Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Regionwide Trustee Implementation Group Draft Restoration Plan #1/Environmental Assessment: Birds, Marine Mammals, Oysters, and Sea Turtles, 15199-15202 [2021-05716]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 53 / Monday, March 22, 2021 / Notices
Type of Review: Regular submission
(extension of a current information
collection).
Affected Public: Non-profit
institutions; State, local, or tribal
government; business or other for-profit
organizations (vessel owners).
Estimated Number of Respondents:
3,282.
Estimated Time Per Response: 45
minutes to mark the vessel; 15 minutes
each to mark highflyers, buoys, and
floats.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 3,894 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $344,610.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and the
Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975
(16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.)
IV. Request for Comments
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Evaluate whether the proposed
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including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the
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cost burden for this proposed collection,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
Evaluate ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (d) Minimize the
reporting burden on those who are to
respond, including the use of automated
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information technology.
Comments that you submit in
response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or
summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before
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your entire comment—including your
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Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Chief Information Officer, Commerce
Department.
[FR Doc. 2021–05851 Filed 3–19–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA868]
Notice of Availability of the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill Regionwide Trustee
Implementation Group Draft
Restoration Plan #1/Environmental
Assessment: Birds, Marine Mammals,
Oysters, and Sea Turtles
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for comments.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), and a Consent Decree with BP
Exploration & Production Inc. (BP),1 the
Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Federal
natural resource trustee agencies for the
Regionwide Trustee Implementation
Group (Regionwide TIG) have prepared
a Draft Restoration Plan #1/
Environmental Assessment: Birds,
Marine Mammals, Oysters, and Sea
Turtles (Draft RP/EA). The Draft RP/EA
describes and proposes restoration
project alternatives considered by the
Regionwide TIG to partially restore
natural resources and ecological
services injured or lost as a result of the
DWH oil spill. The Regionwide TIG
evaluated these alternatives under
criteria set forth in the OPA natural
resource damage assessment (NRDA)
regulations. In accordance with NEPA
the environmental consequences of the
restoration alternatives are evaluated in
the integrated Environmental
Assessment to which the Regionwide
TIG Federal Trustees are cooperating
agencies. 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: The Regionwide TIG will
consider public comments received on
or before May 6, 2021.
Virtual Public Meetings: Due to
continuing Covid-19 limitations on
gatherings of groups, the Regionwide
TIG will hold two virtual open house
and public meetings to facilitate public
SUMMARY:
1 Consent Decree among Defendant BP
Exploration & Production Inc. (‘‘BPXP’’), the United
States of America, and the States of Alabama,
Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas entered
in In re: Oil Spill by the Oil Rig ‘‘Deepwater
Horizon’’ in the Gulf of Mexico, on April 20, 2010,
MDL No. 2179 in the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
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15199
review and comment on the Draft RP/
EA.
1. April 15, 2021, 2 p.m. CDT
2. April 15, 2021, 6 p.m. CDT
Members of the public can access the
open house and webinars at:
https://regionwidetig.eventbrite.com/.
After registering, participants will
receive a confirmation email with
instructions for joining the open house
and webinar.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may
access the Draft RP/EA from the ‘‘News’’
section of the Regionwide TIG website
at: https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/
restoration-areas/regionwide.
Submitting Comments: You may
submit comments on the Draft RP/EA by
one of the following methods:
• Via the Web: https://
parkplanning.nps.gov/RWTIGRP1.
• Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 29649,
Atlanta, GA 30345. Please note that
mailed comments must be postmarked
on or before the comment deadline of 45
days following publication of this notice
to be considered.
• During the virtual public meetings:
Comments may be provided during the
webinar. Webinar information is
provided below in SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration—Jamie Schubert, NOAA
Restoration Center, (310) 427–8711,
regionwide.tig@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater
Horizon (DWH) mobile drilling unit
exploded, causing a massive release of
oil from the BP Exploration and
Production Inc. (BP) Macondo well. The
explosion and oil spill led to loss of life
and extensive natural resource injuries.
Oil spread from the deep ocean to
surface and nearshore environments
across the Gulf of Mexico, from Texas to
Florida. Extensive response actions
were undertaken to reduce harm to
people and the environment. However,
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many of these response actions had
collateral impacts on the environment
and on natural resource services.
The DWH Federal and State natural
resource trustees (DWH Trustees)
conducted the natural resource damage
assessment for the DWH oil spill under
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, 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
(CPRA), 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 DWH Trustees reached and
finalized a settlement of their natural
resource damage claims with BP in an
April 4, 2016, Consent Decree approved
by the United States District Court for
the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Pursuant to that Consent Decree,
restoration projects in the Regionwide
Restoration Area are selected and
implemented by the Regionwide TIG.
The Regionwide TIG is composed of the
Federal and State Trustees listed above.
