The Trustees propose to use the settlement funds totaling $5.53M (plus accrued account interest) for roseate and common tern nesting habitat restoration, and shoreline and salt marsh restoration and shoreline erosion control on Ram Island in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts.
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.“
Draft Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for a Rule to Revise Commercial Management Measures for Atlantic Blacknose Sharks and Recreational Management Measures for Atlantic Sharks
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing several changes for commercial and recreational Atlantic shark fisheries. This action is necessary to be responsive to the new framework for implementing management measures established in Amendment 14 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan, findings from the Shark Fishery in Review document, and recent domestic laws and international agreements that are likely to have direct and indirect impacts on shark fisheries. Specifically, NMFS is considering options to: (1) remove the blacknose shark management boundary in the Atlantic region, (2) modify the commercial retention limit for blacknose sharks in the Atlantic region, (3) revise the recreational minimum size limits for Atlantic shark species, and (4) revise the recreational retention limits for Atlantic shark species. The goal of this action is to increase management flexibility to react to additional factors impacting Atlantic shark fisheries and optimize the ability for the commercial and recreational shark fisheries to harvest available quota to the extent practicable. This action is being taken pursuant to the rulemaking authority under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, section 304(g).
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Sufficiency analysis and FONSI for full approval of the Indiana coastal nonpoint pollution control program
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The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will modify required seabird interaction mitigation measures in the Hawaii longline fishery. The action will change regulations to require that federally permitted deep-set longline fishing vessels that set fishing gear from the stern use a tori line (bird scaring streamer) in place of the currently required blue-dyed, thawed bait and strategic offal discharge when fishing above 23˚ N latitude. This action is expected to improve the overall efficacy and operational practicality of the required seabird mitigation measures by reducing seabird bycatch and saving time and money for fishermen.
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Environmental Assessment to analyze impacts of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service proposed 4(d) determination under Limit 6 for 11 salmon hatchery programs in the Nooksack River Basin
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Lummi Nation, and the Nooksack Indian Tribe jointly submitted 11 hatchery and genetic management plans for salmon hatchery programs in Puget Sound, as resource management plans. These plans describe each hatchery program in detail, including fish life stages produced and potential measures to minimize risks of negative impacts that may affect listed fish. NMFS’s determination of whether the plans achieve the conservation standards of the ESA, as set forth in Limit 6 of 4(d) rules for listed salmon and steelhead, is the Federal action requiring National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance. The analysis within the environmental assessment (EA) informs NMFS, hatchery operators, and the public about the current and anticipated direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of operating the 11 salmon hatchery programs in the Nooksack River Basin under the full range of alternatives.
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Restoration Plan Amendment and Environmental Assessment for the Ciba-Geigy National Priorities List Site, McIntosh, Alabama
This RP amendment provides (1) an update on completed restoration activities, (2) a Consistency Evaluation regarding site-specific restoration projects proposed now for implementation that were only generally evaluated in the Final RP/PEA, and (3) an evaluation of a new proposed restoration action: feral swine management on state-owned lands (including those state-owned lands newly acquired as part of this case’s restoration).
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Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for the Metal Bank Superfund Site, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Trustees’ proposed action (preferred alternative) is the Kensington& Tacony Trail (K&T Trail) Living Shoreline and Tacony Boat Ramp Project. The project would transform an eroding shoreline and industrial bulkhead into a naturalized and living shoreline (1,100 linear feet) on a site approximately ¼ mile south of the Metal Bank site. The park project includes: repair and stabilization of the riverbank at the Tacony Boat Launch and a wharf that is directly south along the K&T Trail; integration of living shoreline techniques in the design of the shoreline restoration; creation of a freshwater tidal wetland; and protection of Spatterdock (Nuphar advena) stands found in the work area.
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Supplement to the Cosco Busan Oil Spill Final Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment
The Trustees are proposing to allocate the remaining unspent Cosco Busan Oil Spill settlement funds for Large Diving Ducks and Loons to extend implementation of the Eelgrass restoration in San Francisco Bay. The Trustees are also proposing two new projects to address injuries due to the spill to Brown Pelicans, Cormorants and Gull: the Alcatraz Island human disturbance reduction project and the Seabird habitat restoration on Southeast Farallon Island project are proposed now as replacements for the Berkeley Pier Enhancement project, which was selected as a preferred alternative in the Final DARP/EA, but has permitting delays.
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Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for Marine Resources for the M/V Selendang Ayu Oil Spill Unalaska, Alaska
The proposed action is the "Aleutian Watch Program & Communication Upgrades” that provide upgrades to existing infrastructure and establish new programs that are above and beyond what is currently in place, including: communication upgrades by increasing capabilities; administrative staffing to research, develop, and maintain a database of foreign innocent passage vessels that transit the area; and establishing the Aleutian Watch Program, a 24-hour dedicated watch of the region.
