Notice of Availability of the Alabama Trustee Implementation Group Draft Restoration Plan II/Environmental Assessment: Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore Habitats, Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands, Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint Source), Sea Turtles, Marine Mammals, Birds, and Oysters, 14623-14625 [2018-06929]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 66 / Thursday, April 5, 2018 / Notices
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mark Wooden, 816–659–8413,
Mark.J.Wooden@ams.usda.gov or
FGISQACD@ams.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
7(e)(2)(A) of the United States Grain
Standards Act (USGSA) designates that
if the Secretary determines, pursuant to
paragraph (3) of Section 7(e), that a State
agency is qualified to perform official
inspection, meets the criteria in
subsection (f)(1)(A) of Section 7, and (i)
was performing official inspection at an
export port location under this chapter
on July 1, 1976, or (ii)(I) performed
official inspection at an export port
location at any time prior to July 1,
1976, (II) was designated under
subsection (f) of Section 7 on December
22, 1982, to perform official inspections
at locations other than export port
locations, and (III) operates in a State
from which total annual exports do not
exceed, as determined by the Secretary,
five per centum of the total amount of
grain exported from the United States
annually, the Secretary may delegate
authority to the State agency to perform
all or specified functions involving
official inspection (other than appeal
inspection) at export port locations
within the State, including export port
locations which may in the future be
established, subject to such rules,
regulations, instructions, and oversight
as the Secretary may prescribe, and any
such official inspection shall continue
to be the direct responsibility of the
Secretary. Any such delegation may be
revoked by the Secretary, at the
discretion of the Secretary, at any time
upon notice to the State agency without
opportunity for a hearing. Under
Section 7(e) of the USGSA, every five
years, the Secretary shall certify that
each State agency with a delegation of
authority is meeting the criteria
described in subsection (f)(1)(A).
Delegations shall be renewed according
to the criteria and procedures set forth
in Section 7(e)(2)(B) of the USGSA.
amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with NOTICES
Area of Delegation
Virginia
Pursuant to Section 7(e)(2) of the
USGSA, the following export port
locations in the State of Virginia are
assigned to this State agency.
In Virginia:
All export port locations in the State
of Virginia.
Request for Comments
We are publishing this Notice to
provide interested persons the
opportunity to comment on the quality
of services provided by the State of
Virginia. We are particularly interested
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:22 Apr 04, 2018
Jkt 244001
in receiving comments citing reasons
and pertinent data supporting or
objecting to the delegation of the
applicant. Submit all comments to Mark
Wooden at the above address or at
https://www.regulations.gov.
We consider comments and other
available information when determining
certification.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 71–87k.
Dated: April 2, 2018.
Greg Ibach,
Under Secretary, Marketing and Regulatory
Programs.
[FR Doc. 2018–06969 Filed 4–4–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation
Service
[Docket No. NRCS–2018–0003]
Notice of Availability of the Alabama
Trustee Implementation Group Draft
Restoration Plan II/Environmental
Assessment: Wetlands, Coastal and
Nearshore Habitats, Habitat Projects
on Federally Managed Lands, Nutrient
Reduction (Nonpoint Source), Sea
Turtles, Marine Mammals, Birds, and
Oysters
Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS),
Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the Oil
Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 and the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon Federal
and State natural resource trustee
agencies for the Alabama Trustee
Implementation Group (Alabama TIG)
have prepared a draft Restoration Plan
II/Environmental Assessment (RP II/
EA). The draft RP II/EA describes the
restoration project alternatives
considered by the Alabama TIG to meet
the Trustee’s goals to restore and
conserve habitat, to replenish and
protect living coastal and marine
resources, to restore water quality, and
to provide for monitoring and adaptive
management. The Alabama TIG
evaluated these alternatives under
criteria set forth in the OPA natural
resource damage assessment (NRDA)
regulations, as well as the
environmental consequences in
accordance with NEPA. Monitoring and
adaptive management activities to
address information gaps necessary to
inform future restoration are also
included in the draft plan. The purpose
of this notice is to inform the public of
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
14623
the availability of the draft RP II/EA and
to seek public comments on the
document.
The Alabama TIG will consider
public comments received on or before
May 4, 2018.
