83 FR 32099 - Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Coral Reef Conservation Program; Notice of Intent; Scoping Period Announcement
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 133 (July 11, 2018)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 133 (July 11, 2018)
| Page Range | 32099-32100 | |
| FR Document | 2018-14750 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 11, 2018)] [Notices] [Pages 32099-32100] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-14750] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Coral Reef Conservation Program; Notice of Intent; Scoping Period Announcement AGENCY: Office for Coastal Management (OCM), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC). ACTION: Notice of intent; announcement of public scoping period and request for written comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office for Coastal Management announces its intention to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for its Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP), which is managed out of NOAA's National Ocean Service in Silver Spring, MD, and implemented in coastal areas and marine waters of Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the U.S. Pacific Remote Island Area, and targeted international regions including the wider Caribbean, the Coral Triangle, the South Pacific, and Micronesia. Publication of this document begins the official scoping period that will help identify issues and alternatives to be considered in the PEIS. DATES: Written comments on the intent to prepare a PEIS will be accepted on or before Wednesday, August 15, 2018. ADDRESSES: You may submit scoping comments for the CRCP PEIS by any of the following methods:Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/NOAA-NOS-2018-0077. Click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. Mail: Please direct written comments to Harriet Nash, Deputy Director, NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program, Office for Coastal Management, 1305 East-West Highway, N/OCM6, Room 10404, Silver Spring, MD 20910. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background NOAA is preparing a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for coral reef [[Page 32100]] conservation and restoration activities implementing NOAA's CRCP throughout the United States, South Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific Island Regions, and priority international areas (i.e., wider Caribbean, Coral Triangle, South Pacific, and Micronesia). It will assess the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts of NOAA's proposed action to continue funding and otherwise implementing coral reef conservation and restoration activities. This will be achieved through its existing programmatic framework and related procedures for implementing the CRCP. The CRCP is implemented consistently with the requirements of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (CRCA) and Executive Order 13089. Projects implemented or funded by NOAA vary in terms of their size, complexity, geographic location, and NOAA involvement. They often benefit diverse coral species, habitats, and ecosystem types. The CRCP conducts research and monitoring to gather data on the existence and condition of coral reef ecosystems to support conservation and restoration efforts. NOAA implements the CRCP across four of its line offices (i.e., National Ocean Service, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Environmental Satellite Data Information Service) and in coordination with other federal agencies, state and local agencies, private conservation organizations, and research and academic institutions. A significant amount of this support is administered through grants and cooperative agreements. CRCP activities are prioritized based on available funding and the responsiveness to the priorities in its strategic plan, including jurisdictional needs. The purpose of this DPEIS is to identify and evaluate the general environmental impacts, issues, and concerns related to the comprehensive management and implementation of the CRCP, including potential mitigation. NOAA anticipates that actual environmental effects will be caused by site-specific, project-level activities implementing the CRCP; therefore, this DPEIS will be used to support tiered, site-specific NEPA reviews by narrowing the scope of environmental impacts and facilitating focused, project-level reviews. NOAA also intends for this DPEIS to establish a tiered environmental decision making framework that will support efficient compliance with other statutes protecting natural resources such as the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act. Since the CRCP will use this DPEIS to conduct tiered analyses, this document does not evaluate the environmental impacts of any project-level activities. Alternatives NOAA is preliminarily proposing to analyze three program-level alternatives: No Action Alternative reflecting the ``status quo'' management of the CRCP based on minimizing threats. Alternative 1: Continued Operation of the CRCP based on minimizing threats with the addition of a framework to further research, test, and potentially implement novel coral restoration intervention techniques to respond rapidly to imminent threats to corals and coral ecosystems. Alternative 2: Continued Operation of the CRCP plus implementation of discretionary, standardized conservation and mitigation measures with or without the addition of a framework for novel intervention techniques. The fundamental distinction between Alternative 1 and the No Action Alternative is that Alternative 1 would adopt a framework that would add novel intervention techniques as tools to respond to imminent threats to corals. The DPEIS will consider the environmental effects of a suite of these intervention strategies, but will not commit to implement any. Implementation would occur through a separate decision making process. The primary distinction between Alternative 2 and the No Action Alternative is that Alternative 2 would call for implementation of not only mitigation measures imposed through statutory and regulatory compliance but also discretionary, standardized conservation and mitigation measures designed to further protect and conserve marine and other environmental resources. Alternative 2 could be adopted with or without a framework for novel intervention strategies. Preliminary major issues to be addressed in this DPEIS may include: the impact of the CRCP's activities and operations on coral ecosystems; coral species listed as threatened or endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act; other marine and terrestrial resources; and the cumulative effects of the action when considered along with environmental conditions and past, present, and future actions potentially affecting coral and coastal ecosystems and coastal marine resources. The CRCP is also seeking to identify mitigation measures that would be effective at avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating adverse effects of project-level activities and specifically requests public comment on this issue. Public Comment OCM begins this NEPA process by soliciting input from the public and interested parties on the type of impacts to be considered in the DPEIS, the range of alternatives to be assessed, and any other pertinent information. Specifically, this scoping process is intended to accomplish the following objectives: 1. Invite affected federal, state, and local agencies, and interested persons to participate in the DPEIS process. 