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23 December 2006
[Federal Register: December 21, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 245)]
[Notices]
[Page 76718-76722]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21de06-118]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[USCG-2005-22219]
Northeast Gateway Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port License
Application; Final Environmental Impact Statement Supplementary
Material
AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability; Request for Comments.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD)
announce the availability of material supplementing the Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Northeast Gateway
Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port License Application. The
supplementary material corrects omissions in the FEIS.
DATES: To allow sufficient time for public review and comment on this
supplemental material we are extending the public comment period until
December 26, 2006. All other scheduled dates remain unchanged. The
Federal and State Agency and Governor comment period also end December
26, 2006 and the MARAD Record of Decision is due by February 7, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about the
supplementary material, you may contact Roddy Bachman, U.S. Coast
Guard, at 202-372-1451 or Roddy.C.Bachman.uscg.mil. If you have
questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Ms.
Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-493-
0402.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 26, 2006, the Coast Guard and
MARAD notice of availability for the Northeast Gateway Liquefied
Natural Gas Deepwater Port License FEIS appeared in the Federal
Register (71 FR 62657). Subsequently, we discovered some omissions in
the FEIS. The FEIS did not include some data that became available late
in the process. These corrections appear in an errata sheet which,
along with the FEIS itself, are now available in the docket on the
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov under docket number USCG-2005-22219. You
may also view these materials in person at the Docket Management
Facility in room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
The corrections are to incorporate additional Whale Center of New
England data into the FEIS. The following corrections to the FEIS
apply:
Page 2-36, Marine Mammal Occurrence
Delete: ``The analysis compared distribution of marine mammal
sightings within the location alternatives using sighting data provided
by SBNMS for the period 1979 to 2002''.
Replace with: ``Data on the distribution of marine mammals was
obtained from the following two primary sources: Whale Center of New
England (Weinrich and Sardi, 2005) and North Atlantic Right Whale
Consortium (NARWC). The Whale Center of New England sightings data are
collected by observers on whale watch boats out of Gloucester, Salem,
Boston, and Provincetown, as well as one dedicated research vessel out
of Gloucester. The NARWC maintains sightings data collected by
government and private right whale researchers. Additional mammal
distribution information was also obtained from the NMFS stock
assessments (Waring et al., 2004) and review of online NMFS stock
assessment reports.''
Page 2-51
Replace ``North Atlantic Right Whale'' with ``Marine Mammals'' and
insert the following: According to the 2005 NMFS online Stock
Assessment Reports (SARs), humpback whales are also considered a
strategic stock for which the average annual fishery-related mortality
and serious injury exceeds the potential biological removal (PBR),
while minke whales are not. More recent scientific studies (Cole et al.
(2005)) indicate that Gulf of Maine humpback and minke whales are both
above the PBR. Should NMFS incorporate these findings into the next
SAR, the minke whale may be considered for reclassification as a
strategic stock. Construction scheduling should avoid peak periods when
these species are most abundant.
Page 2-54, Table 2-9. Replace: Table 2-9 with the following table
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P
[[Page 76719]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN21DE06.037
[[Page 76720]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN21DE06.038
Page 3-53
Insert the following footnote to Table 3-22: ``More recent
scientific studies (Cole et al. (2005)) indicate that the Gulf of Maine
minke whale stock is above the PBR. Should NMFS incorporate these
findings into the next SAR, the minke whale may be considered for
reclassification as a strategic stock.''
Page 3-54, First paragraph last sentence
Delete ``In general, use of the Gulf of Maine habitat areas by
cetaceans increases in the spring and summer, and decreases in the fall
and winter.''
Replace with ``Although seasonal whale distribution plots developed
from whale watching cruises seem to indicate a decline in mammal
numbers during the fall, this may reflect the fewer number of whale
watching cruises outside the peak summer season. Therefore, use of Gulf
of Maine habitat areas by cetaceans does not show as much of a decrease
in the fall as previously indicated in the FEIS.''
Page 3-66, Second paragraph, following last sentence
Insert ``More recent scientific studies (Cole et al. (2005))
indicate that Gulf of Maine minke whale is above the PBR. Should NMFS
incorporate these findings into the next SAR, the minke whale may be
considered for reclassification as a strategic stock.''
Page 3-76, Replace table 3-26 with the following table
[[Page 76721]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN21DE06.039
BILLING CODE 4910-81-C
Page 3-81, paragraph 3
Replace the two references to figure 3-13 in: ``(Figures 3-13
through 3-17)'', with: ``(Figures 3-14 through 3-17).''
Page 3-88, paragraph 4
Delete: ``Nevertheless, only about 10% of the current day North
Atlantic population of humpback whales regularly visits New England
waters (USEPA, 1993). According to the species stock assessment report,
the population estimate for the Gulf of Maine stock of humpback whales
is 902 individuals (Waring et al., 2004), and the best estimate for the
entire North Atlantic population is 10,600 (Smith et al., 1999).''
