[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1717-1718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-311]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2011-N258; FXHC113003000005B-123-FF03E00000]


Notice of Availability; Draft Springfield Plateau Regional 
Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of the Interior (DOI), acting 
through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the State of 
Missouri, acting through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 
have written a Draft Springfield Plateau Regional Restoration Plan and 
Environmental Assessment (Plan), which describes proposed alternatives 
for restoring injured natural resources in the Springfield Plateau 
ecoregion, and an environmental assessment, as required pursuant to the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of this notice is 
to inform the public of the availability of the Draft Plan and to seek 
written comments. This notice is provided pursuant to Natural Resource 
Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) regulations and NEPA 
regulations.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments on or 
before February 27, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send comments via U. S. mail to: John Weber, Restoration 
Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 101 Park DeVille Dr., 
Suite A, Columbia, MO 65203; or Frances Klahr, Natural Resource Damages 
Coordinator, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 176, 
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176; or by electronic mail (email) to [email protected], or [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Case Management and Logistical Information: Dave Mosby, (573) 234-
2132 (x113).
    Technical Information: John Weber, (573) 234-2132 (x177).
    Missouri Natural Resource Damages Coordinator: Frances Klahr, (573) 
522-1347.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Department of the Interior 
(represented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and the State of 
Missouri (represented by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources) 
(Trustees) are trustees for natural resources considered in this 
restoration plan, pursuant to subpart G of the National Oil and 
Hazardous

[[Page 1718]]

Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (40 CFR 300.600 and 300.610) and 
Executive Order 12580. The Memorandum of Understanding Between the 
Missouri Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Department of the 
Interior establishes a Trustee Council charged with developing and 
implementing a restoration plan for ecological restoration in the 
Springfield Plateau of southwest Missouri.
    The Trustees followed the NRDAR regulations found at 43 CFR part 11 
for the development of the Plan. The draft Springfield Plateau Regional 
Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment will be finalized prior 
to implementation, after all public comments received during the public 
comment period are considered. Any significant additions or 
modifications to the Plan as restoration actions proceed will be made 
available for public review before any additions or modification are 
undertaken.
    The objective of the NRDAR process in the Springfield Plateau is to 
compensate the public, through environmental restoration, for losses to 
natural resources that have been injured by releases of hazardous 
substances into the environment. The Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, more commonly known 
as the Federal ``Superfund'' law; 42 U.S.C. 9601, et seq.), and the 
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water 
Act (CWA); 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) authorize States, federally 
recognized tribes, and certain Federal agencies that have authority for 
natural resources ``belonging to, managed by, controlled by or 
appertaining to the United States'' to act as ``trustees'' on behalf of 
the public, to restore, rehabilitate, replace, and/or acquire natural 
resources equivalent to those injured by releases of hazardous 
substances.
    The Trustees worked together, in a cooperative process, to identify 
appropriate restoration activities to address natural resource injuries 
caused by releases of hazardous substances into the Springfield Plateau 
environment. The results of this administrative process are contained 
in the planning and decision document being published for public review 
under CERCLA. Natural resource damages received, either through 
negotiated settlements or adjudicated awards, must be used to restore, 
rehabilitate, replace, and/or acquire the equivalent of those injured 
natural resources. The Plan addresses the Trustees' overall approach to 
restore, rehabilitate, replace, and/or acquire the equivalent of 
natural resources injured by the release of hazardous substances into 
the Springfield Plateau environment.

Public Involvement

    Interested members of the public are invited to review and comment 
on the Plan. Copies of the Plan can be requested from the address 
listed below or can viewed online at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/nrda/motristate/or http://www.dnr.mo.gov/env/hwp/sfund/nrda.htm. You may 
also submit requests for copies of the Plan by sending electronic mail 
(email) to: [email protected], or [email protected]. 
Persons without access to the Internet may obtain copies of the Plan by 
contacting John Weber, Restoration Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 101 Park DeVille Dr., Suite A, Columbia, MO 65203.
    Copies will also be available for on-site review at the following 
locations:
     Joplin Public Library: 300 S. Main Street, Joplin, MO;
     Neosho Public Library: 201 W. Spring Street, Neosho, MO;
     Springfield Public Library: 4653 S. Campbell Ave, 
Springfield, MO;
     U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: 101 Park DeVille Dr. Suite 
A, Columbia, MO; and Missouri Department of Natural Resources: 1730 E. 
Elm St., Jefferson City, MO.

Availability of Comments

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide copies of all 
comments to the other Trustees. All comments received from individuals 
become part of the official public record. Requests for such comments 
will be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act and 
the Council on Environmental Quality's NEPA regulations (40 CFR 
1506.6(f)), as well as the State of Missouri's Sunshine Law (Chapter 
610, RSMo.). Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that the entire comment, including your personal 
identifying information, may be available at any time. While individual 
respondents may request that the Fish and Wildlife Service and State of 
Missouri withhold their personal identifying information from public 
review, we cannot guarantee we will be able to do so.

Authority

    This notice is provided pursuant to Natural Resource Damage 
Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) regulations (43 CFR 11.81(d)(4)) and 
NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

    Dated: December 20, 2011.
Charlie Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, Midwest Region, Bloomington, MN.
[FR Doc. 2012-311 Filed 1-10-12; 8:45 am]
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