[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 88 (Monday, May 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37184-37185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09751]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment for 
DARPA's Reefense Program, Baker Point, Florida

AGENCY: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Department 
of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Notice; availability of a draft environmental assessment; 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY: DARPA announces the availability of a Draft Environmental 
Assessment (EA) for the Reefense Program at Baker Point, Florida. DARPA 
is requesting comment on this draft EA.

DATES: The 30-day public comment period begins on May 6, 2024, and 
extends to June 5, 2024. Comments must be submitted electronically via 
the website no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on June 5, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: DARPA invites all interested parties to submit comments on 
the Draft EA through the project website https://hsrl.rutgers.edu/research/darpa-reefense.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Catherine Campbell, 703-526-2044 
(Voice), [email protected] (Email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Publication of this notice begins the 
official public comment period for this draft EA. Per the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the purpose of the draft EA is to 
evaluate the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts caused 
by the Reefense program at Baker Point, FL. All comments received will 
become part of the public record and will be available for review.

Background

    DARPA proposes to fund the development of bio-hybrid reef 
structures to help attenuate wave energy and protect United States 
(U.S.) DoD and coastal infrastructure through the Reefense Program (the 
Proposed Action). The strategy of DARPA's Reefense program includes 
employing recent innovations in materials science, hydrodynamic 
modeling, and adaptive biology to develop growing structures that are 
optimized to rapidly implement coastal defenses suited to a changing 
environment. DARPA's Reefense program involves the construction of 
custom wave-attenuating base structures to promote growth of reef-
building organisms (e.g., coral or oysters). The reef-building 
organisms would enable the Reefense structures to naturally self-heal 
and keep pace with sea level rise over time. Reefense structures would 
also include components to attract non-reef building organisms 
necessary to help maintain a healthy, growing reef. Finally, adaptive 
biology would enable improved resilience against disease and 
temperature stress for organisms present, to ensure compatibility with 
a changing environment. As soon as the Reefense structures are 
deployed, they would immediately attenuate coastal wave energy. As the 
structures facilitate the growth of the reef-building organisms, they 
would provide a biological benefit (e.g., habitat for

[[Page 37185]]

mobile reef species) in just a few months or years that would be 
equivalent to decades of growth for a similarly-sized naturally-
occurring reef.

National Environmental Policy Act

    This notice is provided pursuant to NEPA regulations at 40 CFR 
1506.6 and the draft EA was prepared in accordance with NEPA 
regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508.

Alternatives Considered

    Preferred Alternative: DARPA's proposed action is the deployment of 
Reefense structures at Baker Point, Florida. Deployment would occur 
over two phases with multiple components being proposed for each 
deployment. Components would consist of reef module breakwaters, mosaic 
oyster habitat structures (varying in height with low, medium, and high 
relief structures), and intertidal vegetation planting.
    No Action Alternative: Under the No Action Alternative, the 
Proposed Action would not occur. No deployment of Reefense structures 
would occur within the proposed action area, and the Baker Point area 
would be left undeveloped unless/until other in-water construction is 
proposed as part of a future project. The No Action Alternative would 
not meet the purpose of and need for the Proposed Action because there 
would be no furthering of research on climate change-related shoreline 
protection; however, as required by CEQ Regulations (40 CFR 1502.14), 
the No Action Alternative is carried forward for analysis in this draft 
EA. The No Action Alternative will be used to analyze the consequences 
of not undertaking the Proposed Action, not simply conclude no impact, 
and will serve to establish a comparative baseline for analysis.
    DARPA will publish a record of its final action in the Federal 
Register.

    Dated: April 30, 2024.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2024-09751 Filed 5-3-24; 8:45 am]
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