[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 138 (Monday, July 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 42791]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17739]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD983


Record of Decision for the Final NOAA Restoration Center 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces 
the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final NOAA 
Restoration Center Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. The 
NMFS Office of Habitat Conservation Director signed the ROD on July 20, 
2015, which constitutes the agency's final decision.

ADDRESSES: Frederick C. Sutter, Director, Office of Habitat 
Conservation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1315 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Gange, by mail at NOAA 
Restoration Center/FHC3, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910; or by telephone at 301-427-8664.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PEIS evaluated broad issues and 
programmatic-level alternatives (compared to a document for a specific 
project or action) for future restoration activities to be carried out 
by NOAA. In addition to providing a programmatic analysis, NOAA intends 
to use this document to approve future site-specific actions, including 
grant actions, as long as the activity being proposed is within the 
range of alternatives and scope of potential environmental consequences 
described in the PEIS, and does not have significant adverse impacts. 
Any future site-specific restoration activities proposed by NOAA that 
are not within the scope of alternatives or environmental consequences 
considered in the PEIS will require additional analysis under the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
    The ROD documents the decision by NOAA to select and implement the 
``Current Management'' alternative as its preferred alternative. The 
alternative represents a comprehensive programmatic restoration 
approach that includes funding or conducting activities such as 
providing technical assistance; on-the-ground riverine and coastal 
habitat restoration activities (including but not limited to: Fish 
passage projects; channel, bank, and floodplain restoration; buffer 
area and watershed revegetation; salt marsh restoration; oyster 
restoration; marine debris removal; submerged aquatic vegetation 
planting; invasive species removal; and coral restoration); and habitat 
conservation transactions. Because this is a continuation of NOAA 
Restoration Center's (RC) on-going restoration programs with no change 
in management direction, it was also considered to be the ``No Action'' 
alternative.
    The NOAA RC is not soliciting comments on the PEIS but will 
consider any comments submitted that would assist us in preparing 
future NEPA documents. An electronic copy of the PEIS is available at: 
http://www.restoration.noaa.gov/environmentalcompliance. Electronic 
correspondence regarding it can be submitted to [email protected]. 
Otherwise, please submit any written comments via U.S. mail to the 
responsible official named in the ADDRESSES section.

    Dated: July 15, 2015.
Frederick C. Sutter,
Director, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-17739 Filed 7-17-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P