Public Meeting: On April 18, 2018, the
Alabama TIG will host a public meeting
to facilitate public review of the draft RP
II/EA. The meeting will begin with an
open house and be followed by a formal
meeting where the Alabama TIG will
present the draft RP II/EA and receive
verbal comments from members of the
public. Alabama TIG representatives
will be present during the open house
and will be available to answer
questions. The Alabama TIG also will
accept written comments during the
public meeting. The public meeting
schedule and details are listed in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You
may download the draft RP II/EA at
https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
Alternatively, you may request a CD of
the draft RP II/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 II/EA
by one of following methods:
• The web: https://
parkplanning.nps.gov/XXXX
• 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 May 4, 2018, to be
considered.
DATES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
• USDA—Ronald Howard,
ron.howard@ms.usda.gov.
• State of Alabama—Amy Hunter,
amy.hunter@dcnr.alabama.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
On 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), 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 oil spill in United
States history, discharging millions of
barrels of oil over a period of 87 days.
E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM
05APN1
amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with NOTICES
14624
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 66 / Thursday, April 5, 2018 / Notices
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. Also, an
undetermined amount of natural gas
was released into 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
OPA 1990 (OPA, 33 U.S.C. Sec. 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. 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
• For the State of Texas, Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department, Texas
General Land Office, and Texas
Commission on Environmental
Quality
The DWH Trustees reached and
finalized a settlement of their natural
resource damage claims with BP in a
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:33 Apr 04, 2018
Jkt 244001
Consent Decree 1 approved by the
United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Louisiana. Pursuant
to that Consent Decree, restoration
projects in Alabama are now chosen and
managed by the Alabama TIG. The
Alabama TIG is composed of the
following Trustees:
• DOI, as represented by NPS, FWS,
and BLM
• NOAA, on behalf of DOC
• USDA
• EPA
• State of Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources
• Geological Survey of Alabama
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). Restoration types
evaluated in the draft RP II/EA include:
Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore
Habitats; Habitat Projects on Federally
Managed Lands; Nutrient Reduction
(Nonpoint Source), Sea Turtles, Marine
Mammals, Birds, and Oysters.
Information on the Restoration Types
evaluated in the draft RP II/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).
Background
In December 2016, as part of its
restoration planning efforts, the
Alabama TIG asked the public for
project ideas that could benefit
Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore
Habitats; Habitat Projects on Federally
Managed Lands, Nutrient Reduction
(Nonpoint Source), Sea Turtles, Marine
Mammals, Birds, and Oysters in the
Alabama Restoration Area. The project
submissions received through this
process, along with projects previously
submitted during prior restoration
planning processes, resulted in the
project alternatives evaluated in the
draft RP II/EA.
Overview of the Draft RP II/EA
The draft RP II/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. Sec. 4321 et
seq.). In the draft RP II/EA, the Alabama
TIG proposes implementation of the
following projects:
1 https://www.justice.gov/enrd/file/838066/
download.
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Five projects within the Wetlands,
Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats
Restoration Type
• Magnolia River Land Acquisition
(Holmes Tract)
• Weeks Bay Land Acquisition East
Gateway Tract
• Weeks Bay Land Acquisition
Harrod Tract
• Lower Perdido Islands Restoration
Phase I (Engineering & Design
[E&D])
• Southwestern Coffee Island Habitat
Restoration Project-Phase I (also
proposed for funding under the
Birds Restoration Type) (E&D)
Two projects within the Habitat Projects
on Federally Managed Lands
Restoration Type
• Little Lagoon Living Shoreline
• Restoring the Night Sky–
Assessment, Training, and Outreach
(also proposed for funding under
the Sea Turtles Restoration Type
and for monitoring and adaptive
management [MAM] funding) (E&D)
Three projects within the Nutrient
Reduction (Nonpoint Source)
Restoration Type
• Toulmins Springs Branch E&D
(E&D)
• Fowl River Nutrient Reduction
• Weeks Bay Nutrient Reduction
Four projects within the Sea Turtles
Restoration Type
• Coastal Alabama Sea Turtle (CAST)
Conservation Program—‘‘Share the
Beach’’
• CAST Triage
• CAST Habitat Usage and Population
Dynamics
• CAST Protection: Enhancement and
Education
Two projects within the Marine
Mammals Restoration Type
• Enhancing Capacity for the
Alabama Marine Mammal
Stranding Network
• Alabama Estuarine Bottlenose
Dolphin Protection: Enhancement
and Education
Two projects within the Birds
Restoration Type
• Southwestern Coffee Island Habitat
Restoration Project-Phase I (also
proposed for funding under the
Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore
Habitats Restoration Type) (E&D)
• Colonial Nesting Wading Bird
Tracking and Habitat Use
Assessment—Two Species
Four projects within the Oysters
Restoration Type
• Oyster Cultch Relief and Reef
Configuration
• Side-scan Mapping of Mobile Bay
Relic Oyster Reefs (E&D)
E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM
05APN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 66 / Thursday, April 5, 2018 / Notices
• Oyster Hatchery at Claude Peteet
Mariculture Center—High Spat
Production with Study
• Oyster Grow-Out and Restoration
Reef Placement
Two activities are proposed for funding,
in whole or in part, with the
Alabama TIGs Monitoring and
Adaptive Management Allocation
• Assessment of Alabama Estuarine
Bottlenose Dolphin Populations and
Health
• Restoring the Night Sky—
Assessment, Training, and Outreach
(also proposed for funding under
the Habitats on Federally Managed
Lands Restoration Type) (E&D)
The draft RP II/EA also evaluates No
Action Alternatives for each of the
Restoration Types.