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Background
Marine Mammals
On September 24, 2019, the
Regionwide TIG posted a public notice
at https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov
requesting new or revised natural
resource restoration project ideas for the
Regionwide Restoration Area. The
notice stated that the Regionwide TIG
was seeking project ideas for the
following Restoration Types: (1) Birds,
(2) Marine Mammals, (3) Oysters; and
(4) Sea Turtles. On July 1, 2020 the
Regionwide TIG announced that it had
initiated drafting of its first post
settlement draft restoration plan
including restoration projects for Birds,
Marine Mammals, Oysters and Sea
Turtles.
• Alternative 1: Voluntary
Modifications to Commercial Shrimp
Lazy Lines to Reduce Dolphin
Entanglements—Preferred, $3,179,088.
• Alternative 2: Reducing Impacts to
Dolphins from Hook-and-Line Gear and
Provisioning through Fishery Surveys,
Social Science, and Collaboration—
Preferred, $1,700,000.
• Alternative 3: Enhance Marine
Mammal Stranding Network Diagnostic
Capabilities and Consistency across the
Gulf of Mexico—Preferred, $2,300,000.
• Alternative 4: Enhance Capacity,
Diagnostic Capability, and Consistency
of the Marine Mammal Stranding
Network in the Gulf of Mexico—Nonpreferred, $7,887,000.
Overview of the Regionwide TIG Draft
RP/EA
Oysters
The Draft RP/EA is being released in
accordance with OPA NRDA regulations
in the Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) at 15 CFR part 990, NEPA (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Consent Decree,
and the Final Programmatic Damage
Assessment and Restoration Plan/
Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement. In the Draft RP/EA, the
Regionwide TIG analyzes 15 alternatives
and proposes eleven preferred
alternatives for: Birds, Marine
Mammals, Oysters, and Sea Turtles
restoration types. The alternatives
analyzed include the following:
Birds
• Alternative 1: Reducing Marine
Debris Impacts on Birds and Sea Turtles
(joint project with Sea Turtles
Restoration Type)—Preferred,
$3,520,000.
• Alternative 2: Conservation and
Enhancement of Nesting and Foraging
Habitat for Birds—Preferred,
$22,500,000.
Æ Component 1: Chandeleur Islands,
LA, $8,000,000.
Æ Component 2: Pilot Town/Little
Dauphin Island, AL, $6,500,000.
Æ Component 3: San Antonio Bay
Bird Island, TX $2,500,00.
Æ Component 4: Matagorda Bay Bird
Island (Chester Island), TX, $2,500,000.
Æ Component 5: Round Island, MS,
$3,000,000.
• Alternative 3: Bird Nesting and
Foraging Area Stewardship—Preferred,
$8,510,750.
• Alternative 4: Stewardship and
Habitat Creation through Beneficial
Use—Non-preferred, $6,500,000.
Æ Component 1: Walker Island, AL,
$4,000,000.
Æ Component 2: Matagorda Bay Bird
Island (Chester Island), TX, $2,500,000.
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• Alternative 1: Improving Resilience
for Oysters by Linking Brood Reefs and
Sink Reefs (Large-scale)—Preferred,
$35,819,974 (component cost
breakdown is not yet defined).
Æ Component 1: East Galveston Bay,
TX.
Æ Component 2: Biloxi Marsh, LA.
Æ Component 3: Heron Bay, MS.
Æ Component 4: Mid-lower Mobile
Bay, AL.
Æ Component 5: Suwanee Sound, FL.
• Alternative 2: Improving Resilience
for Oysters by Linking Brood Reefs and
Sink Reefs (Small-scale), Non-preferred,
$22,300,000 (component cost
breakdown is not yet defined).
Æ Component 1: East Galveston Bay,
TX.
Æ Component 2: Biloxi Marsh, LA.
Æ Component 3: Heron Bay, MS.
Æ Component 4: Mid-lower Mobile
Bay, AL.
Æ Component 5: Suwanee Sound, FL.
Sea Turtles
• Alternative 1: Pilot Implementation
of Automatic Identification System in
the GOM Inshore Shrimp Fishery to
Inform Efforts to Reduce Sea Turtle
Bycatch—Preferred, $2,231,124.
• Alternative 2: Restore and Enhance
Sea Turtle Nest Productivity—Preferred,
$7,655,000.
• Alternative 3: Guiding Restoration
Success for Nesting Females and
Hatchlings in the Northern Gulf of
Mexico—Non-preferred, $4,446,000.
• Alternative 4: Reducing Sea Turtle
Bycatch at Recreational Fishing Sites,
Preferred, $3,649,360.
• Alternative 5: Reducing Marine
Debris Impacts on Birds and Sea Turtles
(joint project with Birds Restoration
Types)—Preferred, $3,520,000.
• Alternative 6: Regionwide
Enhancements to the Sea Turtle
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Stranding and Salvage Network and
Enhanced Rehabilitation—Preferred,
$5,050,000.
Æ Component 1: Enhancing Response,
Coordination, and Preparedness in the
Gulf of Mexico, $2,050,000.
