Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group Final Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment #8: Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats and Finding of No Significant Impact, 47727-47728 [2022-16709]
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 149 / Thursday, August 4, 2022 / Notices
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amendment.
The ABC Control Rule Amendment
considers revisions to the ABC control
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Crab, and Snapper Grouper Fishery
Management Plans. These revisions
include changes to the structure of the
control rule in how risk and uncertainty
components are addressed, allowance of
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Note: The times and sequence
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Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 1, 2022.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022–16737 Filed 8–3–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
Announcement of availability of
Environmental Assessment.
ACTION:
In accordance with the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon
Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage
Assessment and Restoration Plan and
Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS),
and Consent Decree, the Federal and
State natural resource trustee agencies
for the Louisiana Trustee
Implementation Group (Louisiana TIG)
have approved the Final Restoration
Plan/Environmental Assessment #8:
Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore
Habitats (RP/EA #8) and Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI). In the Final
RP/EA #8, the Louisiana TIG selects for
implementation four restoration projects
to partially restore for injuries to
wetlands, coastal and nearshore habitats
in the Louisiana Restoration Area. The
Federal Trustees of the Louisiana TIG
have determined that the
implementation of the Final RP/EA #8
is not a major Federal action
significantly affecting the quality of the
human environment within the context
of the NEPA. They have concluded a
FONSI is appropriate, and, therefore, an
Environmental Impact Statement will
not be prepared.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You
may access the Final RP/EA #8 from the
‘‘News’’ section of the Louisiana TIG
website at: https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/
restoration-areas/louisiana.
Alternatively, you may request a CD of
the Final RP/EA #8 (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT below).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mel
Landry, NOAA Restoration Center, 225–
425–0583, mel.landry@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Introduction
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES
[RTID 0648–XC111]
Notice of Availability of the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill Louisiana Trustee
Implementation Group Final
Restoration Plan/Environmental
Assessment #8: Wetlands, Coastal,
and Nearshore Habitats and Finding of
No Significant Impact
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:25 Aug 03, 2022
Jkt 256001
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 DWH 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 one million
gallons of dispersants were applied to
the waters of the spill area in an attempt
PO 00000
Frm 00039
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
47727
to disperse the spilled oil. An
undetermined amount of natural gas
was also released into the environment
as a result of the spill.
The DWH Federal and State natural
resource trustees (DWH Trustees)
conducted the natural resource damage
assessment for the DWH oil spill under
OPA (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,
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
United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Louisiana. Pursuant
to that Consent Decree, restoration
projects in the Louisiana Restoration
Area are now selected and implemented
by the Louisiana TIG. The Louisiana
E:\FR\FM\04AUN1.SGM
04AUN1
47728
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 149 / Thursday, August 4, 2022 / Notices
TIG is composed of the following
Federal Trustees: NOAA; DOI; EPA; and
USDA.
Background
Notice of Availability of the
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Louisiana
Trustee Implementation Group Draft
Restoration Plan/Environmental
Assessment #8: Wetlands, Coastal, and
Nearshore Habitats (RP/EA #8) was
published in the Federal Register at 87
FR 15385 on March 18, 2022. The
public comment period for the Draft RP/
EA #8 closed on April 18, 2022. Six
public comments were received during
the comment period. All comments
were reviewed and taken into
consideration in the preparation of the
Final RP/EA #8.
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES
Overview of the Louisiana TIG Final
RP/EA #8
In developing the RP/EA #8, the
Louisiana TIG assembled a list of 697
project alternatives for the restoration of
wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitat.
These alternatives were based on
proposals from the public as well as
agencies, including projects submitted
to the DWH Trustee or Louisiana TIG
portals and projects submitted by
individual state and Federal Trustees,
including projects submitted on behalf
of non-Trustee agencies. All alternatives
underwent a step-wise screening
process based on criteria established by
OPA and the Louisiana TIG, whereby
projects that did not meet the criteria
were eliminated, and duplicative
alternatives were combined. This
resulted in six action alternatives for
wetlands, coastal, and nearshore
habitats, each of which are evaluated in
the RP/EA #8. Alternatives that meet the
criteria but are not carried forward as
preferred alternatives may be
considered in future restoration plans.
Of the six alternatives evaluated, four
are selected as preferred alternatives for
the restoration of wetlands, coastal, and
nearshore habitats. Three of the
alternatives evaluated consider projects
for Engineering and Design (E&D), and
three of the alternatives evaluated
consider projects for full
implementation. The alternatives
selected for implementation include the
following:
• East Orleans Landbridge
Restoration (E&D): Preferred,
$4,900,000.
• Raccoon Island Barrier Island
Restoration (E&D): Preferred,
$8,200,000.
• Bayou Dularge Ridge and Marsh
Restoration: Preferred, $57,500,000.
• Bayou La Loutre Ridge Restoration
and Marsh Creation (PO–0178):
Preferred, $32,000,000.
