Initiation of Review of Management Plan/Regulations of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary; Intent To Prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Management Plan; Scoping Meetings, 53161-53162 [E8-21489]
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53161
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
Vol. 73, No. 179
Monday, September 15, 2008
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains notices to the public of the proposed
issuance of rules and regulations. The
purpose of these notices is to give interested
persons an opportunity to participate in the
rule making prior to the adoption of the final
rules.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
15 CFR Part 922
Initiation of Review of Management
Plan/Regulations of the Olympic Coast
National Marine Sanctuary; Intent To
Prepare Draft Environmental Impact
Statement and Management Plan;
Scoping Meetings
Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries (ONMS), 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.
erowe on PROD1PC64 with PROPOSALS-1
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Olympic Coast National
Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS or
sanctuary) was designated in May 1994.
It spans 3,310 square miles of marine
waters off the rugged Olympic
Peninsula coast, covering much of the
continental shelf and the heads of
several major submarine canyons. The
present management plan was written
as part of the sanctuary designation
process and published in the Final
Environmental Impact Statement in
1993. In accordance with Section 304(e)
of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act,
as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et
seq.), the Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries (ONMS) of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) is initiating a
review of the OCNMS 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. NOAA will conduct public
scoping meetings to gather information
and other comments from individuals,
organizations, tribes, and government
agencies on the scope, types and
significance of issues related to the
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:30 Sep 12, 2008
Jkt 214001
Sanctuary’s management plan and
regulations. The scoping meetings are
scheduled as detailed below.
DATES: Written comments should be
received on or before November 14,
2008.
Scoping meetings will be held on:
(1) September 29, 6–9 p.m., Peninsula
College Longhouse, South Campus,
Port Angeles, WA.
(2) September 30, 6–9 p.m., Makah
Marina Conference Center, Bayview Ave, Neah Bay, WA.
(3) October 1, 6–9 p.m., A-Ka-Lat
Center, La Push Road, La Push, WA.
(4) October 2, 6–9 p.m., Ocean Shores
Convention Center, 120 W Chance a
La Mer, NW., Ocean Shores, WA.
(5) October 3, 6–9 p.m., Westport
Maritime Museum, 2201 Westhaven
Drive, Westport, WA.
(6) October 4, 2–5 p.m., Governor Hotel,
Washington Room, 621 S. Capitol
Way, Olympia, WA.
(7) October 5, 7–10 p.m., Seattle
Aquarium, Pier 59, 1483 Alaskan
Way, Seattle, WA.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be
sent to the Olympic Coast National
Marine Sanctuary (Management Plan
Review), 115 Railroad Ave. East, Suite
301, Port Angeles, WA 98362, or faxed
to (360) 457–8496. Electronic comments
may be sent to
ocnmsmanagementplan@noaa.gov.
Comments will be available for public
review at the street address mentioned
above. All comments received are a part
of the public record. All Personal
Identifying Information (for example,
name, address, etc.) voluntarily
submitted by the commenter may be
publicly accessible. Do not submit
confidential business information or
otherwise sensitive or protected
information. NOAA will accept
anonymous comments. Attachments to
electronic comments will be accepted in
Microsoft Word, Excel, Wordperfect, or
Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
George Galasso, 360.457.6622 Ext. 12,
ocnmsmanagementplan@noaa.gov.
The
proposed revised management plan will
likely involve changes to existing
policies of the Sanctuary in order to
address contemporary issues and
challenges, and to better protect and
manage the Sanctuary’s resources and
qualities. The review process is
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Frm 00001
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
composed of four major stages: (1)
Information collection and
characterization; (2) preparation and
release of a draft management plan/
environmental impact statement, and
any proposed amendments to the
regulations; (3) public review and
comment; (4) preparation and release of
a final management plan/environmental
impact statement, and any final
amendments to the regulations. In the
event that the potential impacts of new
actions described in the management
plan do not warrant the need for an
Environmental Impact Statement,
NOAA will publish the appropriate
environmental analysis and notify the
public. NOAA anticipates completion of
the revised management plan and
concomitant documents will require
approximately thirty-six months.
Preliminary Priority Topics
NOAA, in consultation with the
Intergovernmental Policy Council (State
of Washington and the Coastal Treaty
Tribes who have jurisdiction of
resources within the sanctuary), has
prepared a list of preliminary priority
topics. This list represents our best
professional judgment of the most
important issues NOAA should consider
in preparation of a new OCNMS
management plan. We are interested in
the public’s comments on these topics,
as well as any other topics of interest to
the public or other agencies. It is
important to note that this list does not
preclude or in any way limit the
consideration of additional topics raised
through public comment, governmentto-government consultations, and
discussions with partner agencies.