The Alabama TIG has determined that
the restoration projects and monitoring
and adaptive management activities
proposed for funding are appropriate to
partially compensate for the injuries for
these Restoration Types described in
PDARP/PEIS. In the draft RP II/EA, the
Alabama TIG presents to the public its
plan for providing partial compensation
to the public for natural resources and
ecological services injured or lost in
Alabama as a result of the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill. The projects
described in the draft RP II/EA are most
appropriate for addressing injuries to:
Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore
Habitats; Habitat Projects on Federally
Managed Lands, Nutrient Reduction
(Nonpoint Source), Sea Turtles, Marine
Mammals, Birds, and Oysters, and as
14625
monitoring and adaptive management
activities.
Next Steps
The public is encouraged to review
and comment on the draft RP II/EA. As
described above, a public meeting is
scheduled to facilitate the public review
and comment process. After the close of
the public comment period, the
Alabama TIG will consider and address
the comments received before issuing a
final RP II/EA. A summary of comments
received, the Alabama TIG’s responses,
and any revisions to the document, as
appropriate, will be included in the
final document.
PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE
Date
Time
(local times)
Location
Wednesday, April 18, 2018 .............
6 p.m. Open House; 6:30 p.m.
Public Meeting.
Five River Tensaw Theater, 31115 Five River Boulevard, Spanish
Fort, Alabama 36527.
Invitation to Comment
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
The Alabama TIG seeks public review
and comment on the draft RP II/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.
Bureau of Economic Analysis
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. Sec. 2701 et seq.),
the implementing NRDA regulations at 15
CFR part 990, and NEPA (42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321
et seq.).
Signed this 20th day of March, 2018, in
Washington, DC.
Leonard Jordan,
Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–06929 Filed 4–4–18; 8:45 am]
amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with NOTICES
BILLING CODE 3410–16–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:22 Apr 04, 2018
Jkt 244001
[Docket No. 180129092–8092–01]
RIN 0691–XC079
BE–9: Quarterly Survey of Foreign
Airline Operators’ Revenues and
Expenses in the United States
Bureau of Economic Analysis,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of reporting
requirements.
AGENCY:
By this Notice, the Bureau of
Economic Analysis (BEA), Department
of Commerce, is informing the public
that it is conducting the mandatory
survey titled Quarterly Survey of
Foreign Airline Operators’ Revenues
and Expenses in the United States (BE–
9). The data collected on the BE–9
survey are needed to measure U.S. trade
in transport services and to analyze the
impact of U.S. trade on the U.S. and
foreign economies. This survey is
authorized by the International
Investment and Trade in Services
Survey Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christopher Stein, Chief, Services
Surveys Branch (BE–50), Balance of
Payments Division, Bureau of Economic
Analysis, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 4600 Silver Hill Road,
Washington, DC 20233; phone (301)
278–9189; or via email at
Christopher.Stein@bea.gov.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Through
this Notice, BEA publishes the reporting
requirements for the BE–9 survey form.
As noted below, all entities required to
respond to this mandatory survey will
be contacted by BEA. Entities must
submit the completed survey forms
within 45 days after the end of each
calendar quarter. This Notice is being
issued in conformance with the rule
BEA issued on April 24, 2012 (77 FR
24373), establishing guidelines for
collecting data on international trade in
services and direct investment through
notices, rather than through rulemaking.