Æ Component 2: Texas Rehabilitation
Facility, $3,000,000.
The Regionwide TIG also analyzes a
No Action alternative. One or more
alternatives may be selected for
implementation by the Regionwide TIG
in the Final RP/EA or in future
restoration plans.
The Regionwide TIG has examined
the injuries assessed by the DWH
Trustees and evaluated restoration
alternatives to address the injuries. In
the Draft RP/EA, the Regionwide TIG
presents to the public its draft plan for
providing partial compensation to the
public for injured natural resources and
ecological services in the Regionwide
Restoration Area. The proposed
alternatives are intended to continue the
process of using DWH restoration
funding to restore natural resources
injured or lost as a result of the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The total
estimated cost of the projects proposed
as preferred is approximately $99.6
million. Additional restoration planning
for the Regionwide Restoration Area
will continue.
Next Steps
The public is encouraged to review
and comment on the Draft RP/EA.
Virtual public meetings are scheduled to
facilitate the public review and
comment process. Each virtual meeting
will include an informal open house
period to accommodate general
questions from the public in topic areas
followed by a formal presentation of the
Draft RP/EA. Following the
presentation, public comment will be
taken through the virtual meeting
platform.
Presentation slides, project fact
sheets, and a recording of the webinar
will be posted on the Regionwide TIG
website. The public may register for the
virtual public meetings at the link
below.
After the public comment period
ends, the Regionwide TIG will consider
and address the comments received
before issuing a Final RP/EA. A
summary of comments received and the
Regionwide TIG’s responses and any
revisions to the document, as
appropriate, will be included in the
final document.
Additional Access to Materials
You may request a CD of the Draft RP/
EA (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT above). Copies of the Draft RP/
EA are also available for review during
the public comment period at the
following locations:
Repository
Address
City
Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory, Admin Building .................
Thomas B. Norton Public Library .........................................
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Lands Division, Coastal Section Office.
Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve .............
Mobile Public Library, West Regional Library ......................
Franklin County Public Library .............................................
Okaloosa County Library ......................................................
Panama City Beach Public Library ......................................
Southwest Branch Library ....................................................
Wakulla County Library ........................................................
Walton County Library, Coastal Branch ...............................
Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court, County Courthouse .....
Bay County Public Library ....................................................
Gulf County Public Library ...................................................
Jefferson R.J. Bailar Public Library ......................................
Taylor County Public Library ................................................
Dixie County Public Library ..................................................
Levy County Public Library ..................................................
Homosassa Public Library ...................................................
Land O’Lakes Branch Library ..............................................
Pinellas Public Library ..........................................................
Temple Terrace Public Library .............................................
South Manatee Branch Library ............................................
Jacaranda Public Library ......................................................
Mid County Regional Library ................................................
Riverdale Branch Library ......................................................
St. Tammany Parish Library ................................................
Terrebonne Parish Library ...................................................
New Orleans Public Library, Louisiana Division ..................
East Baton Rouge Parish Library ........................................
Jefferson Parish Library, East Bank Regional Library .........
Jefferson Parish Library, West Bank Regional Library ........
Plaquemines Parish Library .................................................
St. Bernard Parish Library ....................................................
St. Martin Parish Library ......................................................
Alex P. Allain Library ............................................................
Vermillion Parish Library ......................................................
Lafourche Parish Public Library (formerly Martha Sowell
Utley Memorial Library).
South Lafourche Public Library ............................................
Calcasieu Parish Public Library Central Branch ..................
Iberia Parish Library .............................................................
Mark Shirley, Louisiana State University AgCenter .............
Sandy Ha Nguyen, Coastal Communities Consulting .........
101 Bienville Blvd .................
221 W. 19th Ave ...................
31115 Five Rivers Blvd ........
Dauphin Island ......................
Gulf Shores ...........................
Spanish Fort .........................
AL
AL
AL
36528
36542
36527
11300 U.S. Hwy. 98 .............
5555 Grelot Rd .....................
160 Hickory Dip ....................
185 Miracle Strip Pkwy. SE ..
125000 Hutchison Blvd ........
12248 Gulf Beach Hwy ........
4330 Crawfordville Hwy ........
437 Greenway Trail ..............
6865 Caroline St ...................
898 W. 11th St .....................
110 Library Dr .......................
375 S Water St .....................
403 N. Washington St ..........
16328 SE U.S. Hwy. 19 .......
7871 NE 90th St ...................
4100 S. Grandmarch Ave .....
2818 Collier Pkwy .................
1330 Cleveland St ................
202 Bullard Pkwy ..................
6081 26th St .........................
