National Estuarine Research Reserve System, 59696 [2010-24341]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 59696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24341]


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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 Final Approval and Availability of Revised Management 
Plans for the following National Estuarine Research Reserves: Arraigns 
Bay, RI and Tijuana River, CA.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 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 revised management plans of the 
Arraigns Bay, RI National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Tijuana 
River, CA National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Arraigns Bay, RI 
Reserve plan calls for an expansion to their boundary and the Tijuana 
River, CA Reserve plan calls for a reduction to their boundary.
    The revised management plan for the Arraigns Bay, RI National 
Estuarine Research Reserve outlines the administrative structure; the 
education, training, stewardship, and research goals of the reserve; 
and the plans for future land acquisition and facility development to 
support reserve operations. The objectives described in this plan are 
designed to address the most critical coastal issues in Arraigns Bay 
such as wastewater and storm water management, coastal and watershed 
development, and invasive species management. Since the last approved 
management plan in 1998, the reserve has become fully staffed; added a 
coastal training program that delivers science-based information to key 
decision makers; and added significant monitoring of invasive species, 
water quality, fish and bird populations. In addition to programmatic 
and staffing advances, the reserve upgraded visiting research 
facilities, space available for education and storage, and has 
increased the availability of dock space for research and educational 
programming.
    This management plan calls for a boundary expansion of 156 acres. 
The lands consist of one 128 acre parcel on the northern end of 
Prudence Island that is adjacent to current reserve property and the 
addition of the 28 acre Dyer Island. Dyer Island habitats include 
coastal brush, salt marsh, cobble beaches, and both hard and soft 
substrate submerged lands. The island is considered a critical bird 
rookery and hosts an unusual amount of macro algal diversity and rare 
examples of un ditched salt marsh habitat. The 128 acre Ballard 
Property on Prudence Island consists of forested land with early 
succession al shrub land and grassland communities as well as an 
important freshwater creek and the associated wetlands. The Dyer Island 
property will provide opportunities for research and passive recreation 
while the easily accessed Prudence Island parcel will be appropriate 
for education, recreation, and upland research purposes. This plan can 
be accessed at https://www.nbnerr.org or nerrs.noaa.gov.
    The revised management plan for the Tijuana River, CA National 
Estuarine Research Reserve outlines a framework of overarching goals 
and program specific objectives that will guide the education, 
training, stewardship, and research programs of the reserve; updates 
the reserve boundary; proposes criteria for boundary expansion 
activities through acquisition and/or mitigation; as well as outlines 
plans for facility use and development to support reserve operations. 
The goals described in this plan are designed to provide a framework 
that supports program integration for collaborative management in a 
highly urbanized bi-national watershed.
    Since the last approved management plan in 2000, the reserve has 
become fully staffed; added a coastal training program that delivers 
science-based information to key decision makers; developed a robust 
volunteer program that provides broad support to Reserve programs; 
added a bi-nationally focused Watershed Program; completed habitat 
restoration projects to improve estuary function; improved management 
of sediment delivery to the estuary; and constructed facilities to 
support essential functions of the reserve including interpretive 
structures, staff offices, and an on-site laboratory.
    This management plan amends the boundary of the reserve to be 2,293 
acres, 238 acres less, in part as a result of excluding the Border 
Infrastructure System completed since the last approved management 
plan. This plan can be accessed at trnerr.org/visitors_center.html or 
nerrs.noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alison Krepp at (301) 563-7105 
regarding the Tijuana River CA, National Estuarine Research Reserve and 
Cory Riley at (603) 862-2813 regarding the Arraigns Bay RI, National 
Estuarine Research Reserve 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.

    Dated: September 21, 2010.
Donna Witting,
Acting Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-24341 Filed 9-27-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P