Additional information about BEA’s
collection of data on international trade
in services and direct investment can be
found in the 2012 rule, the International
Investment and Trade in Services
Survey Act (22 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), and
15 CFR part 801. Survey data on
international trade in services and direct
investment that are not collected
pursuant to the 2012 rule are described
separately in 15 CFR part 801. The BE–
9 survey form and instructions are
available at www.bea.gov/ssb.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Reporting
Notice of specific reporting
requirements, including who is to
report, the information to be reported,
the manner of reporting, and the time
and place of filing reports, will be
mailed to those required to complete
this survey.
Who Must Report: (a) Reports are
required from U.S. offices, agents, or
E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM
05APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 66 (Thursday, April 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14623-14625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06929]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket No. NRCS-2018-0003]
Notice of Availability of the Alabama Trustee Implementation
Group Draft Restoration Plan II/Environmental Assessment: Wetlands,
Coastal and Nearshore Habitats, Habitat Projects on Federally Managed
Lands, Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint Source), Sea Turtles, Marine
Mammals, Birds, and Oysters
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 and the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon Federal
and State natural resource trustee agencies for the Alabama Trustee
Implementation Group (Alabama TIG) have prepared a draft Restoration
Plan II/Environmental Assessment (RP II/EA). The draft RP II/EA
describes the restoration project alternatives considered by the
Alabama TIG to meet the Trustee's goals to restore and conserve
habitat, to replenish and protect living coastal and marine resources,
to restore water quality, and to provide for monitoring and adaptive
management. The Alabama TIG evaluated these alternatives under criteria
set forth in the OPA natural resource damage assessment (NRDA)
regulations, as well as the environmental consequences in accordance
with NEPA. Monitoring and adaptive management activities to address
information gaps necessary to inform future restoration are also
included in the draft plan. The purpose of this notice is to inform the
public of the availability of the draft RP II/EA and to seek public
comments on the document.
DATES: The Alabama TIG will consider public comments received on or
before May 4, 2018.
Public Meeting: On April 18, 2018, the Alabama TIG will host a
public meeting to facilitate public review of the draft RP II/EA. The
meeting will begin with an open house and be followed by a formal
meeting where the Alabama TIG will present the draft RP II/EA and
receive verbal comments from members of the public. Alabama TIG
representatives will be present during the open house and will be
available to answer questions. The Alabama TIG also will accept written
comments during the public meeting. The public meeting schedule and
details are listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You may download the draft RP II/EA at
https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov. Alternatively, you may
request a CD of the draft RP II/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 II/EA
by one of following methods:
The web: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/XXXX
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 May 4, 2018, to be
considered.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
USDA--Ronald Howard, [email protected].
State of Alabama--Amy Hunter, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
On 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), 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 oil spill in United States
history, discharging millions of barrels of oil over a period of 87
days.
[[Page 14624]]
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. Also, an undetermined amount of natural gas was released into 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 OPA 1990 (OPA, 33 U.S.C. Sec.
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. 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
For the State of Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
Texas General Land Office, and Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality
The DWH Trustees reached and finalized a settlement of their
natural resource damage claims with BP in a Consent Decree \1\ approved
by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of
Louisiana. Pursuant to that Consent Decree, restoration projects in
Alabama are now chosen and managed by the Alabama TIG. The Alabama TIG
is composed of the following Trustees:
\1\ https://www.justice.gov/enrd/file/838066/download.
DOI, as represented by NPS, FWS, and BLM
NOAA, on behalf of DOC
USDA
EPA
State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources
Geological Survey of Alabama
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). Restoration types evaluated in the draft RP
II/EA include: Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore Habitats; Habitat
Projects on Federally Managed Lands; Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint
Source), Sea Turtles, Marine Mammals, Birds, and Oysters. Information
on the Restoration Types evaluated in the draft RP II/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).
Background
In December 2016, as part of its restoration planning efforts, the
Alabama TIG asked the public for project ideas that could benefit
Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats; Habitat Projects on
Federally Managed Lands, Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint Source), Sea
Turtles, Marine Mammals, Birds, and Oysters in the Alabama Restoration
Area. The project submissions received through this process, along with
projects previously submitted during prior restoration planning
processes, resulted in the project alternatives evaluated in the draft
RP II/EA.
