[Federal Register: October 26, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 207)]
[Notices]
[Page 62607]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26oc06-59]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability, Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental
Assessment
AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), on behalf of the
Department of the Interior (DOI), as the natural resource trustee,
announces the release for public review of the Draft Natural Resource
Damages Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (RP/EA) for the
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum (JHNWR). The Draft RP/EA
presents a preferred alternative that compensates for impacts to
natural resources caused by: (1) The release of oil at the JHNWR; and
(2) the release of hazardous substances from the Publicker Industries
Inc. National Priorities List Superfund Site. Natural resource damages
received from the impacts from the release of oil and hazardous
substances are being combined and used for restoration activities at
the JHNWR.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before November 27,
2006.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the RP/EA are available for review during office
hours at: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, John Heinz National Wildlife
Refuge at Tinicum, 8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
19153, and online at http://heinz.fws.gov. Requests for copies of the
RP/EA may be made to the same address and to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Pennsylvania Field Office, 315 South Allen Street, Suite 322,
State College, Pennsylvania 16801.
Written comments or materials regarding the RP/EA should be sent to
the State College address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melinda Turner, Environmental
Contaminants Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania
Field Office, 315 South Allen Street, Suite 322, State College,
Pennsylvania 16801. Interested parties may also call 814-234-4090 or e-
mail Melinda_Turner@fws.gov for further information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In July 2005, the DOI, acting as natural
resource Trustee, reached a natural resource damages settlement in the
amount of $865,000 for natural resource injuries associated with the
discharge of oil that occurred on February 2, 2000, at the JHNWR. The
discharge of oil and the remedial activities injured Service trust
resources (migratory birds and Federal lands).
In addition, the DOI reached two settlement agreements between 1989
and 1996 for natural resource injuries associated with the Publicker
Industries Inc. Superfund Site, located approximately 7 miles upstream
from the JHNWR. Natural resource injuries associated with the Publicker
Site included injuries to Service trust resources (migratory birds and
anadromous fish) from the discharge of hazardous substances. Because of
the similar resource injuries associated with the sites, an opportunity
exists to combine the Sunoco settlement funds with those acquired from
the settlements from the nearby Publicker Superfund Site to create a
larger-scale restoration action. The combined funds available for
restoration activities from the oil release and Publicker settlements
total $1,523,845. Restoration projects proposed in the Draft RP/EA
include wetland restoration at the JHNWR.
The RP/EA is being released in accordance with the Oil Pollution
Act of 1990, (33 U.S.C. et seq.), the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 as amended, commonly
known as Superfund, (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.), the Natural Resource
Damage Assessment Regulations found at 43 CFR, part 11, and the
National Environmental Policy Act. It is intended to describe and
evaluate the Trustee's proposal to restore natural resources injured by
the release of oil at the JHNWR and release of hazardous substances
from the Publicker National Priorities List Superfund Site.
The RP/EA describes and compares a reasonable number of habitat
restoration alternatives. Restoration projects which provide similar
services as those impacted by the release of oil and hazardous
substances and coincide with the primary goals of the JHNWR are
preferred. Based on an evaluation of the various restoration
alternatives, the preferred alternative consists of removing filled
material to restore freshwater tidal wetland at the JHNWR. Restoration
of wetlands will compensate for injuries to natural resources,
including migratory birds, migratory bird habitat, anadromous fish, and
Federal lands.
Interested members of the public are invited to review and comment
on the RP/EA. Copies of the RP/EA are available for review at the John
Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, 8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19153, and online at http://heinz.fws.gov. Requests for
copies of the RP/EA may be made to the same address and to the
Service's Pennsylvania Field Office at 315 South Allen Street, Suite
322, State College, Pennsylvania 16801. Written comments will be
considered and addressed in the final RP/EA at the conclusion of the
restoration planning process.
Author: The primary author of this notice is Melinda Turner, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania Field Office, 315 South Allen
Street, Suite 322, State College, Pennsylvania 16801.
Authority: The authority for this action is the Oil Pollution
Act of 1990, (33 U.S.C. et seq.), the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 as amended,
commonly known as Superfund, (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.), and the
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Regulations found at 43 CFR part
11.
Dated: September 15, 2006.
Anthony D. Leger,
Acting Regional Director, Region 5, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
U.S. Department of the Interior, DOI Designated Authorized Official.
[FR Doc. E6-16878 Filed 10-25-06; 8:45 am]
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