[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 47 (Friday, March 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16765-16766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04727]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-11586-01-OW]


Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Florida 
Trustee Implementation Group Draft Restoration Plan 3 and Environmental 
Assessment: Water Quality

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Deepwater Horizon natural resource Trustees for the 
Florida Trustee Implementation Group have prepared the Draft 
Restoration Plan 3 and Environmental Assessment: Water Quality. The 
Draft RP3/EA proposes alternatives to help restore water quality 
impacted by the DWH oil spill. The Draft RP3/EA evaluates a reasonable 
range of thirteen project alternatives under the Oil Pollution Act, 
including criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource damage 
assessment regulations, and the National Environmental Policy Act and 
its implementing regulations. A no action alternative is also evaluated 
pursuant to the NEPA. The total estimated cost to implement the Florida 
TIG's eleven preferred alternatives is approximately $111.5 million. 
The Florida TIG invites the public to comment on the Draft RP3/EA.

DATES: The Florida TIG will consider public comments on the Draft RP3/
EA received on or before April 8, 2024.
    Public Webinar: The Florida TIG will host a public webinar on March 
27, 2024, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time/2 p.m. Central Time to facilitate 
public review and comment on the Draft RP3/EA. The public may register 
for the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8172353705750284118. After registering, participants will receive a 
confirmation email with instructions for

[[Page 16766]]

joining the webinar and how to make comments during the webinar. 
Shortly after the webinar concludes, the presentation material will be 
posted on the web at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/florida.

ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You may view and download the Draft 
RP3/EA at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/florida. You may also request a flash drive containing the Draft RP3/EA 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments on the Draft RP3/EA by 
any of the following methods:
     Website: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/FLTIGRP3. Follow the 
online instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Gulf Restoration 
Office, 1875 Century Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30345. To be considered, mailed 
comments must be postmarked on or before the comment deadline given in 
DATES.
     Public Webinar: The public may submit comments during the 
webinar. Webinar information is provided in DATES.
    Instructions: Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or 
withdrawn. The Florida TIG may publish any comment received regarding 
the document. Do not submit electronically any information you consider 
to be Confidential Business Information or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Please be aware that your entire 
comment, including your personal identifying information, will become 
part of the public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Sarah Ketron; Florida Department of Environmental Protection; 850-
245-2167; [email protected].
    Tripp Boone; Environmental Protection Agency; 228-209-7555; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    On April 20, 2010, the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater 
Horizon, which was drilling a well for BP Exploration and Production, 
Inc., experienced a significant explosion, fire and subsequent sinking 
in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in the release of millions of barrels 
of oil and other discharges into the Gulf. Under the authority of the 
OPA, designated Federal and State Trustees, acting on behalf of the 
public, assessed the injuries to natural resources and prepared the 
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and 
Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, 
and the Record of Decision for the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final 
Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, which sets forth the 
governance structure and process for DWH restoration planning under the 
OPA NRDA regulations. On April 4, 2016, the United States District 
Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana entered a Consent Decree 
resolving civil claims by the Trustees against BP.
    The Florida TIG, which is composed of the State of Florida 
Department of Environmental Protection and the Fish and Wildlife 
Conservation Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. 
Department of the Interior, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, selects and 
implements restoration projects under the TIG's management authority in 
accordance with the Consent Decree. The Final PDARP/PEIS, ROD, Consent 
Decree, and information on the DWH Trustees can be found at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-planning/gulf-plan.

Background

    On November 7, 2022, the Florida TIG issued a notice of 
solicitation on the Gulf Spill Restoration website requesting project 
ideas for the Water Quality Restoration Type as described in the Final 
PDARP/PEIS. On August 7, 2023, the TIG announced on the Gulf Spill 
Restoration website that they reviewed project idea submissions and 
initiated drafting the RP3/EA which tiers from the Final PDARP/PEIS and 
would include a reasonable range of restoration project alternatives 
for the Water Quality Restoration Type.

Overview of the Florida TIG Draft RP3/EA

    In the Draft RP3/EA, the Florida TIG analyzes a reasonable range of 
thirteen project alternatives and, pursuant to the NEPA, a no action 
alternative. Two of the alternatives analyzed are not preferred by the 
TIG at this time. Funding to implement any of the alternatives 
ultimately selected by the Florida TIG would come from the Water 
Quality Restoration Type Allocation. The reasonable range of project 
alternatives evaluated by the TIG are listed below:
    1. Pensacola and Perdido Watersheds Microbial Source Tracking 
(Planning);
    2. Pensacola Bay Unpaved Roads Initiative Phase 2 (Planning);
    3. Carpenter Creek Hydrologic Restoration and Stormwater 
Improvements;
    4. Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park;
    5. Gulf Breeze Septic to Sewer Conversion;
    6. Santa Rosa County Septic to Sewer Conversion;
    7. Choctawhatchee Bay Unpaved Roads Initiative;
    8. Telogia Creek Watershed Water Quality Improvements;
    9. Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge Hydrologic Restoration 
Phase 2 (Planning);
    10. Bond Farm Hydrologic Enhancement Impoundment;
    11. Bond Farm Hydrologic Enhancement Southwest Discharge Structure 
(Planning);
    12. Swift Creek Hydrologic Restoration (Non-preferred); and
    13. Springfield Stream and Wetland Enhancement (Non-preferred).
    The total estimated cost to implement the eleven preferred 
alternatives is approximately $111.5 million.

Next Steps

    After the public comment period ends, the Florida TIG will consider 
and address all substantive comments received before making a final 
decision on which, if any, alternatives to fund and implement. A Final 
RP3/EA and finding of no significant impact, as appropriate, 
identifying the selected alternatives will be made publicly available.

Administrative Record

    The Administrative Record for the Draft RP3/EA can be viewed 
electronically at https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord 
under the folder 6.5.4.2.

Authority

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

Benita Best-Wong,
Deputy Assistant Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2024-04727 Filed 3-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P