Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment #6: Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats, 70186-70187 [2019-26588]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 245 / Friday, December 20, 2019 / Notices
(2) Should the EPA consider going through
a notice and comment process for the
extension?
(3) How should the EPA evaluate any
future treatment technique variance requests
to the LCR? Specifically, because the term is
not currently defined in statute or regulation,
how should the EPA interpret ‘‘at least as
efficient’’ to satisfy the statutory
requirements for a variance to be granted
under the SDWA Section 1415(a)(3)? Beyond
the criteria the EPA has evaluated in issuing
the variance order, are there other criteria
relevant to the meaning of ‘‘at least as
efficient’’ that the EPA should consider for
future requests? How should the Agency
evaluate the combined overall efficiency of a
proposed alternative treatment technique,
including whether or how to:
a. Prepare an LSL inventory to identify and
track LSLRs;
b. distribute filters certified for lead
removal to homes at risk of elevated lead
levels;
c. accelerate LSLRs;
d. achieve near optimal corrosion control
treatment; and
e. conduct outreach and education with
consumers?
(4) The EPA also requests comment on
other actions that water systems could take
to ensure equally efficient reductions in
drinking water lead exposure.
The variance order and its terms and
conditions are available online as part of
docket number EPA–R08–OW–2019–
0404 at www.regulations.gov.
After consideration of public
comments received, the EPA may
modify the terms and conditions of the
variance order to change the criteria by
which the EPA will assess the
effectiveness of Denver Water’s
alternative program in order to
determine whether the variance should
be extended.
Dated: December 16, 2019.
Gregory Sopkin,
Regional Administrator, Region 8.
[FR Doc. 2019–27487 Filed 12–19–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–10002–55–OW]
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Notice of Availability of the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill Louisiana Trustee
Implementation Group Draft
Restoration Plan and Environmental
Assessment #6: Wetlands, Coastal,
and Nearshore Habitats
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for public comments.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and the
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:30 Dec 19, 2019
Jkt 250001
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Federal and State natural
resource trustee agencies for the
Louisiana Trustee Implementation
Group (Louisiana TIG) prepared a Draft
Restoration Plan and Environmental
Assessment #6: Wetlands, Coastal, and
Nearshore Habitats (Draft RP/EA). The
Draft RP/EA describes and proposes
restoration project alternatives
considered by the Louisiana TIG to
restore and conserve wetlands, coastal,
and nearshore habitats injured as a
result of the Deepwater Horizon oil
spill. The Louisiana TIG evaluated these
alternatives under criteria set forth in
the OPA natural resource damage
assessment (NRDA) regulations, and
also evaluated the environmental
consequences of the restoration
alternatives in accordance with the
NEPA. The proposed projects are
consistent with the restoration
alternatives selected in the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill Final Programmatic
Damage Assessment and Restoration
Plan/Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement (PDARP/PEIS). This
notice informs the public of the
availability of the Draft RP/EA and
provides an opportunity for the public
to submit comments on the document.
DATES: The Louisiana TIG will consider
public comments received on or before
January 21, 2020.
Public Webinar: The Louisiana TIG
will conduct a public webinar on
January 8, 2020, at 12 p.m. Central
Standard Time to facilitate public
review and comment on the Draft RP/
EA. The public webinar will include a
presentation on the Draft RP/EA. Public
comments will be taken during the
public webinar. The public may register
for the webinar at https://
attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/
8527752114619805195. After
registering, participants will receive a
confirmation email with instructions for
joining the webinar. The presentation
will be posted on the web shortly after
the webinar is conducted.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may
download the Draft RP/EA at any of the
following sites:
• https://www.gulfspillrestoration.
noaa.gov;
• https://www.la-dwh.com.
Alternatively, you may request a CD
of the Draft RP/EA (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT). You may also
view the document at any of the public
facilities listed at https://www.gulfspill
restoration.noaa.gov.
