81_FR_8516 81 FR 8483 - Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS)

81 FR 8483 - Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 33 (February 19, 2016)

Page Range8483-8485
FR Document2016-03299

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon Federal and State natural resource trustee agencies (Trustees) have prepared a Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS). As required by OPA, in this Final PDARP/PEIS, the Trustees present the assessment of impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico and on the services those resources provide, and determine the restoration needed to compensate the public for these impacts. The Final PDARP/PEIS describes the Trustees' programmatic alternatives considered to restore natural resources, ecological services, and recreational use services injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Trustees evaluate these alternatives under criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource damage assessment regulations, and also evaluate the environmental consequences of the restoration alternatives in accordance with NEPA. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Final PDARP/PEIS.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 33 (Friday, February 19, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 33 (Friday, February 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8483-8485]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03299]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE201


Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final 
Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS)

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Final Programmatic Damage 
Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon Federal 
and State natural resource trustee agencies (Trustees) have prepared a 
Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS). As 
required by OPA, in this Final PDARP/PEIS, the Trustees present the 
assessment of impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on natural 
resources in the Gulf of Mexico and on the services those resources 
provide, and determine the restoration needed to compensate the public 
for these impacts. The Final PDARP/PEIS describes the Trustees' 
programmatic alternatives considered to restore natural resources, 
ecological services, and recreational use services injured or lost as a 
result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Trustees evaluate these 
alternatives under criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource 
damage assessment regulations, and also evaluate the environmental 
consequences of the restoration alternatives in accordance with NEPA. 
The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability 
of the Final PDARP/PEIS.

[[Page 8484]]


ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You may download the Final PDARP/PEIS 
at http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov. Alternatively, you may 
request a CD of the Final PDARP/PEIS (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT). You may also view the document at any of the public 
facilities listed at http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov. The 
Final PDARP/PEIS also will be available for download at http://www.justice.gov/enrd/deepwater-horizon.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Courtney Groeneveld at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction

    On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon mobile drilling unit 
exploded, caught fire, and eventually sank in the Gulf of Mexico, 
resulting in a massive release of oil and other substances from BP's 
Macondo well. Tragically, 11 workers were killed and 17 injured by the 
explosion and fire. Initial efforts to cap the well following the 
explosion were unsuccessful, and for 87 days after the explosion, the 
well continuously and uncontrollably discharged oil and natural gas 
into the northern Gulf of Mexico. Approximately 3.19 million barrels 
(134 million gallons) of oil were released into the ocean, by far the 
largest offshore oil spill in the history of the United States.
    Oil spread from the deep ocean to the surface and nearshore 
environment, from Texas to Florida. The oil came into contact with and 
injured natural resources as diverse as deep-sea coral, fish and 
shellfish, productive wetland habitats, sandy beaches, birds, 
endangered sea turtles, and protected marine life. The oil spill 
prevented people from fishing, going to the beach, and enjoying their 
typical recreational activities along the Gulf. Extensive response 
actions, including use of dispersants, cleanup activities, and actions 
to try to prevent the oil from reaching sensitive resources, were 
undertaken to try to reduce harm to people and the environment. 
However, many of these response actions had collateral impacts on the 
environment. The oil and other substances released from the well in 
combination with the extensive response actions together make up the 
Deepwater Horizon incident.
    The Trustees conducted the natural resource damage assessment for 
the Deepwater Horizon incident under the Oil Pollution Act 1990 (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 of those resources and the loss of services 
they provide from the time of injury until the time restoration to 
baseline (the resource quality and conditions that would exist if the 
spill had not occurred) is complete.
    The Trustees \1\ are as follows:
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    \1\ Although a trustee under OPA by virtue of the proximity of 
its facilities to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the U.S. 
Department of Defense (DOD) is not a member of the Trustee Council 
and did not participate in development of this Final PDARP/PEIS.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, on behalf 
of the U.S. Department of Commerce;
     U.S. Department of the Interior, as represented by the 
National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of 
Land Management;
     U.S. Department of Agriculture;
     U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
     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

