[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30321-30322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12916]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Withdrawal of Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery 
Project, Virginia & Maryland

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent; withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Baltimore and 
Norfolk Districts published a notice of intent (NOI) (74 FR 47927) for 
the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery, MD and VA study on September 18, 
2009. That NOI announced that the Corps Baltimore and Norfolk Districts 
would prepare a single, integrated Native Oyster Restoration Master 
Plan (master plan) and programmatic environmental impact statement 
(PEIS) for native oyster recovery in the entire Chesapeake Bay 
(inclusive of both Maryland and Virginia) and that the document would 
be tiered to the Programmatic EIS for Oyster Restoration in Chesapeake 
Bay Including the Use of a Native and/or Nonnative Oyster. In August 
2009, the record of decision for Oyster Restoration in Chesapeake Bay 
including the Use of a Native and/or Non-Native Species was signed. The 
preferred alternative identified in the 2009 PEIS recommends ``using a 
combination of alternatives that involves only the native Eastern 
oyster (Crassostrea virginica).'' Consistent with the preferred 
alternative, the Corps will expand upon and further develop plans and 
recommendations for Chesapeake Bay native oyster restoration in the 
master plan. However since the master plan will not be identifying 
site-specific construction areas for restoration and the larger issue 
of oyster restoration Bay-wide, has been reviewed, a PEIS for the 
master plan is no longer warranted. Therefore, the Corps is withdrawing 
its NOI to prepare a PEIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Susan Conner, Norfolk District 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CENAO-PM-PA, 803 Front Street, 
Norfolk, VA 23510. E-mail address: [email protected] and 
phone number: 757-201-7390 or Ms. Anna Compton, Baltimore District, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CENAB-PL-P, P.O, Box 1715, 
Baltimore, MD 21203. E-mail address: [email protected] and 
phone number 410-962-4633.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. The Baltimore District previously published a NOI (69 FR 68887) 
for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery, MD and VA study on November 26, 
2004. That NOI indicated that the Baltimore District would prepare a 
draft EIS for native oyster (Crassostrea virginica) recovery activities 
within Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay. A second NOI (71 FR 
14857) was published for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery, MD and VA 
study on March 24, 2006. That NOI announced that the Corps Baltimore 
and Norfolk Districts would prepare a single, integrated master plan 
and PEIS for native oyster recovery in the entire Chesapeake Bay.
    2. A third NOI was published on September 18, 2009 (74 FR 47927) to 
announce that the timing of the master plan/PEIS was delayed so that 
the document could be tiered to the Programmatic EIS for Oyster 
Restoration in Chesapeake Bay Including the Use of a Native and/or 
Nonnative Oyster. In August 2009 the record of decision for Oyster 
Restoration in Chesapeake Bay including the Use of a Native and/or Non-
Native Species was signed. The preferred alternative identified in the 
PEIS recommends ``using a combination of alternatives that involves 
only the native Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica).'' Consistent 
with the preferred alternative, the Corps will expand upon and further 
develop plans and recommendations for Chesapeake Bay native oyster 
restoration in the master plan. The master plan will not identify 
individual, site specific, construction projects. The master plan, 
instead, will develop a comprehensive approach to oyster restoration 
and will lay out a road map for a long-term, large-scale restoration of 
native oysters in the entire Chesapeake Bay. For each area identified 
for restoration and when Corps appropriations are received, necessary 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents will be prepared to 
specifically describe the scope, scale, and details of construction of 
site specific oyster projects. Therefore the Programmatic EIS for 
Oyster Restoration in Chesapeake Bay Including the Use of a Native and/
or Nonnative Oyster prepared in August 2009 is sufficient and 
appropriate to support the plans laid out in the master plan precluding 
the need for another PEIS. The master plan will incorporate science, 
policy, and experience from a number of sources to develop a 
comprehensive approach to oyster restoration in Maryland and Virginia. 
All suitable locations and techniques available for native oyster 
restoration will be identified and explored, and, if

[[Page 30322]]

feasible, will be included in the Master Plan.
    3. The master plan will be written in cooperation with the local 
sponsors, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia 
Marine Resources Commission.
    4. The Corps will conduct public meetings during the public review 
process for the draft master plan, which is scheduled for the fall of 
2011, and will include interested parties throughout the development of 
the master plan through informational meetings, Web site postings, and 
other means.

Amy M. Guise,
Chief, Civil Project Development Branch.
[FR Doc. 2011-12916 Filed 5-24-11; 8:45 am]
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