80_FR_75356 80 FR 75126 - Deepwater Horizon

80 FR 75126 - Deepwater Horizon

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 230 (December 1, 2015)

Page Range75126-75128
FR Document2015-30189

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Framework Agreement for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, the Federal and State natural resource trustee agencies (Trustees) have prepared a Draft Phase V Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft Phase V ERP/EA) describing and proposing the first phase of the Florida Coastal Access Project. This early restoration project is intended to continue the process of restoring natural resources and services injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which occurred on or about April 20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico. The Draft Phase V ERP/EA also includes notices of change and supporting analysis for two Phase III Early Restoration Projects: ``Strategically Provided Boat Access Along Florida's Gulf Coast--City of Port St. Joe, Frank Pate Boat Ramp Improvements'' and ``Florida Artificial Reef Creation and Restoration.''

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 230 (Tuesday, December 1, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 230 (Tuesday, December 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75126-75128]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30189]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[FWS-R4-FHC-2015-N213; FVHC98210408710-XXX-FF04G01000]


Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill; Draft Phase V Early Restoration Plan 
and Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 75127]]

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Framework Agreement 
for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater 
Horizon Oil Spill, the Federal and State natural resource trustee 
agencies (Trustees) have prepared a Draft Phase V Early Restoration 
Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft Phase V ERP/EA) describing and 
proposing the first phase of the Florida Coastal Access Project. This 
early restoration project is intended to continue the process of 
restoring natural resources and services injured or lost as a result of 
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which occurred on or about April 20, 
2010, in the Gulf of Mexico. The Draft Phase V ERP/EA also includes 
notices of change and supporting analysis for two Phase III Early 
Restoration Projects: ``Strategically Provided Boat Access Along 
Florida's Gulf Coast--City of Port St. Joe, Frank Pate Boat Ramp 
Improvements'' and ``Florida Artificial Reef Creation and 
Restoration.''

DATES: Comments Due Date: We will consider public comments received on 
or before December 31, 2015.

                           Public Meeting Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Date                      Time               Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 14, 2015.............  6:00 p.m. Open     Gulf Coast State
                                 house.             College, Student
                                6:30 p.m. Public    Union East, Room 231
                                 meeting.           (Gibson Lecture
                                                    Hall), 5230 West
                                                    U.S. Highway 98,
                                                    Panama City, FL
                                                    32411.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


ADDRESSES:
    Obtaining Documents: You may download the Draft Phase V ERP/EA by 
one of following methods:
     Via the Web: http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov or 
http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon. You may also view the document at 
any of the public facilities listed at http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
     Via U.S. mail, you may request a CD of the Draft Phase V 
ERP/EA (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments on the Draft Phase V 
ERP/EA by one of following methods:
     Via the Web: http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
     Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 
49567, Atlanta, GA 30345.
    Public Meeting Location: Gulf Coast State College, Student Union 
East, Room 231 (Gibson Lecture Hall), 5230 West U.S. Highway 98, Panama 
City, FL 32411.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nanciann Regalado, at 404-679-4161.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    On or about April 20, 2010, the mobile offshore drilling unit 
Deepwater Horizon, which was being used to drill a well for BP 
Exploration and Production, Inc. (BP), in the Macondo prospect 
(Mississippi Canyon 252--MC252), experienced a significant explosion, 
fire, and subsequent sinking in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in an 
unprecedented volume of oil and other discharges from the rig and from 
the wellhead on the seabed. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is the 
largest off shore oil spill in U.S. history, discharging millions of 
barrels of oil over a period of 87 days. In addition, well over 1 
million gallons of dispersants were applied to the waters of the spill 
area in an attempt to disperse the spilled oil. An undetermined amount 
of natural gas was also released into the environment as a result of 
the spill.
    Under the Oil Pollution Act 1990 (OPA; 33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.), 
designated Federal and State agencies may act as trustees on behalf of 
the public to assess natural resource injuries and losses resulting 
from an oil spill and to determine the restoration actions needed to 
compensate the public for those injuries and losses. OPA instructs the 
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. 
For the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, designated trustees (Trustees) in 
four Federal agencies and all five Gulf States--Alabama, Florida, 
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas--have been working together to assess 
natural resource injuries and prepare a series of restoration plans 
described below.
    The 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 (USEPA);
     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
     For the State of Texas: Texas Parks and Wildlife 
Department, Texas General Land Office, and Texas Commission on 
Environmental Quality.

