19084 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 84 / Tuesday, April 30, 1996 / Notices

Sec. 11, S1⁄2, N1⁄2NE1⁄4, SE1⁄4NE1⁄4 and

NE1⁄4NW1⁄4;

Sec. 12;

Sec. 13, N1⁄2NW1⁄4, N1⁄2SW1⁄4NW1⁄4,

N1⁄2SE1⁄4NW1⁄4, NW1⁄4NE1⁄4, and

N1⁄2SW1⁄4NE1⁄4;

Sec. 14, N1⁄2NW1⁄4, N1⁄2SW1⁄4NW1⁄4,

N1⁄2SE1⁄4NW1⁄4, N1⁄2NE1⁄4,

N1⁄2SW1⁄4NE1⁄4 and N1⁄2SE1⁄4NE1⁄4;

Sec. 15, N1⁄2NW1⁄4, N1⁄2SW1⁄4NW1⁄4,

N1⁄2SE1⁄4NW1⁄4, N1⁄2NE1⁄4,

N1⁄2SW1⁄4NE1⁄4 and N1⁄2SE1⁄4NE1⁄4.

(No Drop Zone)

T. 12 S., R. 9 E.,

Sec. 20, S1⁄2SW1⁄4SW1⁄4SW1⁄4.

T. 9 S., R. 6 E.,

Sec. 21.

T 13 S., R. 4 E.,

Sec. 4, N1⁄2NE1⁄4NW1⁄4SW1⁄4.

(Emitters)

T. 8 S., R. 9 E.,

Sec. 34, SE1⁄4SE1⁄4NW1⁄4SE1⁄4.

T. 9 S., R. 6 E.,

Sec. 15, NW1⁄2NW1⁄4SW1⁄4SW1⁄4.

T. 11 S., R. 4 E.,

Sec. 23, NE1⁄4NE1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4.

T. 11 S., R. 5 E.,

Sec. 17, SE1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4NE1⁄4.

T. 12 S., R. 3 E.,

Sec. 26, NE1⁄4NE1⁄4NW1⁄4NE1⁄4.

T. 12 S., R. 10 E.,

Sec. 30, SW1⁄4SW1⁄4SW1⁄4SW1⁄4 within lot

4.

T. 13 S., R. 9 E.,

Sec. 10, NE1⁄4NE1⁄2NW1⁄4SE1⁄4.

The areas described aggregate

9,673.34 acres in Owyhee County.

Six (6) public meetings are scheduled

at the following dates, times, places, and

addresses:

1. June 4, 1996, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.,

Elk’s Lodge, 327 S. 3rd West, Mtn.

Home, Idaho

2. June 6, 1996, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Rim

Rock High School, Bruneau, Idaho

3. June 10, 1996, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.,

Boise State University, Jordan Ballroom,

1910 University Drive, Boise, Idaho

4. June 11, 1996, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.,

Boise State University, Jordan Ballroom,

1910 University Drive, Boise, Idaho

5. June 13, 1996, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.,

Three Creek School, Three Creek, Idaho

6. June 17, 1996, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.,

College of Southern Idaho, Fine Arts

Auditorium, 315 Falls Avenue, Twin

Falls, Idaho

These meetings are the first step in

soliciting public comments on the

proposed withdrawal. Information

gathered at these meetings will be used

in the development of an environmental

impact statement (EIS). Comments given

at these meetings should focus on the

merits of the proposal, the feasibility of

the identified alternatives, the

availability of other alternatives, issues

which should be addressed in the EIS,

any other comments the public wishes

the Air Force and BLM to consider, and

any questions concerning the

withdrawal proposal. Those who desire

to submit written statements, should file

them not later than June 3, 1996, to

BLM/USAF, P.O. Box 329, Boise, Idaho

83701–0329.

Dated: April 24, 1996.

J. David Brunner,

Deputy State Director for Resource Services.

[FR Doc. 96–10652 Filed 4–29–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–GG–M

Minerals Management Service

Outer Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico

Region, Proposed Louisiana Barrier

Shoreline Restoration Effort

AGENCIES: Minerals Management Service

(MMS), Department of the Interior;

National Marine Fisheries Service

(NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Department of Commerce; State of

Louisiana Department of Natural

Resources.

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to Prepare

an Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS) to Support Phase 1 of the

Louisiana Barrier Shoreline Feasibility

Study (Barataria-Terrebonne Basin

Barrier Island Restoration Effort).