    Notice of availability of the Draft PDARP/PEIS was published in the 
Federal Register on October 5, 2015 (80 FR 60126). The Draft PDARP/PEIS 
presented the assessment of impacts of the Deepwater Horizon incident 
on natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico and on the services those 
resources provide, and determined the restoration needed to compensate 
the public for these impacts. The Trustees provided the public with 60 
days to review and comment on the Draft PDARP/PEIS. The Trustees also 
held public meetings in Houma, LA; Long Beach, MS; New Orleans, LA; 
Mobile, AL; Pensacola, FL; St. Petersburg, FL; Galveston, TX; and 
Washington, DC, to facilitate public understanding of the document and 
provide opportunity for public comment. The Trustees considered the 
public comments received, which informed the Trustees' analysis of 
programmatic alternatives in the Final PDARP/PEIS. The Trustees 
actively solicited public input through a variety of mechanisms, 
including convening public meetings, distributing electronic 
communications, and using the Trustee-wide public Web site and database 
to share information and receive public input. A summary of the public 
comments received and the Trustees' responses to those comments are 
addressed in Chapter 8 of the Final PDARP/PEIS.

Overview of the Final PDARP/PEIS

    The Final PDARP/PEIS is being released in accordance with the OPA, 
the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) regulations found in the 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR part 990, and the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
    In the Final PDARP/PEIS, the Deepwater Horizon Trustees present to 
the public their findings on the extensive injuries to multiple 
habitats, biological species, ecological functions, and geographic 
regions across the northern Gulf of Mexico that occurred as a result of 
the Deepwater Horizon incident, as well as their programmatic plan for 
restoring those resources and the services they provide. The injuries 
caused by the Deepwater Horizon incident cannot be fully described at 
the level of a single species, a single habitat type, or a single 
region. Rather, the injuries affected such a wide array of linked 
resources over such an enormous area that the effects of the Deepwater 
Horizon incident constitute an ecosystem-level injury. The Final PDARP/
PEIS presents four programmatic alternatives evaluated in accordance 
with OPA and NEPA.
    The four alternatives under the Final PDARP/PEIS are as follows:
     Alternative A (Preferred Alternative): Comprehensive 
Integrated Ecosystem Restoration Plan based on programmatic Trustee 
goals;
     Alternative B: Resource-Specific Restoration Plan based on 
programmatic Trustee goals;
     Alternative C: Continued Injury Assessment and Defer 
Comprehensive Restoration Plan; and
     Alternative D: No Action/Natural Recovery.
    These programmatic alternatives are comprised of restoration types 
and

[[Page 8485]]

approaches to restore, replace, rehabilitate, or acquire the equivalent 
of the injured natural resources and services. The Trustees' preferred 
alternative for a restoration plan utilizes a comprehensive integrated 
ecosystem approach to best address these ecosystem-level injuries. The 
Trustees' evaluation determined this alternative is best, among several 
other alternatives, at compensating the public for the losses to 
natural resources and services caused by the Deepwater Horizon 
incident.
    The Trustees' proposed decision is to select a comprehensive 
restoration plan to guide and direct subsequent restoration planning 
and implementation during the coming decades. The Final PDARP/PEIS is 
programmatic; it describes the framework by which subsequent project 
specific restoration plans will be identified and developed, and sets 
forth the types of projects the Trustees will consider in each of the 
described restoration areas. The subsequent restoration plans will 
identify, evaluate, and select specific restoration projects for 
implementation that are consistent with the restoration framework laid 
out by the Final PDARP/PEIS.
    The Trustees considered this programmatic restoration planning 
decision in light of the proposed settlement among BP, the United 
States, and the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and 
Texas to resolve BP's liability for natural resource damages associated 
with the Deepwater Horizon incident. Under this proposed settlement, BP 
would pay a total of $8.1 billion for restoration to address natural 
resource injuries (this includes $1 billion already committed for early 
restoration), plus up to an additional $700 million to respond to 
natural resource damages unknown at the time of the settlement and/or 
to provide for adaptive management. The proposed Consent Decree for the 
proposed settlement was the subject of a separate public notice and 
comment process; the Notice of Lodging of the proposed Consent Decree 
under the Clean Water Act and Oil Pollution Act was published in the 
Federal Register on October 5, 2015 (80 FR 60180).