4143 Woodmere Park Blvd ..
2050 Forrest Nelson Blvd .....
2421 Buckingham Rd ...........
310 W. 21st Ave ...................
151 Library Dr .......................
219 Loyola Ave .....................
7711 Goodwood Blvd ...........
4747 W. Napoleon Ave ........
2751 Manhattan Blvd ...........
8442 Hwy. 23 .......................
2600 Palmisano Blvd ............
201 Porter St ........................
206 Iberia St .........................
405 E. St. Victor St ...............
314 St. Mary St ....................
Fairhope ................................
Mobile ...................................
Eastpoint ...............................
Ft. Walton .............................
Panama City Beach ..............
Pensacola .............................
Crawfordville .........................
Santa Rosa Beach ...............
Milton ....................................
Panama City .........................
Port St. Joe ...........................
Monticello ..............................
Perry .....................................
Cross City .............................
Bronson ................................
Homosassa ...........................
Land O’ Lakes ......................
Clearwater ............................
Temple Terrace ....................
West Bradenton ....................
Venice ...................................
Port Charlotte .......................
Fort Myers ............................
Covington ..............................
Houma ..................................
New Orleans .........................
Baton Rouge .........................
Metairie .................................
Harvey ..................................
Belle Chase ..........................
Chalmette .............................
Martinville ..............................
Franklin .................................
Abbeville ...............................
Thibodaux .............................
AL
AL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
FL
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
36532
36606
32328
32548
32407
32507
32327
32459
32570
32401
32456
32344
32347
32628
32621
34446
34639
33755
33617
34207
34293
33952
33905
70433
70360
70112
70806
70001
70058
70037
70043
70582
70538
70510
70301
16241 E. Main St ..................
301 W. Claude St .................
445 E. Main St ......................
1105 W. Port St ....................
925 Behrman Hwy., Suite 15
Cut Off ..................................
Lake Charles ........................
New Iberia ............................
Abbeville ...............................
Gretna ...................................
LA
LA
LA
LA
LA
70345
70605
70560
70510
70056
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 53 / Monday, March 22, 2021 / Notices
Repository
Address
City
Biloxi Public Library, Local History and Genealogy Department.
West Biloxi Public Library ....................................................
Waveland Public Library ......................................................
Vancleave Public Library ......................................................
Hancock County Library System ..........................................
Gulfport Harrison County Library .........................................
Pass Christian Public Library ...............................................
Orange Grove Branch Library ..............................................
Kathleen McIlwain Public Library .........................................
Pascagoula Public Library ....................................................
Ina Thompson Moss Point Library (formerly Moss Point Library).
Ocean Springs Municipal Library .........................................
Kiln Public Library ................................................................
Margaret Sherry Memorial Library .......................................
East Central Public Library ..................................................
Jerry Lawrence Memorial Library (formerly D’Iberville Library).
Mercy Housing & Human Development ...............................
Center for Environmental and Economic Justice .................
STEPS Coalition ...................................................................
580 Howard Ave ...................
Biloxi .....................................
MS
39530
2047 Pass Rd .......................
333 Coleman Ave .................
12604 Hwy. 57 .....................
312 Hwy. 90 .........................
1708 25th Ave ......................
111 Hiern Ave .......................
12135 Old Hwy. 49 ...............
2100 Library Ln ....................
3214 Pascagoula St .............
4119 Bellview .......................
Biloxi .....................................
Waveland ..............................
Vancleave .............................
Bay St. Louis ........................
Gulfport .................................
Pass Christian ......................
Gulfport .................................
Gautier ..................................
Pascagoula ...........................
Moss Point ............................
MS
MS
MS
MS
MS
MS
MS
MS
MS
MS
39531
39576
39565
39520
39501
39571
39503
39553
39567
39563
525 Dewey Ave ....................
17065 Hwy. 603 ...................
2141 Popps Ferry Rd ...........
21801 Slider Rd ....................
10391 AutoMall Pkwy ...........
Ocean Springs ......................
Kiln ........................................
Biloxi .....................................
Moss Point ............................
D’Iberville ..............................
MS
MS
MS
MS
MS
39564
39556
39532
39555
39540
1135 Ford St .........................
336 Rodenberg Ave .............
11975 Seaway Rd., Ste.
A240.
3500 Park Rd .......................
6421 Beatline Road ..............
200 Seawolf Pkwy., Bldg.
3010.
4615 9th Ave ........................
6300 Ocean Dr .....................
2310 Sealy St .......................
Gulfport .................................
Biloxi .....................................
Gulfport .................................
MS
MS
MS
39507
39531
39503
Ocean Springs ......................
Long Beach ..........................
Galveston ..............................
MS
MS
TX
39564
39560
77554
Port Arthur ............................
Corpus Christi .......................
Galveston ..............................
TX
TX
TX
77672
78412
77550
Gulf Islands National Seashore Visitors Center ..................
Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United ............................
Jack K. Williams Library, Texas A&M University at Galveston.
Port Arthur Public Library .....................................................
Mary and Jeff Bell Library Texas A&M ................................
Rosenberg Library ................................................................
