[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 138 (Monday, July 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 42791]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17739]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD983
Record of Decision for the Final NOAA Restoration Center
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of a Record of Decision.
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SUMMARY: The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces
the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final NOAA
Restoration Center Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. The
NMFS Office of Habitat Conservation Director signed the ROD on July 20,
2015, which constitutes the agency's final decision.
ADDRESSES: Frederick C. Sutter, Director, Office of Habitat
Conservation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1315
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Gange, by mail at NOAA
Restoration Center/FHC3, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910; or by telephone at 301-427-8664.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PEIS evaluated broad issues and
programmatic-level alternatives (compared to a document for a specific
project or action) for future restoration activities to be carried out
by NOAA. In addition to providing a programmatic analysis, NOAA intends
to use this document to approve future site-specific actions, including
grant actions, as long as the activity being proposed is within the
range of alternatives and scope of potential environmental consequences
described in the PEIS, and does not have significant adverse impacts.
Any future site-specific restoration activities proposed by NOAA that
are not within the scope of alternatives or environmental consequences
considered in the PEIS will require additional analysis under the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The ROD documents the decision by NOAA to select and implement the
``Current Management'' alternative as its preferred alternative. The
alternative represents a comprehensive programmatic restoration
approach that includes funding or conducting activities such as
providing technical assistance; on-the-ground riverine and coastal
habitat restoration activities (including but not limited to: Fish
passage projects; channel, bank, and floodplain restoration; buffer
area and watershed revegetation; salt marsh restoration; oyster
restoration; marine debris removal; submerged aquatic vegetation
planting; invasive species removal; and coral restoration); and habitat
conservation transactions. Because this is a continuation of NOAA
Restoration Center's (RC) on-going restoration programs with no change
in management direction, it was also considered to be the ``No Action''
alternative.
The NOAA RC is not soliciting comments on the PEIS but will
consider any comments submitted that would assist us in preparing
future NEPA documents. An electronic copy of the PEIS is available at:
http://www.restoration.noaa.gov/environmentalcompliance. Electronic
correspondence regarding it can be submitted to [email protected].
Otherwise, please submit any written comments via U.S. mail to the
responsible official named in the ADDRESSES section.
Dated: July 15, 2015.
Frederick C. Sutter,
Director, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-17739 Filed 7-17-15; 8:45 am]
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