Next Steps

    In accordance with NEPA, a Federal agency must prepare a concise 
public Record of Decision (ROD) at the time the agency makes a decision 
in cases involving an EIS (40 CFR 1505.2). The Trustees will issue a 
ROD pursuant to NEPA regulations at 40 CFR 1505.2 and OPA regulations 
at 15 CFR 990.23. Accordingly, the ROD for the Final PDARP/PEIS will 
provide and explain the Trustees' decisions regarding the selection of 
a preferred alternative. The Trustees will issue the ROD no earlier 
than 30 days after the Environmental Protection Agency publishes a 
notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Final 
PDARP/PEIS (40 CFR 1506.10).

Administrative Record

    The documents included in the Administrative Record can be viewed 
electronically at the following location: http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord.
    The Trustees opened a publicly available Administrative Record for 
the NRDA for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including restoration 
planning activities, concurrently with publication of the 2011 Notice 
of Intent (NOI) to Begin Restoration Scoping and Prepare a Gulf Spill 
Restoration Planning PEIS (pursuant to 15 CFR 990.45). The 
Administrative Record includes the February 17, 2011, NOI for a 90-day 
formal scoping (76 FR 9327) and public comment period for this Final 
PDARP/PEIS. The Trustees conducted the scoping in accordance with OPA 
(15 CFR 990.14(d)), NEPA (40 CFR 1501.7), and State authorities. As 
part of the scoping process, the Trustees hosted public meetings across 
all the Gulf States during spring 2011.

Authority

    The authority of this action is the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) and the implementing NRDA regulations found at 15 
CFR part 990.

    Dated: February 11, 2016.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-03299 Filed 2-18-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P



                                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 33 / Friday, February 19, 2016 / Notices                                                 8483