Translation Opportunities
Vietnamese translation will be
available upon request for the virtual
public meetings. Anyone requiring
assistance or access to translation
should contact Jamie Schubert at
regionwide.tig@noaa.gov by April 5,
2021. Vietnamese translated materials
including the Executive Summary and
project fact sheets are posted in the
‘‘News’’ section of the Regionwide TIG’s
website: https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/
restoration-areas/regionwide.
Administrative Record
The documents comprising the
Administrative Record for the Draft RP/
EA can be viewed electronically at
https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/
adminrecord.
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Authority
The authority of this action is the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et
seq.) and its implementing Oil Pollution
Act 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.).
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Dated: March 16, 2021.
Carrie Diane Robinson,
Director, Office of Habitat Conservation,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–05716 Filed 3–19–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Implementation of Vessel
Speed Restrictions To Reduce the
Threat of Ship Collisions With North
Atlantic Right Whales
National Oceanic &
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection,
request for comment.
AGENCY:
The Department of
Commerce, in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), invites the general public and
other Federal agencies to comment on
proposed, and continuing information
collections, which helps us assess the
impact of our information collection
requirements and minimize the public’s
reporting burden. The purpose of this
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00020
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
State
Zip
notice is to allow for 60 days of public
comment preceding submission of the
collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration,
comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received
on or before May 21, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer,
at Adrienne.thomas@noaa.gov. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648–
0580 in the subject line of your
comments. Do not submit Confidential
Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection
activities should be directed to Jean
Higgins, Protected Species Conservation
Branch Chief, Greater Atlantic Regional
Office, 55 Greater Republic Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930, 978–281–9345,
jean.higgins@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for a revision to a
currently approved information
collection.
On October 10, 2008, NMFS
published a final rule (0648–AS36)
implementing seasonal speed
restrictions along the east coast of the
U.S. to reduce the incidence and
E:\FR\FM\22MRN1.SGM
22MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 53 (Monday, March 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15199-15202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-05716]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XA868]
Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Regionwide Trustee Implementation Group Draft Restoration Plan #1/
Environmental Assessment: Birds, Marine Mammals, Oysters, and Sea
Turtles
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and a Consent Decree with BP
Exploration & Production Inc. (BP),\1\ the Deepwater Horizon (DWH)
Federal natural resource trustee agencies for the Regionwide Trustee
Implementation Group (Regionwide TIG) have prepared a Draft Restoration
Plan #1/Environmental Assessment: Birds, Marine Mammals, Oysters, and
Sea Turtles (Draft RP/EA). The Draft RP/EA describes and proposes
restoration project alternatives considered by the Regionwide TIG to
partially restore natural resources and ecological services injured or
lost as a result of the DWH oil spill. The Regionwide TIG evaluated
these alternatives under criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource
damage assessment (NRDA) regulations. In accordance with NEPA the
environmental consequences of the restoration alternatives are
evaluated in the integrated Environmental Assessment to which the
Regionwide TIG Federal Trustees are cooperating agencies. 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Consent Decree among Defendant BP Exploration & Production
Inc. (``BPXP''), the United States of America, and the States of
Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas entered in In
re: Oil Spill by the Oil Rig ``Deepwater Horizon'' in the Gulf of
Mexico, on April 20, 2010, MDL No. 2179 in the United States
District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
DATES: The Regionwide TIG will consider public comments received on or
before May 6, 2021.
Virtual Public Meetings: Due to continuing Covid-19 limitations on
gatherings of groups, the Regionwide TIG will hold two virtual open
house and public meetings to facilitate public review and comment on
the Draft RP/EA.
1. April 15, 2021, 2 p.m. CDT
2. April 15, 2021, 6 p.m. CDT
Members of the public can access the open house and webinars at:
https://regionwidetig.eventbrite.com/. After registering,
participants will receive a confirmation email with instructions for
joining the open house and webinar.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may access the Draft RP/EA from the
``News'' section of the Regionwide TIG website at: https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/regionwide.
Submitting Comments: You may submit comments on the Draft RP/EA by
one of the following methods:
Via the Web: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/RWTIGRP1.
Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box
29649, Atlanta, GA 30345. Please note that mailed comments must be
postmarked on or before the comment deadline of 45 days following
publication of this notice to be considered.
During the virtual public meetings: Comments may be
provided during the webinar. Webinar information is provided below in
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration--Jamie Schubert, NOAA Restoration Center, (310) 427-
8711, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) mobile drilling unit
exploded, causing a massive release of oil from the BP Exploration and
Production Inc. (BP) Macondo well. The explosion and oil spill led to
loss of life and extensive natural resource injuries. Oil spread from
the deep ocean to surface and nearshore environments across the Gulf of
Mexico, from Texas to Florida. Extensive response actions were
undertaken to reduce harm to people and the environment. However,
[[Page 15200]]
many of these response actions had collateral impacts on the
environment and on natural resource services.