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Phase 2 Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for the Weyerhaeuser Co. (Domtar) Plymouth Mill Martin County, North Carolina
The proposed action includes: Additional Modifications to the Domtar Plymouth Mill Cooling Water Intake System; Lighting Modifications at the Plymouth Facility; Waterfront Park Improvements; Warren Neck Property; and Floodplain Reconnection, Wetland Protection, and Fish Passage Improvements. The Preferred Alternatives collectively aim to enhance habitat conditions for Roanoke River fish, conserve bottomland hardwood forest wetland habitats, and provide recreation opportunities, such as angling, for the public. Collectively, the Preferred Alternatives will restore, enhance, create, or replace the equivalent natural resources and associated services injured by releases from the Mill.
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On May 15, 2020, NOAA Fisheries issued two Biological Opinions (BiOps) for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS): one for the pelagic longline (PLL) fishery and one for the non-PLL fisheries. As a result of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing for oceanic whitetip sharks and the Central and Southwest Atlantic Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of scalloped hammerhead sharks, the BiOps strongly encouraged the inclusion of these federally protected species on the HMS list of prohibited shark species for recreational and/or commercial HMS fisheries. Under existing regulations, retention and possession of oceanic whitetip sharks and all hammerhead sharks are prohibited for commercial fishermen using PLL gear and recreational fishermen who have tunas, swordfish, and/or billfish on board. For oceanic whitetip sharks, this action would extend the prohibitions to all HMS permitted fishermen by adding oceanic whitetip sharks to the prohibited sharks species group using the criteria in 50 CFR § 635.34(c). Although only the scalloped hammerhead shark Central and Southwest Atlantic DPS is listed under the ESA, this action prohibits retention of great, smooth, and scalloped hammerhead sharks for all HMS permitted fishermen in the U.S. Caribbean region due to the likelihood of misidentification by fishermen. This action is being taken pursuant to the rulemaking authority under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, section 304(g).
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Framework Adjustment 66 to the Northeast Multspecies Fishery Management Plan
Framework Adjustment 66 sets catch limits for some of the groundfish stocks, and makes other minor changes to groundfish management measures.
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Framework 38 would set management measures for the scallop fishery for the 2024 fishing year and default measures for fishing year 2025, including the annual catch limits for the limited access and limited access general category fleets, as well as days-at-sea allocations and
sea scallop access area trip allocations. The measures proposed in Framework 38 would result in projected landings of 27.4 million lb, a 2.4 million-lb increase from the fishing year 2023 projected landings.
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The Comprehensive ABC Control Rule Amendment would modify the ABC control rules, allow phase-in of ABC changes, allow carry-over of unharvested portion of the annual catch limit (ACL), and modify framework procedures to implement carry-overs of ACLs when allowed for the three FMPs. The intent of the amendment is to provide additional flexibility within current statutory limits to address fishery management issues, incorporate scientific uncertainty and management risk in the ABC Control Rules, modify the approach used to determine the acceptable risk of overfishing, and prioritize the use of stock rebuilding plans for overfished stocks. The Comprehensive ABC Control Rule Amendment is in accordance with the 2016 revisions to the National Standard 1 guidelines and the 2020 NMFS guidance on carry-over and phase-in provisions. The Comprehensive ABC Control Rule Amendment and its proposed rule would not change the current ABC levels for all the species under the Snapper-Grouper, Dolphin and Wahoo, and Golden Crab FMPs. There are no potential significant impacts and no known problems with the project.
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Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for St. Regis River - Skén:nen Park East and West Park Projects and the Raquette River Public Access Project in Akwesasne
The St. Lawrence River Environment Trustees are proposing the St. Regis River - Skén:nen Park East and West Park Projects and the Raquette River Public Access Project (collectively, the Akwesasne Water Access Projects) as the preferred alternative to compensate the public for ecological and recreational fishing losses resulting from hazardous substance releases to the St. Lawrence River environment.
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Portland Harbor Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment for Lost Recreational Use
This RP/EA tiers from the 2017 Final Portland Harbor Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and Restoration Plan. The proposed federal action addressed in this Draft Recreation RP/EA is the implementation of a restoration alternative to compensate the public for recreational service losses resulting from the release of hazardous substances and discharges of oil to the Portland Harbor Assessment Area. The Trustee Council is proposing to select Alternative 2, Community-led Project Implementation through a Grant Program, as the Preferred Alternative
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Amendment 15 has two broad components: (1) Modification, data collection, and assessment of four commercial longline spatial management areas and (2) Modification of the administration and funding of the HMS pelagic longline electronic monitoring program. Significant impacts are not expected and there are no known issues or problems.
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Draft Environmental Assessment for a Proposed Endangered Species Act Section 4(d) Regulation for Tridacna crocea, T. maxima, T. noae, and T. squamosa
This Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluates the potential environmental effects that may result from promulgating a protective regulation under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for four species of giant clams, T. crocea, T. maxima, T. noae, and T. squamosa, which are proposed to be listed as threatened under section 4(e) of the ESA. The proposed section 4(d) regulation would apply to these four species the ESA section 9(a)(1)(A) prohibition of import into and export from the United States and its territories, but would limit the prohibition to derivative parts and products for which the species of origin cannot be visually determined. We do not anticipate any significant impacts from this action.