Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Restoration Plan 1 and Environmental Assessment, and Finding of No Significant Impact; Florida Trustee Implementation Group, 10525-10527 [2019-05377]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 55 / Thursday, March 21, 2019 / Notices
601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA
20598–6011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christina A. Walsh at the above address,
or by telephone (571) 227–2062.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), an agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a valid OMB control
number. The ICR documentation will be
available at https://www.reginfo.gov
upon its submission to OMB. Therefore,
in preparation for OMB review and
approval of the following information
collection, TSA is soliciting comments
to—
(1) Evaluate whether the proposed
information requirement is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions
of the agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden;
(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
(4) Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including using
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Consistent with the requirements of
Executive Order (E.O.) 13771, Reducing
Regulation and Controlling Regulatory
Costs, and E.O. 13777, Enforcing the
Regulatory Reform Agenda, TSA is also
requesting comments on the extent to
which this request for information could
be modified to reduce the burden on
respondents.
Information Collection Requirement
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Purpose and Description of Data
Collection
The Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) has broad
statutory authority for ‘‘security in all
modes of transportation . . . including
security responsibilities . . . over
modes of transportation that are
exercised by the Department of
Transportation.’’ 1 Consistent with this
1 See section 101 of the Aviation and
Transportation Security Act (ATSA), Public Law
107–71, 115 Stat. 597 (Nov. 19, 2001), codified at
49 U.S.C. 114 (ATSA created TSA and established
the agency’s primary federal role to enhance
security for all modes of transportation). Section
403(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA),
Public Law 107–296, 116 Stat. 2135 (Nov. 25, 2002),
transferred all functions related to transportation
security, including those of the Secretary of
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authority, TSA is the Federal agency
responsible for ‘‘assess[ing] the security
of each surface transportation mode and
evaluat[ing] the effectiveness and
efficiency of current Federal
Government surface transportation
security initiatives.’’ 2
Section 1983 of the FAA
Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R. 302,
Pub. L. 115–254, 132 Stat. 3186, Oct. 5,
2018) (the ‘‘Act’’) directs the Secretary
of Homeland Security to conduct a
survey 3 of public and private
stakeholders responsible for securing
surface transportation assets regarding
resource challenges including unmet
security needs. The Act also requires
reporting to the appropriate
congressional committees regarding the
survey results and the efforts of DHS to
address any identified security
vulnerabilities.
The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) is the fiduciary agent
and Federal awarding agency for grant
funding appropriate to DHS for surface
transportation security enhancements.
As memorialized in a memorandum of
understanding between FEMA and TSA,
TSA supports the grant process for
surface transportation through
numerous activities, including
stakeholder outreach and soliciting
feedback for program improvements
from surface transportation security
partners.
Consistent with the above authorities
and agreements with FEMA, TSA is
now seeking approval to conduct the
survey. TSA estimates that 641 industry
stakeholders will submit a response to
the survey, which will take
approximately 2 hours to complete. TSA
estimates the total annual burden for
this one-time collection is 1,282.8
hours.
Transportation and the Under Secretary of
Transportation for Security, to the Secretary of
Homeland Security. Pursuant to Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) Delegation Number
7060.2, the Secretary delegated to the
Administrator, subject to the Secretary’s guidance
and control, the authority vested in the Secretary
with respect to TSA, including that in sec. 403(2)
of the HSA.
2 See Executive Order (E.O.) 13416, section 3(a)
(Dec. 5, 2006); 49 U.S.C. 114(d)(3) and (4).
3 The provision reads:
(a) In General.—Not later than 120 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
begin conducting a survey of public and private
stakeholders responsible for securing surface
transportation assets regarding resource challenges,
including the availability of Federal funding,
associated with securing such assets that provides
an opportunity for respondents to set forth
information on specific unmet needs.
(b) Report.—Not later than 120 days after
beginning the survey required under subsection (a),
the Secretary shall report to the appropriate
committees of Congress regarding the results of
such survey and the Department of Homeland
Security’s efforts to address any identified security
vulnerabilities.
