[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 156 (Thursday, August 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48533-48534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19881]


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GULF COAST ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION COUNCIL

[Docket No.: 108002015-1111-06]


Draft Funded Priorities List

AGENCY: Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Resources and Ecosystems 
Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the 
Gulf States Act (RESTORE Act or Act), the Gulf Coast Ecosystem 
Restoration Council (Council) announces the availability of the Initial 
Draft Funded Priorities List (draft FPL). The draft FPL sets forth the 
initial activities that the Council proposes to prioritize for funding 
and further consideration. This document is now available for public 
and tribal review and comment.

DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments 
on the draft FPL by September 28, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the draft FPL by either of the 
following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments by email to [email protected].
     Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send a copy of your 
comments to Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, Attention: Draft 
FPL Comments, Hale Boggs Federal Building, 500 Poydras Street, Suite 
1117, New Orleans, LA 70130.
    In general, the Council will make such comments available for 
public inspection and copying on its Web site, http://www.restorethegulf.gov/ without change, including any business or 
personal information provided, such as names, addresses, email 
addresses, or telephone numbers. All comments received, including 
attachments and other supporting materials, will be part of the public 
record and subject to public disclosure. You should only submit 
information that you wish to make publicly available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please send questions by email to 
[email protected], or contact Will Spoon at (504) 
239-9814.

[[Page 48534]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused 
extensive damage to the Gulf Coast's natural resources, devastating the 
economies and communities that rely on it. In an effort to help the 
region rebuild in the wake of the spill, Congress passed and the 
President signed the RESTORE Act, Public Law 112-141, Sec. Sec.  1601-
1608, 126 Stat. 588 (Jul. 6, 2012). The Act created the Gulf Coast 
Ecosystem Restoration Trust Fund (Trust Fund) and dedicates eighty 
percent (80%) of any civil and administrative penalties paid by parties 
responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under the Clean Water 
Act, after the date of enactment, to the Trust Fund. The ultimate 
amount of administrative and civil penalties potentially available to 
the Trust Fund is currently not certain. On January 3, 2013, the United 
States announced that Transocean Deepwater Inc. and related entities 
agreed to pay $1 billion in civil penalties for violating the Clean 
Water Act in relation to their conduct in the Deepwater Horizon oil 
spill. The settlement was approved by the court in February 2013, and 
pursuant to the Act approximately $816 million (including interest) has 
been paid into the Trust Fund.
    In addition to creating the Trust Fund, the Act established the 
Council, which is chaired by the Secretary of Commerce and includes the 
Governors of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, and 
the Secretaries of the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, the Army, 
Homeland Security, and the Interior, and the Administrator of the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency.
    Under the Act, the Council will administer a portion of the Trust 
Fund known as the Council-Selected Restoration Component in order to 
``undertake projects and programs, using the best available science, 
that would restore and protect the natural resources, ecosystems, 
fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, coastal wetlands, and 
economy of the Gulf Coast.'' In August 2013 the Council approved an 
Initial Comprehensive Plan (Initial Plan) (please see http://www.restorethegulf.gov/sites/default/files/GCERCCompPlanFactSheet_0.pdf 
and http://www.restorethegulf.gov/sites/default/files/FinalInitialComprehensivePlan.pdf) that outlines an overarching vision 
for Gulf restoration and includes the following five goals: (1) Restore 
and conserve habitat; (2) restore water quality; (3) replenish and 
protect living coastal and marine resources; (4) enhance community 
resilience; and (5) restore and revitalize the gulf economy.
    As a supplement to the Initial Plan and pursuant to the requirement 
in the Restore Act to draft a ``prioritized list of specific projects 
and programs to be funded,'' the Council is now publishing a draft FPL 
that proposes the activities which the Council intends to prioritize 
for funding and further consideration. The Council will carefully 
review public and tribal comments, make appropriate changes, and then 
finalize the FPL with appropriate notice in the Federal Register. Once 
finalized, the FPL will serve as the basis for allocating funds under 
the Council-Selected Restoration Component.
    The Council seeks public and tribal comment on all aspects of the 
draft FPL, including comments related to the process used to develop 
the draft FPL, the projects and programs contained therein, and the 
associated environmental compliance documentation.
    Summary: The Gulf Coast region is vital to our nation and our 
economy, providing valuable energy resources, abundant seafood, 
extraordinary beaches and recreational activities, and a rich natural 
and cultural heritage. Its waters and coasts are home to one of the 
most diverse natural environments in the world--including over 15,000 
species of sea life and millions of migratory birds. The Gulf has 
endured catastrophes, including major hurricanes such as Katrina, Rita, 
Gustav and Ike in the last ten years alone. The region has also 
experienced the loss of critical wetland habitats, erosion of barrier 
islands, imperiled fisheries, water quality degradation and significant 
coastal land loss. More recently, the health of the region's ecosystem 
was significantly affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. As a 
result of the oil spill, the Council has been given the great 
responsibility of helping to address ecological challenges across the 
Gulf.
    The members of the Council collaborated in creating a draft FPL 
that responds to ecological needs regardless of jurisdictional 
boundaries. With the draft FPL, the Council seeks to provide near-term 
``on-the-ground'' ecosystem benefits, while also building a planning 
and science foundation for future success. In the draft FPL, the 
Council proposes to focus on ten key watersheds across the Gulf in 
order to concentrate and leverage available funds in addressing 
critical ecological needs in high-priority locations. The draft FPL 
focuses on habitat and water quality, and includes restoration and 
conservation activities that can be implemented in the near term. It 
also supports project-specific planning efforts necessary to advance 
large-scale restoration. The comprehensive planning and monitoring 
efforts proposed in the draft FPL would provide Gulf-wide benefits into 
the future.
    The Council intends to play a key role in helping to ensure that 
the Gulf's natural resources are sustainable and available for future 
generations. Currently available Gulf restoration funds and those that 
may become available in the future represent a great responsibility. 
The ongoing involvement of the people who live, work and play in the 
Gulf region is critical to ensuring that these monies are used wisely 
and effectively. The Council thanks all those who have participated in 
the process thus far, and offers thanks in advance to those who will 
take the time to again offer thoughts on how we can collectively help 
restore the Gulf.
    Document Availability: Copies of the draft FPL are available at the 
following office during regular business hours: Gulf Coast Ecosystem 
Restoration Council, Hale Boggs Federal Building, 500 Poydras Street, 
Suite 1117, New Orleans, LA 70130.
    Electronic versions of the draft FPL can be viewed and downloaded 
at www.restorethegulf.gov.
    Legal Authority: The statutory program authority for the draft FPL 
is found at 33 U.S.C. 1321(t)(2).

    Dated: August 13, 2015.
Will D. Spoon,
Program Analyst, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council.
[FR Doc. 2015-19881 Filed 8-12-15; 8:45 am]
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