PURPOSE OF THE NOI: The NOI announces

the decision to prepare an EIS and

initiate the scoping process. The

scoping process affords Federal, State,

local government agencies, and other

interested parties the opportunity to

identify significant issues and

alternatives to be analyzed in the EIS.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before June 14, 1996.

PROPOSED ACTION: The purpose to which

the Federal agencies are responding in

the barrier island project and the

proposed major Federal action to be

considered are as follows:

Purpose: The restoration, protection,

and enhancement of Louisiana coastal

wetlands, and for other purposes.

Proposed Action: Restoration of the

Louisiana Barrier Shoreline as Identified

in Phase 1 of the Louisiana Barrier

Shoreline Feasibility Study (Barataria

and Terrebonne Basins).

SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND ON THE

PROPOSED ACTION: Under the auspices of

the Coastal Wetlands Planning,

Protection, and Restoration Act

(CWPPRA), the feasibility and benefits

of restoring the barrier islands of coastal

Louisiana are currently being evaluated

with respect to their role in wetlands

protection and enhancement. A

feasibility study is underway to assess

and quantify wetland loss problems

linked to diminishing protection from

barrier islands along the Louisiana

coast, to identify solutions to these

problems, and to determine the barrier

configuration that will best protect

Louisiana’s coastal resources from

environmental degradation. The

feasibility study is being conducted in

three phases: Phase 1, currently

ongoing, encompasses the BaratariaTerrebonne island chain; Phase 2 will

focus on the Chenier Plain coast; Phase

3 will focus on the Chandeleur Islands.

Within the Phase 1 study area, the

State of Louisiana is proposing to

renourish Isles Dernieres and Timbalier

Islands using Federal offshore sand

deposits. In addition to renourishment,

other coastal restoration methods, such

as dune building, vegetation planting,

hard structures, and related actions may

be employed. On April 19, 1995, the

Governor of the State of Louisiana

contacted the MMS to request a

noncompetitive lease to use Federal

sand resources from Ship Shoal for

restoration of the Louisiana barrier

islands. The MMS has determined that

the use of Federal sand from Outer

Continental Shelf (OCS) areas such as

Ship Shoal for barrier island restoration

and subsequent wetlands protection

meets the negotiated agreement

requirements under Section 8(k)(2)(A)(i)

of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C.

1337(k)(2)(A)(i)).

The National Environmental Policy

Act (NEPA) process is initiated when

Federal agencies consider major actions

which may significantly affect the

environment. Because the

environmental consequences of barrier

island restoration are not fully

understood and the extraction of

Federal sand for the purposes of barrier

island and wetlands restoration is

considered a major Federal action, an

EIS will be prepared.

This specific EIS will support the

Phase 1 portion of the feasibility study.

Impacts associated with Phases 2 and 3

will be evaluated in subsequent NEPA

documents. The EIS will be used to

assist the CWPPRA Task Force in

making funding decisions regarding

Phase 1 restoration methods as well as

aid the MMS with respect to the request

for a noncompetitive lease to the State

of Louisiana for the use of Federal sand.

The EIS will consider all reasonable

restoration methods, the environmental

consequences resulting from such

methods, any alternatives to using

material from the Ship Shoal area, and

possible mitigation measures or

stipulations which could be applied on

the OCS or in the renourishment areas

to ensure that a balance between orderly

resource development and protection of
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 84 / Tuesday, April 30, 1996 / Notices 19085

the human, marine, and coastal

environments is maintained.

Alternatives not recommended in the

feasibility study, but identified by

various involved parties during the EIS

process, may also be included for

analysis. Various aspects related to the

EIS cannot be definitively determined

until a scoping meeting, required under

40 CFR 1501.7, is conducted in the State

of Louisiana.

Scoping Process: This notice

constitutes the beginning of the public

scoping process. Interested individuals,

organizations, and other agencies are

encouraged to provide written

comments within 45 calendar days of

this notice to the address below.

Respondents should mark their

submittal ‘‘Comments Regarding

Preparation of a Louisiana Barrier Island

Restoration EIS.’’ The MMS will review

all comments received for the purpose

of determining the scope of the EIS.

As of the writing of this notice, a

public scoping meeting was scheduled

to be held May 14, 1996, beginning at

7:00 P.M., at the Municipal Auditorium

in Houma, Louisiana. Written notice

providing final details on the location,

date, and times of this meeting will be

published in local and regional

newspapers, as appropriate. Persons

interested in attending the scoping

meeting may also call the number below

for exact details and final arrangements.

