Notice of the Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment, 22180 [E8-8138]

Download as PDF 22180 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 80 / Thursday, April 24, 2008 / Notices Alan T. Waterman Award (20 hours per 50 respondents); 180 hours for the Vannevar Bush Award (15 hours per 12 respondents); and 300 hours for the Public Service Award (15 hours per 20 respondents). Frequency of Responses: Annually. Comments: Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; or (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Dated: April 21, 2008. Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation. [FR Doc. E8–8876 Filed 4–23–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555–01–P NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Notice of the Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment National Science Foundation. Notice of request for public comment on a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). AGENCY: sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES ACTION: SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) gives notice of the request for public comment on a Draft PEA for the OOI. The Division of Ocean Sciences in the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO/OCE) has prepared a Draft PEA for the OOI, a multi-million dollar Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction effort intended to put moored and cable infrastructure in discrete locations in the coastal and global ocean. The Draft PEA is available for public comment for a 30 day period. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 16, 2008. ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft PEA are available upon request from: Dr. Shelby Walker, National Science Foundation, Division of Ocean Sciences, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, Arlington, VA VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:15 Apr 23, 2008 Jkt 214001 22230; Telephone: (703) 292–8580. The Draft PEA is also available under Additional OCE Resources at the following Web site: https://www.nsf.gov/ div/index.sp?djv=ocE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Shelby Walker, National Science Foundation, Division of Ocean Sciences, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292–8580. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Oceanographic research has long relied on research vessel cruises (expeditions) as the predominate means to make direct measurements of the ocean. Remote sensing (use of satellites) has greatly advanced abilities to measure ocean surface characteristics over extended periods of time. A major advancement for oceanographic research methods is the ability to make sustained, long-term, and adaptive measurements from the surface to the ocean bottom. ‘‘Ocean Observatories’’ are now being developed to further this goal. Building upon recent technology advances and lessons learned from prototype ocean observatories, NSF’s Ocean Sciences Division (OCE) is proposing to fund the OOI, an interactive, globally distributed and integrated infrastructure that will be the backbone for the next generation of ocean sensors and resulting complex ocean studies presently unachievable. The OOI reflects a community-wide, national and international scientific planning effort and is a key NSF contribution to the broader effort to establish focused national ocean observatory capabilities through the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). The OOI infrastructure would include cables, buoys, deployment platforms, moorings, junction boxes, electric power generation (solar, wind, fuel cell, and/or diesel), and two-way communications systems. This large-scale infrastructure would support sensors located at the sea surface, in the water column, and at or beneath the seafloor. The OOI would also support related elements, such as unified project management, data dissemination and archiving, modeling of oceanographic processes, and education and outreach activities essential to the long-term success of ocean science. It would include the first U.S. multi-node cabled observatory; fixed and relocatable coastal arrays coupled with mobile assets; and advanced buoys for interdisciplinary measurements, especially for datalimited areas of the Southern Ocean and other high-latitude locations. The OOI design is based upon three main technical elements across global, PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 regional, and coastal scales. At the global and coastal scales, moorings would provide locally generated power to seafloor and platform instruments and sensors and use a satellite link to shore and the Internet. Up to four Global Scale Nodes (GSN) or buoy sites are proposed for ocean sensing in the Eastern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The Regional-Scale Nodes (RSN) off the coast of Washington and Oregon would consist of seafloor observatories with various chemical, biological, and geological sensors linked with submarine cables to shore that provide power and Internet connectivity. Coastal-Scale Nodes (CSN) would be represented by the fixed Endurance Array, consisting of a combination of cabled nodes and stand-alone moorings, off the coast of Washington and Oregon, and the relocatable Pioneer Array off the coast of Massachusetts, consisting of a suite of stand-alone moorings. In addition, there would be an integration of mobile assets such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVS) and/or gliders with the GSN, RSN, and CSN observatories. The NSF invites interested members of the public to provide written comments on this Draft PEA. Comments can be submitted to: Dr. Shelby Walker, National Science Foundation, Division of Ocean Sciences, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, Arlington, VA 22230; Telephone: (703) 292–8580; or electronically at PEA comments@nsf.gov. Dated: April 10, 2008. Shelby Walker, Associate Program Director, Ocean Technology and Interdisciplinary Coordination, Division of Ocean Sciences, National Science Foundation. [FR Doc. E8–8138 Filed 4–23–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555–01–M NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 52–024] Entergy Operations, Inc.; Acceptance for Docketing of an Application for Combined License for Grand Gulf Unit 3 By letter dated February 27, 2008, as supplemented by letters dated April 9 and 11, 2008, Entergy Operations, Inc. (EOI), on behalf of itself and Entergy Mississippi, Inc., Entergy Louisiana, LLC, Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, LLC, and System Energy Resources, Inc., submitted an application to the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a combined license (COL) for one E:\FR\FM\24APN1.SGM 24APN1