AGENCY:
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Use of Results
The information collected in this onetime survey will be used as follows:
1. To develop a baseline
understanding of surface transportation
operators’ security budgets and of the
gap, if any, between available funding
and stakeholders’ perceived security
needs.
2. To identify resources across the
Department available to stakeholders to
address any identified security
vulnerabilities.
3. To report to leadership in TSA,
DHS, and Congress on those resource
needs, in order to inform future Federal
budget formulation and grant making
decisions.
4. To inform TSA’s development of
security strategies, priorities, and
programs, as well as stakeholder
outreach efforts, that ensure the most
effective application of available
resources.
Dated: March 15, 2019.
Christina A. Walsh,
TSA Paperwork Reduction Act Officer,
Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2019–05394 Filed 3–20–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–05–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[FWS–R4–ES–2019–N028;
FVHC98220410150–XXX–FF04H00000]
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final
Restoration Plan 1 and Environmental
Assessment, and Finding of No
Significant Impact; Florida Trustee
Implementation Group
ACTION:
Department of the Interior.
Notice of availability.
In accordance with the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon Oil
Spill Final Programmatic Damage
Assessment and Restoration Plan and
Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS),
and the Consent Decree, the Federal and
State natural resource trustee agencies
for the Florida Trustee Implementation
Group (FL TIG) have prepared the Final
Restoration Plan 1 and Environmental
Assessment: Habitat Projects on
Federally Managed Lands; Nutrient
Reduction; Water Quality; and Provide
and Enhance Recreational
Opportunities (RP1/EA) and a Finding
of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The
Final RP1/EA describes the restoration
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 55 / Thursday, March 21, 2019 / Notices
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project alternatives considered by the
FL TIG 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 FL TIG
evaluated these alternatives under
criteria set forth in the OPA natural
resource damage assessment (NRDA)
regulations and evaluated the
environmental consequences of the
restoration alternatives in accordance
with NEPA. The purpose of this notice
is to inform the public of the availability
of the Final RP1/EA.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You
may download the Final RP1/EA from
either of the following websites:
• https://www.gulfspillrestoration
.noaa.gov
• https://www.doi.gov/
deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord
Alternatively, you may request a CD
of the Final RP1/EA (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nanciann Regalado, via email at
nanciann_regalado@fws.gov, via
telephone at 678–296–6805, or via the
Federal Relay Service at 800–877–8339.
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), 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 off shore
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 conducted the natural
resource damage assessment (NRDA) for
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under
the Oil Pollution Act (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. The OPA further instructs
the designated trustees to develop and
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18:27 Mar 20, 2019
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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 Deepwater Horizon 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. 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
• State of Texas: Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department, Texas General
Land Office, and Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality.
The Trustees reached and finalized a
settlement of their natural resource
damage claims with BP in an April 4,
2016, Consent Decree approved by the
U.S. District Court for the Eastern
District of Louisiana. Pursuant to that
Consent Decree, restoration projects in
the Florida Restoration Area are now
selected and implemented by the
Florida Trustee Implementation Group
(TIG). The FL TIG is composed of the
following Trustees:
• 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. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA); and
• State of Florida Department of
Environmental Protection and Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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Background
On November 4, 2016, the FL TIG
posted a public notice at https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov
requesting new or revised natural
resource restoration project ideas by
December 5, 2016, for the Florida
Restoration Area. The notice stated that
the FL TIG was seeking project ideas for
the following Restoration Types: (1)
Habitat Projects on Federally Managed
Lands; (2) Nutrient Reduction; (3) Water
Quality; and (4) Provide and Enhance
Recreational Opportunities.
On September 29, 2017, the FL TIG
announced that it had initiated drafting
of its first post-settlement draft
restoration plan, and that the first plan
would include restoration projects for
Habitat Projects on Federally Managed
Lands; Nutrient Reduction; Water
Quality; and Provide and Enhance
Recreational Opportunities.
The project submissions received
through this process, along with projects
previously submitted during prior
restoration planning processes, resulted
in the alternatives evaluated in the Draft
RP1/EA.