The DWH Federal and State natural resource trustees (DWH Trustees)
conducted the natural resource damage assessment for the DWH oil spill
under 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, 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 (CPRA), 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 DWH Trustees reached and finalized a settlement of their
natural resource damage claims with BP in an April 4, 2016, Consent
Decree approved by the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of Louisiana. Pursuant to that Consent Decree, restoration
projects in the Regionwide Restoration Area are selected and
implemented by the Regionwide TIG. The Regionwide TIG is composed of
the Federal and State Trustees listed above.
Background
On September 24, 2019, the Regionwide TIG posted a public notice at
https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov requesting new or revised
natural resource restoration project ideas for the Regionwide
Restoration Area. The notice stated that the Regionwide TIG was seeking
project ideas for the following Restoration Types: (1) Birds, (2)
Marine Mammals, (3) Oysters; and (4) Sea Turtles. On July 1, 2020 the
Regionwide TIG announced that it had initiated drafting of its first
post settlement draft restoration plan including restoration projects
for Birds, Marine Mammals, Oysters and Sea Turtles.
Overview of the Regionwide TIG Draft RP/EA
The Draft RP/EA is being released in accordance with OPA NRDA
regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR part
990, NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Consent Decree, and the Final
Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan/Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement. In the Draft RP/EA, the Regionwide TIG
analyzes 15 alternatives and proposes eleven preferred alternatives
for: Birds, Marine Mammals, Oysters, and Sea Turtles restoration types.
The alternatives analyzed include the following:
Birds
Alternative 1: Reducing Marine Debris Impacts on Birds and
Sea Turtles (joint project with Sea Turtles Restoration Type)--
Preferred, $3,520,000.
Alternative 2: Conservation and Enhancement of Nesting and
Foraging Habitat for Birds--Preferred, $22,500,000.
[cir] Component 1: Chandeleur Islands, LA, $8,000,000.
[cir] Component 2: Pilot Town/Little Dauphin Island, AL,
$6,500,000.
[cir] Component 3: San Antonio Bay Bird Island, TX $2,500,00.
[cir] Component 4: Matagorda Bay Bird Island (Chester Island), TX,
$2,500,000.
[cir] Component 5: Round Island, MS, $3,000,000.
Alternative 3: Bird Nesting and Foraging Area
Stewardship--Preferred, $8,510,750.
Alternative 4: Stewardship and Habitat Creation through
Beneficial Use--Non-preferred, $6,500,000.
[cir] Component 1: Walker Island, AL, $4,000,000.
[cir] Component 2: Matagorda Bay Bird Island (Chester Island), TX,
$2,500,000.
Marine Mammals
Alternative 1: Voluntary Modifications to Commercial
Shrimp Lazy Lines to Reduce Dolphin Entanglements--Preferred,
$3,179,088.
Alternative 2: Reducing Impacts to Dolphins from Hook-and-
Line Gear and Provisioning through Fishery Surveys, Social Science, and
Collaboration--Preferred, $1,700,000.
Alternative 3: Enhance Marine Mammal Stranding Network
Diagnostic Capabilities and Consistency across the Gulf of Mexico--
Preferred, $2,300,000.
Alternative 4: Enhance Capacity, Diagnostic Capability,
and Consistency of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network in the Gulf of
Mexico--Non-preferred, $7,887,000.
Oysters
Alternative 1: Improving Resilience for Oysters by Linking
Brood Reefs and Sink Reefs (Large-scale)--Preferred, $35,819,974
(component cost breakdown is not yet defined).
[cir] Component 1: East Galveston Bay, TX.
[cir] Component 2: Biloxi Marsh, LA.
[cir] Component 3: Heron Bay, MS.
[cir] Component 4: Mid-lower Mobile Bay, AL.
[cir] Component 5: Suwanee Sound, FL.
Alternative 2: Improving Resilience for Oysters by Linking
Brood Reefs and Sink Reefs (Small-scale), Non-preferred, $22,300,000
(component cost breakdown is not yet defined).
[cir] Component 1: East Galveston Bay, TX.
[cir] Component 2: Biloxi Marsh, LA.
[cir] Component 3: Heron Bay, MS.
[cir] Component 4: Mid-lower Mobile Bay, AL.
[cir] Component 5: Suwanee Sound, FL.
Sea Turtles
Alternative 1: Pilot Implementation of Automatic
Identification System in the GOM Inshore Shrimp Fishery to Inform
Efforts to Reduce Sea Turtle Bycatch--Preferred, $2,231,124.
Alternative 2: Restore and Enhance Sea Turtle Nest
Productivity--Preferred, $7,655,000.
Alternative 3: Guiding Restoration Success for Nesting
Females and Hatchlings in the Northern Gulf of Mexico--Non-preferred,
$4,446,000.
Alternative 4: Reducing Sea Turtle Bycatch at Recreational
Fishing Sites, Preferred, $3,649,360.
Alternative 5: Reducing Marine Debris Impacts on Birds and
Sea Turtles (joint project with Birds Restoration Types)--Preferred,
$3,520,000.
