[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 207 (Thursday, October 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 62607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-16878]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability, Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental 
Assessment

AGENCY: U.S. 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 (DOI), as the natural resource trustee, 
announces the release for public review of the Draft Natural Resource 
Damages Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (RP/EA) for the 
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum (JHNWR). The Draft RP/EA 
presents a preferred alternative that compensates for impacts to 
natural resources caused by: (1) The release of oil at the JHNWR; and 
(2) the release of hazardous substances from the Publicker Industries 
Inc. National Priorities List Superfund Site. Natural resource damages 
received from the impacts from the release of oil and hazardous 
substances are being combined and used for restoration activities at 
the JHNWR.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before November 27, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the RP/EA are available for review during office 
hours at: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, John Heinz National Wildlife 
Refuge at Tinicum, 8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
19153, and online at http://heinz.fws.gov. Requests for copies of the 
RP/EA may be made to the same address and to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Pennsylvania Field Office, 315 South Allen Street, Suite 322, 
State College, Pennsylvania 16801.
    Written comments or materials regarding the RP/EA should be sent to 
the State College address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melinda Turner, Environmental 
Contaminants Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania 
Field Office, 315 South Allen Street, Suite 322, State College, 
Pennsylvania 16801. Interested parties may also call 814-234-4090 or e-
mail [email protected] for further information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In July 2005, the DOI, acting as natural 
resource Trustee, reached a natural resource damages settlement in the 
amount of $865,000 for natural resource injuries associated with the 
discharge of oil that occurred on February 2, 2000, at the JHNWR. The 
discharge of oil and the remedial activities injured Service trust 
resources (migratory birds and Federal lands).
    In addition, the DOI reached two settlement agreements between 1989 
and 1996 for natural resource injuries associated with the Publicker 
Industries Inc. Superfund Site, located approximately 7 miles upstream 
from the JHNWR. Natural resource injuries associated with the Publicker 
Site included injuries to Service trust resources (migratory birds and 
anadromous fish) from the discharge of hazardous substances. Because of 
the similar resource injuries associated with the sites, an opportunity 
exists to combine the Sunoco settlement funds with those acquired from 
the settlements from the nearby Publicker Superfund Site to create a 
larger-scale restoration action. The combined funds available for 
restoration activities from the oil release and Publicker settlements 
total $1,523,845. Restoration projects proposed in the Draft RP/EA 
include wetland restoration at the JHNWR.
    The RP/EA is being released in accordance with the Oil Pollution 
Act of 1990, (33 U.S.C. et seq.), the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 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 and 
evaluate the Trustee's proposal to restore natural resources injured by 
the release of oil at the JHNWR and release of hazardous substances 
from the Publicker National Priorities List Superfund Site.
    The RP/EA describes and compares a reasonable number of habitat 
restoration alternatives. Restoration projects which provide similar 
services as those impacted by the release of oil and hazardous 
substances and coincide with the primary goals of the JHNWR are 
preferred. Based on an evaluation of the various restoration 
alternatives, the preferred alternative consists of removing filled 
material to restore freshwater tidal wetland at the JHNWR. Restoration 
of wetlands will compensate for injuries to natural resources, 
including migratory birds, migratory bird habitat, anadromous fish, and 
Federal lands.
    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 John 
Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, 8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania 19153, and online at http://heinz.fws.gov. Requests for 
copies of the RP/EA may be made to the same address and to the 
Service's Pennsylvania Field Office at 315 South Allen Street, Suite 
322, State College, Pennsylvania 16801. 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 Melinda Turner, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania Field Office, 315 South Allen 
Street, Suite 322, State College, Pennsylvania 16801.

    Authority: The authority for this action is the Oil Pollution 
Act of 1990, (33 U.S.C. et seq.), the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 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: September 15, 2006.
Anthony D. Leger,
Acting Regional Director, Region 5, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
U.S. Department of the Interior, DOI Designated Authorized Official.
[FR Doc. E6-16878 Filed 10-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P