82 FR 14218 - Proposed Amendment to Initial Funded Priorities List

GULF COAST ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION COUNCIL

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 51 (March 17, 2017)

Page Range		14218-14219
FR Document		2017-05353

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Council) seeks public and Tribal comment on a proposal to amend its Initial Funded Priorities List (FPL) to approve implementation funding and associated actions for the Palm River Restoration Project Phase II, East McKay Bay project (Palm River), Florida. The Council is proposing to approve $768,680 in implementation funding for Palm River. The Council is also proposing to reallocate $87,750 from planning to implementation. The total amount available for implementation of Palm River would be $856,430. These funds would be used for construction of three stormwater ponds, exotic vegetation removal, native planting, monitoring, management of exotic species, and maintenance of the culverts/stormwater ponds along the Palm River at the mouth of McKay Bay. In the Initial FPL, components of the Palm River project were split among two sponsors: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Florida. The EPA portion of the Palm River project was included with a larger set of restoration measures within the FPL activity entitled Tampa Bay National Estuary Program. To enhance administrative efficiency, the Council is proposing to unify the two components of the Palm River project under one sponsor, Florida. The implementation funding proposed above includes monies originally budgeted for implementation of the EPA component ($271,430). To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other applicable laws, the Council is proposing to adopt an existing Environmental Assessment (EA) and ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of an associated Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permit that has been issued for the project. In so doing, the Council would expedite project implementation, reduce planning costs and potentially increase the ecological benefits of this project.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 51 (Friday, March 17, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 51 (Friday, March 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14218-14219]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05353]


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GULF COAST ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION COUNCIL

[Docket No.: 103172017-1111-10]


Proposed Amendment to Initial Funded Priorities List

AGENCY: Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council.

ACTION: Proposed amendment to Initial Funded Priorities List.

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

SUMMARY: The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Council) seeks 
public and Tribal comment on a proposal to amend its Initial Funded 
Priorities List (FPL) to approve implementation funding and associated 
actions for the Palm River Restoration Project Phase II, East McKay Bay 
project (Palm River), Florida. The Council is proposing to approve 
$768,680 in implementation funding for Palm River. The Council is also 
proposing to reallocate $87,750 from planning to implementation. The 
total amount available for implementation of Palm River would be 
$856,430. These funds would be used for construction of three 
stormwater ponds, exotic vegetation removal, native planting, 
monitoring, management of exotic species, and maintenance of the 
culverts/stormwater ponds along the Palm River at the mouth of McKay 
Bay.
    In the Initial FPL, components of the Palm River project were split 
among two sponsors: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and 
Florida. The EPA portion of the Palm River project was included with a 
larger set of restoration measures within the FPL activity entitled 
Tampa Bay National Estuary Program. To enhance administrative 
efficiency, the Council is proposing to unify the two components of the 
Palm River project under one sponsor, Florida. The implementation 
funding proposed above includes monies originally budgeted for 
implementation of the EPA component ($271,430).
    To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
other applicable laws, the Council is proposing to adopt an existing 
Environmental Assessment (EA) and ensure compliance with the terms and 
conditions of an associated Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permit 
that has been issued for the project. In so doing, the Council would 
expedite project implementation, reduce planning costs and potentially 
increase the ecological benefits of this project.

DATES: Comments on this proposed amendment are due April 17, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this proposed amendment may be submitted as 
follows:
    By Email: Submit comments by email to 
[email protected]. Email submission of comments ensures 
timely receipt and enables the Council to make them available to the 
public. In general, the Council will make such comments available for 
public inspection and copying on its Web site, www.restorethegulf.gov, 
without change, including any business or personal information 
provided, such as names, addresses, email addresses and telephone 
numbers. All comments received, including attachments and other 
supporting materials, will be part of the public record and subject to 
public disclosure. You should only submit information that you wish to 
make publicly available.
    By Mail: Send comments to Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, 
500 Poydras Street, Suite 1117, New Orleans, LA 70130.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please send questions by email to 
[email protected] or contact John Ettinger at (504) 444-
3522.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Deepwater Horizon oil spill led to passage of the Resources and 
Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies 
of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act) (33 U.S.C. 1321(t) 
and note), which dedicates 80 percent of all Clean Water Act 
administrative and civil penalties related to the oil spill to the Gulf 
Coast Restoration Trust Fund (Trust Fund). The RESTORE Act also created 
the Council, an independent Federal entity comprised of the five Gulf 
Coast states and six Federal agencies. Among other responsibilities, 
the Council administers a portion of the Trust Fund known as the 
Council-Selected Restoration Component in order to ``undertake projects 
and programs, using the best available science, that would restore and 
protect the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and 
wildlife habitats, beaches, coastal wetlands, and economy of the Gulf 
Coast.'' Additional information on the Council can be found here: 
https://www.restorethegulf.gov.
    On December 9, 2015, the Council approved the FPL, which includes 
projects and programs approved for funding under the Council-Selected 
Restoration Component, along with other activities the Council 
identified as priorities for potential future funding. Activities 
approved for funding in the FPL are included in ``Category 1;'' the 
priorities for potential future funding