Background

    In the April 2011 Framework Agreement for Early Restoration 
Addressing Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill 
(Framework Agreement), BP agreed to provide to the Trustees up to $1 
billion toward early restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico to 
address injuries to natural resources caused by the Deepwater Horizon 
oil spill. The Framework Agreement represents a preliminary step toward 
the restoration of injured natural resources and is intended to 
expedite the start of restoration in the Gulf in advance of the 
completion of the injury assessment process. The Framework Agreement 
provides a mechanism through which the Trustees and BP can work 
together ``to commence implementation of early restoration projects 
that will provide meaningful benefits to accelerate restoration in the 
Gulf as quickly as practicable'' prior to the resolution of the 
Trustees' natural resource damages claim. Early restoration is not 
intended to and does not fully address all injuries caused by the 
Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Restoration beyond early restoration 
projects will be required to

[[Page 75128]]

fully compensate the public for natural resource losses, including 
recreational use losses, from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
    This Notice addresses Phase V of the early restoration process. In 
four previous phases, the Trustees selected, and BP agreed to fund, a 
total of 64 early restoration projects expected to cost a total of 
approximately $832 million. The Trustees selected these projects after 
public notice, public meetings, and consideration of public comments, 
through the Phase I Early Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment 
(Phase I ERP/EA), Phase II Early Restoration Plan/Environmental Review 
(Phase II ERP/ER), the Programmatic and Phase III Early Restoration 
Plan and Early Restoration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 
(Phase III ERP/PEIS), and the Phase IV Early Restoration Plan/
Environment Assessments (Phase IV ERP/EA).
    The Trustees released the Phase I ERP/EA on April 20, 2012 (77 FR 
23741) and the Phase II ERP/ER on February 5, 2013 (78 FR 8184). The 
Trustees released the Phase III ERP/PEIS on June 26, 2014 (79 FR 
36328), and subsequently approved that Plan and programmatic EIS in a 
Record of Decision on October 31, 2014 (79 FR 64831). The Trustees 
released the Phase IV ERP/EA on September 23, 2015 (80 FR 57384). These 
plans are available at: https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord.
    In the Draft Phase V Early Restoration Plan and Environmental 
Assessment announced in this Notice, the Trustees are proposing the 
first phase of the Florida Coastal Access Project to address lost 
recreational opportunities in Florida caused by the Deepwater Horizon 
oil spill. The proposed first phase of the Florida Coastal Access 
Project is consistent with the Programmatic ERP and PEIS included in 
the Final Phase III ERP/PEIS previously developed by the Trustees. The 
Draft Phase V ERP/EA is not intended to and does not fully address all 
injuries caused by the spill or provide the extent of restoration 
needed to make the public and the environment whole.

