[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29231-29232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13224]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

 [FWS-R4-ES-2019-N078; FVHC98220410150-XXX-FF04H00000]


Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment, 
Florida Trustee Implementation Group Phase V.3 Florida Coastal Access 
Project: Draft Restoration Plan and Supplemental Environmental 
Assessment

AGENCY: Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon 
Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment Restoration Plan and 
Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS), 
Record of Decision, and Consent Decree, the Federal and State natural 
resource trustee agencies for the Florida Trustee Implementation Group 
(FL TIG) have prepared a Phase V.3 Florida Coastal Access Project: 
Draft Restoration Plan and Supplemental Environmental Assessment (Phase 
V.3 RP/SEA). The FL TIG is proposing a third phase of the Florida 
Coastal Access Project, including the acquisition of a coastal 
inholding parcel within the Navarre Beach Marine Park in Santa Rosa 
County, Florida, as the preferred alternative. This would continue the 
process of restoring lost recreational use in the Florida Restoration 
Area resulting from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. We invite 
comments on the draft Phase V.3 RP/SEA.

DATES: 
    Submitting Comments: We will consider public comments on the draft 
Phase V.3 RP/SEA received on or before July 22, 2019.
    Public Meeting: The FL TIG will host a public meeting on July 18, 
2019, at the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station, 8638 Blue Heron 
Court, Navarre, FL. An open house will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by 
the public meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You may download the draft Phase V.3 
RP/SEA from any of the following websites:

 http://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord
 http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/florida
 http://dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm
Alternatively, you may request a CD of the draft Phase V.3 RP/SEA (see 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). A copy of the Phase V.3 RP/SEA is 
also available for review at the Santa Rosa County Public Library.
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments on the draft Phase V.3 
RP/SEA by one of the following methods:
     Via the Web: http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/florida.
     Via U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 
29649, Atlanta, GA 30345. In order to be considered, mailed comments 
must be postmarked on or before the comment deadline given in DATES.
     In Person: Verbal comments may be provided at the public 
meeting in Navarre, Florida, on July 18, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nanciann Regalado, via email at 
[email protected], via telephone at 678-296-6805, or via the 
Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction

    The Florida Coastal Access Project was selected for funding and 
implementation in Phase V of DWH early restoration. In the 2011 
Framework Agreement for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting 
from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (Framework Agreement), BP agreed 
to provide to the Trustees up to $1 billion toward early restoration 
projects in the Gulf of Mexico to address injuries to natural resources 
caused by the DWH oil spill. The Framework Agreement represented a 
preliminary step toward the restoration of injured natural resources 
and was intended to expedite the start of restoration in the Gulf in 
advance of the completion of the injury assessment process. In the five 
phases of the early restoration process, the Trustees selected, and BP 
agreed to fund, a total of 65 early restoration projects expected to 
cost a total of approximately $877 million, including the Florida 
Coastal Access Project for approximately $45.4 million. The Trustees 
selected these projects after public notice, public meetings, and 
consideration of public comments.
    The Consent Decree, as discussed in the ``Background'' section 
below, terminated and replaced the Framework Agreement and provided 
that the Trustees shall use remaining early restoration funds as 
specified in the early restoration plans and in accordance with the 
Consent Decree. The Trustees have determined that decisions concerning 
any unexpended early restoration funds are to be made

[[Page 29232]]

by the appropriate TIG, in this case the FL TIG.

Background

    On 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 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. The OPA further 
instructs the 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 completion of restoration to baseline (the 
resource quality and conditions that would exist if the spill had not 
occurred).
    The Deepwater Horizon 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 (EPA);
     State of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration 
Authority, Oil Spill Coordinator's Office, Department of Environmental 
Quality, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and Department of 
Natural Resources;
     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
     State of Texas: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas 
General Land Office, and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
    The Trustees reached and finalized a settlement of their natural 
resource damage claims with BP in an April 4, 2016, Consent Decree 
approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of 
Louisiana. Pursuant to that Consent Decree, restoration projects in the 
Florida Restoration Area are now chosen and managed by the FL TIG. The 
FL TIG is composed of the following six Trustees: State of Florida 
Department of Environmental Protection and Fish and Wildlife 
Conservation Commission; DOI; NOAA; EPA; and USDA.

Overview of the FL TIG Draft Phase V.3 RP/SEA

    The draft Phase V.3 RP/SEA is being released in accordance with OPA 
NRDA regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 15 
CFR part 990, NEPA and its implementing regulations found at 40 CFR 
parts 1500-1508, the Final PDARP/PEIS, and the Consent Decree. The 
Phase V.3 RP/SEA provides an OPA analysis for the proposed third phase 
of the Florida Coastal Access Project and supplements the NEPA analysis 
completed in the first and second phases of the project (2016 Final 
Phase V Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment and the 
2017 Final Phase V.2 Restoration Plan and Supplemental Environmental 
Assessment, respectively). In the draft Phase V.3 RP/SEA, the FL TIG 
proposes the acquisition of the Navarre Beach Park Addition--an 
approximately 4.75-acre privately owned inholding parcel within the 
existing Navarre Beach Marine Park, a county park in Santa Rosa 
County--as the preferred alternative. The proposal consists of land 
acquisition only; construction of recreational amenities is not 
proposed. The parcel would become part of the Navarre Beach Marine Park 
and would be owned by Santa Rosa County, who would be responsible for 
maintaining it as part of the Santa Rosa County Park System. Deed 
restrictions would ensure the property remains in the Santa Rosa County 
Park System in perpetuity. Acquisition of the Navarre Beach Marine Park 
Addition would continue the process of restoring natural resources and 
services injured or lost as a result of the DWH oil spill. This would 
be accomplished using approximately $2 million in Florida Coastal 
Access Project remaining funds.

Next Steps

    As described above, the Trustees will hold a public meeting to 
facilitate the public review and comment process. After the public 
comment period ends, the Trustees will consider and address the 
comments received before issuing a final Phase V.3 RP/SEA.

Public Availability of Comments

    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. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Administrative Record

    The documents comprising the Administrative Record for the Phase 
V.3 RP/SEA can be viewed electronically at https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord.

Authority

    The authority of this action is the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.), its implementing Natural Resource Damage 
Assessment regulations found at 15 CFR part 990, and the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its 
implementing regulations found at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508.

Mary Josie Blanchard,
Director of Gulf of Mexico Restoration, Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2019-13224 Filed 6-20-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P