Replace with: ``According to the species stock assessment report,
the population estimate for the Gulf of Maine stock of humpback whales
is 902 individuals (Waring et al., 2004). The appropriate management
unit for consideration is the Gulf of Maine stock, as re-population
from the larger North Atlantic population is not likely.''
Page 3-89, first full sentence
Delete ``but a dramatic increase in the use of Stellwagen Bank by
adult humpback whales has occurred during the September 1-November 5,
2000-2004 period, apparently due to the increased feeding on previously
unexploited prey sources (Weinrich and Sardi, 2005).''
Replace with: ``but a dramatic increase in the use of Stellwagen
Basin, in the area of the proposed Project site by primarily juvenile
humpback whales has occurred during the September 1-November 5, 2000-
2004 period, apparently due to the increased feeding on previously
unexploited planktivorous prey sources (Weinrich and Sardi, 2005).''
Page 3-94, last full paragraph, following last sentence
Insert: ``In its 2005 Stock Assessment Report (SAR) NMFS has
classified the humpback whale as a strategic stock. Recent scientific
studies (Cole et al. (2005)) continue to indicate that the Gulf of
Maine humpback whale stock is above the PBR.''
Page 3-101, last paragraph
Delete reference to Weinrich and Sardi, 2005 in sentence:
``According to the sighting data, only one sei whale has been seen in
the Project area, and that whale was feeding (Figure 3-28) (Kenney,
2001; Short and Schaub, 2005; Short et al., 2004; Weinrich and Sardi,
2005; McLeod et al., 2003 and 2000; Kenney, 2001; McLeod, 2002, 2001,
and 1999).''
Page 3-127, 6th full paragraph
Delete second sentence ``Few of these operators are devoted
exclusively to whale watching, and many also provide fishing,
sightseeing, and transportation services.''
Page 3-153, last paragraph
Delete: ``This proposal must be formally evaluated prior to
approval.''
Replace with: ``The proposed shift in the TSS was presented to the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) in summer 2006 for official
review and decision.''
Page 3-158, end of first paragraph
Insert: (NEG, 2005).
Page 4-40, Table 4-10
Under the ``Equivalent Yield'' column, replace ``1,165'' (lobster)
with ``3'', and change the total from 2,330 to 1,168.
Page 4-58, third full paragraph
Delete ``there has been little or no direct evidence to link a
spill event to any cetacean mortality discovered either during or
following a spill (Geraci and Aubin, 1990).''
Replace with: ``studies conducted after the large Exxon Valdez oil
spill indicated adverse impacts to local killer whale pods, with at
least two immediate mortalities likely from the spill (Matkin
[[Page 76722]]
and Saulitie, 1997). Although killer whales feed at the top of the food
chain, and most of the species in the NEG project area feed on
plankton, near the bottom of the food chain, there is the potential for
adverse impacts on whales at the project site from oil spills. Impacts
are still considered to be minor; however, due to the low probability
of a spill.''
Page 4-58, third full paragraph
Delete: Despite direct contact of these marine mammals with the oil
spills, no apparent adverse effects were recorded.''
Replace with: ``Despite direct contact of these marine mammals with
the oil spills, no apparent adverse effects were recorded at the time
of the fly-over, nor was there evidence of behavior modification as a
result of the spill. Follow-up flights or studies were not conducted,
however, to determine if there were any longer-term effects.''
Page 4-63, first paragraph, 4th sentence
Insert: (NEG, 2005) at the end of the sentence.
Pages 4-65 and 4-76 Fuel Spill
Delete: ``Cetaceans that might come into contact with a small fuel
spill at the Project site would not be likely to show adverse effects,
as past observations have shown no apparent adverse effects or
behavioral changes caused by contact with fuel spills.''
Replace with: ``Limited study (see FEIS, p. 4-58, third full
paragraph), indicates that cetaceans that may come into contact with a
small fuel spill at the Project site would not be likely to show
adverse effects.''
Page 4-65 and 4-76 Bioaccumulation 2nd paragraph
Delete: ``The only possible route of uptake of contaminants by
marine mammals is through food consumption, as contaminants are not
absorbed through the skin of marine mammals, and they do not drink
large quantities of seawater.''
Replace with: ``The most likely route of uptake of contaminants by
marine mammals is through food consumption, as contaminants are not
absorbed through the skin of marine mammals. While whales do not
intentionally drink large quantities of seawater, a large quantity of
water is processed in filter-feeding and could present another
potential route for contaminate absorption.''
Page 4-77 Construction Schedule Alternatives
Delete: ``Allowing construction from May through November would be
most protective of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale
and fin and humpback whales, but would be less protective of sei
whales, blue whales, sea turtles and some fish species.''
Replace with: ``Allowing construction from May through November
would be most protective of the North Atlantic right whale, but would
be less protective of fin whales, humpback whales, sea turtles and some
fish species.''
By order of the Maritime Administrator.
Dated: December 18, 2006.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-21885 Filed 12-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P