The RP/EA #8 also evaluates a No
Action Alternative, under which no
project would be constructed and no
additional costs would be incurred at
this time.
The Louisiana TIG has examined the
injuries assessed by the DWH Trustees
and evaluated restoration alternatives to
address the injuries. In Final RP/EA #8,
the Louisiana TIG presents to the public
its restoration plan for providing partial
compensation to the public for injured
natural resources and ecological
services in the Louisiana Restoration
Area. By selecting the preferred
alternatives, the proposed action is
intended to continue the process of
using DWH restoration funding to
restore natural resources injured or lost
as a result of the DWH oil spill.
Additional restoration planning for the
Louisiana Restoration Area will
continue.
Additional Access to Materials
You may request a CD of the Final RP/
EA #8 (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT above). Copies of the Final RP/
EA #8 are also available at the following
locations:
Library
Address
City
St. Tammany Parish Library .............................................
New Orleans Public Library, Louisiana Division ...............
St. Bernard Parish Library ................................................
Plaquemines Parish Library ..............................................
Jefferson Parish Library, East Bank Regional Library ......
Jefferson Parish Library, West Bank Regional Library .....
Terrebonne Parish Library ................................................
Martha Sowell Utley Memorial Library ..............................
South Lafourche Public Library .........................................
East Baton Rouge Parish Library .....................................
Alex P. Allain Library .........................................................
St. Martin Parish Library ...................................................
Iberia Parish Library ..........................................................
Vermilion Parish Library ....................................................
Mark Shirley, LSU AgCenter .............................................
Calcasieu Parish Public Library Central Branch ...............
310 W. 21st Avenue ..................................
219 Loyola Avenue ....................................
1125 E St. Bernard Highway .....................
8442 Highway 23 .......................................
4747 W Napoleon Avenue .........................
2751 Manhattan Boulevard ........................
151 Library Drive ........................................
314 St. Mary Street ....................................
16241 E Main Street ..................................
7711 Goodwood Boulevard .......................
206 Iberia Street ........................................
201 Porter Street ........................................
445 E Main Street ......................................
405 E St. Victor Street ...............................
1105 West Port Street ...............................
301 W Claude Street .................................
Covington ............................
New Orleans .......................
Chalmette ............................
Belle Chasse .......................
Metairie ................................
Harvey .................................
Houma .................................
Thibodaux ............................
Cut Off .................................
Baton Rouge .......................
Franklin ................................
St. Martinville .......................
New Iberia ...........................
Abbeville ..............................
Abbeville ..............................
Lake Charles .......................
Translation Opportunities
Authority
Vietnamese translated materials
including the Executive Summary and
project fact sheets are posted in the
‘‘News’’ section of the Louisiana TIG’s
website: https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/
restoration-areas/louisiana.
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.).
Administrative Record
17:25 Aug 03, 2022
Jkt 256001
PO 00000
Frm 00040
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
70433
70112
70043
70037
70001
70058
70360
70301
70345
70806
70538
70582
70560
70510
70510
70605
Dated: July 29, 2022.
Carrie Diane Robinson,
Director, Office of Habitat Conservation,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022–16709 Filed 8–3–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
The documents comprising the
Administrative Record for the Final RP/
EA #8 can be viewed electronically at
https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/
adminrecord.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Zip code
E:\FR\FM\04AUN1.SGM
04AUN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 149 (Thursday, August 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47727-47728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-16709]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XC111]
Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group Final Restoration Plan/
Environmental Assessment #8: Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats
and Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Announcement of availability of Environmental Assessment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon
Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and
Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS),
and Consent Decree, the Federal and State natural resource trustee
agencies for the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (Louisiana TIG)
have approved the Final Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment #8:
Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats (RP/EA #8) and Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI). In the Final RP/EA #8, the Louisiana TIG
selects for implementation four restoration projects to partially
restore for injuries to wetlands, coastal and nearshore habitats in the
Louisiana Restoration Area. The Federal Trustees of the Louisiana TIG
have determined that the implementation of the Final RP/EA #8 is not a
major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human
environment within the context of the NEPA. They have concluded a FONSI
is appropriate, and, therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement will
not be prepared.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You may access the Final RP/EA #8 from
the ``News'' section of the Louisiana TIG website at: https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/louisiana.
Alternatively, you may request a CD of the Final RP/EA #8 (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT below).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mel Landry, NOAA Restoration Center,
225-425-0583, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
On April 20, 2010, the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater
Horizon, which was being used to drill a well for BP Exploration and
Production, Inc. (BP), in the Macondo prospect (Mississippi Canyon 252-
MC252), 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 DWH 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 one million gallons of dispersants were
applied to the waters of the spill area in an attempt to disperse the
spilled oil. An undetermined amount of natural gas was also released
into the environment as a result of the spill.
