[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12601-12602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6543]


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NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION

Department of Interior

Fish and Wildlife Service
[I.D. 021497A]


Development of the Commencement Bay Natural Resource Damage 
Assessment Restoration Plan, Pierce County, WA

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce; and Fish and Wildlife 
Service (FWS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Restoration Plan and Final 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (RP/FEIS).

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Restoration Plan and 
Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (RP/FEIS) for the 
Commencement Bay Natural Resource Damage Assessment (CB/NRDA) 
restoration planning process is available for public review.

DATES: Written comments are requested by April 16, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the RP/FEIS, requests for inclusion on 
the RP/FEIS mailing list, and requests for copies of any documents 
associated with the RP/FEIS should be directed to: Judy Lantor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 3704 Griffin Lane SE., Suite 102, Olympia, 
WA 98501-2192, phone (360) 753-6056/9440, or Dr. Robert Clark Jr., 
NOAA/NMFS Restoration Center NW, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 
98115-0070, phone (206) 526-4338.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judy Lantor, FWS, phone (360) 753-
6056/9440, or Dr. Robert Clark Jr., NOAA/NMFS, phone (206) 526-4338.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A notice of availability (NOA) will be 
mailed to all agencies, organizations, and individuals who participated 
in the scoping process or were identified during the RP/EIS process. 
Copies of the RP/FEIS have been sent to all participants who have 
already requested copies.

A. Background

    A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the RP/EIS was published in the 
Federal Register (59 FR 44711-2, August 30, 1994). Formal and informal 
scoping meetings were held to provide the

[[Page 12602]]

public with an early opportunity to engage in discussions regarding the 
RP/EIS and to provide oral and written comments. The NOA of the draft 
RP/EIS was published in the Federal Register (61 FR 41383-41384, August 
8, 1996) with the comment period ending on October 8, 1996. Based on 
comments received, modifications were made to the documents and a RP/
FEIS was prepared. The final RP will become part of the Record of 
Decision. The background and rationale for this action were discussed 
in the NOA and are not repeated here.

B. RP/FEIS

    The purpose of preparing the RP/EIS is to coordinate and implement 
restoration projects under the CB/NRDA. Since this is a programmatic 
EIS, the management alternatives reflect general approaches to the 
restoration of natural resources and services injured as a result of 
releases of hazardous substances and discharges of oil in the 
Commencement Bay environment. The five alternatives subjected to 
detailed analysis were: (1) No action; (2) species-specific; (3) 
habitat function; (4) acquisition of equivalent natural resources and 
services; and, (5) integrated approach. The integrated approach, which 
is a comprehensive plan based on the habitat function alternative, but 
supplemented with the best features of the other alternatives, is the 
FWS and NMFS/NOAA's preferred alternative. This alternative best meets 
the needs of the CB/NRDA restoration goals and principles by maximizing 
ecological benefits to a wider range of natural resources and their 
associated services.

    Dated: February 24, 1997.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Dated: March 4, 1997.
Nancy Foster,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-6543 Filed 3-14-97; 8:45 am]
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