[[Page 14219]]

are in ``Category 2.'' In the FPL the Council approved approximately 
$156.6 million in Category 1 restoration and planning activities, and 
prioritized twelve Category 2 activities for possible funding in the 
future, subject to environmental compliance and further Council and 
public review. The Council included planning activities for Palm River 
in Category 1 and implementation activities for Palm River in Category 
2.
    The Council reserved approximately $26.6 million for implementing 
priority activities in the future. These reserved funds may be used to 
support some, all or none of the activities included in Category 2 of 
the FPL and/or to support other activities not currently under 
consideration by the Council. As appropriate, the Council intends to 
review each activity in Category 2 in order to determine whether to: 
(1) Move the activity to Category 1 and approve it for funding, (2) 
remove it from Category 2 and any further consideration, or (3) 
continue to include it in Category 2. A Council decision to amend the 
FPL to move an activity from Category 2 into Category 1 must be 
approved by a Council vote after consideration of public and Tribal 
comments.

II. Environmental Compliance

    Prior to approving an activity for funding in FPL Category 1, the 
Council must comply with NEPA and other applicable Federal 
environmental laws. At the time of approval of the FPL, the Council had 
not addressed NEPA and other laws applicable to implementation of Palm 
River. The Council did, however, recognize the potential ecological 
value of Palm River, based on a review conducted during the FPL 
process. For this reason, the Council approved $87,750 in planning 
funds for Palm River, a portion of which would be used to complete any 
needed environmental compliance activities. As noted above, the Council 
placed the implementation portion of Palm River into FPL Category 2, 
pending the outcome of this environmental compliance work and further 
Council review. The estimated cost of implementation of the Florida 
portion of Palm River is $497,250. As discussed earlier, EPA sponsored 
another component of Palm River, which was also placed in FPL Category 
2. The estimated implementation cost of the EPA component is $271,430. 
As noted above, the Council is proposing to unify both components under 
one sponsor (Florida).
    Since approval of the FPL, Florida, EPA, and Council staff have 
collaborated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to identify 
an existing EA and associated environmental compliance documentation 
that could be used to support Council approval of implementation 
funding for Palm River. This EA was prepared by USACE in association 
with a CWA Section 404 nationwide permit (NWP 27) for aquatic habitat 
restoration, establishment and enhancement activities.
    The Council has reviewed this EA and associated documents, 
including a July 31, 2014, USACE memorandum for the record documenting 
use of NWP 27 for Palm River and a February 22, 2017, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service letter to the Council regarding compliance with the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA). In addition to ESA, the EA and associated 
documents address compliance with other Federal environmental laws, 
including the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 
the National Historic Preservation Act, and others. Based on this 
review, the Council is proposing to adopt this EA to support the 
approval of implementation funds for Palm River, provided that the 
project is implemented in accordance with the terms and conditions of 
the CWA Section 404 permit. This EA and the associated documentation 
can be found here: https://www.restorethegulf.gov/funded-priorities-list. (See: Palm River Restoration Project Phase II, East McKay Bay--
Implementation.)