Overview of the Draft Phase V ERP/EA

    The Draft Phase V ERP/EA is being released in accordance with the 
Oil Pollution Act (OPA), the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) 
regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR 
990, the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), 
and the Framework for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting 
from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
    The Trustees are considering the first phase of the Florida Coastal 
Access Project in the Draft Phase V ERP/EA. The total estimated cost 
for the proposed first phase of the Florida Coastal Access Project is 
$34,372,184. The total estimated cost of the proposed Florida Coastal 
Access Project is $45,415,573. The Trustees will propose in an 
additional future phase similar restoration activities that would 
utilize the remaining $11,043,389, if approved. Details on the proposed 
first phase of the Florida Coastal Access Project are provided in the 
Draft Phase V ERP/EA.
    The proposed first phase of the Florida Coastal Access Project is 
intended to continue the process of using early restoration funding to 
restore natural resources, ecological services, and recreational use 
services injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil 
spill. The Trustees considered hundreds of projects leading to the 
identification of the Florida Coastal Access Project and considered 
both ecological and recreational use restoration projects to restore 
injuries caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, addressing both the 
physical and biological environment, as well as the relationship people 
have with the environment.
    The Draft Phase V ERP/EA also includes notices of change and 
supporting analysis for two Phase III Early Restoration Projects: 
``Strategically Provided Boat Access Along Florida's Gulf Coast--City 
of Port St. Joe, Frank Pate Boat Ramp Improvements'' and ``Florida 
Artificial Reef Creation and Restoration.''

Next Steps

    The Trustees have scheduled a public meeting to facilitate public 
review and comment on the Draft Phase V ERP/EA. Both written and verbal 
comments will be taken at the public meeting. The Trustees will hold an 
open house followed by a formal meeting. The public meeting will 
include a presentation of the Draft Phase V ERP/EA. After the public 
comment period ends, the Trustees will consider and address the 
comments received before issuing a final Phase V Early Restoration Plan 
and Environmental Assessment (Final Phase V ERP/EA). After issuing a 
Final Phase V ERP/EA and if the Trustees approve the first phase of the 
Florida Coastal Access Project, the Trustees will file a negotiated 
stipulation for the approved Florida Coastal Access Project with the 
court. If approved, the first phase of the Florida Coastal Access 
Project will then proceed to implementation, pending compliance with 
all applicable State and Federal laws. The Trustees anticipate 
considering a second phase of this Florida Coastal Access Project 
through a future restoration plan that will be subject to a separate 
notice and public comment process.

Invitation to Comment

    The Trustees seek public review and comment on the proposed first 
phase of the Florida Coastal Access Project and supporting analysis 
included in the Draft Phase V ERP/EA. Through this Notice of 
Availability, the Trustees are seeking public review and comment for 
only the Draft Phase V ERP/EA. 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. You may submit comments on the Draft Phase V ERP/EA by one 
of the methods described in ADDRESSES.
    This public review and comment process for the Draft Phase V ERP/EA 
is separate from the public comment processes for the Deepwater Horizon 
Oil Spill Draft Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and 
Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft PDARP/PEIS) 
and the proposed Consent Decree Among Defendant BP Exploration & 
Production, Inc., the United States of America, and the States of 
Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, which ends on 
December 4, 2015. For more information on the Draft PDARP/PEIS, please 
visit http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov. A link for the proposed 
Consent Decree and directions for comment to the Department of Justice 
is available at http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.

Administrative Record

    The documents comprising the Administrative Record for the Draft 
Phase V ERP/EA can be viewed electronically at the following location: 
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 the implementing Natural Resource Damage 
Assessment regulations found at 15 CFR 990.

Cynthia K. Dohner,
DOI Authorized Official.
[FR Doc. 2015-30189 Filed 11-30-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P



                                              75126                                 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 230 / Tuesday, December 1, 2015 / Notices

                                                Estimated Number of Annual                                                 Frequency of Collection: On occasion                                    Estimated Number of Responses and
                                              Respondents: 10.                                                           for applications, annually for reports,                                  Annual Burden Hours:
                                                                                                                         and ongoing for recordkeeping.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Completion
                                                                                                                                                                                                  Number of                                Total annual
                                                                                                                 Activity                                                                                             time per
                                                                                                                                                                                                  responses                                burden hours
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     response

                                              Applications ....................................................................................................................................              22   8 hours ........                  176
                                              Reports and Recordkeeping ..........................................................................................................                           20   14 hours ......                   280

                                                    TOTALS ..................................................................................................................................                42    .....................            456