Overview of the Draft RP II/EA
The draft RP II/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. Sec. 4321 et seq.). In the draft RP
II/EA, the Alabama TIG proposes implementation of the following
projects:
Five projects within the Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats
Restoration Type
Magnolia River Land Acquisition (Holmes Tract)
Weeks Bay Land Acquisition East Gateway Tract
Weeks Bay Land Acquisition Harrod Tract
Lower Perdido Islands Restoration Phase I (Engineering &
Design [E&D])
Southwestern Coffee Island Habitat Restoration Project-
Phase I (also proposed for funding under the Birds Restoration Type)
(E&D)
Two projects within the Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands
Restoration Type
Little Lagoon Living Shoreline
Restoring the Night Sky-Assessment, Training, and Outreach
(also proposed for funding under the Sea Turtles Restoration Type and
for monitoring and adaptive management [MAM] funding) (E&D)
Three projects within the Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint Source)
Restoration Type
Toulmins Springs Branch E&D (E&D)
Fowl River Nutrient Reduction
Weeks Bay Nutrient Reduction
Four projects within the Sea Turtles Restoration Type
Coastal Alabama Sea Turtle (CAST) Conservation Program--
``Share the Beach''
CAST Triage
CAST Habitat Usage and Population Dynamics
CAST Protection: Enhancement and Education
Two projects within the Marine Mammals Restoration Type
Enhancing Capacity for the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding
Network
Alabama Estuarine Bottlenose Dolphin Protection:
Enhancement and Education
Two projects within the Birds Restoration Type
Southwestern Coffee Island Habitat Restoration Project-
Phase I (also proposed for funding under the Wetlands, Coastal, and
Nearshore Habitats Restoration Type) (E&D)
Colonial Nesting Wading Bird Tracking and Habitat Use
Assessment--Two Species
Four projects within the Oysters Restoration Type
Oyster Cultch Relief and Reef Configuration
Side-scan Mapping of Mobile Bay Relic Oyster Reefs (E&D)
[[Page 14625]]
Oyster Hatchery at Claude Peteet Mariculture Center--High
Spat Production with Study
Oyster Grow-Out and Restoration Reef Placement
Two activities are proposed for funding, in whole or in part, with the
Alabama TIGs Monitoring and Adaptive Management Allocation
Assessment of Alabama Estuarine Bottlenose Dolphin
Populations and Health
Restoring the Night Sky--Assessment, Training, and
Outreach (also proposed for funding under the Habitats on Federally
Managed Lands Restoration Type) (E&D)
The draft RP II/EA also evaluates No Action Alternatives for each
of the Restoration Types.
The Alabama TIG has determined that the restoration projects and
monitoring and adaptive management activities proposed for funding are
appropriate to partially compensate for the injuries for these
Restoration Types described in PDARP/PEIS. In the draft RP II/EA, the
Alabama TIG presents to the public its plan for providing partial
compensation to the public for natural resources and ecological
services injured or lost in Alabama as a result of the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill. The projects described in the draft RP II/EA are
most appropriate for addressing injuries to: Wetlands, Coastal and
Nearshore Habitats; Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands,
Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint Source), Sea Turtles, Marine Mammals,
Birds, and Oysters, and as monitoring and adaptive management
activities.
Next Steps
The public is encouraged to review and comment on the draft RP II/
EA. As described above, a public meeting is scheduled to facilitate the
public review and comment process. After the close of the public
comment period, the Alabama TIG will consider and address the comments
received before issuing a final RP II/EA. A summary of comments
received, the Alabama TIG's responses, and any revisions to the
document, as appropriate, will be included in the final document.
Public Meeting Schedule
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time (local
Date times) Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, April 18, 2018..... 6 p.m. Open Five River Tensaw
House; 6:30 p.m. Theater, 31115 Five
Public Meeting. River Boulevard,
Spanish Fort,
Alabama 36527.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invitation to Comment
The Alabama TIG seeks public review and comment on the draft RP II/
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. Sec. 2701 et seq.), the implementing NRDA regulations at 15
CFR part 990, and NEPA (42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et seq.).
Signed this 20th day of March, 2018, in Washington, DC.
Leonard Jordan,
Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-06929 Filed 4-4-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P