Alternative 6: Regionwide Enhancements to the Sea Turtle
[[Page 15201]]
Stranding and Salvage Network and Enhanced Rehabilitation--Preferred,
$5,050,000.
[cir] Component 1: Enhancing Response, Coordination, and
Preparedness in the Gulf of Mexico, $2,050,000.
[cir] Component 2: Texas Rehabilitation Facility, $3,000,000.
The Regionwide TIG also analyzes a No Action alternative. One or
more alternatives may be selected for implementation by the Regionwide
TIG in the Final RP/EA or in future restoration plans.
The Regionwide TIG has examined the injuries assessed by the DWH
Trustees and evaluated restoration alternatives to address the
injuries. In the Draft RP/EA, the Regionwide TIG presents to the public
its draft plan for providing partial compensation to the public for
injured natural resources and ecological services in the Regionwide
Restoration Area. The proposed alternatives are intended to continue
the process of using DWH restoration funding to restore natural
resources injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil
spill. The total estimated cost of the projects proposed as preferred
is approximately $99.6 million. Additional restoration planning for the
Regionwide Restoration Area will continue.
Next Steps
The public is encouraged to review and comment on the Draft RP/EA.
Virtual public meetings are scheduled to facilitate the public review
and comment process. Each virtual meeting will include an informal open
house period to accommodate general questions from the public in topic
areas followed by a formal presentation of the Draft RP/EA. Following
the presentation, public comment will be taken through the virtual
meeting platform.
Presentation slides, project fact sheets, and a recording of the
webinar will be posted on the Regionwide TIG website. The public may
register for the virtual public meetings at the link below.
After the public comment period ends, the Regionwide TIG will
consider and address the comments received before issuing a Final RP/
EA. A summary of comments received and the Regionwide TIG's responses
and any revisions to the document, as appropriate, will be included in
the final document.
Additional Access to Materials
You may request a CD of the Draft RP/EA (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT above). Copies of the Draft RP/EA are also
available for review during the public comment period at the following
locations:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Repository Address City State Zip
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory, Admin 101 Bienville Blvd.... Dauphin Island........ AL 36528
Building.
Thomas B. Norton Public Library..... 221 W. 19th Ave....... Gulf Shores........... AL 36542
Alabama Department of Conservation 31115 Five Rivers Blvd Spanish Fort.......... AL 36527
and Natural Resources, State Lands
Division, Coastal Section Office.
Weeks Bay National Estuarine 11300 U.S. Hwy. 98.... Fairhope.............. AL 36532
Research Reserve.
Mobile Public Library, West Regional 5555 Grelot Rd........ Mobile................ AL 36606
Library.
Franklin County Public Library...... 160 Hickory Dip....... Eastpoint............. FL 32328
Okaloosa County Library............. 185 Miracle Strip Ft. Walton............ FL 32548
Pkwy. SE.
Panama City Beach Public Library.... 125000 Hutchison Blvd. Panama City Beach..... FL 32407
Southwest Branch Library............ 12248 Gulf Beach Hwy.. Pensacola............. FL 32507
Wakulla County Library.............. 4330 Crawfordville Hwy Crawfordville......... FL 32327
Walton County Library, Coastal 437 Greenway Trail.... Santa Rosa Beach...... FL 32459
Branch.
Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court, 6865 Caroline St...... Milton................ FL 32570
County Courthouse.
Bay County Public Library........... 898 W. 11th St........ Panama City........... FL 32401
Gulf County Public Library.......... 110 Library Dr........ Port St. Joe.......... FL 32456
Jefferson R.J. Bailar Public Library 375 S Water St........ Monticello............ FL 32344
Taylor County Public Library........ 403 N. Washington St.. Perry................. FL 32347
Dixie County Public Library......... 16328 SE U.S. Hwy. 19. Cross City............ FL 32628
Levy County Public Library.......... 7871 NE 90th St....... Bronson............... FL 32621
Homosassa Public Library............ 4100 S. Grandmarch Ave Homosassa............. FL 34446
Land O'Lakes Branch Library......... 2818 Collier Pkwy..... Land O' Lakes......... FL 34639
Pinellas Public Library............. 1330 Cleveland St..... Clearwater............ FL 33755
Temple Terrace Public Library....... 202 Bullard Pkwy...... Temple Terrace........ FL 33617
South Manatee Branch Library........ 6081 26th St.......... West Bradenton........ FL 34207
Jacaranda Public Library............ 4143 Woodmere Park Venice................ FL 34293
Blvd.
Mid County Regional Library......... 2050 Forrest Nelson Port Charlotte........ FL 33952
Blvd.
Riverdale Branch Library............ 2421 Buckingham Rd.... Fort Myers............ FL 33905
St. Tammany Parish Library.......... 310 W. 21st Ave....... Covington............. LA 70433
Terrebonne Parish Library........... 151 Library Dr........ Houma................. LA 70360
New Orleans Public Library, 219 Loyola Ave........ New Orleans........... LA 70112
Louisiana Division.
