SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

On April 20, 2010, the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon, which was drilling a well for BP Exploration and Production, Inc. (BP), experienced a significant explosion, fire and subsequent sinking in the Gulf of America, resulting in the release of millions of barrels of oil and other discharges into the Gulf. Under the authority of the OPA, designated Federal and state Trustees, acting on behalf of the public, assessed the injuries to natural resources and prepared the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS), and the Record of Decision for the ( printed page 28575) Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (ROD), which sets forth the governance structure and process for DWH restoration planning under the OPA NRDA regulations. On April 4, 2016, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana entered a Consent Decree resolving civil claims by the Trustees against BP.

The Louisiana TIG, which includes the State of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Oil Spill Coordinator's Office, Departments of Environmental Quality, Wildlife and Fisheries, and Natural Resources, the NOAA, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, selects and implements restoration projects under the Louisiana TIG's management authority in accordance with the Consent Decree. The Final PDARP/PEIS, ROD, Consent Decree, and information on the DWH Trustees can be found at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/​restoration-planning/​gulf-plan.

Background

As provided for in the Final PDARP/PEIS, TIGs may propose conceptual projects for funding of a planning phase ( e.g., initial engineering and design [E&D]) in a restoration plan. This allows the TIG to develop information needed to fully consider a subsequent implementation phase of the project in a subsequent restoration plan. In the Final RP/EA #8, the Louisiana TIG selected conceptual projects to fund for E&D, including the East Orleans Landbridge Restoration project and the Raccoon Island Restoration project. Both projects have design alternatives that are now at a stage where proposed construction alternatives may be analyzed under the OPA NRDA regulations and NEPA. Therefore, in the Draft RP/EA #8.1, the Louisiana TIG is proposing to implement the preferred design alternatives to construct the East Orleans Landbridge project and the Raccoon Island Restoration project.

Overview of the Louisiana TIG Draft RP/EA #8.1

The Draft RP/EA #8.1 is being released in accordance with OPA NRDA regulations, NEPA, the Final PDARP/PEIS, and the Consent Decree. The Draft RP/EA #8.1 provides OPA NRDA and NEPA analyses for a reasonable range of design alternatives and identifies the Louisiana TIG's preferred design alternative for each project. The preferred design alternative, East Orleans Landbridge Restoration Alternative 4 (E.O. Alternative 4) would dredge and place approximately 5.0 million cubic yards (3.8 million cubic meters) of sediment dredged from a nearby inland borrow source to restore up to 1,320 acres (534 hectares) of a wetland complex. E.O. Alternative 4 would also include 14,867 linear feet (4.53 kilometers) of shoreline protection. The approximate cost to implement the preferred alternative is $101.2 million. The preferred design alternative, Raccoon Island Restoration Project Alternative 3 (RI Alternative 3) would dredge approximately 2.9 million cubic yards (2.2 million cubic meters) of sand from an offshore borrow source to restore up to 410 acres (166 hectares) of barrier island habitat. RI Alternative 3 also includes maintenance of existing Gulfside breakwaters, construction of four bayside breakwaters, and construction of nine living shoreline structures. The approximate cost to implement the preferred alternative is $145.5 million.

Funding to implement any of the alternatives ultimately selected by the Louisiana TIG would come from the Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats Restoration Type allocation. The total estimated cost to implement the two preferred alternatives is approximately $246.7 million.

Next Steps

After the public comment period ends, the Louisiana TIG will consider and address all substantive comments received before making a final decision on which, if any, alternatives to fund and implement. A Final RP/EA #8.1 and Finding of No Significant Impact, as appropriate, identifying selected alternatives will be made publicly available.

Administrative Record

The Administrative Record for the Draft RP/EA #8.1 can be viewed electronically at https://www.doi.gov/​deepwaterhorizon/​adminrecord under the folder 6.5.5.2.16.

Authority: The authority for this action is the OPA of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.), its implementing NRDA regulations found at 15 CFR part 990, and the NEPA as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

91 FR 28574