[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1717-1718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-311]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R3-ES-2011-N258; FXHC113003000005B-123-FF03E00000]
Notice of Availability; Draft Springfield Plateau Regional
Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of the Interior (DOI), acting
through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the State of
Missouri, acting through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources,
have written a Draft Springfield Plateau Regional Restoration Plan and
Environmental Assessment (Plan), which describes proposed alternatives
for restoring injured natural resources in the Springfield Plateau
ecoregion, and an environmental assessment, as required pursuant to the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of this notice is
to inform the public of the availability of the Draft Plan and to seek
written comments. This notice is provided pursuant to Natural Resource
Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) regulations and NEPA
regulations.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments on or
before February 27, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Send comments via U. S. mail to: John Weber, Restoration
Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 101 Park DeVille Dr.,
Suite A, Columbia, MO 65203; or Frances Klahr, Natural Resource Damages
Coordinator, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 176,
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176; or by electronic mail (email) to John_S_Weber@fws.gov, or frances.klahr@dnr.mo.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Case Management and Logistical Information: Dave Mosby, (573) 234-
2132 (x113).
Technical Information: John Weber, (573) 234-2132 (x177).
Missouri Natural Resource Damages Coordinator: Frances Klahr, (573)
522-1347.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Department of the Interior
(represented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and the State of
Missouri (represented by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources)
(Trustees) are trustees for natural resources considered in this
restoration plan, pursuant to subpart G of the National Oil and
Hazardous
[[Page 1718]]
Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (40 CFR 300.600 and 300.610) and
Executive Order 12580. The Memorandum of Understanding Between the
Missouri Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Department of the
Interior establishes a Trustee Council charged with developing and
implementing a restoration plan for ecological restoration in the
Springfield Plateau of southwest Missouri.
The Trustees followed the NRDAR regulations found at 43 CFR part 11
for the development of the Plan. The draft Springfield Plateau Regional
Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment will be finalized prior
to implementation, after all public comments received during the public
comment period are considered. Any significant additions or
modifications to the Plan as restoration actions proceed will be made
available for public review before any additions or modification are
undertaken.
The objective of the NRDAR process in the Springfield Plateau is to
compensate the public, through environmental restoration, for losses to
natural resources that have been injured by releases of hazardous
substances into the environment. The Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, more commonly known
as the Federal ``Superfund'' law; 42 U.S.C. 9601, et seq.), and the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water
Act (CWA); 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) authorize States, federally
recognized tribes, and certain Federal agencies that have authority for
natural resources ``belonging to, managed by, controlled by or
appertaining to the United States'' to act as ``trustees'' on behalf of
the public, to restore, rehabilitate, replace, and/or acquire natural
resources equivalent to those injured by releases of hazardous
substances.
The Trustees worked together, in a cooperative process, to identify
appropriate restoration activities to address natural resource injuries
caused by releases of hazardous substances into the Springfield Plateau
environment. The results of this administrative process are contained
in the planning and decision document being published for public review
under CERCLA. Natural resource damages received, either through
negotiated settlements or adjudicated awards, must be used to restore,
rehabilitate, replace, and/or acquire the equivalent of those injured
natural resources. The Plan addresses the Trustees' overall approach to
restore, rehabilitate, replace, and/or acquire the equivalent of
natural resources injured by the release of hazardous substances into
the Springfield Plateau environment.
Public Involvement
Interested members of the public are invited to review and comment
on the Plan. Copies of the Plan can be requested from the address
listed below or can viewed online at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/nrda/motristate/or http://www.dnr.mo.gov/env/hwp/sfund/nrda.htm. You may
also submit requests for copies of the Plan by sending electronic mail
(email) to: John_S_Weber@fws.gov, or frances.klahr@dnr.mo.gov.
Persons without access to the Internet may obtain copies of the Plan by
contacting John Weber, Restoration Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 101 Park DeVille Dr., Suite A, Columbia, MO 65203.
Copies will also be available for on-site review at the following
locations:
Joplin Public Library: 300 S. Main Street, Joplin, MO;
Neosho Public Library: 201 W. Spring Street, Neosho, MO;
Springfield Public Library: 4653 S. Campbell Ave,
Springfield, MO;
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: 101 Park DeVille Dr. Suite
A, Columbia, MO; and Missouri Department of Natural Resources: 1730 E.
Elm St., Jefferson City, MO.
Availability of Comments
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide copies of all
comments to the other Trustees. All comments received from individuals
become part of the official public record. Requests for such comments
will be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act and
the Council on Environmental Quality's NEPA regulations (40 CFR
1506.6(f)), as well as the State of Missouri's Sunshine Law (Chapter
610, RSMo.). Before including your address, phone number, email
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you
should be aware that the entire comment, including your personal
identifying information, may be available at any time. While individual
respondents may request that the Fish and Wildlife Service and State of
Missouri withhold their personal identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee we will be able to do so.
Authority
This notice is provided pursuant to Natural Resource Damage
Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) regulations (43 CFR 11.81(d)(4)) and
NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: December 20, 2011.
Charlie Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, Midwest Region, Bloomington, MN.
[FR Doc. 2012-311 Filed 1-10-12; 8:45 am]
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