Submitting Comments: You may
submit comments on the Draft RP/EA by
one of the following methods:
PO 00000
Frm 00041
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
• Via the Web: https://www.gulfspill
restoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/
louisiana.
• Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 29649,
Atlanta, GA 30345.
• During the Public Webinar:
Comments may be provided by the
public during the webinar on January 8,
2020.
Once submitted, comments cannot be
edited or withdrawn. The Louisiana TIG
may publish any comment received on
the document. Do not submit
electronically any information you
consider to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Multimedia submissions (audio, video,
etc.) must be accompanied by a written
comment. The written comment is
considered the official comment and
should include discussion of all points
you wish to make. The Louisiana TIG
will generally not consider comments or
comment contents located outside of the
primary submission (i.e. on the web,
cloud, or other file sharing system).
Please be aware that your entire
comment, including your personal
identifying information, will become
part of the public record. Please note
that mailed comments must be
postmarked on or before the comment
deadline of 30 days following
publication of this notice to be
considered.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
• Louisiana—Joann Hicks, 225–342–
5477
• EPA—Douglas Jacobson, 214–665–
6692
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 the
release of 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 offshore oil spill in U.S. history,
discharging millions of barrels of oil
over a period of 87 days. The Trustees
conducted the natural resource damage
assessment for the Deepwater Horizon
oil spill under the Oil Pollution Act of
1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). Under the
OPA, Federal and State agencies act as
trustees on behalf of the public to assess
natural resource injuries and losses and
E:\FR\FM\20DEN1.SGM
20DEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 245 / Friday, December 20, 2019 / Notices
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
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
restoration to baseline (the resource
quality and conditions that would exist
if the spill had not occurred) is
complete.
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Trustees are:
• U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA);
• 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);
• State of Louisiana Coastal
Protection and Restoration Authority
(CPRA), Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office
(LOSCO), Department of Environmental
Quality (LDEQ), Department of Wildlife
and Fisheries (LDWF), and Department
of Natural Resources (LDNR);
• 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 Parks and Wildlife
Department, General Land Office, and
Commission on Environmental Quality.
On April 4, 2016, the Trustees
reached and finalized a settlement of
their natural resource damage claims
with BP in a Consent Decree approved
by the United States District Court for
the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Pursuant to that Consent Decree,
restoration projects in the Louisiana
Restoration Area are chosen and
managed by the Louisiana TIG. The
Louisiana TIG is composed of the
following Trustees: CPRA, LOSCO,
LDEQ, LDWF, LDNR, EPA, DOI, NOAA,
USDA.
Background
In a June 2019 notice posted at https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov, the
Louisiana TIG requested public input on
restoration project ideas in Louisiana
within the Wetlands, Coastal, and
Nearshore Habitats restoration type. The
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:30 Dec 19, 2019
Jkt 250001
Louisiana TIG reviewed and considered
these restoration project ideas.
Overview of the Draft RP/EA
The Draft RP/EA is being released in
accordance with the OPA, NRDA
implementing regulations, and the
NEPA. In the Draft RP/EA, the Louisiana
TIG presents to the public their plan to
restore and conserve wetlands, coastal,
and nearshore habitats injured by the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Draft
RP/EA evaluates a total of four
restoration project alternatives within
the Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore
Habitats restoration type. Of those, three
are identified as preferred alternatives.
The Draft RP/EA proposes the
following preferred project alternatives:
• West Grand Terre Beach
Nourishment and Stabilization;
• Golden Triangle Marsh Creation;
and
• Biloxi Marsh Living Shoreline.
The Draft RP/EA also evaluates a no
action alternative. One or more
alternatives may be selected for
implementation by the Louisiana TIG.
The proposed projects are intended to
continue the process of using restoration
funding to restore and conserve
wetlands, coastal, and nearshore
habitats injured by the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill. The total estimated
cost of the preferred alternatives is
approximately $209 million. Additional
restoration planning for the Louisiana
Restoration Area will continue.
