NOAA NEPA Document Database (beta)
This beta version of the NOAA NEPA Document Database catalogs environmental assessments (EAs) and environmental impact statements (EISs) that NOAA is currently developing. The Database also includes some of the EAs or EISs NOAA has completed in the past, although information may be limited and contain errors. The Database does not track proposed actions that rely on categorical exclusions. The Database also does not capture information on proposed actions for which another Federal agency is the lead agency for NEPA or when NOAA adopts another Federal agency’s EA or EIS. Please send any questions or corrections to noaa.nepa@noaa.gov with the Subject line: “NOAA NEPA Document Database comment.“
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This restoration plan covers engineering and design activities for six projects, which will restore:
wetlands, coastal and nearshore habitats in Barataria, Terrebonne, and Pontchartrain basins;habitat projects on federally managed lands in Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve; andbirds.The total estimated cost for the engineering and design activities for these projects is $22.3 million. Once the engineering and design phase is complete, we will consider these projects for construction.
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Douglas County Public Utility District, Grant PUD, Chelan PUD, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service propose to continue the operation of two hatchery programs on the Methow River. The plans describe hatchery operations intended to rear and release spring Chinook salmon (ESA-listed) in the Methow River Subbasin of Washington State. The effects to ESA-listed species are not likely to be significant.
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The proposed action involves the Trustees purchasing NRDA restoration credits using settlement funds from the Lower Duwamish River case, for a restoration banking project, as partial compensation for past injuries to natural resources.
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Okanagan EA (Natasha Meyers-Cherry/ Elif Fehm-Sullivan)
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8/4/2021
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NMFS proposes to specify multi-year annual catch limits (ACL) for spiny lobster and coral reef ecosystem fisheries in federal waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), and for non-Deep 7 bottomfish fisheries in federal waters of the EEZ around the MHI. For each fishery, NMFS also proposes an accountability measure (AM) to correct or mitigate any overages of an ACL. Unless modified by NMFS, the ACLs and AMs would be specified for fishing years 2015 through 2018 (January 1 – December 31 each year). The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended the ACLs and AMs and developed its recommendations in accordance with the ACL process approved by NMFS, and in consideration of the best available scientific, commercial, and other information. The proposed action is needed in to comply with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and provisions of the fishery ecosystem plans (FEP) for American Samoa, the Mariana Archipelago, and Hawaii which require NMFS specify ACL and AMs for all stocks of fish harvested in these fisheries.
Fishery catch data are available to NMFS after six months past the end of the fishing year. Therefore, in-season monitoring of catch, and in-season AMs applied in federal waters to prevent an ACL from being exceeded (e.g. fishery closures in the EEZ) are not possible in any island area; only post-season AMs are possible. Specifically, after the end of any fishing year, if NMFS and the Council determine that the average annual catch from the most recent three year period exceeds a specified ACL, NMFS proposes to reduce that ACL in the subsequent fishing years by the amount of the overage. Prior to implementing a reduced ACL, NMFS would conduct additional environmental analyses, if necessary, and the public would have the opportunity to provide input and comment on the ACL specification at that time. If an ACL is exceeded more than once in a four-year period, the Council is required to re-evaluate the ACL process, and adjust the system, as necessary, to improve its performance and effectiveness.
NMFS prepared three separate environmental assessments (EA) to evaluate the potential environmental impact of the proposed ACL and AM specifications. The preliminary analyses indicates that even without in-season AMs to prevent an ACL from being exceeded, the proposed action would not change the conduct of any fishery, or result in large beneficial or adverse effects on target, non-target, or bycatch species, protected species or marine habitats. This is because the proposed action would not limit or constrain catch or fishing for spiny lobsters, coral reef ecosystem resources or MHI non-Deep 7 bottomfish in any way. All fisheries will continue to be monitored annually. Estimated catches of spiny lobsters, coral reef ecosystem resources and MHI non-Deep 7 bottomfish are expected to remain below the proposed ACLs and be sustainable.
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NMFS proposes to specify annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) for bottomfish management unit species (BMUS) in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zones around American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) for the 2016 and 2017 fishing years. The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended BMUS ACLs of 106,000 lb for American Samoa, 66,000 lb for Guam, and 228,000 lb for CNMI. The proposed action supports the long-term sustainability of fishery resources in the U.S. Pacific Islands. Although NMFS does not expect the proposed specifications to have potential significant impacts on protected species, we consider information about potential effects in the EA.
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NMFS proposes to specify annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) for crustacean and precious coral fisheries in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone around American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and Hawaii for fishing years 2016, 2017, and 2018. The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended the ACLs and AMs, which are the same as in previous years. The proposed action would support the long-term sustainability of fishery resources in the U.S. Pacific Islands. NMFS is preparing a draft EA. We do not expect the proposed action to have significant environmental effects. No effects on protected resources not already authorized for the fisheries.
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Salmon 2017 Harvest Specs (Peggy Mundy/ Elif Fehm-Sullivan)
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Black Sea Bass 2017 and Projected 2018 Specificaitons to the Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass FMP
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Title: Environmental Assessment/ Regulatory Impact Review for Amendment 114 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area and Amendment 104 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, and Regulatory Amendments: Analysis to Integrate Electronic Monitoring into the North Pacific Observer Program -- Summary: This document analyzes a proposed management change to establish electronic monitoring (EM) as a part of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council)’s fisheries research plan for the fixed gear groundfish and halibut fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. The Council’s fisheries research plan is implemented by the North Pacific Observer Program at the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center, and its purpose is to collect data necessary for the conservation, management, and scientific understanding of the groundfish and halibut fisheries off Alaska. This document analyzes alternatives that would allow an EM system, which consists of a control center to manage the data collection, connected to an array of peripheral components including digital cameras, gear sensors, and a global positioning system receiver, onboard vessels to monitor the harvest and discard of fish and other incidental catch at sea, as a supplement to existing observer coverage.
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This RP/EA describes the DWH NRDA restoration planning process, identifies a reasonable range of restoration alternatives to address a portion of the injuries to resources and habitats caused by the DWH oil spill, and proposes from those alternatives a suite of preferred restoration alternatives proposed by the MS TIG. This RP/EA focuses on the restoration of injuries to natural resources and services in the Mississippi Restoration Area, using funds made available in the DWH Consent Decree. This RP/EA focuses on restoration of the following resource types: focus on the following restoration types:
(1) Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore Habitats;
(2) Nutrient Reduction (nonpoint source); and
(3) Birds.
The MS Trustee Implementation Group anticipates the completion of its Final RP/EA and decision document in early spring 2017.