                                                       3. The Committee will receive an                     Wahoo and Snapper Grouper                             directed to the council office (see
                                                    overview of the Implementation Plan for                 Committees, consider recommendations                  ADDRESSES) 3 days prior to the meeting.
                                                    Commercial Logbook Electronic                           and take action as appropriate.                         Note: The times and sequence specified in
                                                    Reporting, the status of eTrips, discuss                   9:30–9:40 a.m.: The Council will                   this agenda are subject to change.
                                                    and provide direction to staff.                         receive a report from the Protected
                                                       4. The Committee will also receive an                Resources Committee, approve/                           Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
                                                    overview of the Atlantic For-Hire                       disapprove the ESA/MSA Integration                      Dated: February 16, 2016.
                                                    Reporting Amendment, a demonstration                    Agreement, consider other                             Tracey L. Thompson,
                                                    of the South Carolina Department of                     recommendations and take action as                    Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
                                                    Natural Resources’ Electronic For-Hire                  appropriate.                                          Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
                                                    Logbook reporting process, review                          9:40–9:50 a.m.: The Council will                   [FR Doc. 2016–03470 Filed 2–18–16; 8:45 am]
                                                    public hearing input, discuss and                       receive a report from the SEDAR                       BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
                                                    modify the document as appropriate                      Committee, consider Committee
                                                    and approve all actions.                                recommendations and take action as
                                                       5. The Committee will receive an                     appropriate.                                          DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
                                                    update on the Council’s Citizen Science                    9:50–10 a.m.: The Council will
                                                    Workshop, an overview of the draft                      receive a report from the Data Collection             National Oceanic and Atmospheric
                                                    Citizen Science Blueprint, discuss and                  Committee, consider Committee                         Administration
                                                    take action as appropriate.                             recommendations and take action as                    RIN 0648–XE201
                                                       Executive Finance Committee,                         appropriate.
                                                    Thursday, March 10, 2016, 2:30 p.m.                        10–10:10 a.m.: The Council will                    Notice of Availability of the Deepwater
                                                    until 3:30 p.m.                                         receive a report from the AP Selection                Horizon Oil Spill Final Programmatic
                                                       1. The Committee will receive an                     Committee, consider committee                         Damage Assessment and Restoration
                                                    update on the Calendar Year (CY) 2015                                                                         Plan and Final Programmatic
                                                                                                            recommendations and take action as
                                                    budget expenditures, the Draft Activity                                                                       Environmental Impact Statement (Final
                                                                                                            appropriate.
                                                    Schedule, the Status of the CY 2016                                                                           PDARP/PEIS)
                                                                                                               10:10–10:30 a.m.: The Council will
                                                    budget, and the Council Follow-up and
                                                                                                            receive a report from the Executive                   AGENCY:  National Oceanic and
                                                    priorities, and take action as
                                                                                                            Finance Committee, approve the                        Atmospheric Administration,
                                                    appropriate.
                                                       2. The Committee will discuss                        Council activity schedule, approve the                Commerce.
                                                    standards and procedures for                            Council Follow-Up and Priorities,
                                                                                                                                                                  ACTION: Notice of availability of a Final
                                                    participating in Council webinar                        consider other Committee
                                                                                                                                                                  Programmatic Damage Assessment and
                                                    meetings, receive a report from the                     recommendations and take action as
                                                                                                                                                                  Restoration Plan and Final
                                                    Council Coordinating Committee                          appropriate.
                                                                                                                                                                  Programmatic Environmental Impact
