Notice of Availability of the Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group Draft 2016-2017 Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment for Review and Public Comment, 95106-95108 [2016-31064]

Download as PDF 95106 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 248 / Tuesday, December 27, 2016 / Notices prepare and update an operating plan that governs day-to-day operations of the authorized use. This information is useful to the holder and the Forest Service, because it specifies procedures and policies for conducting the authorized use. Typically, operating plans contain daily operating guidelines, fire abatement and control procedures, monitoring guidelines, maintenance standards, safety and emergency plans, and inspection standards. Operating plans are usually necessary for complex operations, commercial uses, and uses conducted in environmentally sensitive areas. asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Category 5: Preparing and Updating Maintenance Plans (No Designated Form) A permit or easement issued under FLPMA or FRTA may require the holder or grantee to submit and update a road maintenance plan or information necessary for the preparation of a road maintenance plan. A road maintenance plan governs the responsibility of the holder or grantee to perform or pay for maintenance of an NFS road. Category 6: Compliance Reports and Information Updates 1. FS–2700–1, Inspection form for Special Uses, is used to document onsite examination of an authorized activity or facility to assess conditions and inform a compliance review. 2. Compliance Reports and Information Updates (no designated form). Special use authorizations may contain a clause requiring the holder to provide the Forest Service with compliance reports, information reports, and other information required by Federal law or to manage NFS lands to ensure adequate protection of national forest resources and public health and safety. Examples of compliance and information updates include dam maintenance inspection reports and logs required by the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978; the Federal Dam Safety Inspection Act of 1979; and the Dam Safety Act of 1983; documentation that authorized facilities passed safety inspections; documentation showing that the United States is named as an additional insured in an insurance policy issued to a holder; notifications involving a change in ownership of authorized improvements or a change in control of the holder; and documentation of compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Forest Service Estimated Annual Burden: 2.9 burden hours per response (This is an average burden per form. This estimated annual VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:45 Dec 23, 2016 Jkt 241001 burden also includes data from the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.) Type of Respondents: Individuals, Businesses, Non-profit Organizations, and Non-Federal Governmental entities. Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 168,728 respondents (This is a 3-year user rate average as tracked by the Special Use Data System (SUDS). This estimated annual number of respondents also includes data from the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.) Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 336,463.5 hours. (This is an estimation based on a three year usage rate as tracked by SUDS multiplied by Burden Hours per Form. This estimated annual burden on respondents also includes data from the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.) Department of the Interior—BLM, FWS, NPS and BOR Estimated Annual Burden: 25 burden hours per response. Type of Respondents: Individuals, Businesses, Non-profit Organizations, and State and Local and Federal Government. Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 5,254. Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 131,051 hours. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Estimated Annual Burden: 25 burden hours per response. Type of Respondents: Individuals, Businesses, Non-profit Organizations, and State and Local and Federal Government. Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 32. Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 800 hours. Comment Is Invited Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. All comments received in response to this notice, including names and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request toward Office of Management and Budget approval. Dated: December 14, 2016. Gregory C. Smith, Director, Lands and Realty Management, National Forest System. [FR Doc. 2016–31214 Filed 12–23–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3411–15–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Natural Resources Conservation Service [Docket No. NRCS 2016–0013] Notice of Availability of the Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group Draft 2016–2017 Restoration Plan/ Environmental Assessment for Review and Public Comment Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments. AGENCY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon Federal and State natural resource trustee agencies for the Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group (MS TIG) have prepared a Draft 2016–2017 Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment (Draft RP/EA). The Draft RP/EA describes and proposes restoration project alternatives and proposed projects considered by the MS TIG to restore natural resources and ecological services injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The proposed projects are consistent with the restoration alternatives selected in the Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan/Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PDARP/PEIS). The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Draft RP/EA and to seek public comments on the document. DATES: Effective Date: This is effective December 27, 2016. Comments Date: Submit comments on or before February 10, 2017. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 248 / Tuesday, December 27, 2016 / Notices Obtaining Documents: You may download the Draft RP/EA at https:// www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov. Alternatively, you may request a CD of the Draft RP/EA (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Also, you may 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 RP/EA by one of following methods: • Via the Web: https:// www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov or • Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 49567, Atlanta, Georgia 30345. Please note that mailed comments must be postmarked on or before the comment deadline of February 10, 2017 to be considered. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mississippi—Tabatha Baum, mississippiTIG@deq.state.ms.us. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ADDRESSES: asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Introduction On April 20, 2010, the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon that was being used to drill a well for BP Exploration and Production Inc. (BP) in the Macondo prospect (Mississippi Canyon 252—MC252) exploded, caught fire, and subsequently sank 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 maritime oil spill in United States (U.S.) history, discharging millions of barrels of oil over a period of 87 days. In addition, well over one 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 also was released to the environment as a result of the spill. The Deepwater Horizon State and Federal natural resource trustees (DWH Trustees) conducted the natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:45 Dec 23, 2016 Jkt 241001 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. The DWH Trustees are: • U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), as represented by the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and Bureau of Land Management (BLM); • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), on behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC); • U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); • U.S. Department of Defense (DOD); 1 • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); • 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. Upon completion of the NRDA, the DWH Trustees reached and finalized a settlement of their natural resource damage claims with BP in a Consent Decree 2 approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Pursuant to that Consent Decree, restoration projects in the Mississippi Restoration Area are now chosen and managed by MS TIG. MS TIG is composed of the following Trustees: • Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality; • DOI, as represented by NPS, USFWS, and BLM; • NOAA, on behalf of the U.S. DOC; • USDA; • EPA; This restoration planning activity is proceeding in accordance with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Final 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 participate in DWH Trustee decision-making. 2 https://www.justice.gov/enrd/file/838066/ download. PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 95107 Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan (PDARP) and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). Information on the restoration types being considered in the Draft RP/EA, as well as the OPA criteria against which project ideas are being evaluated, can be viewed in the PDARP/PEIS (https:// www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/ restoration-planning/gulf-plan) and in the Overview of the PDARP/PEIS (https:// www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/ restoration-planning/gulf-plan). Background On May 27, 2016, MS TIG published a notice to invite public input regarding natural resource restoration opportunities in the Mississippi Restoration Area for the 2016–2017 planning years. The notice indicated a focus on the following range of potential restoration types that may have benefits to living coastal and marine resources: Restoration of Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore Habitats, restoration of water quality through Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint source), restoration of Birds, and restoration of Oysters. Because there are several ongoing or completed projects benefitting oysters and secondary productivity in the Mississippi Restoration Area, MS TIG chose not to prioritize the oyster restoration type in this Draft RP/EA. On October 31, 2016, MS TIG published a Notice of Initiation for Restoration Plan Drafting in Mississippi indicating its intent to focus on the following restoration types: • Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore Habitats • Nutrient Reduction (nonpoint source) • Birds Overview of the Draft RP/EA The Draft RP/EA is being released in accordance with the OPA, NRDA regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR part 990, and the NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). For the Draft RP/EA, MS TIG proposes moving forward with the following two preferred alternatives and proposed projects within the Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore Habitat and Birds Restoration Types: (1) Graveline Bay Land Acquisition and Management and (2) Grand Bay Land Acquisition and Habitat Management. MS TIG also proposes the following preferred alternative and proposed project within the Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint Source) Restoration Type: Upper Pascagoula River Water Quality Enhancement. RP/EA also evaluates a no action alternative. One or more E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1 