Improved Partnerships—Recent
initiatives for regional ocean
management, including the formation of
the Olympic Coast Intergovernmental
Policy Council (IPC), the Washington
Ocean Action Plan and the West Coast
Governors Agreement on Ocean Health,
provide the sanctuary with new
opportunities to strengthen
partnerships, particularly with the four
coastal treaty tribes and the state of
Washington in their role as
governments. The sanctuary will work
in active partnership to provide a more
transparent, cooperative and
coordinated management structure of
Olympic Coast marine resources within
tribal, state and federal jurisdictions.
E:\FR\FM\15SEP1.SGM
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53162
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 179 / Monday, September 15, 2008 / Proposed Rules
erowe on PROD1PC64 with PROPOSALS-1
Characterization and Monitoring—
There is a need to develop an
understanding of baseline conditions of
marine resources within the sanctuary,
ecosystem functions, and status and
trends of biological and socioeconomic
resources to effectively inform
management. OCNMS, in conjunction
with IPC and other entities, will work to
resolve these needs.
Spill Prevention, Contingency
Planning and Response—The risk from
vessel traffic and other hazards remains
a significant threat to marine resources.
The potential for a catastrophic oil spill
remains a primary concern and while
advances in maritime safety have been
made since the sanctuary was
designated, better coordination is
needed for response to these threats. Oil
spills cause immediate and potentially
long-term harm to marine resources as
well as socioeconomic impacts to
coastal communities.
Climate Change—Climate change is
widely acknowledged, yet there is
considerable uncertainty about current
and future consequences at local,
ecosystem and oceanic scales. Increased
coordination and cooperation among
resource management agencies is
required to improve planning,
monitoring and adaptive management to
address this phenomenon.
Ocean Literacy—Enhancing the
public’s awareness and appreciation of
marine, socio-economic, and cultural
resources is a cornerstone of the
sanctuary’s mission. Recent regional
initiatives offer opportunities for the
sanctuary, in conjunction with IPC and
other entities, to expand educational
contributions and reach a larger
audience.
Marine Debris—Coastal marine debris
is a persistent and poorly diagnosed
problem within the sanctuary that
negatively impacts natural and
socioeconomic resources and qualities.
Condition Report
In preparation for management plan
review, NOAA has produced an
Olympic Coast National Marine
Sanctuary 2008 Condition Report. The
Condition Report provides a summary
of resources in OCNMS, pressures on
those resources, the current condition
and trends, and management responses
to the pressures that threaten the
integrity of the marine environment.
Specifically, the Condition Report
includes information on the status and
trends of water quality, habitat, living
resources and maritime archaeological
resources and the human activities that
affect them. The report serves as a
supporting document for the
Management Plan Review Process, to
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:30 Sep 12, 2008
Jkt 214001
inform constituents who desire to
participate in that process.
Additionally, the Olympic Coast
Intergovernmental Policy Council (IPC)
has requested that an IPC authored
addendum be distributed with the
Condition Report. The IPC is composed
of the state of Washington, the Hoh,
Makah, Quileute Indian Tribes and
Quinault Indian Nation, and was formed
to provide a forum for resource
managers to exchange information,
coordinate policies, and develop
recommendations for resource
management within the sanctuary.
The Hoh, Makah, Quileute Indian
Tribes and Quinault Indian Nation
signed treaties with the U.S. government
and exist as domestic sovereigns. Since
the affirmation of treaty fishing rights in
U.S. v. Washington, tribal, state and
federal governments developed a unique
management approach for fisheries in
western Washington. This addendum
explains this co-management approach,
its underlying legal framework, and
Washington Coastal Treaty Tribes’
historic and present use of marine
resources.
The condition report and the IPC
addendum will be made available to the
general public in advance of scoping
meetings and on the Internet at:
https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/
condition/welcome.html.
Scoping Comments
Scoping meetings provide an
opportunity to make direct comments to
NOAA on the management of the
sanctuary’s natural and cultural
resources, including administrative
programs. We encourage the public to
participate and welcome any comments
related to the sanctuary. In particular,
we are interested in hearing about the
public’s view on:
• The sanctuary’s potential
management priorities for the next five
to ten years.
• Effectiveness of the existing
management plan in protecting
sanctuary resources.
• Sanctuary programs, activities and
needs, including but not limited to
resource protection programs, research
and monitoring programs, education,
volunteer, and outreach programs.
• Implementation of regulations and
permits.
• Adequacy of existing boundaries to
protect sanctuary resources.
• Assessment of the existing
operational and administrative
framework (staffing, offices, vessels,
etc.).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.
(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog
Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary Program).
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
Dated: September 4, 2008.
Daniel J. Basta,
Director for the Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries.