Palm River Project

    If approved for implementation funding, the Palm River project 
would entail construction of three stormwater ponds, exotic vegetation 
removal, native planting, monitoring, and perpetual maintenance of 
exotic species and the culverts/stormwater ponds along the Palm River 
at the mouth of McKay Bay. Specifically, the Palm River project would 
improve water quality and enhance upland and wetland areas on 53 acres 
of Southwest Florida Water Management District land. It would remove 
exotic vegetation, create an herbaceous wetland, and build three 
stormwater management areas to provide water quality treatment for 436 
acres of residential, commercial and industrial developed land.
    Additional information on this Project, including metrics of 
success, response to science reviews and more is available in an 
activity-specific appendix to the FPL, which can be found at https://www.restorethegulf.gov. (Please see the table on page 25 of the FPL and 
click on: Palm River Restoration Project Phase II, East McKay Bay, 
Implementation.)

Will D. Spoon,
Program Analyst, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council.
[FR Doc. 2017-05353 Filed 3-16-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-58-P

14218 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 51 / Friday, March 17, 2017 / Notices

EIS No. 20170033, Draft, BPA, WA, GULF COAST ECOSYSTEM By Email: Submit comments by email
Melvin R. Sampson Hatchery Yakima RESTORATION COUNCIL to frcomments@restorethegulf.gov.
Basin Coho Project, Comment Period Email submission of comments ensures
[Docket No.: 103172017–1111–10]
Ends: 05/01/2017, Contact: Dave timely receipt and enables the Council
Goodman, 503–230–4764. Proposed Amendment to Initial Funded to make them available to the public. In
Priorities List general, the Council will make such
EIS No. 20170034, Draft, USFS, CA,
comments available for public
Trinity Post Fire Hazard Reduction AGENCY: Gulf Coast Ecosystem inspection and copying on its Web site,
and Salvage, Comment Period Ends: Restoration Council. www.restorethegulf.gov, without change,
05/01/2017, Contact: Thomas Hall, ACTION: Proposed amendment to Initial including any business or personal
530–628–1200. Funded Priorities List. information provided, such as names,
EIS No. 20170035, Final Supplement, addresses, email addresses and
SUMMARY: The Gulf Coast Ecosystem telephone numbers. All comments
USFS, ID, Johnson Bar Fire Salvage,
Restoration Council (Council) seeks
Review Period Ends: 04/17/2017, received, including attachments and
public and Tribal comment on a
Contact: Tam White, 208–926–6416. other supporting materials, will be part
proposal to amend its Initial Funded
EIS No. 20170036, Final, USFS, AK, of the public record and subject to
Priorities List (FPL) to approve
Shoreline II Outfitter/Guide, Review public disclosure. You should only
implementation funding and associated
submit information that you wish to
Period Ends: 04/17/2017, Contact: actions for the Palm River Restoration
make publicly available.
Carey Case, 907–772–5906. Project Phase II, East McKay Bay project
By Mail: Send comments to Gulf Coast
(Palm River), Florida. The Council is
Amended Notices Ecosystem Restoration Council, 500
proposing to approve $768,680 in
Poydras Street, Suite 1117, New
EIS No. 20160261, Draft, USFS, ID, implementation funding for Palm River.
Orleans, LA 70130.
Coeur d Alene Basin Natural Resource The Council is also proposing to
reallocate $87,750 from planning to FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Restoration Plan, Comment Period Please send questions by email to
implementation. The total amount
Ends: 04/17/2017, Contact: Jo frcomments@restorethegulf.gov or
available for implementation of Palm
Christensen, 208–765–7417. River would be $856,430. These funds contact John Ettinger at (504) 444–3522.
Revision to FR Notice Published 11/ would be used for construction of three SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
