Initiation of Review of the Management Plan/Regulations of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary; Intent To Prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Management Plan; Scoping Meetings, 52757-52758 [06-7481]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 173 (Thursday, September 7, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 52757-52758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7481]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

15 CFR Part 922


Initiation of Review of the Management Plan/Regulations of the 
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary; Intent To Prepare Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement and Management Plan; Scoping Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP), National Ocean 
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Initiation of review of management plan/regulations; intent to 
prepare environmental impact statement; scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS or 
Sanctuary) was designated in January 1992, and consists of three 
separate areas in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico, known as East Flower 
Garden, West Flower Garden and Stetson Banks. The present management 
plan for the Sanctuary was completed at the time of designation. In 
accordance with Section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, 
as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), the National Marine 
Sanctuary Program (NMSP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) is initiating a review of the management plan, to 
evaluate substantive progress toward implementing the goals for the 
Sanctuary, and to make revisions to the plan and regulations as 
necessary to fulfill the purposes and policies of the NMSA.
    The proposed revised management plan will likely involve changes to 
existing policies and regulations of the Sanctuary, to address 
contemporary issues and challenges, and to better protect and manage 
the Sanctuary's resources and qualities. The review process is composed 
of four major stages: Information collection and characterization; 
preparation and release of a draft management plan/environmental impact 
statement, and any proposed amendments to the regulations; public 
review and comment; and preparation and release of a final management 
plan/environmental impact statement, and any final amendments to the 
regulations. NOAA anticipates completion of the revised management plan 
and concomitant documents will require approximately eighteen to 
twenty-four months.
    NOAA will conduct public scoping meetings to gather information and 
other comments from individuals, organizations, and government agencies 
on the scope, types and significance of issues related to the 
Sanctuary's management plan and regulations. The scoping meetings are 
scheduled for October 17, 19, and 24, 2006, as detailed below.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before November 10, 
2006.
    Scoping meetings will be held at:
    (1) October 17, 7-10 p.m., Webster, TX (Houston/Galveston area).
    (2) October 19, 7-10 p.m., Corpus Christi, TX.
    (3) October 24, 7-10 p.m., New Orleans, LA.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to the Flower Garden Banks 
National Marine Sanctuary (Management Plan Review), 4700 Avenue U, 
Building 216, Galveston, Texas 77551. Comments will be available for 
public review at the same address.

[[Page 52758]]

    Scoping meetings will be held at:
    (1) Webster Civic Center, 311 Pennsylvania Street, Webster, TX 
77598.
    (2) Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M 
University--Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412.
    (3) Audubon Zoo--Dominion Learning Center, 6500 Magazine Street, 
New Orleans, LA 70118.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Morgan, 409-621-5151 Ext. 
103, fgbmanagementplan@noaa.gov.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. Section 1431 et seq.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary 
Program)

    Dated: August 28, 2006.
Daniel J. Basta,
Director, National Marine Sanctuary Program.
[FR Doc. 06-7481 Filed 9-6-06; 8:45am]
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