95108 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 248 / Tuesday, December 27, 2016 / Notices alternatives may be selected for implementation by MS TIG. MS TIG has examined and assessed the extent of injury and the restoration alternatives. In the Draft RP/EA, MS TIG presents to the public its draft plan for providing partial compensation to the public for natural resources and ecological services in the Mississippi Restoration Area. The proposed projects are intended to continue the process of restoring natural resources and ecological services injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Additional restoration planning for the Mississippi Restoration Area will continue. Next Steps The public is encouraged to review and comment on the Draft RP/EA. After the close of the public comment period, MS TIG will consider and address the comments received before issuing a final RP/EA. A summary of comments received and MS TIG’s responses will be included in the final document. Invitation to Comment MS TIG seeks public review and comment on the Draft RP/EA. Before including your address, telephone 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 publicly available at any time. Administrative Record The documents included in the Administrative Record can be viewed electronically at the following location: https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/ adminrecord. Authority The authority of this action is the OPA of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) and the implementing NRDA regulations found at 15 CFR part 990. BILLING CODE 3510–33–P asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES BILLING CODE P Economics and Statistics Administration Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Entity List Requests The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of charter renewal of the Commerce Data Advisory Council (CDAC). The Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) announces the SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 charter renewal of the Commerce Data Advisory Council (CDAC) by the Secretary, Department of Commerce. The renewed charter can be found on the CDAC’s Web site at the following link: https://www.esa.gov/cdac/facadocumentation.html. The CDAC is a Federal Advisory Committee established by the Secretary of Commerce to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary, DOC, on ways to make Commerce data easier to find, access, use, combine, and disseminate, and on other such matters as the Secretary determines. With the exception of the limitations set out in 41 CFR part 102–3, the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, on behalf of the Secretary, Department of Commerce, will execute the functions and implement the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and its implementing regulation. The Charter will be effective for two years from the date it is filed. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Burton Reist, Designated Federal Officer of the CDAC, Director of External Affairs, Economics and Statistics Administration, Department of Commerce, at (202) 482–3331 or email BReist@doc.gov, also at 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 5 U.S.C. App. 2). As noted above, the CDAC is a Federal Advisory Committee established to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary, DOC, on ways to make Commerce data easier to find, access, use, combine, and disseminate, and on other such matters as the Secretary determines. Dated: December 19, 2016. Burton Reist, Director of External Affairs, Economics & Statistics Administration. [FR Doc. 2016–31224 Filed 12–23–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AGENCY: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Jkt 241001 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Notice of Charter Renewal of Commerce Data Advisory Council (CDAC) [FR Doc. 2016–31064 Filed 12–23–16; 8:45 am] 20:45 Dec 23, 2016 Sheleen Dumas, PRA Departmental Lead, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. 2016–31162 Filed 12–23–16; 8:45 am] Signed this 20th day of December 2016, in Washington, DC. Jason A. Weller, Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service. VerDate Sep<11>2014 following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Agency: Bureau of Industry and Security. Title: Entity List Requests. Form Number(s): N/A. OMB Control Number: 0694–0134. Type of Request: Regular. Burden Hours: 105 hours. Number of Respondents: 7 respondents. Average Hours Per Response: 15 hours per response. Needs and Uses: This collection is needed to provide a procedure for persons or organizations listed on the Entity List to request removal or modification of the entry that affects them. The Entity List appears at 15 CFR part 744, Supp. No. 4. The Entity List is used to inform the public of certain parties whose presence in a transaction that is subject to the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR 730–799) requires a license from the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). Affected Public: Businesses and other for-profit and not-for-profit institutions. Frequency: On occasion. Respondent’s Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits. This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections currently under review by OMB. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to OIRA_Submission@ omb.eop.gov or fax to (202) 395–5806. Bureau of Industry and Security Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Five-Year Records Retention Requirement for Export Transactions and Boycott Actions Bureau of Industry and Security. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95106-95108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31064]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket No. NRCS 2016-0013]