10/2016; Reopening Comment Period to stormwater ponds, exotic vegetation
I. Background
End 04/17/2017. removal, native planting, monitoring,
management of exotic species, and The Deepwater Horizon oil spill led to
EIS No. 20170002, Draft, DOE, CA, maintenance of the culverts/stormwater passage of the Resources and
Remediation of Area IV and the ponds along the Palm River at the Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist
Northern Buffer Zone of the Santa mouth of McKay Bay. Opportunities, and Revived Economies
Susana Field Laboratory, Comment In the Initial FPL, components of the of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012
Period Ends: 04/13/2017, Contact: Palm River project were split among two (RESTORE Act) (33 U.S.C. 1321(t) and
Stephie Jennings, 1–805–842–3864. sponsors: The Environmental Protection note), which dedicates 80 percent of all
Agency (EPA) and Florida. The EPA Clean Water Act administrative and
Revision to FR Notice Published 01/ portion of the Palm River project was civil penalties related to the oil spill to
13/2017; Extending the Comment Period included with a larger set of restoration the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund
from 03/14/2017 to 04/13/2017. measures within the FPL activity (Trust Fund). The RESTORE Act also
EIS No. 20170004, Draft, USFWS, NPS, entitled Tampa Bay National Estuary created the Council, an independent
WA, North Cascades Ecosystem Draft Program. To enhance administrative Federal entity comprised of the five Gulf
Grizzly Bear Restoration Plan, efficiency, the Council is proposing to Coast states and six Federal agencies.
Comment Period Ends: 04/28/2017, unify the two components of the Palm Among other responsibilities, the
River project under one sponsor, Council administers a portion of the
Contact: Karen Taylor-Goodrich, 360–
Florida. The implementation funding Trust Fund known as the Council-
854–7205.
proposed above includes monies Selected Restoration Component in
Revision to FR Notice Published 01/ originally budgeted for implementation order to ‘‘undertake projects and
13/2017; Extending the Comment Period of the EPA component ($271,430). programs, using the best available
from 03/14/2017 to 04/28/2017. To comply with the National science, that would restore and protect
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the natural resources, ecosystems,
EIS No. 20170031, Draft, USFS, ID, Big other applicable laws, the Council is fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats,
Creek Hot Springs Geothermal proposing to adopt an existing beaches, coastal wetlands, and economy
Leasing, Comment Period Ends: 05/ Environmental Assessment (EA) and of the Gulf Coast.’’ Additional
01/2017, Contact: Julie Hopkins, 208– ensure compliance with the terms and information on the Council can be
756–5279. conditions of an associated Clean Water found here: https://
Act (CWA) Section 404 permit that has www.restorethegulf.gov.
Revision to FR Notice Published 03/
been issued for the project. In so doing, On December 9, 2015, the Council
10/2017; Reestablish the Comment
the Council would expedite project approved the FPL, which includes
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Period to End 05/01/2017. implementation, reduce planning costs projects and programs approved for
Dated: March 14, 2017. and potentially increase the ecological funding under the Council-Selected
Dawn Roberts, benefits of this project. Restoration Component, along with
Management Analyst, NEPA Compliance DATES: Comments on this proposed other activities the Council identified as
Division, Office of Federal Activities. amendment are due April 17, 2017. priorities for potential future funding.
[FR Doc. 2017–05375 Filed 3–16–17; 8:45 am] ADDRESSES: Comments on this proposed Activities approved for funding in the
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P amendment may be submitted as FPL are included in ‘‘Category 1;’’ the
follows: priorities for potential future funding

