National Environmental Policy Act Final Environmental Impact Statement for the USCG Atlantic Protected Living Marine Resource Initiative

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

[CGD 95-066]

National Environmental Policy Act Final Environmental Impact

Statement for the USCG Atlantic Protected Living Marine Resource

Initiative

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of the Final

Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Atlantic Protected Living

Marine Resource Initiative (APLMR) that it is proposing for the

Atlantic Coast of the United States. The FEIS contains an overview of

the Coast Guard missions and describes how the proposed action aids the

Coast Guard in its ability to fulfill its missions and enhance

preservation of protected species. This FEIS was prepared concurrently

with an Endangered Species Act consultation with the National Marine

Fisheries Service.

DATES: The review period for this FEIS will end on 9 December 1996.

ADDRESSES: Commandant (G-O), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 2nd St

SW, Washington, DC 20593-0001, ATTN: CDR Rooth.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Commander R. Rooth at (202) 267-1456, or by fax at (202) 267-4427 or

(202) 267-4222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coast Guard encourages interested

persons to review the FEIS.

Background Information

On August 9, 1995, the Coast Guard published, in the Federal

Register (60 FR 40631), a notice of availability and request for

comments announcing the availability of an Environmental Assessment

(EA) and a proposed Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on Coast

Guard activities along the U.S. Atlantic coast. On October 11, 1995,

the Coast Guard published in the Federal Register (60 FR 52949), a

notice reopening and extending the comment period for the EA and FONSI.

The EA focused on the six whale and five turtle species listed as

threatened or endangered found along the Atlantic coast. The Coast

Guard received comments from Federal, State, and local agencies and the

public.

On April 2, 1996, the Coast Guard published, in the Federal

Register (61 FR 14590), a notice of intent to prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the impacts of a revised proposed

project under Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy

Act. The decision to prepare an EIS was the result of new information

concerning the October 1995 interaction between a Coast Guard vessel

and a suspected Humpback whale, as well as recent observations of

increased Northern Right Whale mortalities, and comments received in

response to the EA and FONSI.

The Coast Guard prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement

(DEIS) and on July 31, 1996, published, in the Federal Register (61 FR

40062), a notice of availability and request for comments. The comment

period ended September 16, 1996. All comments received on the DEIS were

considered and addressed in the FEIS.

Proposed Action

The FEIS contains an overview of the Coast Guard missions and

describes how the proposed action, the Atlantic Protected Living Marine

Resource Initiative, aids the Coast Guard in fulfilling its mission

while enhancing preservation of protected species. The proposed

initiative in this FEIS works to preserve all protected species in the

Atlantic.

Measures evaluated in the FEIS include:

1. Adding protected species information as part of the testing

criteria for the public applying for USCG licenses to operate vessels.

2. Training programs on marine mammal identification for USCG

vessel lookouts.

3. Distributing notices of species locations via marine radio

(operating on VHF-FM frequency) and the NAVTEX program.

4. Surveying critical habitat areas, noting presence and activities

of protected species.

5. Focusing on enforcement of existing laws.

6. Participating in regional whale recovery implementation groups.

7. Establishing or modifying vessel traffic routes.

8. Developing Coast Guard-wide and regional procedures to alert

mariners of seasonally heightened potentials for interaction with

protected species.

9. Including protected species awareness information in USCG basic

boating safety training provided to the public.

10. Notifying the National Marine Fisheries Service regional office

when a significant incident is brought to the attention of the Coast

Guard.

11. Participating in regional species stranding networks.

12. Surveying lighting options for Coast Guard stations in the

vicinity of turtle nesting beaches.

In its FEIS, the Coast Guard evaluates the latest data on the

habits and habitats of protected species and the location of Coast

Guard stations and vessels. The FEIS also examines navigational

capabilities of Coast Guard vessels, training of Coast Guard employees

regarding protected species, and possible modifications of vessel

traffic control and aircraft operations. The FEIS also analyzes

cumulative impacts of Coast Guard assets operating together and in

conjunction with other vessels. This FEIS will serve as the basis for

the Coast Guard's final Record of Decision (ROD) on the proposed APLMR

Initiative.

Dated: October 28, 1996.

T.J. Meyers,

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Office of Aids to Navigation.

[FR Doc. 96-27982 Filed 10-30-96; 8:45 am]

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