Next Steps
The public is encouraged to review
and comment on the Draft RP/EA. A
public webinar is scheduled to help
facilitate the public review and
comment process. After the public
comment period ends, the Louisiana
TIG will consider the comments
received before issuing a Final RP/EA.
A summary of comments received and
the Louisiana TIG’s responses and any
revisions to the document, as
appropriate, will be included in the
final document.
Administrative Record
The documents comprising the
Administrative Record for the Draft RP/
EA can be viewed electronically at
https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/
adminrecord.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et
seq.), its implementing NRDA
regulations found at 15 CFR part 990,
and the NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
PO 00000
Frm 00042
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
70187
Dated: December 2, 2019.
Benita Best-Wong,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of
Water.
[FR Doc. 2019–26588 Filed 12–19–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[ER–FRL–9048–5]
Environmental Impact Statements;
Notice of Availability
Responsible Agency: Office of Federal
Activities, General Information
202–564–5632 or https://www.epa.gov/
nepa/.
Weekly receipt of Environmental Impact
Statements
Filed 12/09/2019 10 a.m. ET Through
12/16/2019 10 a.m. ET
Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.9.
Notice
Section 309(a) of the Clean Air Act
requires that EPA make public its
comments on EISs issued by other
Federal agencies. EPA’s comment letters
on EISs are available at: https://
cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-public/
action/eis/search.
EIS No. 20190294, Draft, BLM, ID,
Blackrock Land Exchange, Comment
Period Ends: 02/03/2020, Contact:
Bryce Anderson 208–478–6353
EIS No. 20190295, Draft, USFS, ID,
Land Management Plan Revision for
the Nez Perce-Clearwater National
Forests, Comment Period Ends: 03/19/
2020, Contact: Zachary Peterson 208–
935–4239
EIS No. 20190297, Final Supplement,
USACE, NM, Middle Rio Grande
Flood Protection Bernalillo to Belen,
New Mexico: Mountain View, Isleta
and Belen Units Integrated General
Reevaluation Report and
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement, Review Period Ends: 01/
21/2020, Contact: Michael D. Porter
505–342–3264
EIS No. 20190298, Final, FDOT, FL, Gulf
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Reinitiation of Consultation on the
Coordinated Long-Term Operation of
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916–537–7060
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Shadow Mountain Solar Project,
Review Period Ends: 01/21/2020,
Contact: Chip Lewis 602–379–6750
E:\FR\FM\20DEN1.SGM
20DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70186-70187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26588]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-10002-55-OW]
Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group Draft Restoration Plan and
Environmental Assessment #6: Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal and State natural
resource trustee agencies for the Louisiana Trustee Implementation
Group (Louisiana TIG) prepared a Draft Restoration Plan and
Environmental Assessment #6: Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats
(Draft RP/EA). The Draft RP/EA describes and proposes restoration
project alternatives considered by the Louisiana TIG to restore and
conserve wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitats injured as a result
of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Louisiana TIG evaluated these
alternatives under criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource
damage assessment (NRDA) regulations, and also evaluated the
environmental consequences of the restoration alternatives in
accordance with the NEPA. The proposed projects are consistent with the
restoration alternatives selected in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan/Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement (PDARP/PEIS). This notice informs the
public of the availability of the Draft RP/EA and provides an
opportunity for the public to submit comments on the document.
DATES: The Louisiana TIG will consider public comments received on or
before January 21, 2020.
Public Webinar: The Louisiana TIG will conduct a public webinar on
January 8, 2020, at 12 p.m. Central Standard Time to facilitate public
review and comment on the Draft RP/EA. The public webinar will include
a presentation on the Draft RP/EA. Public comments will be taken during
the public webinar. The public may register for the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8527752114619805195. After
registering, participants will receive a confirmation email with
instructions for joining the webinar. The presentation will be posted
on the web shortly after the webinar is conducted.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may download the Draft RP/EA at any of the
following sites:
https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov;
https://www.la-dwh.com.
