National Estuarine Research Reserve System, 6859 [E9-2818]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 27 / Wednesday, February 11, 2009 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
National Estuarine Research Reserve
System
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AGENCY: Estuarine Reserves Division,
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource
Management, National Ocean Service,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Approval and
Availability for the Revised
Management Plan for the Chesapeake
Bay Virginia National Estuarine
Research Reserve.
SUMMARY: The Estuarine Reserves
Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resource Management, National Ocean
Service, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
U.S. Department of Commerce has
approved the Chesapeake Bay Virginia
National Estuarine Research Reserve
Management Plan Revision. Notice and
an opportunity for public comment on
the Revised Management Plan was first
published in the Federal Register on
November 5, 2008 (73 FR 65837).
Four sites along the York River
comprise the Chesapeake Bay Virginia
National Estuarine Research Reserve;
Sweet Hall Marsh, Taskinas Creek, the
Catlett Islands, and the Goodwin
Islands. The four sites were designated
as the Chesapeake Bay Virginia National
Estuarine Research Reserve in 1991
pursuant to Section 315 of the Coastal
Zone Management Act of 1972, as
amended, 16 U.S.C. 1461. The reserve
has been operating in partnership with
the Virginia Institute of Marine Science
under a management plan approved in
1991. Pursuant to 15 CFR Section 92
1.33(c), a state must revise their
management plan every five years. The
submission of this plan fulfills this
requirement and sets a course for
successful implementation of the goals
and objectives of the reserve. A
boundary expansion, a revised
geographic vision for the reserve, new
facilities, and updated programmatic
objectives are notable revisions to the
1991 approved management plan.
The revised management plan
outlines the administrative structure;
the education, stewardship, and
research goals of the reserve; and the
plans for future land acquisition and
facility development to support reserve
operations. This management plan
describes how the strengths of the
reserve will focus on four areas relevant
to the Chesapeake Bay: Functions and
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:58 Feb 10, 2009
Jkt 217001
linkages of land-margin ecosystems;
ecosystem vulnerability to climate and
human-induced stressors; water quality
and aquatic stressors; and integrated
ocean observing systems.
Since 1991, the reserve has added a
coastal training program that delivers
science-based information to key
decision makers in the Chesapeake Bay;
has completed a site profile that
characterizes the reserve; and has
expanded the monitoring, stewardship
and education programs significantly. A
new administrative building (2003) and
a new science and education lab (2005)
have been built to support the growth of
reserve programs.
With the approval of this management
plan, the Chesapeake Bay Virginia
National Estuarine Research Reserve
will change their total acreage from
2,849 acres to a new total of 2,705 acres.
This change is attributable to boundary
modifications at two of the reserve sites.
At Sweet Hall Marsh, 189 acres of
reserve property are being removed from
the reserve boundary due to a change in
ownership. At the Taskinas Creek site,
44.5 acres are being added to the reserve
boundary to provide a deciduous and
hardwood forest buffer to protect the
estuarine areas used for research and
education.
The 1991 Management Plan proposed
a multi-phased expansion of the reserve
that started with the four sites on the
York River and planned to incorporate
over 20 sites throughout Virginia to
ensure adequate representation of
Virginian estuarine areas important to
the Chesapeake Bay. This expansion has
not occurred since 1991. Due to the
anticipated logistical, economic, and
programmatic difficulties of having over
20 sites administered as part of the
National Estuarine Research Reserve,
the 2008 Management Plan focuses on
the York River for the next five years.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Miglion at (301) 563–1126 or
Laurie McGilvray at (301) 563–1158 of
NOAA’s National Ocean Service,
Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 EastWest Highway, N/ORM5, 10th floor,
Silver Spring, MD 20910. For copies of
the Chesapeake Bay Virginia
Management Plan revision, visit https://
web.vims.edu/cbnerr/index.htm.
Dated: February 4, 2009.
David M. Kennedy,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resource Management, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E9–2818 Filed 2–10–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–M
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6859
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Extension of Comment
Period for the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement/Overseas
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Northwest Training Range
Complex
Department of the Navy, DoD.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: A notice of availability was
published by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency in the Federal
Register (73 FR 79473) on December 29,
2008 for the Northwest Training Range
Complex (NWTRC) Draft Environmental
Impact Statement/Overseas
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/
OEIS). The public review period ends
on February 11, 2009. This notice
announces a seven-day extension of the
public comment period until February
18, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs.
Kimberly Kler, Naval Facilities
Engineering Command Northwest,
Attention: NWTRC EIS/OEIS, 1101
Tautog Circle, Suite 203, Silverdale,
Washington 98315–1101; or https://
www.NWTRangeComplexEIS.com.
