[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 88 (Monday, May 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37184-37185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09751]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment for
DARPA's Reefense Program, Baker Point, Florida
AGENCY: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Department
of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Notice; availability of a draft environmental assessment;
request for comments.
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SUMMARY: DARPA announces the availability of a Draft Environmental
Assessment (EA) for the Reefense Program at Baker Point, Florida. DARPA
is requesting comment on this draft EA.
DATES: The 30-day public comment period begins on May 6, 2024, and
extends to June 5, 2024. Comments must be submitted electronically via
the website no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on June 5,
2024.
ADDRESSES: DARPA invites all interested parties to submit comments on
the Draft EA through the project website https://hsrl.rutgers.edu/research/darpa-reefense.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Catherine Campbell, 703-526-2044
(Voice), [email protected] (Email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Publication of this notice begins the
official public comment period for this draft EA. Per the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the purpose of the draft EA is to
evaluate the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts caused
by the Reefense program at Baker Point, FL. All comments received will
become part of the public record and will be available for review.
Background
DARPA proposes to fund the development of bio-hybrid reef
structures to help attenuate wave energy and protect United States
(U.S.) DoD and coastal infrastructure through the Reefense Program (the
Proposed Action). The strategy of DARPA's Reefense program includes
employing recent innovations in materials science, hydrodynamic
modeling, and adaptive biology to develop growing structures that are
optimized to rapidly implement coastal defenses suited to a changing
environment. DARPA's Reefense program involves the construction of
custom wave-attenuating base structures to promote growth of reef-
building organisms (e.g., coral or oysters). The reef-building
organisms would enable the Reefense structures to naturally self-heal
and keep pace with sea level rise over time. Reefense structures would
also include components to attract non-reef building organisms
necessary to help maintain a healthy, growing reef. Finally, adaptive
biology would enable improved resilience against disease and
temperature stress for organisms present, to ensure compatibility with
a changing environment. As soon as the Reefense structures are
deployed, they would immediately attenuate coastal wave energy. As the
structures facilitate the growth of the reef-building organisms, they
would provide a biological benefit (e.g., habitat for
[[Page 37185]]
mobile reef species) in just a few months or years that would be
equivalent to decades of growth for a similarly-sized naturally-
occurring reef.
National Environmental Policy Act
This notice is provided pursuant to NEPA regulations at 40 CFR
1506.6 and the draft EA was prepared in accordance with NEPA
regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508.
Alternatives Considered
Preferred Alternative: DARPA's proposed action is the deployment of
Reefense structures at Baker Point, Florida. Deployment would occur
over two phases with multiple components being proposed for each
deployment. Components would consist of reef module breakwaters, mosaic
oyster habitat structures (varying in height with low, medium, and high
relief structures), and intertidal vegetation planting.
No Action Alternative: Under the No Action Alternative, the
Proposed Action would not occur. No deployment of Reefense structures
would occur within the proposed action area, and the Baker Point area
would be left undeveloped unless/until other in-water construction is
proposed as part of a future project. The No Action Alternative would
not meet the purpose of and need for the Proposed Action because there
would be no furthering of research on climate change-related shoreline
protection; however, as required by CEQ Regulations (40 CFR 1502.14),
the No Action Alternative is carried forward for analysis in this draft
EA. The No Action Alternative will be used to analyze the consequences
of not undertaking the Proposed Action, not simply conclude no impact,
and will serve to establish a comparative baseline for analysis.
DARPA will publish a record of its final action in the Federal
Register.
Dated: April 30, 2024.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2024-09751 Filed 5-3-24; 8:45 am]
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