The DWH Federal and State natural resource trustees (DWH Trustees)
conducted the natural resource damage assessment for the DWH oil spill
under OPA (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, 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 United States District Court for the Eastern District
of Louisiana. Pursuant to that Consent Decree, restoration projects in
the Louisiana Restoration Area are now selected and implemented by the
Louisiana TIG. The Louisiana
[[Page 47728]]
TIG is composed of the following Federal Trustees: NOAA; DOI; EPA; and
USDA.
Background
Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Louisiana
Trustee Implementation Group Draft Restoration Plan/Environmental
Assessment #8: Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats (RP/EA #8) was
published in the Federal Register at 87 FR 15385 on March 18, 2022. The
public comment period for the Draft RP/EA #8 closed on April 18, 2022.
Six public comments were received during the comment period. All
comments were reviewed and taken into consideration in the preparation
of the Final RP/EA #8.
Overview of the Louisiana TIG Final RP/EA #8
In developing the RP/EA #8, the Louisiana TIG assembled a list of
697 project alternatives for the restoration of wetlands, coastal, and
nearshore habitat. These alternatives were based on proposals from the
public as well as agencies, including projects submitted to the DWH
Trustee or Louisiana TIG portals and projects submitted by individual
state and Federal Trustees, including projects submitted on behalf of
non-Trustee agencies. All alternatives underwent a step-wise screening
process based on criteria established by OPA and the Louisiana TIG,
whereby projects that did not meet the criteria were eliminated, and
duplicative alternatives were combined. This resulted in six action
alternatives for wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitats, each of
which are evaluated in the RP/EA #8. Alternatives that meet the
criteria but are not carried forward as preferred alternatives may be
considered in future restoration plans.
Of the six alternatives evaluated, four are selected as preferred
alternatives for the restoration of wetlands, coastal, and nearshore
habitats. Three of the alternatives evaluated consider projects for
Engineering and Design (E&D), and three of the alternatives evaluated
consider projects for full implementation. The alternatives selected
for implementation include the following:
East Orleans Landbridge Restoration (E&D): Preferred,
$4,900,000.
Raccoon Island Barrier Island Restoration (E&D):
Preferred, $8,200,000.
Bayou Dularge Ridge and Marsh Restoration: Preferred,
$57,500,000.
Bayou La Loutre Ridge Restoration and Marsh Creation (PO-
0178): Preferred, $32,000,000.
The RP/EA #8 also evaluates a No Action Alternative, under which no
project would be constructed and no additional costs would be incurred
at this time.
The Louisiana TIG has examined the injuries assessed by the DWH
Trustees and evaluated restoration alternatives to address the
injuries. In Final RP/EA #8, the Louisiana TIG presents to the public
its restoration plan for providing partial compensation to the public
for injured natural resources and ecological services in the Louisiana
Restoration Area. By selecting the preferred alternatives, the proposed
action is intended to continue the process of using DWH restoration
funding to restore natural resources injured or lost as a result of the
DWH oil spill. Additional restoration planning for the Louisiana
Restoration Area will continue.
Additional Access to Materials
You may request a CD of the Final RP/EA #8 (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT above). Copies of the Final RP/EA #8 are also
available at the following locations:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Library Address City Zip code
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
St. Tammany Parish Library............... 310 W. 21st Avenue.......... Covington................... 70433
New Orleans Public Library, Louisiana 219 Loyola Avenue........... New Orleans................. 70112
Division.
St. Bernard Parish Library............... 1125 E St. Bernard Highway.. Chalmette................... 70043
Plaquemines Parish Library............... 8442 Highway 23............. Belle Chasse................ 70037
Jefferson Parish Library, East Bank 4747 W Napoleon Avenue...... Metairie.................... 70001
Regional Library.
Jefferson Parish Library, West Bank 2751 Manhattan Boulevard.... Harvey...................... 70058
Regional Library.
Terrebonne Parish Library................ 151 Library Drive........... Houma....................... 70360
Martha Sowell Utley Memorial Library..... 314 St. Mary Street......... Thibodaux................... 70301
South Lafourche Public Library........... 16241 E Main Street......... Cut Off..................... 70345
East Baton Rouge Parish Library.......... 7711 Goodwood Boulevard..... Baton Rouge................. 70806
Alex P. Allain Library................... 206 Iberia Street........... Franklin.................... 70538
St. Martin Parish Library................ 201 Porter Street........... St. Martinville............. 70582
Iberia Parish Library.................... 445 E Main Street........... New Iberia.................. 70560
Vermilion Parish Library................. 405 E St. Victor Street..... Abbeville................... 70510
Mark Shirley, LSU AgCenter............... 1105 West Port Street....... Abbeville................... 70510
Calcasieu Parish Public Library Central 301 W Claude Street......... Lake Charles................ 70605
Branch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Translation Opportunities
Vietnamese translated materials including the Executive Summary and
project fact sheets are posted in the ``News'' section of the Louisiana
TIG's website: https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/louisiana.
Administrative Record
The documents comprising the Administrative Record for the Final
RP/EA #8 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: July 29, 2022.
Carrie Diane Robinson,
Director, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-16709 Filed 8-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P