Alternatively, you may request a CD of the Draft RP/EA (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). You may also view the document at any of
the public facilities listed at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
Submitting Comments: You may submit comments on the Draft RP/EA by
one of the following methods:
Via the Web: https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/louisiana.
Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box
29649, Atlanta, GA 30345.
During the Public Webinar: Comments may be provided by the
public during the webinar on January 8, 2020.
Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or withdrawn. The
Louisiana TIG may publish any comment received on the document. Do not
submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must
be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered
the official comment and should include discussion of all points you
wish to make. The Louisiana TIG will generally not consider comments or
comment contents located outside of the primary submission (i.e. on the
web, cloud, or other file sharing system). Please be aware that your
entire comment, including your personal identifying information, will
become part of the public record. Please note that mailed comments must
be postmarked on or before the comment deadline of 30 days following
publication of this notice to be considered.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Louisiana--Joann Hicks, 225-342-5477
EPA--Douglas Jacobson, 214-665-6692
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 the release of 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 offshore oil spill in U.S. history, discharging millions of
barrels of oil over a period of 87 days. The Trustees conducted the
natural resource damage assessment for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). Under the
OPA, Federal and State agencies act as trustees on behalf of the public
to assess natural resource injuries and losses and
[[Page 70187]]
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
restoration to baseline (the resource quality and conditions that would
exist if the spill had not occurred) is complete.
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill Trustees are:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);
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);
State of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration
Authority (CPRA), Oil Spill Coordinator's Office (LOSCO), Department of
Environmental Quality (LDEQ), Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
(LDWF), and Department of Natural Resources (LDNR);
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 Parks and Wildlife Department, General Land
Office, and Commission on Environmental Quality.
On April 4, 2016, the Trustees reached and finalized a settlement
of their natural resource damage claims with BP in a Consent Decree
approved by the United States District Court for the Eastern District
of Louisiana. Pursuant to that Consent Decree, restoration projects in
the Louisiana Restoration Area are chosen and managed by the Louisiana
TIG. The Louisiana TIG is composed of the following Trustees: CPRA,
LOSCO, LDEQ, LDWF, LDNR, EPA, DOI, NOAA, USDA.
Background
In a June 2019 notice posted at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov, the Louisiana TIG requested public
input on restoration project ideas in Louisiana within the Wetlands,
Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats restoration type. The Louisiana TIG
reviewed and considered these restoration project ideas.
Overview of the Draft RP/EA
The Draft RP/EA is being released in accordance with the OPA, NRDA
implementing regulations, and the NEPA. In the Draft RP/EA, the
Louisiana TIG presents to the public their plan to restore and conserve
wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitats injured by the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill. The Draft RP/EA evaluates a total of four
restoration project alternatives within the Wetlands, Coastal, and
Nearshore Habitats restoration type. Of those, three are identified as
preferred alternatives.
The Draft RP/EA proposes the following preferred project
alternatives:
West Grand Terre Beach Nourishment and Stabilization;
Golden Triangle Marsh Creation; and
Biloxi Marsh Living Shoreline.
The Draft RP/EA also evaluates a no action alternative. One or more
alternatives may be selected for implementation by the Louisiana TIG.
The proposed projects are intended to continue the process of using
restoration funding to restore and conserve wetlands, coastal, and
nearshore habitats injured by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The
total estimated cost of the preferred alternatives is approximately
$209 million. Additional restoration planning for the Louisiana
Restoration Area will continue.
Next Steps
The public is encouraged to review and comment on the Draft RP/EA.
A public webinar is scheduled to help facilitate the public review and
comment process. After the public comment period ends, the Louisiana
TIG will consider the comments received before issuing a Final RP/EA. A
summary of comments received and the Louisiana TIG's responses and any
revisions to the document, as appropriate, will be included in the
final document.
Administrative Record
The documents comprising the Administrative Record for the Draft
RP/EA can be viewed electronically at https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.), its implementing NRDA regulations found at 15 CFR
part 990, and the NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
Dated: December 2, 2019.
Benita Best-Wong,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2019-26588 Filed 12-19-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