The FL TIG released the Draft RP1/EA
on September 20, 2018. Notice of
availability of the Draft RP1/EA was
published in the Federal Register on
October 9, 2018 (83 FR 50679). The
Draft RP1/EA provided the FL TIG’s
analysis of alternatives that would meet
the Trustees’ goals to restore and
conserve habitat, restore water quality,
and provide and enhance recreational
opportunities under OPA and NEPA,
and identified the alternatives that were
proposed as preferred for
implementation. The FL TIG provided
the public with 99 days to review and
comment on the Draft RP1/EA. To
facilitate public understanding of the
document, the FL TIG held a public
meeting in Tallahassee on October 2,
2018, and a public webinar on
December 13, 2018, and accepted public
comments during both the meeting and
the webinar. The FL TIG considered the
public comments received, which
informed the FL TIG’s analysis of
alternatives in the Final RP1/EA. A
summary of the public comments
received and the FL TIG’s responses to
those comments are addressed in
Chapter 6 of the Final RP1/EA.
Overview of the FL TIG Final RP1/EA
The Final RP1/EA is being released in
accordance with OPA, NRDA
regulations found in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR part 990,
NEPA, the Consent Decree, and the
Final PDARP/PEIS.
In the Final RP1/EA and FONSI, the
FL TIG selected 23 restoration projects
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 55 / Thursday, March 21, 2019 / Notices
to be funded. Specifically, the FL TIG
selected the following projects:
Habitat Projects on Federally Managed
Lands
• Gulf Islands National Seashore
(Florida) Night Sky Restoration (P&D),
• Gulf Islands National Seashore
(Florida) Beach and Dune Habitat
Protection,
• Gulf Islands National Seashore
(Florida) Invasive Plant Removal, and
• St. Vincent National Wildlife
Refuge Predator Control.
Nutrient Reduction
• Pensacola Bay and Perdido River
Watersheds—Nutrient Reduction, and
• Lower Suwannee River
Watershed—Nutrient Reduction.
Water Quality
• Carpenter Creek Headwaters Water
Quality Improvements,
• Pensacola Beach Reclaimed Water
System Expansion,
• Rattlesnake Bluff Road and
Riverbank Restoration,
• Pensacola Bay Unpaved Roads
Initiative (P&D),
• Alligator Lake Coastal Dune Lake
Hydrologic Restoration,
• City of Port St. Joe Stormwater
Improvements,
• City of Carrabelle’s Lighthouse
Estates: Septic Tank Abatement Phase II,
• Lower Suwannee National Wildlife
Refuge Hydrologic Restoration (P&D),
and
• Lower Charlotte Harbor Flatwoods
Hydrologic Restoration Initiative, Yucca
Pens Unit (P&D).
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Provide and Enhance Recreational
Opportunities
• Perdido River and Bay Paddle Trail,
• Carpenter Creek Headwaters Park
Amenities,
• Gulf Islands National Seashore
(Florida) Rehabilitation of Okaloosa
Unit Recreational Facilities,
• Joe’s Bayou Recreation Area
Improvements,
• Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Improvements,
• Camp Helen State Park
Improvements,
• St. Andrews State Park
Improvements, and
• St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Coastal Trail Connection, Spring Creek
to Port Leon.
The FL TIG also analyzed nine
additional alternatives, as well as a no
action alternative. In accordance with
NEPA, as part of the Final RP1/EA, the
Trustees issued a FONSI. The FONSI is
available in Appendix G of the Final
RP1/EA.
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The FL TIG determined that the
restoration projects selected for funding
will continue the process of restoring
the natural resources injured or lost as
a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil
spill. The total estimated cost for the 23
selected restoration projects is
$61,282,740. Additional restoration
planning for the Florida Restoration
Area will continue.
Administrative Record
The documents comprising the
Administrative Record for the Draft
RP1/EA can be viewed electronically at
https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/
adminrecord.