                                                    meeting, address other issues, and take                    10:30–12 noon: The Council will
                                                                                                                                                                  Statement.
                                                    action as appropriate.                                  receive a presentation on proposed
                                                       Council Session: Thursday, March 10,                 scoping measures for the Monitor                      SUMMARY:   In accordance with the Oil
                                                    2016, 3:45 p.m. until 5 p.m. and Friday,                National Marine Sanctuary, status                     Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and the
                                                    March 11, 2016, 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m.                 reports from NOAA Fisheries Southeast                 National Environmental Policy Act
                                                       Council Session: March 10, 2016                      Regional Office and the Southeast                     (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon Federal
                                                       3:45–4 p.m.: Call the meeting to order,              Fisheries Science Center; review and                  and State natural resource trustee
                                                    adopt the agenda, and approve the                       develop recommendations on                            agencies (Trustees) have prepared a
                                                    December 2015 meeting minutes.                          Experimental Fishing Permits as                       Final Programmatic Damage Assessment
                                                       4–5 p.m.: The Council will receive a                 necessary; receive agency and liaison                 and Restoration Plan and Final
                                                    report from the Snapper Grouper                         reports; and discuss other business and               Programmatic Environmental Impact
                                                    Committee, approve/disapprove                           upcoming meetings.                                    Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS). As
                                                    Snapper Grouper Amendment 36                               Documents regarding these issues are               required by OPA, in this Final PDARP/
                                                    (Spawning Special Management Zones)                     available from the Council office (see                PEIS, the Trustees present the
                                                    for formal Secretarial Review; approve/                 ADDRESSES).                                           assessment of impacts of the Deepwater
                                                    disapprove the Oculina Review Report,                      Although non-emergency issues not                  Horizon oil spill on natural resources in
                                                    and approve/disapprove the System                       contained in this agenda may come                     the Gulf of Mexico and on the services
                                                    Management Plan for Marine Protected                    before this group for discussion, those               those resources provide, and determine
                                                    Areas. The Council will consider other                  issues may not be the subject of formal               the restoration needed to compensate
                                                    Committee recommendations and take                      action during these meetings. Action                  the public for these impacts. The Final
                                                    action as appropriate.                                  will be restricted to those issues                    PDARP/PEIS describes the Trustees’
                                                       Council Session: March 11, 2016                      specifically identified in this notice and            programmatic alternatives considered to
                                                       8:30–9 a.m.: The Council will receive                any issues arising after publication of               restore natural resources, ecological
                                                    a report from the Mackerel Committee,                   this notice that require emergency                    services, and recreational use services
                                                    approve/disapprove Amendment 26 to                      action under section 305(c) of the                    injured or lost as a result of the
                                                    the Coastal Migratory Pelagics FMP for                  Magnuson-Stevens Fishery                              Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The
                                                                                                            Conservation and Management Act,                      Trustees evaluate these alternatives
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                                                    formal Secretarial review, consider
                                                    other Committee recommendations, and                    provided the public has been notified of              under criteria set forth in the OPA
                                                    take action as appropriate.                             the Council’s intent to take final action             natural resource damage assessment
                                                       9–9:10 a.m.: The Council will receive                to address the emergency.                             regulations, and also evaluate the
                                                    a report from the Law Enforcement                                                                             environmental consequences of the
                                                                                                            Special Accommodations                                restoration alternatives in accordance
                                                    Committee, consider recommendations
                                                    and take actions as appropriate.                          These meetings are physically                       with NEPA. The purpose of this notice
                                                       9:10–9:30 a.m.: The Council will                     accessible to people with disabilities.               is to inform the public of the availability
                                                    receive a report from the Joint Dolphin                 Requests for auxiliary aids should be                 of the Final PDARP/PEIS.