                                                 Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden                                            We will publish notices of funding                                    collection requirements as a result of
                                              Cost: None.                                                                opportunity on the Grants.gov Web site                                   these comments.
                                                 Abstract: Subtitle C of Title VI of the                                 at http://www.grants.gov, as well as in
                                                                                                                                                                                                  Request for Public Comments
                                              Omnibus Public Land Management Act                                         the Catalog of Federal Domestic
                                              of 2009 (Act; Pub. L. 111–11) authorizes                                   Assistance at http://cfda.gov. This                                        We again invite comments concerning
                                              the Secretary of the Interior and the                                      information collection includes both                                     this information collection on:
                                              Secretary of Agriculture to develop a                                      grant applications and reporting/                                          • Whether or not the collection of
                                              Wolf-Livestock Demonstration Project                                       recordkeeping requirements. To                                           information is necessary, including
                                              Grant Program (WLDPGP) to:                                                 compete for grant funds, eligible States                                 whether or not the information will
                                                 • Assist livestock producers in                                         and tribes must submit an application                                    have practical utility;
                                              undertaking proactive, nonlethal                                           that describes in substantial detail                                       • The accuracy of our estimate of the
                                              activities to reduce the risk of livestock                                 project locations, project resources,                                    burden for this collection of
                                              loss due to predation by wolves; and                                       future benefits, and other characteristics                               information;
                                                 • Compensate livestock producers for                                    that meet the Wolf-Livestock                                               • Ways to enhance the quality, utility,
                                              livestock losses due to such predation.                                    Demonstration Project Grant Program                                      and clarity of the information to be
                                                 The Act directs that the program be                                     purposes as listed above. In accordance                                  collected; and
                                              established as a grant program to                                          with the Act, States and tribes that                                       • Ways to minimize the burden of the
                                              provide funding to States and tribes,                                      receive a grant must:                                                    collection of information on
                                              that the Federal cost share not exceed 50                                     • Maintain files of all claims received                               respondents.
                                              percent, and that funds be expended                                        under programs funded by the grant,                                        Comments that you submit in
                                              equally between the two purposes. The                                      including supporting documentation;                                      response to this notice are a matter of
                                              Act included an authorization of                                           and                                                                      public record. Before including your
                                              appropriations up to $1 million each                                          • Submit an annual report that                                        address, phone number, email address,
                                              fiscal year for 5 years. The U.S. Fish and                                 includes a summary of claims and                                         or other personal identifying
                                              Wildlife Service Ecological Services                                       expenditures under the program during                                    information in your comment, you
                                              Program will allocate the funding in the                                   the year and a description of any action                                 should be aware that your entire
                                              form of competitively awarded grants to                                    taken on the claims.                                                     comment, including your personal
                                              States and tribes with a prior history of                                                                                                           identifying information, may be made
                                              wolf depredation. States with delisted                                     Comments Received and Our Responses                                      publicly available at any time. While
                                              wolf populations are eligible for                                             On August 18, 2015, we published in                                   you can ask OMB and us in your
                                              funding, provided that they meet the                                       the Federal Register (80 FR 50024) a                                     comment to withhold your personal
                                              eligibility criteria contained in Pub. L.                                  notice of our intent to request that OMB                                 identifying information from public
                                              111–11.                                                                    renew approval for this information                                      review, we cannot guarantee that it will
                                                 The following additional criteria                                       collection. In that notice, we solicited                                 be done.
                                              apply to all WLDPGP grants and must                                        comments for 60 days, ending on                                            Dated: November 25, 2015.
                                              be satisfied for a project to receive                                      October 19, 2015. We received two                                        Tina A. Campbell,
                                              WLDPGP funding:                                                            comments. One commenter expressed                                        Chief, Division of Policy, Performance, and
                                                 • Proposal cannot include U.S. Fish                                     opinions about WLDPGP funding and                                        Management Programs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
                                              and Wildlife Service full-time                                             wolf management in general, but did not                                  Service.
                                              equivalent (FTE) costs.                                                    address the information collection                                       [FR Doc. 2015–30431 Filed 11–30–15; 8:45 am]
                                                 • Proposal cannot seek funding for                                      requirements. The second commenter                                       BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
                                              projects that serve to satisfy regulatory                                  described the program as an excellent
                                              requirements of the Endangered Species                                     source of dedicated funds for
                                              Act (ESA), including complying with a                                      preventative strategies to reduce wolf-                                  DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
                                              biological opinion under section 7 or                                      livestock conflict, but expressed
                                              fulfilling commitments of a habitat                                        frustration with the accessibility of                                    [FWS–R4–FHC–2015–N213;
                                              conservation plan (HCP) under ESA                                          annual reports. The Service’s Regional                                   FVHC98210408710–XXX–FF04G01000]
                                              section 10, or for projects that serve to                                  Offices are responsible for monitoring
                                                                                                                                                                                                  Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill; Draft
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                                              satisfy other Federal regulatory                                           the grant projects and maintaining the
                                              requirements (e.g., mitigation for                                         administrative record of WLDPGP                                          Phase V Early Restoration Plan and
                                              Federal permits).                                                          grants. In the future, we commit to                                      Environmental Assessment
                                                 • State administrative costs must be                                    ensuring that all annual reports are filed                               AGENCY: Interior.
                                              assumed by the State or included in the                                    in the appropriate Regional Offices and
                                                                                                                                                                                                  ACTION:Notice of availability; request
                                              proposal in accordance with Federal                                        made readily available upon request. No
                                                                                                                                                                                                  for comments.
                                              requirements.                                                              changes were made to the information