Authority
The authority of this action is the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et
seq.), and its implementing Natural
Resource Damage Assessment
regulations found at 15 CFR part 990,
and the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
Mary Josie Blanchard,
Director of Gulf of Mexico Restoration,
Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2019–05377 Filed 3–20–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[FWS–R4–ES–2019–N027;
FVHC98220410150–XXX–FF04H00000]
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final
Phase 2 Restoration Plan/
Environmental Assessment #1.1:
Queen Bess Island Restoration and
Finding of No Significant Impact;
Louisiana Trustee Implementation
Group
Department of the Interior.
Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In accordance with the Oil
Pollution Act (OPA), the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final
Programmatic Damage Assessment and
Restoration Plan and Final
Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement (PDARP/PEIS), Record of
Decision, and the Consent Decree, the
Federal and State natural resource
trustee agencies for the Louisiana
Trustee Implementation Group
(Louisiana TIG) have prepared a Final
Phase 2 Restoration Plan/Environmental
Assessment #1.1: Restoration of Queen
Bess Island (Phase 2 RP/EA #1.1) and
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI). The Phase 2 RP/EA #1.1
describes the restoration project design
alternatives considered by the Louisiana
TIG to continue the process of restoring
SUMMARY:
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
10527
natural resources and services injured or
lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon
oil spill. The purpose of this notice is
to inform the public of the availability
of the final Phase 2 RP/EA #1.1 and
FONSI.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You
may download the Phase 2 RP/EA #1.1
and FONSI from any of the following
websites:
• https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov
• https://www.doi.gov/
deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord
• https://www.la-dwh.com
Alternatively, you may request a CD
of the Phase 2 RP/EA #1.1 and FONSI
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nanciann Regalado, via email at
nanciann_regalado@fws.gov, via
telephone at 678–296–6805, or via the
Federal Relay Service at 800–877–8339.
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), 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 off shore
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 conducted the natural
resource damage assessment (NRDA) for
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under
the Oil Pollution Act (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
E:\FR\FM\21MRN1.SGM
21MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 55 (Thursday, March 21, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10525-10527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05377]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[FWS-R4-ES-2019-N028; FVHC98220410150-XXX-FF04H00000]
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Restoration Plan 1 and
Environmental Assessment, and Finding of No Significant Impact; Florida
Trustee Implementation Group
AGENCY: Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon Oil
Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and
Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS),
and the Consent Decree, the Federal and State natural resource trustee
agencies for the Florida Trustee Implementation Group (FL TIG) have
prepared the Final Restoration Plan 1 and Environmental Assessment:
Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands; Nutrient Reduction; Water
Quality; and Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities (RP1/EA)
and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The Final RP1/EA
describes the restoration
[[Page 10526]]
project alternatives considered by the FL TIG 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 FL TIG evaluated these
alternatives under criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource
damage assessment (NRDA) regulations and evaluated the environmental
consequences of the restoration alternatives in accordance with NEPA.
The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability
of the Final RP1/EA.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You may download the Final RP1/EA from
either of the following websites:
https://www.gulfspillrestoration .noaa.gov
https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord
Alternatively, you may request a CD of the Final RP1/EA (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nanciann Regalado, via email at
nanciann_regalado@fws.gov, via telephone at 678-296-6805, or via the
Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.
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), 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 off shore 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 conducted the natural resource damage assessment
(NRDA) for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under the Oil Pollution Act
(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. The 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 Deepwater Horizon 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. 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
State of Texas: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas
General Land Office, and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
The Trustees reached and finalized a settlement of their natural
resource damage claims with BP in an April 4, 2016, Consent Decree
approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of
Louisiana. Pursuant to that Consent Decree, restoration projects in the
Florida Restoration Area are now selected and implemented by the
Florida Trustee Implementation Group (TIG). The FL TIG is composed of
the following Trustees:
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. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and
State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection
and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Background
On November 4, 2016, the FL TIG posted a public notice at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov requesting new or revised natural
resource restoration project ideas by December 5, 2016, for the Florida
Restoration Area. The notice stated that the FL TIG was seeking project
ideas for the following Restoration Types: (1) Habitat Projects on
Federally Managed Lands; (2) Nutrient Reduction; (3) Water Quality; and
(4) Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities.