[FR Doc. E8–21489 Filed 9–12–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–NK–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA–R04–OAR–2008–0593–200818b; FRL–
8714–6]
Approval and Promulgation of
Implementation Plans Alabama:
Volatile Organic Compounds and Open
Burning
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: EPA is proposing approval of
revisions to the Alabama State
Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted
by the Alabama Department of
Environmental Management on January
8, 2008. The revisions include
modifications to Alabama’s Volatile
Organic Compounds and Control of
Open Burning and Incineration
regulations, found at Alabama
Administrative Code Chapters 335–3–1
and 335–3–3, respectively. This
proposed action is being taken pursuant
to section 110 of the Clean Air Act.
This SIP revision also contains a letter
addressing the requirements of section
110(a)(2)(D)(i), which EPA will consider
separately.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before October 15, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. ‘‘EPA–R04–
OAR–2008–0593,’’ by one of the
following methods:
1. www.regulations.gov: Follow the
on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
2. E-mail: harder.stacy@epa.gov.
3. Fax: 404–562–9019.
4. Mail: ‘‘EPA–R04–OAR–2008–
0593,’’ Regulatory Development Section,
Air Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides and
Toxics Management Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street, SW.,
Atlanta, Georgia 30303–8960.
5. Hand Delivery or Courier: Ms. Stacy
Harder, Regulatory Development
Section, Air Planning Branch, Air,
Pesticides and Toxics Management
Division, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street,
SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303–8960. Such
deliveries are only accepted during the
E:\FR\FM\15SEP1.SGM
15SEP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 179 (Monday, September 15, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53161-53162]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21489]
========================================================================
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 179 / Monday, September 15, 2008 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 53161]]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
15 CFR Part 922
Initiation of Review of Management Plan/Regulations of the
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary; Intent To Prepare Draft
Environmental Impact Statement and Management Plan; Scoping Meetings
AGENCY: Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS or sanctuary)
was designated in May 1994. It spans 3,310 square miles of marine
waters off the rugged Olympic Peninsula coast, covering much of the
continental shelf and the heads of several major submarine canyons. The
present management plan was written as part of the sanctuary
designation process and published in the Final Environmental Impact
Statement in 1993. In accordance with Section 304(e) of the National
Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.),
the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is initiating a review of
the OCNMS 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. NOAA will conduct public scoping meetings to gather
information and other comments from individuals, organizations, tribes,
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 as detailed below.
DATES: Written comments should be received on or before November 14,
2008.
Scoping meetings will be held on:
(1) September 29, 6-9 p.m., Peninsula College Longhouse, South Campus,
Port Angeles, WA.
(2) September 30, 6-9 p.m., Makah Marina Conference Center, Bay-view
Ave, Neah Bay, WA.
(3) October 1, 6-9 p.m., A-Ka-Lat Center, La Push Road, La Push, WA.
(4) October 2, 6-9 p.m., Ocean Shores Convention Center, 120 W Chance a
La Mer, NW., Ocean Shores, WA.
(5) October 3, 6-9 p.m., Westport Maritime Museum, 2201 Westhaven
Drive, Westport, WA.
(6) October 4, 2-5 p.m., Governor Hotel, Washington Room, 621 S.
Capitol Way, Olympia, WA.
(7) October 5, 7-10 p.m., Seattle Aquarium, Pier 59, 1483 Alaskan Way,
Seattle, WA.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to the Olympic Coast National
Marine Sanctuary (Management Plan Review), 115 Railroad Ave. East,
Suite 301, Port Angeles, WA 98362, or faxed to (360) 457-8496.
Electronic comments may be sent to ocnmsmanagementplan@noaa.gov.
Comments will be available for public review at the street address
mentioned above. All comments received are a part of the public record.
All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, address, etc.)
voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do
not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or
protected information. NOAA will accept anonymous comments. Attachments
to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel,
Wordperfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Galasso, 360.457.6622 Ext. 12,
ocnmsmanagementplan@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed revised management plan will
likely involve changes to existing policies of the Sanctuary in order
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: (1) Information collection and
characterization; (2) preparation and release of a draft management
plan/environmental impact statement, and any proposed amendments to the
regulations; (3) public review and comment; (4) preparation and release
of a final management plan/environmental impact statement, and any
final amendments to the regulations. In the event that the potential
impacts of new actions described in the management plan do not warrant
the need for an Environmental Impact Statement, NOAA will publish the
appropriate environmental analysis and notify the public. NOAA
anticipates completion of the revised management plan and concomitant
documents will require approximately thirty-six months.