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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 51 / Friday, March 17, 2017 / Notices 14219

are in ‘‘Category 2.’’ In the FPL the of Engineers (USACE) to identify an Restoration Project Phase II, East McKay
Council approved approximately $156.6 existing EA and associated Bay, Implementation.)
million in Category 1 restoration and environmental compliance
Will D. Spoon,
planning activities, and prioritized documentation that could be used to
twelve Category 2 activities for possible Program Analyst, Gulf Coast Ecosystem
support Council approval of
Restoration Council.
funding in the future, subject to implementation funding for Palm River.
environmental compliance and further [FR Doc. 2017–05353 Filed 3–16–17; 8:45 am]
This EA was prepared by USACE in
Council and public review. The Council association with a CWA Section 404 BILLING CODE 6560–58–P

included planning activities for Palm nationwide permit (NWP 27) for aquatic
River in Category 1 and implementation habitat restoration, establishment and
activities for Palm River in Category 2. enhancement activities. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
The Council reserved approximately HUMAN SERVICES
$26.6 million for implementing priority The Council has reviewed this EA and
activities in the future. These reserved associated documents, including a July Agency for Healthcare Research and
funds may be used to support some, all 31, 2014, USACE memorandum for the Quality
or none of the activities included in record documenting use of NWP 27 for
Category 2 of the FPL and/or to support Palm River and a February 22, 2017, Agency Information Collection
other activities not currently under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service letter to Activities: Proposed Collection;
consideration by the Council. As the Council regarding compliance with Comment Request
appropriate, the Council intends to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In
AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research
review each activity in Category 2 in addition to ESA, the EA and associated
and Quality, HHS.
order to determine whether to: (1) Move documents address compliance with
other Federal environmental laws, ACTION: Notice.
the activity to Category 1 and approve
it for funding, (2) remove it from including the Magnuson-Stevens SUMMARY: This notice announces the
Category 2 and any further Fishery Conservation and Management intention of the Agency for Healthcare
consideration, or (3) continue to include Act, the National Historic Preservation Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request
it in Category 2. A Council decision to Act, and others. Based on this review, that the Office of Management and
amend the FPL to move an activity from the Council is proposing to adopt this Budget (OMB) reapprove the
Category 2 into Category 1 must be EA to support the approval of information collection project:
approved by a Council vote after implementation funds for Palm River, ‘‘Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
consideration of public and Tribal provided that the project is Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Health
comments. implemented in accordance with the Plan Survey Comparative Database.’’ In
terms and conditions of the CWA accordance with the Paperwork
II. Environmental Compliance
Section 404 permit. This EA and the Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501–3521,
Prior to approving an activity for associated documentation can be found AHRQ invites the public to comment on
funding in FPL Category 1, the Council here: https://www.restorethegulf.gov/ this proposed information collection.
must comply with NEPA and other funded-priorities-list. (See: Palm River This proposed information collection
applicable Federal environmental laws. Restoration Project Phase II, East McKay was previously published in the Federal
At the time of approval of the FPL, the Bay—Implementation.) Register on December 22, 2016 and
Council had not addressed NEPA and
Palm River Project allowed 60 days for public comment.
other laws applicable to implementation
Since AHRQ did not receive any
of Palm River. The Council did,
If approved for implementation substantive comments during this
however, recognize the potential
funding, the Palm River project would period, this notice allows for an
ecological value of Palm River, based on
entail construction of three stormwater additional 30 days for public comment.
a review conducted during the FPL
process. For this reason, the Council ponds, exotic vegetation removal, native DATES: Comments on this notice must be
approved $87,750 in planning funds for planting, monitoring, and perpetual received by April 17, 2017.
Palm River, a portion of which would be maintenance of exotic species and the ADDRESSES: Written comments should
used to complete any needed culverts/stormwater ponds along the be submitted to: AHRQ’s OMB Desk
environmental compliance activities. As Palm River at the mouth of McKay Bay. Officer by fax at (202) 395–6974
noted above, the Council placed the Specifically, the Palm River project (attention: AHRQ’s desk officer) or by
implementation portion of Palm River would improve water quality and email at OIRA_submission@
into FPL Category 2, pending the enhance upland and wetland areas on omb.eop.gov (attention: AHRQ’s desk
outcome of this environmental 53 acres of Southwest Florida Water officer).
compliance work and further Council Management District land. It would
remove exotic vegetation, create an FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
review. The estimated cost of Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports
implementation of the Florida portion of herbaceous wetland, and build three
stormwater management areas to Clearance Officer, (301) 427–1477, or by
Palm River is $497,250. As discussed email at doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov.
earlier, EPA sponsored another provide water quality treatment for 436
acres of residential, commercial and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
component of Palm River, which was
also placed in FPL Category 2. The industrial developed land.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Proposed Project
estimated implementation cost of the Additional information on this
Project, including metrics of success, Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
EPA component is $271,430. As noted
response to science reviews and more is Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Health
above, the Council is proposing to unify
available in an activity-specific Plan Survey Comparative Database
both components under one sponsor
(Florida). appendix to the FPL, which can be The Agency for Healthcare Research
Since approval of the FPL, Florida, found at https://www.restorethegulf.gov. and Quality (AHRQ) requests that the
EPA, and Council staff have (Please see the table on page 25 of the Office of Management and Budget
collaborated with the U.S. Army Corps FPL and click on: Palm River (OMB) reapprove, under the Paperwork

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Document Created: 2017-03-17 02:48:44
Document Modified: 2017-03-17 02:48:44

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Proposed amendment to Initial Funded Priorities List.
Dates		Comments on this proposed amendment are due April 17, 2017.
Contact		Please send questions by email to [email protected] or contact John Ettinger at (504) 444- 3522.
FR Citation		82 FR 14218