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                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 230 / Tuesday, December 1, 2015 / Notices                                             75127

                                              SUMMARY:   In accordance with the Oil                    V ERP/EA) describing and proposing the                  III Early Restoration Projects:
                                              Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the                         first phase of the Florida Coastal Access               ‘‘Strategically Provided Boat Access
                                              National Environmental Policy Act                        Project. This early restoration project is              Along Florida’s Gulf Coast—City of Port
                                              (NEPA), and the Framework Agreement                      intended to continue the process of                     St. Joe, Frank Pate Boat Ramp
                                              for Early Restoration Addressing                         restoring natural resources and services                Improvements’’ and ‘‘Florida Artificial
                                              Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater                    injured or lost as a result of the                      Reef Creation and Restoration.’’
                                              Horizon Oil Spill, the Federal and State                 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which
                                              natural resource trustee agencies                        occurred on or about April 20, 2010, in                 DATES: Comments Due Date: We will
                                              (Trustees) have prepared a Draft Phase                   the Gulf of Mexico. The Draft Phase V                   consider public comments received on
                                              V Early Restoration Plan and                             ERP/EA also includes notices of change                  or before December 31, 2015.
                                              Environmental Assessment (Draft Phase                    and supporting analysis for two Phase

                                                                                                                   PUBLIC MEETING DATE
                                                                Date                                        Time                                                        Location

                                              December 14, 2015 ........................   6:00 p.m. Open house ...................    Gulf Coast State College, Student Union East, Room 231 (Gibson
                                                                                           6:30 p.m. Public meeting                     Lecture Hall), 5230 West U.S. Highway 98, Panama City, FL
                                                                                                                                        32411.