East Baton Rouge Parish Library..... 7711 Goodwood Blvd.... Baton Rouge........... LA 70806
Jefferson Parish Library, East Bank 4747 W. Napoleon Ave.. Metairie.............. LA 70001
Regional Library.
Jefferson Parish Library, West Bank 2751 Manhattan Blvd... Harvey................ LA 70058
Regional Library.
Plaquemines Parish Library.......... 8442 Hwy. 23.......... Belle Chase........... LA 70037
St. Bernard Parish Library.......... 2600 Palmisano Blvd... Chalmette............. LA 70043
St. Martin Parish Library........... 201 Porter St......... Martinville........... LA 70582
Alex P. Allain Library.............. 206 Iberia St......... Franklin.............. LA 70538
Vermillion Parish Library........... 405 E. St. Victor St.. Abbeville............. LA 70510
Lafourche Parish Public Library 314 St. Mary St....... Thibodaux............. LA 70301
(formerly Martha Sowell Utley
Memorial Library).
South Lafourche Public Library...... 16241 E. Main St...... Cut Off............... LA 70345
Calcasieu Parish Public Library 301 W. Claude St...... Lake Charles.......... LA 70605
Central Branch.
Iberia Parish Library............... 445 E. Main St........ New Iberia............ LA 70560
Mark Shirley, Louisiana State 1105 W. Port St....... Abbeville............. LA 70510
University AgCenter.
Sandy Ha Nguyen, Coastal Communities 925 Behrman Hwy., Gretna................ LA 70056
Consulting. Suite 15.
[[Page 15202]]
Biloxi Public Library, Local History 580 Howard Ave........ Biloxi................ MS 39530
and Genealogy Department.
West Biloxi Public Library.......... 2047 Pass Rd.......... Biloxi................ MS 39531
Waveland Public Library............. 333 Coleman Ave....... Waveland.............. MS 39576
Vancleave Public Library............ 12604 Hwy. 57......... Vancleave............. MS 39565
Hancock County Library System....... 312 Hwy. 90........... Bay St. Louis......... MS 39520
Gulfport Harrison County Library.... 1708 25th Ave......... Gulfport.............. MS 39501
Pass Christian Public Library....... 111 Hiern Ave......... Pass Christian........ MS 39571
Orange Grove Branch Library......... 12135 Old Hwy. 49..... Gulfport.............. MS 39503
Kathleen McIlwain Public Library.... 2100 Library Ln....... Gautier............... MS 39553
Pascagoula Public Library........... 3214 Pascagoula St.... Pascagoula............ MS 39567
Ina Thompson Moss Point Library 4119 Bellview......... Moss Point............ MS 39563
(formerly Moss Point Library).
Ocean Springs Municipal Library..... 525 Dewey Ave......... Ocean Springs......... MS 39564
Kiln Public Library................. 17065 Hwy. 603........ Kiln.................. MS 39556
Margaret Sherry Memorial Library.... 2141 Popps Ferry Rd... Biloxi................ MS 39532
East Central Public Library......... 21801 Slider Rd....... Moss Point............ MS 39555
Jerry Lawrence Memorial Library 10391 AutoMall Pkwy... D'Iberville........... MS 39540
(formerly D'Iberville Library).
Mercy Housing & Human Development... 1135 Ford St.......... Gulfport.............. MS 39507
Center for Environmental and 336 Rodenberg Ave..... Biloxi................ MS 39531
Economic Justice.
STEPS Coalition..................... 11975 Seaway Rd., Ste. Gulfport.............. MS 39503
A240.
Gulf Islands National Seashore 3500 Park Rd.......... Ocean Springs......... MS 39564
Visitors Center.
Mississippi Commercial Fisheries 6421 Beatline Road.... Long Beach............ MS 39560
United.
Jack K. Williams Library, Texas A&M 200 Seawolf Pkwy., Galveston............. TX 77554
University at Galveston. Bldg. 3010.
Port Arthur Public Library.......... 4615 9th Ave.......... Port Arthur........... TX 77672
Mary and Jeff Bell Library Texas A&M 6300 Ocean Dr......... Corpus Christi........ TX 78412
Rosenberg Library................... 2310 Sealy St......... Galveston............. TX 77550
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Translation Opportunities
Vietnamese translation will be available upon request for the
virtual public meetings. Anyone requiring assistance or access to
translation should contact Jamie Schubert at [email protected] by
April 5, 2021. Vietnamese translated materials including the Executive
Summary and project fact sheets are posted in the ``News'' section of
the Regionwide TIG's website: https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/regionwide.
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 of this action is the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) and its implementing Oil Pollution Act 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.).
Dated: March 16, 2021.
Carrie Diane Robinson,
Director, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-05716 Filed 3-19-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
