[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 211 (Tuesday, November 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75840-75841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26345]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[FWS-R4-FHC-2016-N176; FVHC98220410150-XXX-FF04G01000]


Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill; Louisiana Trustee Implementation 
Group Draft Restoration Plan #1: Restoration of Wetlands, Coastal, and 
Nearshore Habitats; Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands; and 
Birds

AGENCY: Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Consent Decree, and the 
Final Programmatic Damage Assessment Restoration Plan and Final 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS), the 
Federal and State natural resource trustee agencies for the Louisiana 
Trustee Implementation Group (Trustees) have prepared a Draft 
Restoration Plan #1: Restoration of Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore 
Habitats; Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands; and Birds (Draft 
Restoration Plan 1) describing and proposing engineering and design 
activities for restoration projects intended to continue the process of 
restoring natural resources and services injured or lost as a result of 
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which occurred on or about April 20, 
2010, in the Gulf of Mexico.

DATES: Comments Due Date: We will consider public comments received on 
or before November 28, 2016.
    Public Meeting: If requested, the Trustees will schedule a public 
meeting to facilitate public review and comment process on the draft 
document.

ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You may download the Louisiana Trustee 
Implementation Group Draft Restoration Plan 1: Restoration of Wetlands, 
Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats, Habitat Projects on Federally Managed 
Lands, and Birds draft restoration plan at any of the following sites:

 http://www.gulfspillrestoration. noaa.gov
 http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon
 http://www.la-dwh.com

    Alternatively, you may request a CD of the Draft Restoration Plan 1 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). You may also view the document 
at any of the public facilities listed at http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments on the draft document 
by one of following methods:
     Via the Web: http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/louisiana.
     Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 
49567, Atlanta, GA 30345.
     Louisiana Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority, 
ATTN: Liz Williams, P.O. Box 44027, Baton Rouge, LA 70804.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Liz Williams at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction

    On or about April 20, 2010, the mobile offshore drilling unit 
Deepwater Horizon, which was being used to drill a well for BP 
Exploration and Production, Inc. (BP), in the Macondo prospect 
(Mississippi Canyon 252-MC252), experienced a significant explosion, 
fire, and subsequent sinking in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in an 
unprecedented volume of oil and other discharges from the rig and from 
the wellhead on the seabed. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is the 
largest oil spill in U.S. history, discharging millions of barrels of 
oil over a period of 87 days. In addition, well over 1 million gallons 
of dispersants were applied to the waters of the spill area in an 
attempt to disperse the spilled oil. An undetermined amount of natural 
gas was also released into the environment as a result of the spill.
    The Deepwater Horizon State and Federal natural resource trustees 
(Trustees) conducted the natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) for 
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under the Oil Pollution Act 1990 (OPA; 
33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). Pursuant to OPA, Federal and State agencies 
act as trustees on behalf of the public to assess natural resource 
injuries and losses and to determine the actions required to compensate 
the public for those injuries and losses. OPA further instructs the

[[Page 75841]]

designated trustees to develop and implement a plan for the 
restoration, rehabilitation, replacement, or acquisition of the 
equivalent of the injured natural resources under their trusteeship, 
including the loss of use and services from those resources from the 
time of injury until the time of restoration to baseline (the resource 
quality and conditions that would exist if the spill had not occurred) 
is complete. The Trustees are:
     U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), as represented by 
the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau 
of Land Management;
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), on 
behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce;
     U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA);
     U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA);
     State of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration 
Authority (CPRA), Oil Spill Coordinator's Office (LOSCO), Department of 
Environmental Quality (LDEQ), Department of Wildlife and Fisheries 
(LDFW), and Department of Natural Resources (LDNR);
     State of Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality;
     State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural 
Resources and Geological Survey of Alabama;
     State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection 
and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; and
     For the State of Texas: Texas Parks and Wildlife 
Department, Texas General Land Office, and Texas Commission on 
Environmental Quality.
    Upon completion of the NRDA, the Trustees reached and finalized a 
settlement of their natural resource damage claims with BP in a Consent 
Decree approved by the United States District Court for the Eastern 
District of Louisiana. Pursuant to that Consent Decree, restoration 
projects in Louisiana are now chosen and managed by the Louisiana 
Trustee Implementation Group (TIG). The Louisiana TIG is composed of 
the following Trustees:
     U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), as represented by 
the National Park Service,
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management;
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), on 
behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce;
     U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA);
     U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA);
     Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority 
(CPRA);
     Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR);
     Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ);
     Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office (LOSCO); and,
     Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)

Overview of the Louisiana TIG Draft Restoration Plan 1: Restoration of 
Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats, Habitat Projects on 
Federally Managed Lands, and Birds (Draft Restoration Plan 1)

    The Draft Restoration Plan 1 is being released in accordance with 
the Oil Pollution Act (OPA), the Natural Resources Damage Assessment 
(NRDA) regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 15 
CFR 990, the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.), the Consent Decree, and the Final PDARP/PEIS.
    The total estimated cost for the proposed engineering and design 
activities for the six proposed restoration projects is $22,300,000. 
Details on the proposed engineering and design activities for the 
restoration projects are provided in the draft restoration plan.

Next Steps

    As described above, the Trustees will consider holding public 
meetings to facilitate the public review and comment process, if 
requested. After the public comment period ends, the Trustees will 
consider and address the comments received before issuing a final 
restoration plan.
    Consistent with the PDARP/PEIS, in this Draft Restoration Plan 1 
the Louisiana TIG is proposing a preliminary phase of restoration 
planning to perform engineering and design evaluation for restoration 
projects to develop information needed to fully consider the 
implementation phase which will be proposed in a subsequent restoration 
plan. Although information gathered may inform future projects, the 
outcome of the preliminary phases does not commit the Trustees to 
future actions.

Invitation to Comment

    The Trustees seek public review and comment on the proposed 
projects and supporting analysis included in the Draft Restoration Plan 
1. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other 
personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware 
that your entire comment, including your personal identifying 
information, may be made publicly available at any time.

Administrative Record

    The documents comprising the Administrative Record for this Draft 
Restoration Plan can be viewed electronically at http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon.

Authority

    The authority of this action is the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) and the implementing Natural Resource Damage 
Assessment regulations found at 15 CFR part 990.

Kevin D. Reynolds,
Department of the Interior Deepwater Horizon Case Manager.
[FR Doc. 2016-26345 Filed 10-31-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P