                                              ADDRESSES:                                               applied to the waters of the spill area in              Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office,
                                                Obtaining Documents: You may                           an attempt to disperse the spilled oil.                 Department of Environmental Quality,
                                              download the Draft Phase V ERP/EA by                     An undetermined amount of natural gas                   Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
                                              one of following methods:                                was also released into the environment                  and Department of Natural Resources;
                                                • Via the Web: http://                                 as a result of the spill.                                 • State of Mississippi Department of
                                              www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov or                       Under the Oil Pollution Act 1990                      Environmental Quality;
                                              http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon.                     (OPA; 33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.),                            • State of Alabama Department of
                                              You may also view the document at any                    designated Federal and State agencies                   Conservation and Natural Resources and
                                              of the public facilities listed at http://               may act as trustees on behalf of the                    Geological Survey of Alabama;
                                              www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.                       public to assess natural resource injuries                • State of Florida Department of
                                                • Via U.S. mail, you may request a CD                  and losses resulting from an oil spill                  Environmental Protection and Fish and
                                              of the Draft Phase V ERP/EA (see FOR                     and to determine the restoration actions                Wildlife Conservation Commission; and
                                              FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).                            needed to compensate the public for                       • For the State of Texas: Texas Parks
                                                Submitting Comments: You may                           those injuries and losses. OPA instructs                and Wildlife Department, Texas General
                                              submit comments on the Draft Phase V                     the trustees to develop and implement                   Land Office, and Texas Commission on
                                              ERP/EA by one of following methods:                      a plan for the restoration, rehabilitation,             Environmental Quality.
                                                • Via the Web: http://                                 replacement, or acquisition of the
                                              www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.                                                                               Background
                                                                                                       equivalent of the injured natural
                                                • Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and                         resources under their trusteeship,                         In the April 2011 Framework
                                              Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 49567,                        including the loss of use and services                  Agreement for Early Restoration
                                              Atlanta, GA 30345.                                       from those resources from the time of                   Addressing Injuries Resulting from the
                                                Public Meeting Location: Gulf Coast                                                                            Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
                                                                                                       injury until the time of restoration to
                                              State College, Student Union East, Room                                                                          (Framework Agreement), BP agreed to
                                                                                                       baseline (the resource quality and
                                              231 (Gibson Lecture Hall), 5230 West                                                                             provide to the Trustees up to $1 billion
                                                                                                       conditions that would exist if the spill
                                              U.S. Highway 98, Panama City, FL                                                                                 toward early restoration projects in the
                                                                                                       had not occurred) is complete. For the
                                              32411.                                                                                                           Gulf of Mexico to address injuries to
                                                                                                       Deepwater Horizon oil spill, designated
                                              FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                         trustees (Trustees) in four Federal                     natural resources caused by the
                                              Nanciann Regalado, at 404–679–4161.                      agencies and all five Gulf States—                      Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The
                                              SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                               Alabama, Florida, Louisiana,                            Framework Agreement represents a
                                                                                                       Mississippi, and Texas—have been                        preliminary step toward the restoration
                                              Introduction                                                                                                     of injured natural resources and is
                                                                                                       working together to assess natural
                                                On or about April 20, 2010, the                        resource injuries and prepare a series of               intended to expedite the start of
                                              mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater                  restoration plans described below.                      restoration in the Gulf in advance of the
                                              Horizon, which was being used to drill                     The Trustees are:                                     completion of the injury assessment
                                              a well for BP Exploration and                              • U.S. Department of the Interior                     process. The Framework Agreement
                                              Production, Inc. (BP), in the Macondo                    (DOI), as represented by the National                   provides a mechanism through which
                                              prospect (Mississippi Canyon 252—                        Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife                    the Trustees and BP can work together
                                              MC252), experienced a significant                        Service, and Bureau of Land                             ‘‘to commence implementation of early
                                              explosion, fire, and subsequent sinking                  Management;                                             restoration projects that will provide
                                              in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in an                     • National Oceanic and Atmospheric                    meaningful benefits to accelerate
                                              unprecedented volume of oil and other                    Administration (NOAA), on behalf of                     restoration in the Gulf as quickly as
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                                              discharges from the rig and from the                     the U.S. Department of Commerce;                        practicable’’ prior to the resolution of
                                              wellhead on the seabed. The Deepwater                      • U.S. Department of Agriculture                      the Trustees’ natural resource damages
                                              Horizon oil spill is the largest off shore               (USDA);                                                 claim. Early restoration is not intended
                                              oil spill in U.S. history, discharging                     • U.S. Environmental Protection                       to and does not fully address all injuries
                                              millions of barrels of oil over a period                 Agency (USEPA);                                         caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil
                                              of 87 days. In addition, well over 1                       • State of Louisiana Coastal                          spill. Restoration beyond early
                                              million gallons of dispersants were                      Protection and Restoration Authority,                   restoration projects will be required to