2. Determine the potential significant environmental issues to be analyzed in the DPEIS. 3. Identify and eliminate issues determined to be insignificant or addressed in other documents. 4. Identify related environmental documents being prepared. 5. Identify other environmental review and consultation requirements. The official scoping period ends on August 15, 2018. Please visit the CRCP web page for additional information regarding the program: https://coralreef.noaa.gov/. Authority The preparation of the DPEIS for the CRCP will be conducted under the authority and in accordance with the requirements of NEPA, Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), other applicable regulations, and NOAA's policies and procedures for compliance with those regulations. Written comments must be received on or before August 15, 2018. Dated: June 29, 2018. W. Russell Callender, Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [FR Doc. 2018-14750 Filed 7-10-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-08-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 133 / Wednesday, July 11, 2018 / Notices 32099
false killer whale group size, a factor on previous draft SARs related to: (1) DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
that will significantly impact the The assignment of a recovery factor to
resulting abundance estimates. A robust the pelagic stock of false killer whales, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
assessment of population trend will and continues to maintain that NMFS Administration
require additional data and inclusion of should apply a recovery factor to the
environmental variables that influence Programmatic Environmental Impact
pelagic stock that is greater than 0.5; (2) Statement for the Coral Reef
false killer whale distribution and the the 2010 Hawaiian Islands Cetacean
proportion of the population Conservation Program; Notice of
Ecosystem and Assessment Survey Intent; Scoping Period Announcement
represented within the survey area (HICEAS) and the assumptions made by
during each survey period. AGENCY: Office for Coastal Management
NMFS based upon the data from that
Comment 21: The HLA notes that the (OCM), National Ocean Service (NOS),
draft false killer whale SAR updates the survey, and assert that NMFS has
inappropriately withheld acoustic data National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Insular Stock population estimate to 167 Administration (NOAA), Department of
based upon an unpublished paper by that should be publicly disclosed and
reported; and (3) NMFS’ assumption Commerce (DOC).
Bradford et al., which concludes that ACTION: Notice of intent; announcement
the population size of the Insular Stock that the insular stock of false killer
whales has declined is speculative. of public scoping period and request for
of false killer whales in certain study written comments.
areas has consistently ranged between Response: NMFS reiterates its
144 and 187 animals over a 16-year responses to these comments from SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and
period. However, in reporting 167 as the previous SARs. Specifically: (1) Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
population size for the Insular Stock, Reanalysis of existing datasets to derive Office for Coastal Management
the Draft SAR states that the Bradford et more precise estimates does not announces its intention to prepare a
al. annual estimate ‘‘represents only the constitute an increase in population programmatic environmental impact
animals present in the study area within statement (PEIS) in accordance with the
size. There are only two EEZ-wide
that year.’’ HLA suggests that, if the National Environmental Policy Act of
estimates of abundance (484 from a
reported 2015 abundance estimate of 1969 (NEPA) for its Coral Reef
167 applies only to a study area that is 2002 survey and 1,540 from a 2010
Conservation Program (CRCP), which is
smaller than the range of the Insular survey). These estimates may not be
managed out of NOAA’s National Ocean
Stock of false killer whales, then the directly compared due to changes in
Service in Silver Spring, MD, and
actual abundance of the entire Insular group size enumeration methods implemented in coastal areas and
Stock must be some amount higher than between those surveys. For this reason, marine waters of Florida, Puerto Rico,
167. HLA states that they are unable to the current status of pelagic false killer U.S. Virgin Islands, Gulf of Mexico,
sufficiently comment on this issue whales is unknown. (2) NMFS has not Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of
because the Bradford et al. paper is made any attempt to withhold the the Northern Mariana Islands, American
unpublished and not available for acoustic data from the HICEAS 2010 Samoa, the U.S. Pacific Remote Island
public review. survey. It can be made available by Area, and targeted international regions
Response: NMFS notes that although request. NMFS has used the HICEAS including the wider Caribbean, the
the abundance estimates provided in 2010 data for a variety of analyses, Coral Triangle, the South Pacific, and
Bradford et al. are limited to the number including the development of Micronesia. Publication of this
of animals in the survey area in each automated routines to detect and document begins the official scoping
survey year, they are still the best classify false killer whale and other period that will help identify issues and
available estimates of population size. species’ sounds, to assess false killer alternatives to be considered in the
The new estimates account for many PEIS.
