[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 70 (Friday, April 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20298-20299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07426]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-SERO-CAHA; PPWONRADE2, PMP00EI05.YP0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
a Sediment Management Framework, Cape Hatteras National Seashore 
Recreational Area, Dare and Hyde Counties, North Carolina

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) for a Sediment Management Framework (framework) at 
the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (the Seashore). The framework will 
include certain sediment management activities implemented by the 
Seashore and by local jurisdictions, state agencies, and other federal 
agencies.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. The public 
scoping comment period will conclude 30 days following the date this 
Notice of Intent published in the Federal Register. All comments must 
be postmarked or transmitted by this date. Public open houses will be 
announced in local media and at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CAHASediment.

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review online at 
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CAHASediment and in the Office of the 
Superintendent, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, North Carolina, 27954 
(252-473-2111, telephone).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sabrina Henry, Environmental 
Protection Specialist- Compliance, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, 
North Carolina, 27954 (252-423-1541, telephone).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) (NEPA), the NPS is preparing 
an EIS for sediment management, including the method, locations, and 
frequency for sediment management actions that be may be permitted 
through a special use permit, at the Seashore, for the next two 
decades. The NPS invited the following agencies to participate as 
cooperating agencies in this NEPA process: Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the US Army Corp of 
Engineers Wilmington District (Regulatory and Planning Divisions), US 
Coast Guard, North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) (Ferry 
and Highway Divisions), North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, 
Dare County, and Hyde County.

Background

    Authorized in 1937 along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Cape 
Hatteras is the nation's first national seashore. Consisting of more 
than 30,000 acres distributed along approximately 67 miles of 
shoreline, the Seashore is part of a dynamic barrier island system. 
Nine villages, including Nags Head, Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, 
Buxton, Frisco, Hatteras, and Ocracoke, are located adjacent to or 
within the Seashore. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is 
jointly managed by the USFWS, is also located within the administrative 
boundary of the Seashore, south of Oregon Inlet.
    Natural accretion and erosion processes have been impacted at the 
Seashore for decades due to anthropogenic activities (e.g., dune 
building, dune planting, inlet dredging and maintenance of dunes) and 
other changes (e.g., sea-level rise). Sediment management efforts have 
been used at the Seashore to control erosion and stabilize sand dunes. 
From the 1930s through the 1960s, active dune building, and 
revegetation efforts occurred along the Seashore. Since the 1970s, 
localized beach nourishment has been the primary method of combating 
shoreline erosion, but has been restricted to Ocracoke Island, the 
Buxton/Cape Hatteras area, and Rodanthe. In some places, segments of 
beach are relatively stable, and natural processes maintain high dunes. 
In other places, erosion results in ocean encroachment on the dunes and 
results in the ocean washing over onto North Carolina Highway 12

[[Page 20299]]

(NC 12) and within adjacent communities.

Purpose and Need

    The purpose of the EIS is to develop a streamlined framework for 
implementing sediment management at the Seashore, including the method, 
location, and frequency for sediment management actions that may be 
permitted. We have received various requests and anticipate future 
requests to issue special use permits for protecting roads, bridges, 
electrical transmission facilities, and other public transportation 
facilities; repairing island damages, including breaches that also 
affect transportation; and restoring habitat through the placement of 
dredged materials along eroded sections of barrier islands. A sediment 
management framework is needed to assist the Seashore in addressing 
these requests, while avoiding and minimizing impacts that may be 
associated with such actions conducted by NPS and other agencies to 
mitigate shoreline erosion. The framework is needed to limit impacts to 
the Seashore and provide timely response for localized beach 
nourishment efforts in the face of increased storm events and projected 
sea-level rise. Similarly, sediment management strategies may be used 
for specific habitat restoration projects.

Alternatives

    The NPS will evaluate alternative approaches for sediment 
management at the Seashore. The NPS is considering the following 
alternatives.
    Under Alternative A, the no-action alternative, the NPS would not 
permit others to conduct sediment management activities at the Seashore 
over the next two decades. No habitat restoration projects that include 
the placement of sediment would occur. The NCDOT currently maintains an 
easement through the Seashore for NC 12. The no-action alternative 
would preclude NCDOT from maintaining NC 12 outside of its existing 
easement, potentially resulting in the loss of the highway.
    Under Alternative B, the proposed action, the NPS could permit 
other agencies and municipalities to conduct, with conditions, sediment 
management in the form of ocean- and sound side- beach nourishment, 
filling island breaches, and dune restoration. This alternative would 
also recognize that NPS and others may independently or in partnership 
restore beach habitats or periodically protect specific facilities or 
resources through sediment placement in areas that have been affected 
by erosion. The proposed action includes the following elements:
     Beach nourishment may be used to mitigate coastal erosion 
at various sites along the Seashore, including ocean and sound-side 
environments. Beach nourishment may occur at up to two locations per 
year, using between 50-250 cubic yards of sediment per foot, placed via 
dredge or sediment trucking. Sediment management permitted under the 
proposed action would fall within the general parameters of past beach 
nourishment projects.
     The restoration of habitat may occur in locations such as 
the southern end of Hatteras Island and Green Island in Oregon Inlet. 
Restored habitat could benefit nesting shorebirds and sea turtles. 
Habitat restoration projects would include the application of dredge 
material and moving/manipulating sand at the site with heavy machinery. 
Dredge material may come from the pipeline dredging operations or other 
sources, provided the sediment is a close match to the sediment grain 
size found at the proposed action site.
     Dune reconstruction and enhancement, as well as moving or 
regrading sediment to protect existing access and public facilities, 
may occur. Actions that promote natural dune building processes, such 
as beach grass planting and sand fencing, are included in the proposed 
action and may be carried out
     Emergency breach fill may occur under the proposed action. 
When inlets, overwash areas, or damaged roadways are caused by wave, 
water, and wind action during storm events, they may be closed due to 
roadway reconstruction activities. These projects may include trucking, 
staging, and pumping sediment in from other locations.
    The NPS will not select an alternative for implementation until 
after the final EIS is completed. The NPS will analyze the impacts of 
the alternatives on littoral processes and barrier island morphology, 
benthic organisms and essential fish habitat, sea turtles, shorebirds, 
and structures and infrastructure. Additional alternatives may be 
considered during the process of preparing an EIS.

Public Comment

    How to Provide Comments--During the scoping period, project 
information will be available on the project's website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CAHASediment. Public open houses will be conducted 
to provide an opportunity for the public to share their comments and 
learn more about activities at the Seashore. Details regarding the 
exact times and locations of these meetings will be announced on the 
project website and through local and regional media. The meetings will 
also be announced through email notification, press release, and social 
media to individuals and organizations.
    If you wish to comment on the purpose, need, preliminary 
alternatives, additional alternatives, or on any other issues 
associated with development of the framework and EIS, you may submit 
your comments by any one of several methods. The preferred method for 
commenting is online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CAHASediment. You 
may mail or hand deliver comments to the Superintendent, Cape Hatteras 
National Seashore, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, North Carolina, 
27954. Written comments will also be accepted at the public open 
houses. Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or by any method 
other than those specified above. Bulk comments in any format (hard 
copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.
    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.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7.

Robert A. Vogel,
Regional Director, Interior Region 2, South Atlantic-Gulf.
[FR Doc. 2020-07426 Filed 4-9-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P