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                                              75128                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 230 / Tuesday, December 1, 2015 / Notices

                                              fully compensate the public for natural                    The Trustees are considering the first             laws. The Trustees anticipate
                                              resource losses, including recreational                 phase of the Florida Coastal Access                   considering a second phase of this
                                              use losses, from the Deepwater Horizon                  Project in the Draft Phase V ERP/EA.                  Florida Coastal Access Project through a
                                              oil spill.                                              The total estimated cost for the                      future restoration plan that will be
                                                 This Notice addresses Phase V of the                 proposed first phase of the Florida                   subject to a separate notice and public
                                              early restoration process. In four                      Coastal Access Project is $34,372,184.                comment process.
                                              previous phases, the Trustees selected,                 The total estimated cost of the proposed
                                              and BP agreed to fund, a total of 64 early              Florida Coastal Access Project is                     Invitation to Comment
                                              restoration projects expected to cost a                 $45,415,573. The Trustees will propose                   The Trustees seek public review and
                                              total of approximately $832 million. The                in an additional future phase similar                 comment on the proposed first phase of
                                              Trustees selected these projects after                  restoration activities that would utilize             the Florida Coastal Access Project and
                                              public notice, public meetings, and                     the remaining $11,043,389, if approved.               supporting analysis included in the
                                              consideration of public comments,                       Details on the proposed first phase of                Draft Phase V ERP/EA. Through this
                                              through the Phase I Early Restoration                   the Florida Coastal Access Project are                Notice of Availability, the Trustees are
                                              Plan/Environmental Assessment (Phase                    provided in the Draft Phase V ERP/EA.                 seeking public review and comment for
                                              I ERP/EA), Phase II Early Restoration                      The proposed first phase of the                    only the Draft Phase V ERP/EA. Before
                                              Plan/Environmental Review (Phase II                     Florida Coastal Access Project is                     including your address, phone number,
                                              ERP/ER), the Programmatic and Phase                     intended to continue the process of                   email address, or other personal
                                              III Early Restoration Plan and Early                    using early restoration funding to                    identifying information in your
                                              Restoration Programmatic                                restore natural resources, ecological                 comment, you should be aware that
                                              Environmental Impact Statement (Phase                   services, and recreational use services               your entire comment, including your
                                              III ERP/PEIS), and the Phase IV Early                   injured or lost as a result of the                    personal identifying information, may
                                              Restoration Plan/Environment                            Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The                      be made publicly available at any time.
                                              Assessments (Phase IV ERP/EA).                          Trustees considered hundreds of                       You may submit comments on the Draft
                                                 The Trustees released the Phase I                    projects leading to the identification of             Phase V ERP/EA by one of the methods
                                              ERP/EA on April 20, 2012 (77 FR 23741)                  the Florida Coastal Access Project and                described in ADDRESSES.
                                              and the Phase II ERP/ER on February 5,                  considered both ecological and
                                              2013 (78 FR 8184). The Trustees                         recreational use restoration projects to                 This public review and comment
                                              released the Phase III ERP/PEIS on June                 restore injuries caused by the Deepwater              process for the Draft Phase V ERP/EA is
                                              26, 2014 (79 FR 36328), and                             Horizon oil spill, addressing both the                separate from the public comment
                                              subsequently approved that Plan and                     physical and biological environment, as               processes for the Deepwater Horizon Oil
                                              programmatic EIS in a Record of                         well as the relationship people have                  Spill Draft Programmatic Damage
                                              Decision on October 31, 2014 (79 FR                     with the environment.                                 Assessment and Restoration Plan and
                                              64831). The Trustees released the Phase                    The Draft Phase V ERP/EA also                      Draft Programmatic Environmental
                                              IV ERP/EA on September 23, 2015 (80                     includes notices of change and                        Impact Statement (Draft PDARP/PEIS)
                                              FR 57384). These plans are available at:                supporting analysis for two Phase III                 and the proposed Consent Decree