Comments and Questions: Please

direct written comments and written or

verbal questions on the proposed action

and EIS to Mr. Barry S. Drucker, Project

Coordinator, U. S. Department of the

Interior, Minerals Management Service,

381 Elden Street, Mail Stop 4030,

Herndon, Virginia, 22070. Phone: (703–

787–1300), Fax: (703–787–1284).

Dated: April 22, 1996.

Cynthia Quarterman,

Director, Minerals Management Service.

[FR Doc. 96–10595 Filed 4–29–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Policy

Committee of the Minerals

Management Advisory Board; Notice

and Agenda for Meeting

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service,

Interior.

SUMMARY: The OCS Policy Committee of

the Minerals Management Advisory

Board will meet at the McLean Hilton in

McLean, Virginia on May 21–22, 1996.

The agenda will cover the following

principal subjects:

—5-Year Proposed Program

—National Resource Assessment

—Marine Minerals Panel

—Can the Gulf of Mexico Remain the

Backbone of the U.S. Natural Gas

Deliverability?

—Advances in Technology on the OCS

—Alaska Regional Stakeholders Task

Force Report

—G&G Data Preservation and its

Application to Policy

The meeting is open to the public.

Upon request, interested parties may

make oral or written presentations to the

OCS Policy Committee. Such requests

should be made no later than May 10,

1996, to the Office of Advisory Board

Support, Minerals Management Service,

381 Elden Street, MS–4110, Herndon,

Virginia, 22070, Attention: Terry

Holman.

Requests to make oral statements

should be accompanied by a summary

of the statement to be made. For more

information, call Terry Holman at (703)

787–1211.

Minutes of the OCS Policy Committee

meeting will be available for public

inspection and copying at the Minerals

Management Service in Herndon,

Virginia.

DATES: Tuesday, May 21 and

Wednesday, May 22, 1996.

ADDRESSES: The McLean Hilton at

Tysons Corner, 7920 Jones Branch

Drive, McLean, Virginia 22102; (703)

847–5000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Terry Holman at the address and phone

number listed above.

Authority: Federal Advisory Committee

Act, P.L. No. 92–463, 5 U.S.C. Appendix 1,

and the Office of Management and Budget’s

Circular No. A–63, Revised.

Thomas Gernhofer,

Associate Director for Offshore Minerals

Management.

Dated: April 19, 1996.

[FR Doc. 96–10572 Filed 4–29–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–M

National Park Service

Niobrara National Scenic River

Advisory Commission

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: This notice sets the schedule

for the forthcoming meeting of the

Niobrara Advisory Commission. Notice

of this meeting is required under the

Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public

Law 92–463).

MEETING DATE AND TIME: Wednesday,

May 8, 1996; 1:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: American Legion Hall,

Bassett, Nebraska.

The meeting is open to the public.

Interested persons may make oral/

written presentation to the Commission

or file written statements. Requests for

time for making presentations may be

made to the Superintendent prior to the

meeting or to the Chairman at the

beginning of the meeting. In order to

accomplish the agenda for the meeting,

the Chairman may want to limit or

schedule public presentations.

The meeting will be recorded for

documentation and a summary in the

form of minutes will be transcribed for

dissemination. Minutes of the meeting

will be made available to the public

after approval by the Commission

members. Copies of the minutes may be

requested by contacting the

Superintendent. An audio tape of the

meeting will be available at the

headquarters office of the Niobrara/

Missouri National Scenic Riverways in

O’Neill, Nebraska.

Agenda Topics Include

1. Final review of the Niobrara

National Scenic River draft general

management plan and environmental

impact statement.

2. Review of written comments

submitted during the public review

period for the draft plan.

3. Discussion and preparation of

advisory commission comments to be

included with the plan when it is

submitted for final selection of the

management alternative.

4. The opportunity for public

comment and proposed agenda, date,

and time, of the next advisory group

meeting.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Advisory Commission was established

by the law that established the Niobrara

National Scenic River, Public Law 102–

50. The purpose of the group, according

to its charter, is to advise the Secretary

of the Interior on matters pertaining to

the development of a management plan

and management and operation of the

Scenic River. The Niobrara National

Scenic River includes the 40-mile

segment from Borman Bridge southeast

of Valentine, Nebraska to its confluence

with Chimney Creek; and the 30-mile

segment from the confluence with Rock

Creek downstream to State Highway

137.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Warren Hill, Superintendent, Niobrara/

Missouri National Scenic Riverways,

P.O. Box 591, O’Neill, Nebraska 68763–

0591 or telephone 402–336–3970.

Dated: April 6, 1996.

David N. Given,

Acting Field Director, Midwest Field Area.

[FR Doc. 96–10612 Filed 4–29–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–M