[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 40648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15167]



[[Page 40648]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Completion of a Multi-Project Environmental Assessment To 
Evaluate the Potential Environmental Impacts Associated With the 
Removal of Sand Resources From Ship Shoal, Outer Continental Shelf, 
Offshore Central Louisiana

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.

ACTION: Availability of an environmental assessment.

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SUMMARY: The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has completed an 
environmental assessment (EA) which examines the potential effects on 
the marine and coastal environments from using sand from Ship Shoal, a 
sand shoal located approximately 10 miles south of Isle Dernieres, 
offshore the central coast of Louisiana. Geological and geophysical 
studies of Ship Shoal have determined that the shoal's sand is an ideal 
source of material to place on the rapidly eroding Louisiana barrier 
islands. Several coastal restoration and storm protection projects that 
propose to use sand from Ship Shoal are already in the planning stages. 
Comments on a preliminary version of the EA were submitted by the 
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR), the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These 
comments were considered during completion of the final document.
    The MMS concludes that the proposed action to dredge and emplace 
the proposed amount of sand from Ship Shoal will not significantly 
affect the quality of the human environment (40 CFR 1508.27) and 
preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required. 
Mitigation will be necessary to ensure environmental protection, 
consistent environmental policy, and safety as required by the National 
Environmental Policy Act, as amended, or to avoid or minimize any 
possible adverse effects on the quality of the human environment. 
Mitigation includes:
     Requiring stipulations to protect sea turtles when it is 
determined that there is a likelihood of sea turtle presence within the 
area during a dredging operation, and a trailing suction hopper dredge 
is used.
     Avoiding potential historic archaeological site locations 
identified in both the Ship Shoal and South Pelto areas through a 
remote sensing survey conducted previously.
     Sampling and monitoring dredge material from within both 
the Ship Shoal and South Pelto areas to identify and protect possible 
prehistoric resources located within the borrow sites.
     Establishing a minimum ``no dredge'' setback distance of 
1000 feet from existing pipelines.
     Requiring the use of an electronic positioning system on 
the dredge vessels and transmittal of location and production 
information to the MMS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Minerals Management Service, Leasing 
Division, Marine Minerals Branch, 381 Elden Street, Mail Stop 4010, 
Herndon, Virginia 20170, Mr. Barry Drucker, telephone (703) 787-1296, 
e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Louisiana's coastal land loss problem 
continues at a rate of more than 30 square miles per year severely 
affecting the storm buffering capacity and the protection that 
nearshore barrier islands provide to human populations, oil and gas 
infrastructure, inland bays, estuaries, and wetlands. The bays inshore 
of the islands are huge estuaries where fresh and saltwater mix, and 
most of Louisiana's commercial and recreational fisheries depend on 
them during parts of their life cycle. Without barrier islands, coastal 
fisheries will experience significant adverse impacts. The entire Isle 
Dernieres chain in offshore central Louisiana, a critical component of 
the Louisiana barrier island system, is projected to be lost by the 
year 2010. A study by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and 
Restoration Act task force recommended returning Isles Dernieres and 
the Timbalier Islands to 1992 conditions (pre-Hurricane Andrew), which 
would require adding sand to build them to a width of about 1,230 feet 
wide and 8-9 feet above sea level. The current overall strategy is to 
restore the island chains to a condition suitable for providing coastal 
protection and for maintaining the integrity of the estuarine system.
    Geological and geophysical studies of Ship Shoal indicate that very 
significant similarities exist among the properties of Ship Shoal and 
the nearby barrier islands. Ship Shoal sand is considered to be ideal 
material for use in restoration and nourishment projects along the 
Louisiana coast within the Terrebonne and Barataria Basins. Resource 
estimates for the volumes of sand comprising Ship Shoal are 1.2 billion 
cubic meters.
    The MMS has already been notified by LDNR and the EPA that they 
will seek leases for the use of Ship Shoal sand for planned projects at 
Whiskey Island and New Cut, Louisiana. In addition, the USACE is 
considering using Ship Shoal sand as a base for the levee system for 
the Morganza to the Gulf Hurricane Protection Project. Besides these 
efforts, MMS anticipates that Ship Shoal will serve as a long-term 
source of material for further Louisiana coastal restoration efforts 
well into the future.
    Public Law 103-426, enacted October 31, 1994, gave the MMS the 
authority to convey, on a noncompetitive basis, the rights to Federal 
sand, gravel, or shell resources for shore protection, beach or 
wetlands restoration projects, or for use in construction projects 
funded in whole or part or authorized by the Federal government.

Public Comments

    The MMS encourages interested parties to submit comments specific 
to the EA and the environmental issues related to the removal of sand 
from Ship Shoal. Comments should be sent to Minerals Management 
Service, Leasing Division, Attention: Chief, Marine Minerals Branch, 
381 Elden Street, Mail Stop 4010, Herndon, Virginia 20170. In addition, 
comments may be sent via e-mail to [email protected].

    Dated: April 22, 2004.
Thomas Readinger,
Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 04-15167 Filed 7-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P