[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 147 (Monday, August 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 45780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19403]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA600


Notice of Availability for a Finding of No Significant Impact and 
Environmental Assessment for Emergency Restoration of Seagrass Impacts 
From the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Officials of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce (NOAA); U.S. 
Department of Interior; and the five states of Florida, Alabama, 
Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas are all designated, pursuant to 
section 1006(b) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), as trustees 
(Trustees) for natural resources harmed by this Incident. NOAA is 
serving as the Lead Administrative Trustee (LAT) for this emergency 
seagrass restoration. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, an 
Environmental Assessment for Emergency Restoration of Seagrass Impacts 
from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response (EA) was completed by 
NOAA, and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was signed on July 
8, 2011.

DATES: Comments on this EA and FONSI must be received by August 16, 
2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to: Kay McGraw, NOAA Restoration Center, Rm 
15862, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; or 
electronically to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia A. Montanio, 301-427-8600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this project is to address 
injuries to seagrass beds that resulted from Deepwater Horizon (DWH) 
oil spill response activities. The injuries were caused by motorized 
boats, and included propeller scars, blowholes from response vessels, 
and scouring from boom curtains and anchor tethers. The proposed action 
will restore damaged seagrass beds and decrease risk of secondary 
injury to nearby seagrass communities. The environmental review process 
led NOAA to conclude that this action will not have a significant 
effect on the human environment, therefore an environmental impact 
statement will not be prepared.
    Section 990.26(d) of OPA requires the Trustees to provide notice to 
the public, to the extent practicable, of any planned emergency 
restoration actions. Trustees must also provide public notice of the 
justification for, nature and extent of, and results of emergency 
restoration actions within a reasonable time frame. NOAA is expediting 
regulatory clearance of this action due to the emergency nature of it. 
The Trustees believe the best method to address this requirement is to 
post a copy of the FONSI and EA on NOAA's Deepwater Horizon Web site at 
http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/. The documents will be 
available there on August 1, 2011.
    NOAA believes it is important to undertake the restoration 
immediately in order to minimize the possibility of further adverse sea 
grass impacts that may occur in the absence of immediate action, such 
as secondary damage that may result from storms or other events. NOAA 
will accept public comments on this EA and FONSI until August 16, 2011. 
All comments will be fully considered and included in the 
administrative record for this action.

    Dated: July 26, 2011.
Brian Pawlak,
Acting Director, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-19403 Filed 7-29-11; 8:45 am]
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