[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 121 (Monday, June 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52498-52500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13390]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[FWS-R4-ES-2024-N028; FVHC98220410150-XXX-FF04H00000]


Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Alabama 
Trustee Implementation Group Draft Restoration Plan IV and 
Environmental Assessment: Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats; 
Nutrient Reduction; Birds; Oysters; and Provide and Enhance 
Recreational Opportunities

AGENCY: Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.

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[[Page 52499]]

SUMMARY: The natural resource trustee agencies for the Alabama Trustee 
Implementation Group (Alabama TIG) have prepared the ``Draft 
Restoration Plan IV and Environmental Assessment: Wetlands, Coastal, 
and Nearshore Habitats; Nutrient Reduction; Birds, Oysters; and Provide 
and Enhance Recreational Opportunities'' (Draft RP/EA). The Draft RP/EA 
proposes projects to partially restore resources injured in the 
Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. The Draft RP/EA evaluates a 
reasonable range of 11project alternatives under the Oil Pollution Act 
(OPA), including criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource damage 
assessment (NRDA) regulations, and the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) and its implementing regulations. A No Action alternative is 
also analyzed for each restoration type. The total cost to implement 
the Alabama TIG's seven preferred alternatives is approximately 
$23,000,000. The Alabama TIG invites comments on the Draft RP/EA.

DATES: 
    Submitting Comments: The Alabama TIG will consider public comments 
on the Draft RP/EA received on or before July 24, 2024.
    Public Webinar: The Alabama TIG will host a public webinar on July 
10th, 2024, 12 p.m. CDT. The webinar will include an overview 
presentation of the Draft RP/EA and a session for general questions 
regarding the plan. The public will also be able to provide formal 
comments during the webinar. The public may find information about, and 
register for, the webinar at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/alabama. After registering for a webinar, 
participants will receive a confirmation email with instructions for 
joining the webinar. Instructions for commenting will be provided 
during the webinar. Presentation material and factsheets about the 
projects can be found on the web at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/alabama.

ADDRESSES: 
    Obtaining Documents: You may download the Draft RP/EA at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/alabama. 
Alternatively, you may request a USB flash drive containing the Draft 
RP/EA (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments on the Draft RP/EA by 
one of the following methods:
     Internet: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ALTIGRPIV. Follow 
the online instructions for submitting comments.
     U.S. Mail: US 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 deadline given in DATES.
     During the public webinar: Verbal comments may be provided 
by the public during the webinar.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nanciann Regalado, at 
[email protected] or 1-678-296-6805. Individuals in the United 
States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech 
disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United 
States should use the relay services offered within their country to 
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

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. (BP), 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 Oil Pollution Act 1990 (OPA; 33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.), 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 (Final PDARP/PEIS), 
and subsequent record of decision (ROD), which sets forth the 
governance structure and process for DWH restoration planning under the 
OPA's natural resource damage assessment (NRDA). 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 Alabama TIG is composed of the Alabama Department of 
Conservation and Natural Resources, the Geological Survey of Alabama, 
the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of the 
Interior, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama TIG 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 April 19, 2024, the Alabama TIG announced on its website that it 
had reviewed projects analyzed in previous restoration plans; 
identified projects that could provide restoration benefits to the 
Alabama restoration area if selected, continued, or expanded upon; and 
had initiated drafting its fourth restoration plan and environmental 
assessment. The Draft RP/EA includes a reasonable range of 11 
restoration alternatives (projects) for the five restoration types 
indicated in the plan's title.

Overview of the Alabama TIG's Draft RP/EA

    The Draft RP/EA is being released in accordance with OPA NRDA 
regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 15 CFR 
part 990, the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.) and its implementing regulations found at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508, 
the Final PDARP/PEIS, and the Consent Decree. The Draft RP/EA provides 
OPA NRDA and NEPA analyses for a reasonable range of 11 alternatives 
listed below under the restoration types from which funds would be 
allocated if selected. One project, Lower Perdido Islands Habitat 
Restoration--Phase II, would be funded through two restoration type 
allocations: the Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitat restoration 
type and the Birds restoration type. Two projects, the Lower Perdido 
Islands Habitat Restoration--Phase II project and the Walker Island 
Expansion project, were considered under both the Wetlands, Coastal, 
and Nearshore Habitat restoration type and the Birds restoration type 
and are shown under both restoration types below. The seven preferred 
alternatives are denoted with an asterisk (*).
    Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats Restoration Type:

 Lower Perdido Islands Habitat Restoration Phase II *
 Walker Island Expansion
    Nutrient Reduction Restoration Type:

 Puppy Creek--Juniper Creek--Big Creek Nutrient Reduction *
 Bayou la Batre Nutrient Reduction
    Birds Restoration Type:

 Stewardship of Coastal Alabama Beach Nesting Bird Habitat *
 Lower Perdido Islands Habitat Restoration--Phase II *
 Walker Island Expansion

    Oysters Restoration Type:


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 Improving Resilience for Oysters by Linking Brood Reefs and 
Sink Reefs (Large-scale)--Component 4--Mid-lower Mobile Bay, AL *
 Oyster Grow-Out and Restoration Reef Replacement--5-year 
continuation *
 Oyster Grow-Out and Restoration Reef Replacement--3-year 
continuation

    Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities Restoration Type:

 Bayfront Park Restoration and Improvement Phases Ia and Ib *
 Laguna Cove Little Lagoon Natural Resource Protection--Large 
Scale Amenities
 Laguna Cove Little Lagoon Natural Resource Protection--Small 
Scale Amenities *

Next Steps

    As described above in DATES, the Alabama TIG will host a public 
webinar on July 10th, 2024, 12 p.m. CDT. to facilitate the public 
review and comment process. After the public comment period ends, the 
Alabama TIG will consider and address the comments received before 
issuing a final RP/EA.

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 Draft 
RP/EA can be viewed electronically at https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord under folder 6.5.3.2.4.

Authority

    The authority for 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,
Department of the Interior, Director of Gulf of Mexico Restoration.
[FR Doc. 2024-13390 Filed 6-21-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-10-P