The Council is currently developing a list of priority projects and programs for potential funding under the Council-Selected Restoration Component. This draft list is called the "Initial Funded Priorities List" or FPL. Prior to finalizing the draft FPL, the Council must comply with all applicable environmental laws and requirements.
On August 13, 2015, the Council published the draft FPL for public review. This draft FPL contains appendices for each proposed activity. Each appendix includes a discussion of compliance with applicable environmental laws for the given activity. Following is a link to the draft FPL and appendices (including information on how the public can provide comments to the Council):
Draft Initial Funded Priorities List
In some cases, the draft FPL appendices provide links to documents the Council proposes to use for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). For example, where the Council proposes to adopt a NEPA document (e.g., an Environmental Assessment) for a given FPL activity, the appendix for that activity will inform the reader of the proposed adoption and provide a link to the NEPA document. The Council also proposes to use NEPA “Categorical Exclusions” for some activities. Categorical Exclusions are for activities that do not have significant individual or cumulative impacts. In such cases, the appendix for the given activity will include a link to the Categorical Exclusion the Council proposes to use.
Following are links to the NEPA documents (including Environmental Assessments and Categorical Exclusions) the Council is proposing to use in this FPL. More detail on the adoption of NEPA documents and the use of Categorical Exclusions can be found in the Council’s NEPA Procedures.
NEPA Documents Proposed for Use in the Funded Priorities List:
FPL Activity: Plug Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells
Unique Identifier: DOI_RESTORE_003_049-051_Cat1
NEPA Categorical Exclusion: U.S. Department of Interior Categorical Exclusion
FPL Activity: Bahia Grande Coastal Corridor
Unique Identifier: TX_RESTORE_001_000_Cat1
NEPA Environmental Assessment: Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan
FPL Activity: Matagorda Bay System Priority Landscape Conservation
Unique Identifier: TX_RESTORE_002_000_Cat1
NEPA Environmental Assessment: Texas Mid-Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex Comprehensive Conservation Plan
FPL Activity: Jean Lafitte Canal Backfilling
Unique Identifier: DOI_RESTORE_003_048_Cat1
NEPA Environmental Assessment: Canal Reclamation at Barataria Preserve
FPL Activity: Deer Island Beneficial Use Site
Unique Identifier: USACE_RESTORE_004_000_Cat1
NEPA Environmental Assessment: Deer Island 2011
Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment: Deer Island 2015
FPL Activity: Strategic Land Protection, Conservation, and Enhancement of Priority Gulf Coast Landscapes in MS
Unique Identifier: MS_RESTORE_001_002_Cat1
NEPA Environmental Assessment (for Grand Bay component): Grand Bay Land Protection Plan Environmental Assessment
NEPA Categorical Exclusion (for Gulf Islands component): U.S. Department of Interior Categorical Exclusion
NEPA Categorical Exclusion (for De Soto component): U.S. Department of Agriculture Categorical Exclusion
FPL Activity: The Mississippi Sound Estuarine Program
Unique Identifier: MS_RESTORE_003_000_Cat1
NEPA Categorical Exclusion: U.S. Department of Interior Categorical Exclusion
FPL Activity: Alabama Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Restoration & Monitoring Program
Unique Identifier: AL_RESTORE_005_001-002_Cat1
NEPA Categorical Exclusions: U.S. Department of Interior Categorical Exclusions and Extraordinary Circumstances Review
FPL Activity: Apalachicola Watershed Agriculture Water Quality Improvement
Unique Identifier: FL_RESTORE_002_005_Cat1
NEPA Categorical Exclusions: U.S. Department of Agriculture Categorical Exclusions
FPL Activity: Suwannee River Partnership Irrigation Water Enhancement Program
Unique Identifier: FL_RESTORE_003_003_Cat1
NEPA Categorical Exclusions: U.S. Department of Agriculture Categorical Exclusions
FPL Activity: Beach Haven - Joint Stormwater & Wastewater Improvement Project - Phase II
Unique Identifier: FL_RESTORE_001_004_Cat1
NEPA Categorical Exclusion: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Categorical Exclusion
Council NEPA Procedures and Categorical Exclusions (applicable to planning and other FPL activities): NEPA Procedures
See NEPA Procedures Section 4(d).