The
public comment period on the NWTRC
Draft EIS/OEIS will be extended by
seven days until February 18, 2009.
Comments may be submitted in writing
to Naval Facilities Engineering
Command Northwest, Attention: Mrs.
Kimberly Kler—NWTRC EIS/OEIS, 1101
Tautog Circle, Suite 203, Silverdale, WA
98315–1101. In addition, comments
may be submitted online at https://
www.NWTRangeComplexEIS.com
during the comment period. All written
comments must be postmarked by
February 18, 2009, to ensure they
become part of the official record. All
comments will be addressed in the Final
EIS/OEIS.
Copies of the Draft EIS/OEIS are
available for public review at the
following libraries:
1. Humboldt County Library, 1313
Third Street, Eureka, CA;
2. Jefferson County Rural Library, 620
Cedar Avenue, Port Hadlock, WA;
3. Kitsap Regional Library, 1301
Sylvan Way, Bremerton, WA;
4. Lincoln City Public Library, 801
SW Highway 101, Lincoln City, OR;
5. Oak Harbor Public Library, 1000 SE
Regatta Drive, Oak Harbor, WA;
6. Port Townsend Public Library,
1220 Lawrence St., Port Townsend, WA;
7. Timberland Regional Library, 420
Seventh Street, Hoquiam, WA.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\11FEN1.SGM
11FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 11, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 6859]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2818]
[[Page 6859]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Estuarine Research Reserve System
AGENCY: Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Approval and Availability for the Revised Management
Plan for the Chesapeake Bay Virginia National Estuarine Research
Reserve.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce has
approved the Chesapeake Bay Virginia National Estuarine Research
Reserve Management Plan Revision. Notice and an opportunity for public
comment on the Revised Management Plan was first published in the
Federal Register on November 5, 2008 (73 FR 65837).
Four sites along the York River comprise the Chesapeake Bay
Virginia National Estuarine Research Reserve; Sweet Hall Marsh,
Taskinas Creek, the Catlett Islands, and the Goodwin Islands. The four
sites were designated as the Chesapeake Bay Virginia National Estuarine
Research Reserve in 1991 pursuant to Section 315 of the Coastal Zone
Management Act of 1972, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1461. The reserve has
been operating in partnership with the Virginia Institute of Marine
Science under a management plan approved in 1991. Pursuant to 15 CFR
Section 92 1.33(c), a state must revise their management plan every
five years. The submission of this plan fulfills this requirement and
sets a course for successful implementation of the goals and objectives
of the reserve. A boundary expansion, a revised geographic vision for
the reserve, new facilities, and updated programmatic objectives are
notable revisions to the 1991 approved management plan.
The revised management plan outlines the administrative structure;
the education, stewardship, and research goals of the reserve; and the
plans for future land acquisition and facility development to support
reserve operations. This management plan describes how the strengths of
the reserve will focus on four areas relevant to the Chesapeake Bay:
Functions and linkages of land-margin ecosystems; ecosystem
vulnerability to climate and human-induced stressors; water quality and
aquatic stressors; and integrated ocean observing systems.
Since 1991, the reserve has added a coastal training program that
delivers science-based information to key decision makers in the
Chesapeake Bay; has completed a site profile that characterizes the
reserve; and has expanded the monitoring, stewardship and education
programs significantly. A new administrative building (2003) and a new
science and education lab (2005) have been built to support the growth
of reserve programs.
With the approval of this management plan, the Chesapeake Bay
Virginia National Estuarine Research Reserve will change their total
acreage from 2,849 acres to a new total of 2,705 acres. This change is
attributable to boundary modifications at two of the reserve sites. At
Sweet Hall Marsh, 189 acres of reserve property are being removed from
the reserve boundary due to a change in ownership. At the Taskinas
Creek site, 44.5 acres are being added to the reserve boundary to
provide a deciduous and hardwood forest buffer to protect the estuarine
areas used for research and education.
The 1991 Management Plan proposed a multi-phased expansion of the
reserve that started with the four sites on the York River and planned
to incorporate over 20 sites throughout Virginia to ensure adequate
representation of Virginian estuarine areas important to the Chesapeake
Bay. This expansion has not occurred since 1991. Due to the anticipated
logistical, economic, and programmatic difficulties of having over 20
sites administered as part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve,
the 2008 Management Plan focuses on the York River for the next five
years.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Miglion at (301) 563-1126 or
Laurie McGilvray at (301) 563-1158 of NOAA's National Ocean Service,
Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 East-West Highway, N/ORM5, 10th
floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910. For copies of the Chesapeake Bay
Virginia Management Plan revision, visit https://web.vims.edu/cbnerr/
index.htm.
Dated: February 4, 2009.
David M. Kennedy,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-2818 Filed 2-10-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-M
