[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 79 (Wednesday, April 24, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20146-20147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9982]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability, Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental 
Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), on behalf of the 
Department of the Interior and the State of Rhode Island, announces the 
release for public review of the draft Restoration Plan and 
Environmental Assessment (RP/EA) for the Landfill and Resource 
Recovery, Inc Superfund Site. The RP/EA describes the trustees' 
proposal to restore natural resources injured as a result of the 
release of hazardous substances from the site.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 30, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the RP/EA may be made to the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, New England Field Office, 70 Commercial 
Street, Suite 300, Concord, New Hampshire 03301.
    Written comments or materials regarding the RP/EA should be sent to 
the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Molly B. Sperduto or Kenneth C. Carr, 
Environmental Contaminants Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 70 
Commercial Street, Suite 300, Concord, New Hampshire 03301.
    Interested parties may also call 603-223-2541 for further 
information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Landfill and Resource Recovery, Inc. 
Superfund Site, located in North Smithfield, Rhode Island was an active 
landfill until 1986, when the landfill was closed and approximately 
three-fourths of the site was covered with a synthetic cap. Due to 
erosion and re-grading associated with capping the landfill, 
approximately 1 acre of palustrine emergent and scrub-shrub wetland 
habitat was destroyed in perpetuity.
    In 1997, the United States of America and the State of Rhode Island 
settled claims for natural resource damages associated with the 
Landfill and Resource Recovery, Inc. Superfund Site under the authority 
of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980. The settlement proceeds will be used to 
compensate for loss of natural resources under trusteeship of the 
Department of the Interior and the State of Rhode Island. The RP/EA is 
being released in accordance with CERCLA of 1980 as amended, commonly 
known as Superfund, (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.), the Natural Resource 
Damage Assessment Regulations found at 43 CFR, part 11, and the 
National Environmental Policy Act. It is intended to describe the 
trustees' proposals to restore natural resources injured at the site 
and evaluate the impacts of each.
    The RP/EA describes a number of habitat restoration and protection 
alternatives and discusses the environmental consequences of each. 
Restoration efforts which have the greatest potential to restore 
wetlands and the services those wetlands provide to wetland-dependant 
wildlife are preferred. Based on an evaluation of the various 
restoration alternatives, the restoration of wetland habitat at the 
former Lonsdale Drive-In is proposed. This alternative maximizes the 
benefit to wetland-dependent wildlife, restoring over 20 acres of 
riparian habitat, including 7 acres of wetland.
    Interested members of the public are invited to review and comment 
on the RP/EA. Copies of the RP/EA are available for review at the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service's New England Field Office in Concord, New 
Hampshire (70 Commercial Street, Suite 300, Concord, New Hampshire). 
Additionally, the RP/EA will be available for review at the North 
Smithfield Municipal Annex Building. Written comments will be 
considered and addressed in the final RP/EA at the conclusion of the 
restoration planning process.
    Author: The primary author of this notice is Molly Sperduto, U.S. 
Fish &

[[Page 20147]]

Wildlife Service, New England Field Office, 70 Commercial Street, Suite 
300, Concord, New Hampshire 03301.

    Authority: The authority for this action is CERCLA of 1980 as 
amended, commonly known as Superfund, (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and 
the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Regulations found at 43 CFR, 
part 11.

    Dated: April 11, 2002.
Mamie A. Parker,
Regional Director, Region 5, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, DOI 
Designated Authorized Official.
[FR Doc. 02-9982 Filed 4-23-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P