[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 149 (Friday, August 2, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63163-63164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17092]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD722]


Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Alabama 
Trustee Implementation Group Final Supplemental Restoration Plan II and 
Environmental Assessment: Marine Mammals, and Finding of No Significant 
Impact

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) natural resource trustees for the 
Alabama Trustee Implementation Group (TIG) have prepared the Final 
Supplemental Restoration Plan II and Environmental Assessment: Marine 
Mammals (RPII/EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact. The Final 
Supplemental RPII/EA evaluates the use of additional funds from the 
Marine Mammals Restoration Type to extend the implementation of one or 
more projects currently underway in the Alabama Restoration Area to 
continue the Alabama TIG's efforts to restore for injuries to marine 
mammals impacted by the DWH oil spill. The Final Supplemental RPII/EA 
evaluates two restoration alternatives including consideration of the 
criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) 
regulations, and an analysis under National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) implementing regulations. A No Action Alternative is also 
evaluated pursuant to the NEPA. In the Final Supplemental RPII/EA the 
Alabama TIG selects the preferred alternative for implementation. The 
total estimated cost to implement the Alabama TIG's Preferred 
Alternative--an extension of the Enhancing Capacity for the Alabama 
Marine Mammal Stranding Network Project--is $1,881,237. This action 
allocates the Alabama TIG's remaining Marine Mammals restoration funds.

ADDRESSES: You may view and download the Final Supplemental RPII/EA at 
https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration-areas/alabama.

[[Page 63164]]

You may also request a flash drive containing the Final Supplemental 
RPII/EA (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stella Wilson, NOAA Restoration 
Center, (850) 332-4169, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction

    On April 20, 2010, the mobile offshore drilling unit DWH, 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 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 U.S. District Court for the 
eastern district of Louisiana entered a consent decree resolving civil 
claims by the trustees against BP.
    The Alabama TIG, which is composed of the Alabama Department of 
Conservation and Natural Resources, NOAA, Environmental Protection 
Agency, U.S. Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection 
Agency, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, selects and implements 
restoration projects under the Alabama 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

    In September 2018, the Alabama TIG completed the ``Deepwater 
Horizon Oil Spill Alabama Trustee Implementation Group Final 
Restoration Plan II and Environmental Assessment: Restoration of 
Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats; Habitat Projects on 
Federally Managed Lands; Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint Source); Sea 
Turtles; Marine Mammals; Birds; and Oysters''. Twenty restoration 
projects were selected for implementation; one of which was Enhancing 
Capacity for the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network. That project 
has been successfully implemented utilizing Marine Mammal Restoration 
Type funds identified in the DWH consent decree.

Overview of the Final Supplemental RPII/EA

    In the Final Supplemental RPII/EA, the Alabama TIG analyzes a 
reasonable range of two project alternatives and, pursuant to the NEPA, 
a No Action Alternative. Those alternatives include:
     Enhancing Capacity for the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding 
Network project Extension (preferred); and
     Reducing Illegal Feeding of Bottlenose Dolphins project 
(non-preferred).
    Funding to implement either alternative ultimately selected by the 
Alabama TIG would come from the Marine Mammal Restoration Type 
allocation. The total estimated cost to implement the preferred 
alternative is $1,881,237 and would utilize the remaining allocation of 
Alabama TIG Marine Mammal Restoration Type funds.

Administrative Record

    The Administrative Record for the Final Supplemental RPII/EA can be 
viewed electronically at https://www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon/adminrecord under the folder 6.5.3.2.

Authority

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

    Dated: July 29, 2024.
Carrie Diane Robinson,
Director, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-17092 Filed 8-1-24; 8:45 am]
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