[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 81 (Thursday, April 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24980-24981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-10109]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management


Record of Decision for Authorizing the Use of Outer Continental 
Shelf (OCS) Sand Resources in the Martin County, Florida Hurricane 
Storm Damage Reduction Project

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: BOEM has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) to authorize the 
use of OCS sand resources by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 
and Martin County Board of Commissioners in the Martin County, Florida 
Hurricane Storm Damage Reduction (HSDR) Project. The ROD documents the 
BOEM's decision in

[[Page 24981]]

selecting the Preferred Alternative described in the USACE's Final 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Martin 
County HSDR Project (August 2011). BOEM will enter into a negotiated 
agreement for the purpose of making sand available from a shoal on the 
OCS for placement on the beach in support of the beach nourishment, 
following the mandated 30-day wait period from the date of the issuance 
of the ROD. BOEM is announcing the availability of this ROD in 
accordance with the regulations implementing the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA). The Deputy Director for the BOEM signed the ROD on 
March 28, 2012.

    Authority: This NOA of the ROD is published pursuant to the 
regulations (40 CFR 1506.6) implementing the provisions of the NEPA 
of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Description of the Martin County HSDR Project and BOEM's Connected 
Action

    The USACE and Martin County Board of Commissioners have proposed to 
reduce the potential for damage to, or loss of, coastal properties and 
habitat along Hutchinson Island, Florida from storm-induced wave 
impacts and coastal erosion. In the Congressionally-authorized Martin 
County HSDR Project, the USACE will nourish 4 miles of beach using a 
sea-turtle friendly design template. The purpose of BOEM's connected 
action is to respond to the request for use of OCS sand in the beach 
nourishment, under the authority granted to the Department of the 
Interior by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) (43 U.S.C. 
1337(k)(2)). Under OCSLA, BOEM can convey, on a noncompetitive basis, 
the rights to use OCS sand, gravel, or shell resources for use in a 
program for shore protection, beach restoration or coastal wetland 
restoration undertaken by a Federal, state, or local government agency 
(43 U.S.C. 1337(k)(2)). The BOEM is undertaking this action to respond 
to the USACE's and Martin County Board of Commissioners' request to use 
OCS sand resources. The Secretary of the Interior delegated the 
authority granted in the OCSLA to BOEM.

Record of Decision

    The BOEM's decision is supported by the comprehensive analysis 
presented in the USACE's Final SEIS. The SEIS assessed the physical, 
biological, and social/human impacts of the proposed project and 
considered a range of non-structural alternatives, including a no-
action alternative, as well as impacts from proposed mitigation. The 
SEIS was developed cooperatively to fulfill all Federal agencies' 
obligations under NEPA and the environmental impacts of their connected 
actions were encompassed in the analysis. As the USACE is the lead 
agency and BOEM is a cooperating agency for the proposed action, BOEM 
independently reviewed and adopted the SEIS prepared by the USACE (43 
CFR 46.120). The USACE published its ROD in February 2012.
    The BOEM ROD summarizes the alternatives considered by BOEM, the 
decision BOEM made, the basis for the decision, the environmentally 
preferable alternative, required mitigation measures, and the process 
the USACE and BOEM, as a cooperating agency, undertook to involve the 
public and other Federal and state agencies. The decision identifies 
and adopts mitigation measures and monitoring requirements enforceable 
by BOEM and deemed practicable to avoid or minimize the environmental 
harm that could result from the project. In the USACE's ROD, the USACE 
committed to implementing the mitigation measures and monitoring 
requirements identified in BOEM's ROD. This action is taken with the 
understanding that any proposed use of OCS sand in future beach re-
nourishment activities by the USACE will require a new negotiated 
agreement and an updated environmental analysis.

Availability of ROD

    To obtain a printed copy of the ROD, you may contact BOEM, Office 
of Environmental Programs (HM 3107), 381 Elden Street, Herndon, 
Virginia 20170. An electronic copy of the ROD is available at BOEM's 
web site at: [http://www.boem.gov/Non-Energy-Minerals/Marine-Minerals-Program.aspx].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James F. Bennett, Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management, Division of Environmental Assessment, 381 Elden 
Street, HM 3107, Herndon, Virginia 20170, (703) 787-1660, 
[email protected].

    Dated: April 18, 2012.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Deputy Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2012-10109 Filed 4-25-12; 8:45 am]
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