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[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 80 (Thursday, April 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 22180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8138]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of the Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment on a Draft Programmatic 
Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the Ocean Observatories Initiative 
(OOI).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) gives notice of the 
request for public comment on a Draft PEA for the OOI. The Division of 
Ocean Sciences in the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO/OCE) has 
prepared a Draft PEA for the OOI, a multi-million dollar Major Research 
Equipment and Facilities Construction effort intended to put moored and 
cable infrastructure in discrete locations in the coastal and global 
ocean. The Draft PEA is available for public comment for a 30 day 
period.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 16, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft PEA are available upon request from: Dr. 
Shelby Walker, National Science Foundation, Division of Ocean Sciences, 
4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, Arlington, VA 22230; Telephone: (703) 
292-8580. The Draft PEA is also available under Additional OCE 
Resources at the following Web site: https://www.nsf.gov/div/
index.sp?djv=ocE.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Shelby Walker, National Science 
Foundation, Division of Ocean Sciences, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, 
Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292-8580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Oceanographic research has long relied on 
research vessel cruises (expeditions) as the predominate means to make 
direct measurements of the ocean. Remote sensing (use of satellites) 
has greatly advanced abilities to measure ocean surface characteristics 
over extended periods of time. A major advancement for oceanographic 
research methods is the ability to make sustained, long-term, and 
adaptive measurements from the surface to the ocean bottom. ``Ocean 
Observatories'' are now being developed to further this goal. Building 
upon recent technology advances and lessons learned from prototype 
ocean observatories, NSF's Ocean Sciences Division (OCE) is proposing 
to fund the OOI, an interactive, globally distributed and integrated 
infrastructure that will be the backbone for the next generation of 
ocean sensors and resulting complex ocean studies presently 
unachievable. The OOI reflects a community-wide, national and 
international scientific planning effort and is a key NSF contribution 
to the broader effort to establish focused national ocean observatory 
capabilities through the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).
    The OOI infrastructure would include cables, buoys, deployment 
platforms, moorings, junction boxes, electric power generation (solar, 
wind, fuel cell, and/or diesel), and two-way communications systems. 
This large-scale infrastructure would support sensors located at the 
sea surface, in the water column, and at or beneath the seafloor. The 
OOI would also support related elements, such as unified project 
management, data dissemination and archiving, modeling of oceanographic 
processes, and education and outreach activities essential to the long-
term success of ocean science. It would include the first U.S. multi-
node cabled observatory; fixed and relocatable coastal arrays coupled 
with mobile assets; and advanced buoys for interdisciplinary 
measurements, especially for data-limited areas of the Southern Ocean 
and other high-latitude locations.
    The OOI design is based upon three main technical elements across 
global, regional, and coastal scales. At the global and coastal scales, 
moorings would provide locally generated power to seafloor and platform 
instruments and sensors and use a satellite link to shore and the 
Internet. Up to four Global Scale Nodes (GSN) or buoy sites are 
proposed for ocean sensing in the Eastern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. 
The Regional-Scale Nodes (RSN) off the coast of Washington and Oregon 
would consist of seafloor observatories with various chemical, 
biological, and geological sensors linked with submarine cables to 
shore that provide power and Internet connectivity. Coastal-Scale Nodes 
(CSN) would be represented by the fixed Endurance Array, consisting of 
a combination of cabled nodes and stand-alone moorings, off the coast 
of Washington and Oregon, and the relocatable Pioneer Array off the 
coast of Massachusetts, consisting of a suite of stand-alone moorings. 
In addition, there would be an integration of mobile assets such as 
autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVS) and/or gliders with the GSN, RSN, 
and CSN observatories.
    The NSF invites interested members of the public to provide written 
comments on this Draft PEA. Comments can be submitted to: Dr. Shelby 
Walker, National Science Foundation, Division of Ocean Sciences, 4201 
Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, Arlington, VA 22230; Telephone: (703) 292-
8580; or electronically at PEA comments@nsf.gov.

    Dated: April 10, 2008.
Shelby Walker,
Associate Program Director, Ocean Technology and Interdisciplinary 
Coordination, Division of Ocean Sciences, National Science Foundation.
 [FR Doc. E8-8138 Filed 4-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M
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