[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 15 (Monday, January 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3915-3916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-1278]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Environmental Documents Prepared in Support of Sand and Gravel 
Activities on the Outer Continental Shelf

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Recent Environmental Assessments and 
Findings of No Significant Impact Prepared or Adopted by the MMS.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 
CFR parts 1500-1508), and the Department of the Interior regulations on 
NEPA (43 CFR part 46), the Minerals Management Service (MMS) announces 
the availability of Environmental Assessments (EA) and Findings of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI) prepared and/or adopted by the MMS for three 
sand and gravel activities proposed on the Outer Continental Shelf 
(OCS) and described in more detail below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James F. Bennett, Chief, Branch of 
Environmental Assessment, Minerals Management Service, 381 Elden 
Street, MS4042, Herndon, Virginia 20170; telephone (703) 787-1660; e-
mail <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#89c3e8e4ecfaa7cfa7cbece7e7ecfdfdc9e4e4faa7eee6ff"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="276d464a425409610965424949425353674a4a5409404851">[email protected]</span></a>.
    EA Availability: To obtain a copy of an EA and/or FONSI, you may 
contact the MMS or visit the MMS Web site at http://www.mms.gov/sandandgravel/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 103-426, enacted October 31, 
1994, gave the MMS the authority to convey on a noncompetitive basis, 
the rights to OCS sand, gravel, or shell resources for shore 
protection, beach or wetlands restoration projects, or use in 
construction projects funded in whole or part or authorized by the 
Federal government. The MMS prepares and/or adopts EAs that examine the 
potential environmental effects of the use of OCS sand and gravel 
resources, including the potential direct and indirect effects of 
dredging, transport, and placement of those resources. Each EA is used 
as a basis for determining whether or not issuing a particular 
negotiated agreement for the use of OCS sand and gravel resources 
constitutes a major Federal action that significantly affects the 
quality of the human environment and warrants the preparation of an 
environmental impact statement (EIS). A FONSI is prepared in those 
instances where the MMS finds that issuing a negotiated agreement will 
not result in significant effects on the quality of the human 
environment.
    The MMS may serve as a cooperating agency during the preparation of 
a NEPA document when another Federal agency is undertaking a connected 
action. The MMS independently reviews and may adopt the NEPA document 
after determining that it complies with relevant regulations and is 
applicable to and consistent with the MMS's proposed action.
    This notice constitutes the notice of availability to the public of 
the following environmental documents:

[[Page 3916]]



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           Project name                  Location         Project purpose         FONSI      Lead Federal agency
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raccoon Island Shore Protection/   Gulf of Mexico,      Marsh creation.....       5/20/2009  U.S. Department of
 Marsh Creation Project Phase B.    offshore                                                  Agriculture,
                                    Terrebonne Parish,                                        Natural Resources
                                    LA.                                                       Conservation
                                                                                              Service.
Brevard County (South Reach)       Atlantic Ocean,      Beach nourishment..       8/20/2009  U.S. Army Corps of
 Shore Protection Project.          offshore Cape                                             Engineers,
                                    Canaveral and                                             Jacksonville
                                    Brevard County, FL.                                       District.
Charleston Offshore Dredge         Atlantic Ocean,      Terminal expansion.      10/16/2009  MMS.
 Material Disposal Site Sand        offshore
 Borrow Project.                    Charleston, SC.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The MMS has concluded that the respective proposed actions will not 
significantly affect the quality of the human environment and the 
preparation of EISs is not required. Mitigation measures identified 
during the NEPA process will be applied for each proposal to ensure 
environmental protection and safety.

    Dated: November 30, 2009.
Chris C. Oynes,
Associate Director for Offshore Energy and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 2010-1278 Filed 1-22-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P


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