United states department of interior bureau of ocean energy management

04/27/2017

April 27, 2017
BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A NEGOTIATED NON-COMPETITIVE AGREEMENT FOR THE USE OF OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF SANDS FOR THE EAST TIMBALIER BARRIER ISLAND RESTORATION PROJECT (TE-118)
Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
Prepared For:



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT

On Behalf Of:



Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority

150 Terrace Avenue

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802

Prepared by:


Stantec Consulting Inc.

7742 Office Park Boulevard

Building C, Suite 2

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809

BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A NEGOTIATED NON-COMPETITIVE AGREEMENT FOR THE USE OF OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF SANDS FOR THE EAST TIMBALIER BARRIER ISLAND RESTORATION PROJECT

(TE-118)
Lafourche Parish, Louisiana

Prepared for

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT

On Behalf of

COASTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION AUTHORITY

Prepared by

Stantec Consulting, Inc.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

April 27, 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page

1.0 -INTRODUCTION 6

1.1Purpose and Need 7

2.0 -DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AND ACTION AREA 7

2.1Introduction 7

2.2Previous NEPA Documents 9

2.3Restoration Areas 9

2.3.1East Timbalier Island Restoration Area 9

2.3.2West Belle Headland Restoration Area and Feeder Beach 13

2.3.3West Belle Headland Renourishment Area 18

2.4Borrow Areas 20

2.5Sediment Pump-Out Areas and Conveyance Corridors 28

2.6General Construction Methods 36

3.0 -DESCRIPTION OF STATUS OF SPECIES 39

3.1Rufa Red Knot 40

3.1.1Description of the Species 40

3.1.2Species Habitat and Distribution 41

3.1.3Status and Cause of Decline 42

3.2Piping Plover 43

3.2.1Description of the Species 43

3.2.2Species Habitat and Distribution 44

3.2.3Status and Cause of Decline 45

3.3Atlantic Sturgeon (Gulf subspecies) 48

3.3.1Description of the Species 48

3.3.2Species Habitat and Distribution 49

3.3.3Status and Cause of Decline 49

3.4West Indian Manatee 50

3.4.1Description of the Species 50

3.4.2Species Habitat and Distribution 51

3.4.3Status and Population Trends 51

3.5Hawksbill Sea Turtle 52

3.5.1Description of the Species 52

3.5.2Species Habitat and Distribution 53

3.5.3Status and Cause of Decline 53

3.6Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle 53

3.6.1Description of the Species 53

3.6.2Species Habitat and Distribution 53

3.6.3Status and Cause of Decline 54

3.7Leatherback Sea Turtle 55

3.7.1Description of the Species 55

3.7.2Species Habitat and Distribution 55

3.7.3Status and Cause of Decline 55

3.8Green Sea Turtle 56

3.8.1Description of the Species 56

3.8.2Species Habitat and Distribution 56

3.8.3Status and Cause of Decline 58

3.9Loggerhead Turtle 58

3.9.1Description of the Species 58

3.9.2Species Habitat and Distribution 58

3.9.3Status and Cause of Decline 60

4.0 -ANTICIPATED EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED RESTORATION PROJECT 61

4.1Red Knot and Piping Plover 61

4.2Atlantic Sturgeon 61

4.3West Indian Manatee 62

4.4Sea Turtles 63

4.4.1Green Sea Turtle 63

4.4.2Hawksbill Sea Turtle 63

4.4.3Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle 63

4.4.4Leatherback Sea Turtle 63

4.4.5Loggerhead Sea Turtle 64

4.5Proposed Conservation Measures 64

4.5.1Red Knot and Piping Plover Monitoring 64

4.5.2Nesting Shorebird Abatement for Species Protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 65

4.5.3Sea Turtle Conservation Measures 65

5.0 -CONCLUSIONS 67

6.0 - LITERATURE CITED 68

List of Figures

List of Tables Page

Glossary of Terms

Term	Definition
BA	Biological Assessment
BO	Biological Opinion
BOEM	Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
BTNEP	Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program
CPRA	Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
CWPPRA	Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act
ESA	Endangered Species Act
GEFF	Geomorphic and Ecologic Form and Function
LCA	Louisiana Coastal Area
LDWF	Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
MCY	Million Cubic Yards
MMPA	Marine Mammal Protection Act
NAVD88	North American Vertical Datum of 1988
NFWF	National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
NMFS	National Marine Fisheries Service
NOAA	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
OCS	Outer Continental Shelf
SI	Silent Inspection
TBBSR	Terrebonne Basin Barrier Shoreline Restoration
USACE	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
USFWS	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service