whale sub-group spatial arrangements,
sources of potential bias, and although
and other projects. There were many DATES: Written comments on the intent
we expect that limiting estimates to the
surveyed area for a given year does changes in array hardware during the to prepare a PEIS will be accepted on or
likely result in an under estimation of survey, complicating streamlined before Wednesday, August 15, 2018.
abundance in years when the surveyed analyses of these data, such that a full- ADDRESSES: You may submit scoping
area is smaller than the stock area, we scale analysis of this dataset for comments for the CRCP PEIS by any of
do not have sufficient information to abundance is not appropriate, efficient, the following methods:
correct annual estimates for the extent or cost-effective at this time. (3) NMFS • Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: Go to
of the survey area. NMFS feels the use makes no assumption that MHI insular http://www.regulations.gov/NOAA-
of estimates derived from the best stock abundance has declined in recent NOS-2018-0077. Click the ‘‘Comment
available data spanning 15 years of years. The minimum estimate reflects Now!’’ icon, complete the required
surveys is far better than use of catalog the number of individuals enumerated fields, and enter or attach your
size, the previous metric for the during the stated period and may reflect comments.
minimum population estimate (Nmin) not only changes in actual population • Mail: Please direct written
in the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) abundance, but also changes in comments to Harriet Nash, Deputy
insular false killer whale SAR. Further, encounter rates due to survey location Director, NOAA’s Coral Reef
the Nmin derived from the new mark- or animal distribution. Conservation Program, Office for Coastal
recapture estimates meets the definition Management, 1305 East-West Highway,
of Nmin provided within the GAMMS Dated: July 6, 2018. N/OCM6, Room 10404, Silver Spring,
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
(NMFS 2016). Although cited as ‘‘in Donna S. Wieting, MD 20910.
review,’’ the Bradford et al. paper was Director, Office of Protected Resources, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
reviewed by the Pacific SRG at its 2017 National Marine Fisheries Service.
meeting and is currently in review for [FR Doc. 2018–14811 Filed 7–10–18; 8:45 am]
Background
journal publication. BILLING CODE 3510–22–P NOAA is preparing a Draft
Comment 22: The HLA incorporates Programmatic Environmental Impact
by reference its more specific comments Statement (DPEIS) for coral reef
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![32100 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 133 / Wednesday, July 11, 2018 / Notices
conservation and restoration activities Mammal Protection Act. Since the CRCP level activities and specifically requests
implementing NOAA’s CRCP will use this DPEIS to conduct tiered public comment on this issue.
throughout the United States, South analyses, this document does not
Public Comment
Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and evaluate the environmental impacts of
Pacific Island Regions, and priority any project-level activities. OCM begins this NEPA process by
international areas (i.e., wider soliciting input from the public and
Alternatives interested parties on the type of impacts
Caribbean, Coral Triangle, South Pacific,
and Micronesia). It will assess the NOAA is preliminarily proposing to to be considered in the DPEIS, the range
direct, indirect, and cumulative analyze three program-level alternatives: of alternatives to be assessed, and any
environmental impacts of NOAA’s • No Action Alternative reflecting the other pertinent information.
proposed action to continue funding ‘‘status quo’’ management of the CRCP Specifically, this scoping process is
and otherwise implementing coral reef based on minimizing threats. intended to accomplish the following
conservation and restoration activities. • Alternative 1: Continued Operation objectives:
This will be achieved through its of the CRCP based on minimizing 1. Invite affected federal, state, and
threats with the addition of a framework local agencies, and interested persons to
existing programmatic framework and
to further research, test, and potentially participate in the DPEIS process.
related procedures for implementing the
implement novel coral restoration 2. Determine the potential significant
CRCP. The CRCP is implemented
intervention techniques to respond environmental issues to be analyzed in
consistently with the requirements of
rapidly to imminent threats to corals the DPEIS.
the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000
and coral ecosystems. 3. Identify and eliminate issues
(CRCA) and Executive Order 13089. • Alternative 2: Continued Operation
Projects implemented or funded by determined to be insignificant or
of the CRCP plus implementation of addressed in other documents.