Preliminary Priority Topics
NOAA, in consultation with the Intergovernmental Policy Council
(State of Washington and the Coastal Treaty Tribes who have
jurisdiction of resources within the sanctuary), has prepared a list of
preliminary priority topics. This list represents our best professional
judgment of the most important issues NOAA should consider in
preparation of a new OCNMS management plan. We are interested in the
public's comments on these topics, as well as any other topics of
interest to the public or other agencies. It is important to note that
this list does not preclude or in any way limit the consideration of
additional topics raised through public comment, government-to-
government consultations, and discussions with partner agencies.
Improved Partnerships--Recent initiatives for regional ocean
management, including the formation of the Olympic Coast
Intergovernmental Policy Council (IPC), the Washington Ocean Action
Plan and the West Coast Governors Agreement on Ocean Health, provide
the sanctuary with new opportunities to strengthen partnerships,
particularly with the four coastal treaty tribes and the state of
Washington in their role as governments. The sanctuary will work in
active partnership to provide a more transparent, cooperative and
coordinated management structure of Olympic Coast marine resources
within tribal, state and federal jurisdictions.
[[Page 53162]]
Characterization and Monitoring--There is a need to develop an
understanding of baseline conditions of marine resources within the
sanctuary, ecosystem functions, and status and trends of biological and
socioeconomic resources to effectively inform management. OCNMS, in
conjunction with IPC and other entities, will work to resolve these
needs.
Spill Prevention, Contingency Planning and Response--The risk from
vessel traffic and other hazards remains a significant threat to marine
resources. The potential for a catastrophic oil spill remains a primary
concern and while advances in maritime safety have been made since the
sanctuary was designated, better coordination is needed for response to
these threats. Oil spills cause immediate and potentially long-term
harm to marine resources as well as socioeconomic impacts to coastal
communities.
Climate Change--Climate change is widely acknowledged, yet there is
considerable uncertainty about current and future consequences at
local, ecosystem and oceanic scales. Increased coordination and
cooperation among resource management agencies is required to improve
planning, monitoring and adaptive management to address this
phenomenon.
Ocean Literacy--Enhancing the public's awareness and appreciation
of marine, socio-economic, and cultural resources is a cornerstone of
the sanctuary's mission. Recent regional initiatives offer
opportunities for the sanctuary, in conjunction with IPC and other
entities, to expand educational contributions and reach a larger
audience.
Marine Debris--Coastal marine debris is a persistent and poorly
diagnosed problem within the sanctuary that negatively impacts natural
and socioeconomic resources and qualities.
Condition Report
In preparation for management plan review, NOAA has produced an
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary 2008 Condition Report. The
Condition Report provides a summary of resources in OCNMS, pressures on
those resources, the current condition and trends, and management
responses to the pressures that threaten the integrity of the marine
environment. Specifically, the Condition Report includes information on
the status and trends of water quality, habitat, living resources and
maritime archaeological resources and the human activities that affect
them. The report serves as a supporting document for the Management
Plan Review Process, to inform constituents who desire to participate
in that process.
Additionally, the Olympic Coast Intergovernmental Policy Council
(IPC) has requested that an IPC authored addendum be distributed with
the Condition Report. The IPC is composed of the state of Washington,
the Hoh, Makah, Quileute Indian Tribes and Quinault Indian Nation, and
was formed to provide a forum for resource managers to exchange
information, coordinate policies, and develop recommendations for
resource management within the sanctuary.
The Hoh, Makah, Quileute Indian Tribes and Quinault Indian Nation
signed treaties with the U.S. government and exist as domestic
sovereigns. Since the affirmation of treaty fishing rights in U.S. v.
Washington, tribal, state and federal governments developed a unique
management approach for fisheries in western Washington. This addendum
explains this co-management approach, its underlying legal framework,
and Washington Coastal Treaty Tribes' historic and present use of
marine resources.
The condition report and the IPC addendum will be made available to
the general public in advance of scoping meetings and on the Internet
at: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/condition/welcome.html.
Scoping Comments
Scoping meetings provide an opportunity to make direct comments to
NOAA on the management of the sanctuary's natural and cultural
resources, including administrative programs. We encourage the public
to participate and welcome any comments related to the sanctuary. In
particular, we are interested in hearing about the public's view on:
The sanctuary's potential management priorities for the
next five to ten years.
Effectiveness of the existing management plan in
protecting sanctuary resources.
Sanctuary programs, activities and needs, including but
not limited to resource protection programs, research and monitoring
programs, education, volunteer, and outreach programs.
Implementation of regulations and permits.
Adequacy of existing boundaries to protect sanctuary
resources.
Assessment of the existing operational and administrative
framework (staffing, offices, vessels, etc.).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.
(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary
Program).
Dated: September 4, 2008.
Daniel J. Basta,
Director for the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
[FR Doc. E8-21489 Filed 9-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-NK-P