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                                                    8484                          Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 33 / Friday, February 19, 2016 / Notices

                                                    ADDRESSES:    Obtaining Documents: You                  resource injuries and losses and to                    St. Petersburg, FL; Galveston, TX; and
                                                    may download the Final PDARP/PEIS at                    determine the actions required to                      Washington, DC, to facilitate public
                                                    http://www.gulfspillrestoration                         compensate the public for those injuries               understanding of the document and
                                                    .noaa.gov. Alternatively, you may                       and losses. OPA further instructs the                  provide opportunity for public
                                                    request a CD of the Final PDARP/PEIS                    designated trustees to develop and                     comment. The Trustees considered the
                                                    (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).                  implement a plan for the restoration,                  public comments received, which
                                                    You may also view the document at any                   rehabilitation, replacement, or                        informed the Trustees’ analysis of
                                                    of the public facilities listed at http://              acquisition of the equivalent of the                   programmatic alternatives in the Final
                                                    www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov. The                  injured natural resources under their                  PDARP/PEIS. The Trustees actively
                                                    Final PDARP/PEIS also will be available                 trusteeship, including the loss of use of              solicited public input through a variety
                                                    for download at http://www.justice.gov/                 those resources and the loss of services               of mechanisms, including convening
                                                    enrd/deepwater-horizon.                                 they provide from the time of injury                   public meetings, distributing electronic
                                                    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                        until the time restoration to baseline                 communications, and using the Trustee-
                                                    Courtney Groeneveld at                                  (the resource quality and conditions that              wide public Web site and database to
                                                    gulfspill.restoration@noaa.gov.                         would exist if the spill had not                       share information and receive public
                                                    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              occurred) is complete.                                 input. A summary of the public
                                                                                                               The Trustees 1 are as follows:                      comments received and the Trustees’
                                                    Introduction                                               • National Oceanic and Atmospheric                  responses to those comments are
                                                       On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater                     Administration, on behalf of the U.S.                  addressed in Chapter 8 of the Final
                                                    Horizon mobile drilling unit exploded,                  Department of Commerce;                                PDARP/PEIS.
                                                    caught fire, and eventually sank in the                    • U.S. Department of the Interior, as
                                                                                                            represented by the National Park                       Overview of the Final PDARP/PEIS
                                                    Gulf of Mexico, resulting in a massive
                                                                                                            Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,                  The Final PDARP/PEIS is being
                                                    release of oil and other substances from
                                                                                                            and Bureau of Land Management;                         released in accordance with the OPA,
                                                    BP’s Macondo well. Tragically, 11
                                                                                                               • U.S. Department of Agriculture;                   the Natural Resources Damage
                                                    workers were killed and 17 injured by
                                                                                                               • U.S. Environmental Protection                     Assessment (NRDA) regulations found
                                                    the explosion and fire. Initial efforts to
                                                                                                            Agency;                                                in the Code of Federal Regulations
                                                    cap the well following the explosion                       • State of Louisiana Coastal                        (CFR) at 15 CFR part 990, and the
                                                    were unsuccessful, and for 87 days after                Protection and Restoration Authority,                  National Environmental Policy Act
                                                    the explosion, the well continuously                    Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office,                        (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
                                                    and uncontrollably discharged oil and                   Department of Environmental Quality,                      In the Final PDARP/PEIS, the
                                                    natural gas into the northern Gulf of                   Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,                  Deepwater Horizon Trustees present to
                                                    Mexico. Approximately 3.19 million                      and Department of Natural Resources;                   the public their findings on the
                                                    barrels (134 million gallons) of oil were                  • State of Mississippi Department of                extensive injuries to multiple habitats,