NOAA vary in terms of their size, discretionary, standardized
complexity, geographic location, and 4. Identify related environmental
conservation and mitigation measures documents being prepared.
NOAA involvement. They often benefit with or without the addition of a
diverse coral species, habitats, and 5. Identify other environmental
framework for novel intervention review and consultation requirements.
ecosystem types. The CRCP conducts techniques.
research and monitoring to gather data The official scoping period ends on
The fundamental distinction between August 15, 2018. Please visit the CRCP
on the existence and condition of coral Alternative 1 and the No Action
reef ecosystems to support conservation web page for additional information
Alternative is that Alternative 1 would regarding the program: https://
and restoration efforts. NOAA adopt a framework that would add
implements the CRCP across four of its coralreef.noaa.gov/.
novel intervention techniques as tools to
line offices (i.e., National Ocean Service, respond to imminent threats to corals. Authority
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, The DPEIS will consider the The preparation of the DPEIS for the
National Marine Fisheries Service, environmental effects of a suite of these CRCP will be conducted under the
National Environmental Satellite Data intervention strategies, but will not authority and in accordance with the
Information Service) and in commit to implement any. requirements of NEPA, Council on
coordination with other federal Implementation would occur through a Environmental Quality Regulations (40
agencies, state and local agencies, separate decision making process. The CFR parts 1500–1508), other applicable
private conservation organizations, and primary distinction between Alternative regulations, and NOAA’s policies and
research and academic institutions. A 2 and the No Action Alternative is that procedures for compliance with those
significant amount of this support is Alternative 2 would call for regulations.
administered through grants and implementation of not only mitigation Written comments must be received
cooperative agreements. CRCP activities measures imposed through statutory on or before August 15, 2018.
are prioritized based on available and regulatory compliance but also
funding and the responsiveness to the Dated: June 29, 2018.
discretionary, standardized
priorities in its strategic plan, including conservation and mitigation measures W. Russell Callender,
jurisdictional needs. designed to further protect and conserve Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services
The purpose of this DPEIS is to marine and other environmental and Coastal Zone Management, National
identify and evaluate the general Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
resources. Alternative 2 could be
environmental impacts, issues, and adopted with or without a framework [FR Doc. 2018–14750 Filed 7–10–18; 8:45 am]
concerns related to the comprehensive for novel intervention strategies. BILLING CODE 3510–08–P
management and implementation of the Preliminary major issues to be
CRCP, including potential mitigation. addressed in this DPEIS may include:
NOAA anticipates that actual the impact of the CRCP’s activities and DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
environmental effects will be caused by operations on coral ecosystems; coral
site-specific, project-level activities species listed as threatened or Department of the Army
implementing the CRCP; therefore, this endangered under the Federal
Army Education Advisory Committee;
DPEIS will be used to support tiered, Endangered Species Act; other marine
Notice of Federal Advisory Committee
site-specific NEPA reviews by and terrestrial resources; and the
Meeting
narrowing the scope of environmental cumulative effects of the action when
impacts and facilitating focused, considered along with environmental AGENCY:Department of the Army, DoD.
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
project-level reviews. NOAA also conditions and past, present, and future Notice of Federal Advisory
ACTION:
intends for this DPEIS to establish a actions potentially affecting coral and Committee Meeting.
tiered environmental decision making coastal ecosystems and coastal marine
framework that will support efficient resources. The CRCP is also seeking to SUMMARY: The Department of Defense
compliance with other statutes identify mitigation measures that would (DoD) is publishing this notice to
protecting natural resources such as the be effective at avoiding, minimizing, announce that the following Federal
Endangered Species Act and Marine and mitigating adverse effects of project- Advisory Committee meeting of the
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Document Created: 2018-07-10 23:54:10
Document Modified: 2018-07-10 23:54:10
| 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 | Notice of intent; announcement of public scoping period and request for written comments. | |
| Dates | Written comments on the intent to prepare a PEIS will be accepted on or before Wednesday, August 15, 2018. | |
| FR Citation | 83 FR 32099 |
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