Notice of Availability of the Mississippi Trustee Implementation 
Group Draft 2016-2017 Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment for 
Review and Public Comment

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon Federal 
and State natural resource trustee agencies for the Mississippi Trustee 
Implementation Group (MS TIG) have prepared a Draft 2016-2017 
Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment (Draft RP/EA). The Draft RP/
EA describes and proposes restoration project alternatives and proposed 
projects considered by the MS TIG to restore natural resources and 
ecological services injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater 
Horizon oil spill. The proposed projects are consistent with the 
restoration alternatives selected in the Final Programmatic Damage 
Assessment and Restoration Plan/Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (PDARP/PEIS). The purpose of this notice is to inform the 
public of the availability of the Draft RP/EA and to seek public 
comments on the document.

DATES: Effective Date: This is effective December 27, 2016. Comments 
Date: Submit comments on or before February 10, 2017.

[[Page 95107]]


ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You may download the Draft RP/EA at 
https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov. Alternatively, you may 
request a CD of the Draft RP/EA (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). 
Also, you may 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 RP/EA by 
one of following methods:
     Via the Web: https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov or
     Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 
49567, Atlanta, Georgia 30345. Please note that mailed comments must be 
postmarked on or before the comment deadline of February 10, 2017 to be 
considered.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mississippi--Tabatha Baum, 
mississippiTIG@deq.state.ms.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    On April 20, 2010, the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater 
Horizon that was being used to drill a well for BP Exploration and 
Production Inc. (BP) in the Macondo prospect (Mississippi Canyon 252--
MC252) exploded, caught fire, and subsequently sank 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 maritime oil spill in United 
States (U.S.) history, discharging millions of barrels of oil over a 
period of 87 days. In addition, well over one 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 also 
was released to the environment as a result of the spill.
    The Deepwater Horizon State and Federal natural resource trustees 
(DWH Trustees) conducted the natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) 
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.
    The DWH Trustees are:
     U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), as represented by 
the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), 
and Bureau of Land Management (BLM);
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), on 
behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC);
     U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA);
     U.S. Department of Defense (DOD); \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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 participate in DWH 
Trustee decision-making.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);
     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.
    Upon completion of the NRDA, the DWH Trustees reached and finalized 
a settlement of their natural resource damage claims with BP in a 
Consent Decree \2\ approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern 
District of Louisiana. Pursuant to that Consent Decree, restoration 
projects in the Mississippi Restoration Area are now chosen and managed 
by MS TIG.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ https://www.justice.gov/enrd/file/838066/download.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    MS TIG is composed of the following Trustees:
     Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality;
     DOI, as represented by NPS, USFWS, and BLM;
     NOAA, on behalf of the U.S. DOC;
     USDA;
     EPA;
    This restoration planning activity is proceeding in accordance with 
the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Final Programmatic Damage Assessment 
and Restoration Plan (PDARP) and Final Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement (PEIS). Information on the restoration types being 
considered in the Draft RP/EA, as well as the OPA criteria against 
which project ideas are being evaluated, can be viewed in the PDARP/
PEIS (https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-planning/gulf-plan) and in the Overview of the PDARP/PEIS (https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-planning/gulf-plan).

Background

    On May 27, 2016, MS TIG published a notice to invite public input 
regarding natural resource restoration opportunities in the Mississippi 
Restoration Area for the 2016-2017 planning years. The notice indicated 
a focus on the following range of potential restoration types that may 
have benefits to living coastal and marine resources: Restoration of 
Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore Habitats, restoration of water quality 
through Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint source), restoration of Birds, and 
restoration of Oysters. Because there are several ongoing or completed 
projects benefitting oysters and secondary productivity in the 
Mississippi Restoration Area, MS TIG chose not to prioritize the oyster 
restoration type in this Draft RP/EA.
    On October 31, 2016, MS TIG published a Notice of Initiation for 
Restoration Plan Drafting in Mississippi indicating its intent to focus 
on the following restoration types:

 Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore Habitats
 Nutrient Reduction (nonpoint source)
 Birds

Overview of the Draft RP/EA

    The Draft RP/EA is being released in accordance with the OPA, NRDA 
regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR part 
990, and the NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
    For the Draft RP/EA, MS TIG proposes moving forward with the 
following two preferred alternatives and proposed projects within the 
Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore Habitat and Birds Restoration Types: 
(1) Graveline Bay Land Acquisition and Management and (2) Grand Bay 
Land Acquisition and Habitat Management. MS TIG also proposes the 
following preferred alternative and proposed project within the 
Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint Source) Restoration Type: Upper Pascagoula 
River Water Quality Enhancement. RP/EA also evaluates a no action 
alternative. One or more

[[Page 95108]]

alternatives may be selected for implementation by MS TIG.
    MS TIG has examined and assessed the extent of injury and the 
restoration alternatives. In the Draft RP/EA, MS TIG presents to the 
public its draft plan for providing partial compensation to the public 
for natural resources and ecological services in the Mississippi 
Restoration Area. The proposed projects are intended to continue the 
process of restoring natural resources and ecological services injured 
or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Additional 
restoration planning for the Mississippi Restoration Area will 
continue.

Next Steps

    The public is encouraged to review and comment on the Draft RP/EA. 
After the close of the public comment period, MS TIG will consider and 
address the comments received before issuing a final RP/EA. A summary 
of comments received and MS TIG's responses will be included in the 
final document.

Invitation to Comment

    MS TIG seeks public review and comment on the Draft RP/EA. Before 
including your address, telephone 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 publicly available at any time.

Administrative Record

    The documents included in the Administrative Record can be viewed 
electronically at the following location: https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord.

Authority

    The authority of this action is the OPA of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et 
seq.) and the implementing NRDA regulations found at 15 CFR part 990.

    Signed this 20th day of December 2016, in Washington, DC.
Jason A. Weller,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-31064 Filed 12-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P
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