82 FR 32576 - Use of Outer Continental Shelf Sand Resources in the Martin County Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Project, Hutchinson Island, Martin County, Florida

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 134 (July 14, 2017)

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is announcing the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) that documents BOEM's decision to authorize the use of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) sand resources by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District in the Martin County Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction (HSDR) Project, Hutchinson Island, Martin County, Florida. BOEM will enter into a negotiated agreement with the USACE and Martin County and make available OCS sand for use in the Martin County HSDR project.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 134 (Friday, July 14, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32576-32577]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14867]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management


Use of Outer Continental Shelf Sand Resources in the Martin 
County Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Project, Hutchinson Island, 
Martin County, Florida

MMAA104000

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is announcing the 
availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) that documents BOEM's 
decision to authorize the use of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) sand 
resources by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville 
District in the Martin County Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction 
(HSDR) Project, Hutchinson Island, Martin County, Florida. BOEM will 
enter into a negotiated agreement with the USACE and Martin County and 
make available OCS sand for use in the Martin County HSDR project.

ADDRESSES: The ROD is available at BOEM's Web site at https://www.boem.gov/Florida-Projects/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Lewandowski, Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management, Chief, Division of Environmental Assessment, Office 
of Environmental Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, VAM OEP, Sterling, VA 
20166, (703) 787-1703; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental impacts of dredging and 
the placement of OCS sand along the Martin County shoreline have been 
evaluated in several National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
documents. The most recent Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 
(SEIS) was prepared in 2011 by the USACE with BOEM as a cooperating 
agency. The SEIS tiered directly from the USACE 1986 Feasibility Report 
and Final EIS and 1994 General Design Memorandum and Environmental 
Assessment. These previous NEPA documents evaluated a suite of 
structural and non-structural alternatives to address HSDR needs in 
Martin County, Florida. In its February 2012 ROD, the Corps selected 
its preferred alternative to construct the Martin County HSDR Project, 
including use of OCS sand from the C1-B borrow area for the remaining 
life of the Federal project through 2046. A ROD was signed by BOEM in 
March 2012 for use of 1,000,000 cubic yards (CY) of OCS sand resources 
from C1-B to support nourishment of the Martin County project in 2012. 
In accordance with 40 CFR 1502.9 and 43 CFR 46.120, BOEM has reviewed 
all existing NEPA documents and independently determined that existing 
environmental analyses adequately assess impacts of the proposed 
action. There are no changes to the proposed action, no new 
circumstances, and no new information that would result in 
significantly different environmental effects and warrant 
supplementation of the existing SEIS. The 2011 SEIS adequately assessed 
the physical, biological, and social/human impacts of the proposed 
project and considered a range of alternatives, including a no-action 
alternative.
    The USACE Jacksonville District and Martin County Board of 
Commissioners (non-federal sponsor) have since requested that BOEM 
authorize the use of up to 1,000,000 CY of additional OCS sand 
resources from C1-B to support nourishment of the Martin County HSDR 
project. The project proponents propose to nourish a 4-mile stretch of 
Hutchinson Island, Florida, creating a sea-turtle friendly beach 
template using sand from shoal C1-B. BOEM and the USACE will enter into 
a negotiated agreement authorizing the use of up to 1,000,000 CY of OCS 
sand from the C1-B borrow area. This decision is for the authorization 
of the proposed use of OCS sand for the Martin County HSDR Project in 
2017 and may also apply to future use of OCS sand resources if BOEM 
determines the existing NEPA analysis is still adequate and 
supplementation is not warranted. Under the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1337(k)(2)), BOEM can convey, on a noncompetitive basis, the rights to 
use OCS sand, gravel, or shell resources for use in a program for shore 
protection, beach restoration, or coastal wetland restoration 
undertaken by a Federal, state, or local government agency (43 U.S.C. 
1337(k)(2)).
    The ROD discloses BOEM's decision, articulates the basis for the 
decision, summarizes the alternatives considered by BOEM, and 
identifies the

[[Page 32577]]

environmentally preferable alternative and the mitigation measures BOEM 
is adopting. The USACE is committed to implementing the mitigation 
measures and monitoring requirements deemed practicable to avoid or 
minimize environmental harm. The mitigation measures and monitoring 
requirements are identified in BOEM's ROD and will be incorporated into 
the negotiated agreement between BOEM, the USACE, and Martin County.

    Authority:  This Notice of Availability is published pursuant to 
the regulations (40 CFR 1506.6) implementing the provisions of the 
NEPA of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

    Dated: July 11, 2017.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2017-14867 Filed 7-13-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P