                                                    released into the ocean, by far the                     Environmental Quality;                                 biological species, ecological functions,
                                                    largest offshore oil spill in the history of               • State of Alabama Department of                    and geographic regions across the
                                                    the United States.                                      Conservation and Natural Resources and                 northern Gulf of Mexico that occurred
                                                       Oil spread from the deep ocean to the                Geological Survey of Alabama;                          as a result of the Deepwater Horizon
                                                    surface and nearshore environment,                         • State of Florida Department of                    incident, as well as their programmatic
                                                    from Texas to Florida. The oil came into                Environmental Protection and Fish and                  plan for restoring those resources and
                                                    contact with and injured natural                        Wildlife Conservation Commission; and                  the services they provide. The injuries
                                                    resources as diverse as deep-sea coral,                    • For the State of Texas: Texas Parks               caused by the Deepwater Horizon
                                                    fish and shellfish, productive wetland                  and Wildlife Department, Texas General                 incident cannot be fully described at the
                                                    habitats, sandy beaches, birds,                         Land Office, and Texas Commission on                   level of a single species, a single habitat
                                                    endangered sea turtles, and protected                   Environmental Quality.                                 type, or a single region. Rather, the
                                                    marine life. The oil spill prevented
                                                                                                            Background                                             injuries affected such a wide array of
                                                    people from fishing, going to the beach,
                                                                                                                                                                   linked resources over such an enormous
                                                    and enjoying their typical recreational                   Notice of availability of the Draft                  area that the effects of the Deepwater
                                                    activities along the Gulf. Extensive                    PDARP/PEIS was published in the                        Horizon incident constitute an
                                                    response actions, including use of                      Federal Register on October 5, 2015 (80                ecosystem-level injury. The Final
                                                    dispersants, cleanup activities, and                    FR 60126). The Draft PDARP/PEIS                        PDARP/PEIS presents four
                                                    actions to try to prevent the oil from                  presented the assessment of impacts of                 programmatic alternatives evaluated in
                                                    reaching sensitive resources, were                      the Deepwater Horizon incident on                      accordance with OPA and NEPA.
                                                    undertaken to try to reduce harm to                     natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico                   The four alternatives under the Final
                                                    people and the environment. However,                    and on the services those resources                    PDARP/PEIS are as follows:
                                                    many of these response actions had                      provide, and determined the restoration                   • Alternative A (Preferred
                                                    collateral impacts on the environment.                  needed to compensate the public for                    Alternative): Comprehensive Integrated
                                                    The oil and other substances released                   these impacts. The Trustees provided                   Ecosystem Restoration Plan based on
                                                    from the well in combination with the                   the public with 60 days to review and                  programmatic Trustee goals;
                                                    extensive response actions together                     comment on the Draft PDARP/PEIS. The                      • Alternative B: Resource-Specific
                                                    make up the Deepwater Horizon                           Trustees also held public meetings in
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                                                                                   Restoration Plan based on programmatic
                                                    incident.                                               Houma, LA; Long Beach, MS; New                         Trustee goals;
                                                       The Trustees conducted the natural                   Orleans, LA; Mobile, AL; Pensacola, FL;                   • Alternative C: Continued Injury
                                                    resource damage assessment for the                                                                             Assessment and Defer Comprehensive
                                                    Deepwater Horizon incident under the                      1 Although a trustee under OPA by virtue of the
                                                                                                                                                                   Restoration Plan; and
                                                    Oil Pollution Act 1990 (OPA; 33 U.S.C.                  proximity of its facilities to the Deepwater Horizon      • Alternative D: No Action/Natural
                                                                                                            oil spill, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is
                                                    2701 et seq.). Pursuant to OPA, Federal                 not a member of the Trustee Council and did not        Recovery.
                                                    and State agencies act as trustees on                   participate in development of this Final PDARP/           These programmatic alternatives are
                                                    behalf of the public to assess natural                  PEIS.                                                  comprised of restoration types and