On September 29, 2017, the FL TIG announced that it had initiated
drafting of its first post-settlement draft restoration plan, and that
the first plan would include restoration projects for Habitat Projects
on Federally Managed Lands; Nutrient Reduction; Water Quality; and
Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities.
The project submissions received through this process, along with
projects previously submitted during prior restoration planning
processes, resulted in the alternatives evaluated in the Draft RP1/EA.
The FL TIG released the Draft RP1/EA on September 20, 2018. Notice
of availability of the Draft RP1/EA was published in the Federal
Register on October 9, 2018 (83 FR 50679). The Draft RP1/EA provided
the FL TIG's analysis of alternatives that would meet the Trustees'
goals to restore and conserve habitat, restore water quality, and
provide and enhance recreational opportunities under OPA and NEPA, and
identified the alternatives that were proposed as preferred for
implementation. The FL TIG provided the public with 99 days to review
and comment on the Draft RP1/EA. To facilitate public understanding of
the document, the FL TIG held a public meeting in Tallahassee on
October 2, 2018, and a public webinar on December 13, 2018, and
accepted public comments during both the meeting and the webinar. The
FL TIG considered the public comments received, which informed the FL
TIG's analysis of alternatives in the Final RP1/EA. A summary of the
public comments received and the FL TIG's responses to those comments
are addressed in Chapter 6 of the Final RP1/EA.
Overview of the FL TIG Final RP1/EA
The Final RP1/EA is being released in accordance with OPA, NRDA
regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR
part 990, NEPA, the Consent Decree, and the Final PDARP/PEIS.
In the Final RP1/EA and FONSI, the FL TIG selected 23 restoration
projects
[[Page 10527]]
to be funded. Specifically, the FL TIG selected the following projects:
Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands
Gulf Islands National Seashore (Florida) Night Sky
Restoration (P&D),
Gulf Islands National Seashore (Florida) Beach and Dune
Habitat Protection,
Gulf Islands National Seashore (Florida) Invasive Plant
Removal, and
St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge Predator Control.
Nutrient Reduction
Pensacola Bay and Perdido River Watersheds--Nutrient
Reduction, and
Lower Suwannee River Watershed--Nutrient Reduction.
Water Quality
Carpenter Creek Headwaters Water Quality Improvements,
Pensacola Beach Reclaimed Water System Expansion,
Rattlesnake Bluff Road and Riverbank Restoration,
Pensacola Bay Unpaved Roads Initiative (P&D),
Alligator Lake Coastal Dune Lake Hydrologic Restoration,
City of Port St. Joe Stormwater Improvements,
City of Carrabelle's Lighthouse Estates: Septic Tank
Abatement Phase II,
Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge Hydrologic
Restoration (P&D), and
Lower Charlotte Harbor Flatwoods Hydrologic Restoration
Initiative, Yucca Pens Unit (P&D).
Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities
Perdido River and Bay Paddle Trail,
Carpenter Creek Headwaters Park Amenities,
Gulf Islands National Seashore (Florida) Rehabilitation of
Okaloosa Unit Recreational Facilities,
Joe's Bayou Recreation Area Improvements,
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Improvements,
Camp Helen State Park Improvements,
St. Andrews State Park Improvements, and
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Coastal Trail
Connection, Spring Creek to Port Leon.
The FL TIG also analyzed nine additional alternatives, as well as a
no action alternative. In accordance with NEPA, as part of the Final
RP1/EA, the Trustees issued a FONSI. The FONSI is available in Appendix
G of the Final RP1/EA.
The FL TIG determined that the restoration projects selected for
funding will continue the process of restoring the natural resources
injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The
total estimated cost for the 23 selected restoration projects is
$61,282,740. Additional restoration planning for the Florida
Restoration Area will continue.
Administrative Record
The documents comprising the Administrative Record for the Draft
RP1/EA can be viewed electronically at https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord.
Authority
The authority of this action is the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.), and its implementing Natural Resource Damage
Assessment regulations found at 15 CFR part 990, and the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
Mary Josie Blanchard,
Director of Gulf of Mexico Restoration, Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2019-05377 Filed 3-20-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
