15 CFR 990.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
DOI Authorized Official.
[FR Doc. 2015-11945 Filed 5-19-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