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                                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 33 / Friday, February 19, 2016 / Notices                                           8485

                                                    approaches to restore, replace,                         the Trustees’ decisions regarding the                 public and other Federal agencies to
                                                    rehabilitate, or acquire the equivalent of              selection of a preferred alternative. The             take this opportunity to comment on
                                                    the injured natural resources and                       Trustees will issue the ROD no earlier                proposed and/or continuing information
                                                    services. The Trustees’ preferred                       than 30 days after the Environmental                  collections, as required by the
                                                    alternative for a restoration plan utilizes             Protection Agency publishes a notice in               Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
                                                    a comprehensive integrated ecosystem                    the Federal Register announcing the                   DATES: Written comments must be
                                                    approach to best address these                          availability of the Final PDARP/PEIS (40              submitted on or before April 19, 2016.
                                                    ecosystem-level injuries. The Trustees’                 CFR 1506.10).                                         ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments
                                                    evaluation determined this alternative is                                                                     to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
                                                    best, among several other alternatives, at              Administrative Record
                                                                                                                                                                  Paperwork Clearance Officer,
                                                    compensating the public for the losses                    The documents included in the                       Department of Commerce, Room 6616,
                                                    to natural resources and services caused                Administrative Record can be viewed                   14th and Constitution Avenue NW.,
                                                    by the Deepwater Horizon incident.                      electronically at the following location:             Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
                                                       The Trustees’ proposed decision is to                http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/                  Internet at JJessup@doc.gov).
                                                    select a comprehensive restoration plan                 adminrecord.
                                                    to guide and direct subsequent                                                                                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                                                                              The Trustees opened a publicly
                                                    restoration planning and                                available Administrative Record for the               Requests for additional information or
                                                    implementation during the coming                        NRDA for the Deepwater Horizon oil                    copies of the information collection
                                                    decades. The Final PDARP/PEIS is                        spill, including restoration planning                 instrument and instructions should be
                                                    programmatic; it describes the                          activities, concurrently with publication             directed to Dr. Danielle Schwarzmann,
                                                    framework by which subsequent project                   of the 2011 Notice of Intent (NOI) to                 301–713–7254 danielle.schwarzmann@
                                                    specific restoration plans will be                      Begin Restoration Scoping and Prepare                 noaa.gov.
                                                    identified and developed, and sets forth                a Gulf Spill Restoration Planning PEIS                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                    the types of projects the Trustees will                 (pursuant to 15 CFR 990.45). The
                                                    consider in each of the described                                                                             I. Abstract
                                                                                                            Administrative Record includes the
                                                    restoration areas. The subsequent                       February 17, 2011, NOI for a 90-day                      This request is for a new information
                                                    restoration plans will identify, evaluate,              formal scoping (76 FR 9327) and public                collection.
                                                    and select specific restoration projects                comment period for this Final PDARP/                     Through a partnership with The
                                                    for implementation that are consistent                  PEIS. The Trustees conducted the                      Rosenstiel School of Marine and
                                                    with the restoration framework laid out                 scoping in accordance with OPA (15                    Atmospheric Science at the University
                                                    by the Final PDARP/PEIS.                                CFR 990.14(d)), NEPA (40 CFR 1501.7),                 of Miami, we will collect information
                                                       The Trustees considered this                         and State authorities. As part of the                 from recreational fishers to complete
                                                    programmatic restoration planning                       scoping process, the Trustees hosted                  quantitative economic valuations of
                                                    decision in light of the proposed                       public meetings across all the Gulf                   ecosystem goods and services produced
                                                    settlement among BP, the United States,                 States during spring 2011.                            for recreational fisheries in Florida’s
                                                    and the States of Louisiana, Mississippi,                                                                     Gulf Coast. The survey will utilize the
                                                    Alabama, Florida, and Texas to resolve                  Authority                                             stated choice method to estimate the
                                                    BP’s liability for natural resource                       The authority of this action is the Oil             marginal value of a change in catch rates
                                                    damages associated with the Deepwater                   Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et              and other biological or economic
                                                    Horizon incident. Under this proposed                   seq.) and the implementing NRDA                       attributes of the recreational fishery.
                                                    settlement, BP would pay a total of $8.1                regulations found at 15 CFR part 990.                 These may include; size, type of fish
                                                    billion for restoration to address natural                                                                    and/or method of fishing.
                                                    resource injuries (this includes $1                       Dated: February 11, 2016.
                                                                                                                                                                     This information will be utilized by
                                                    billion already committed for early                     Samuel D. Rauch III,                                  Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
                                                    restoration), plus up to an additional                  Deputy Assistant Administrator for                    Commission (FFWCC) and the National
                                                    $700 million to respond to natural                      Regulatory Programs, National Marine                  Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast
                                                    resource damages unknown at the time                    Fisheries Service.
                                                                                                                                                                  Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC)
                                                    of the settlement and/or to provide for                 [FR Doc. 2016–03299 Filed 2–18–16; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                                  fisheries scientists and managers to
                                                    adaptive management. The proposed                       BILLING CODE 3510–22–P                                enhance the scope of information used
                                                    Consent Decree for the proposed                                                                               for stock assessment. Additionally, this
                                                    settlement was the subject of a separate                                                                      economic data will be integrated into
                                                    public notice and comment process; the                  DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE                                the recreational fisheries management
                                                    Notice of Lodging of the proposed                                                                             decision-making processes. The
                                                                                                            National Oceanic and Atmospheric
                                                    Consent Decree under the Clean Water                                                                          information will directly benefit Office
                                                                                                            Administration
                                                    Act and Oil Pollution Act was                                                                                 of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS),
                                                    published in the Federal Register on                    Proposed Information Collection;                      as it will help us to identify
                                                    October 5, 2015 (80 FR 60180).                          Comment Request: Socioeconomics of                    socioeconomic indicators for
                                                    Next Steps                                              Recreational Fishing in Florida’s Gulf                recreational fishing that we can
                                                                                                            Coast                                                 incorporate into management process/
                                                      In accordance with NEPA, a Federal                                                                          decisions and future condition reports
                                                    agency must prepare a concise public
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                            AGENCY: National Oceanic and                          to evaluate the status and trends of the
                                                    Record of Decision (ROD) at the time the                Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),                    recreational fishing ecosystem service.
                                                    agency makes a decision in cases                        Commerce.
                                                    involving an EIS (40 CFR 1505.2). The                   ACTION: Notice.
                                                                                                                                                                  II. Method of Collection
                                                    Trustees will issue a ROD pursuant to                                                                            Internet and mail.
                                                    NEPA regulations at 40 CFR 1505.2 and                   SUMMARY:    The Department of
                                                    OPA regulations at 15 CFR 990.23.                       Commerce, as part of its continuing                   III. Data
                                                    Accordingly, the ROD for the Final                      effort to reduce paperwork and                           OMB Control Number: 0648–XXXX.
                                                    PDARP/PEIS will provide and explain                     respondent burden, invites the general                   Form Number: None.


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Document Created: 2018-02-02 14:31:46
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 14:31:46
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 of a Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.
ContactCourtney Groeneveld at [email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 8483 
RIN Number0648-XE20

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