                                              https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/                   Early Restoration Projects: ‘‘Strategically           Among Defendant BP Exploration &
                                              adminrecord.                                            Provided Boat Access Along Florida’s                  Production, Inc., the United States of
                                                 In the Draft Phase V Early Restoration               Gulf Coast—City of Port St. Joe, Frank                America, and the States of Alabama,
                                              Plan and Environmental Assessment                       Pate Boat Ramp Improvements’’ and                     Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and
                                              announced in this Notice, the Trustees                  ‘‘Florida Artificial Reef Creation and                Texas, which ends on December 4,
                                              are proposing the first phase of the                    Restoration.’’                                        2015. For more information on the Draft
                                              Florida Coastal Access Project to                                                                             PDARP/PEIS, please visit http://
                                                                                                      Next Steps                                            www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov. A
                                              address lost recreational opportunities
                                              in Florida caused by the Deepwater                         The Trustees have scheduled a public               link for the proposed Consent Decree
                                              Horizon oil spill. The proposed first                   meeting to facilitate public review and               and directions for comment to the
                                              phase of the Florida Coastal Access                     comment on the Draft Phase V ERP/EA.                  Department of Justice is available at
                                              Project is consistent with the                          Both written and verbal comments will                 http://
                                              Programmatic ERP and PEIS included in                   be taken at the public meeting. The                   www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
                                              the Final Phase III ERP/PEIS previously                 Trustees will hold an open house
                                                                                                      followed by a formal meeting. The                     Administrative Record
                                              developed by the Trustees. The Draft
                                              Phase V ERP/EA is not intended to and                   public meeting will include a                           The documents comprising the
                                              does not fully address all injuries                     presentation of the Draft Phase V ERP/                Administrative Record for the Draft
                                              caused by the spill or provide the extent               EA. After the public comment period                   Phase V ERP/EA can be viewed
                                              of restoration needed to make the public                ends, the Trustees will consider and                  electronically at the following location:
                                              and the environment whole.                              address the comments received before                  https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/
                                                                                                      issuing a final Phase V Early Restoration             adminrecord.
                                              Overview of the Draft Phase V ERP/EA                    Plan and Environmental Assessment
                                                The Draft Phase V ERP/EA is being                     (Final Phase V ERP/EA). After issuing a               Authority
                                              released in accordance with the Oil                     Final Phase V ERP/EA and if the                         The authority of this action is the Oil
                                              Pollution Act (OPA), the Natural                        Trustees approve the first phase of the               Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et
                                              Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA)                      Florida Coastal Access Project, the                   seq.) and the implementing Natural
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                              regulations found in the Code of Federal                Trustees will file a negotiated                       Resource Damage Assessment
                                              Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR 990, the                    stipulation for the approved Florida                  regulations found at 15 CFR 990.
                                              National Environmental Policy Act (42                   Coastal Access Project with the court. If
                                              U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and the Framework                 approved, the first phase of the Florida              Cynthia K. Dohner,
                                              for Early Restoration Addressing                        Coastal Access Project will then proceed              DOI Authorized Official.
                                              Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater                   to implementation, pending compliance                 [FR Doc. 2015–30189 Filed 11–30–15; 8:45 am]
                                              Horizon Oil Spill.                                      with all applicable State and Federal                 BILLING CODE 4310–55–P




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Document Created: 2018-03-02 09:10:34
Document Modified: 2018-03-02 09:10:34
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of availability; request for comments.
DatesComments Due Date: We will consider public comments received on or before December 31, 2015.
ContactNanciann Regalado, at 404-679-4161.
FR Citation80 FR 75126 

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