Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Gulf of Mexico Coral Habitat Management Areas, 60003-60004 [2017-27142]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 241 / Monday, December 18, 2017 / Notices
(b) A Party, investigating authority or
interested person that does not file a
Complaint but that intends to appear in
support of any reviewable portion of the
final determination may participate in
the panel review by filing a Notice of
Appearance in accordance with Rule 40
within 45 days after the filing of the first
Request for Panel Review (the deadline
for filing a Notice of Appearance is
January 19, 2018); and
(c) The panel review shall be limited
to the allegations of error of fact or law,
including challenges to the jurisdiction
of the investigating authority, that are
set out in the Complaints filed in the
panel review and to the procedural and
substantive defenses raised in the panel
review.
Dated: December 12, 2017.
Paul E. Morris,
U.S. Secretary, NAFTA Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2017–27116 Filed 12–15–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–GT–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XF855
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; Gulf of
Mexico Coral Habitat Management
Areas
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent (NOI) to prepare
a draft environmental impact statement
(DEIS); request for comments.
AGENCY:
The NMFS Southeast Region,
in collaboration with the Gulf of Mexico
Fishery Management Council (Council),
intends to prepare a DEIS to describe
and analyze management alternatives to
be included in Amendment 9 to the
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the
Coral and Coral Reef Resources of the
Gulf of Mexico: Coral Habitat Areas
Considered for Management in the Gulf
of Mexico (Amendment 9). Amendment
9 will consider alternatives that would
modify fishing regulations within the
existing habitat areas of particular
concern (HAPC) boundary of Pulley
Ridge; establish new areas for HAPC
status in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) that
may include associated fishing
regulations; and prohibit dredge fishing
in all HAPCs that are managed with
fishing regulations. These decisions
would help conserve Gulf coral
resources and essential fish habitat to
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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17:53 Dec 15, 2017
Jkt 244001
maintain suitable marine fishery habitat
to support sustainable fisheries. The
purpose of this NOI is to inform the
public of upcoming opportunities to
provide additional comments on the
scope of issues to be addressed in the
DEIS, as specified in this notice.
DATES: Written comments on the scope
of issues to be addressed in the DEIS
must be received by NMFS by January
17, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on Amendment 9 identified by ‘‘NOAA–
NMFS–2017–0146’’ by either of the
following methods:
• Electronic submissions: Submit all
electronic comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Go to
www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-20170146, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon,
complete the required fields, and enter
or attach your comments.
• Mail: Submit all written comments
to Lauren Waters, NMFS Southeast
Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue
South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Instructions: Comments sent by any
other method, to any other address or
individual, or received after the end of
the comment period may not be
considered by NMFS. All comments
received are a part of the public record
and will generally be posted for public
viewing on www.regulations.gov
without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.),
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive information
submitted voluntarily by the sender will
be publicly accessible. NMFS will
accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/
A’’ in the required fields if you wish to
remain anonymous).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lauren Waters, NMFS Southeast
Regional Office, telephone: 727–824–
5305, or email: lauren.waters@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Over 100
species of coral are included in the FMP
for the Coral and Coral Reef Resources
of the Gulf. In 2013, the Council held a
workshop to discuss how corals may be
affected by Gulf fisheries. One of the
workshop recommendations was for the
Council to consider additional habitat
protections for new and existing coral
areas in the Gulf. While designating
particular sites within existing coral
essential fish habitat (EFH) as HAPCs
does not provide any additional specific
protections to designated areas, it can be
used to focus attention on those areas
for future Council actions and when
NMFS conducts required EFH
consultations on Federal actions that
may adversely affect the habitat.
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Fmt 4703
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60003
In December 2014, the Council
convened their Coral Working Group to
discuss which areas in the Gulf may
warrant specific protection for corals.
The group identified 47 areas, including
existing HAPCs, that may be in need of
new or revised protection and
recommended that new areas also be
designated as HAPCs. In May 2015, the
Council’s Special Coral Scientific and
Statistical Committee (SSC) and Coral
Advisory Panel (AP) reviewed these
areas along with members of the shrimp
fishing community and recommended
that the boundaries of some of the areas
be refined based on available fishing
information. In August 2016, the
Council’s Coral SSC, Coral AP, Shrimp
AP, as well as Council invitees
including royal red shrimp fishermen
and bottom longline fishermen,
provided input to the Council and
recommended that 14 areas be
designated as HAPCs with
accompanying fishing regulations and 8
areas be designated without
accompanying fishing regulations.
Based on this input, the Council began
developing Amendment 9.
NMFS, in collaboration with the
Council, will develop a DEIS to describe
and analyze alternatives to address the
management needs described above
including the ‘‘no action’’ alternative.
The Amendment 9 DEIS will describe
and analyze the modification of fishing
regulations within the existing Pulley
Ridge HAPC boundary, the
establishment of 22 new HAPCs, and
the exclusion of dredge fishing in all
HAPCs that are managed with fishing
regulations.
In accordance with NOAA’s
Administrative Order 216–6A,
accompanying National Environmental
Protection Act (NEPA) Procedures
(companion manual), and the Scoping
Process, NMFS, in collaboration with
the Council, has identified preliminary
environmental issues as a means to
initiate discussion for scoping purposes
only. The public is invited to provide
written comments on the preliminary
issues, which are identified as actions
and alternatives in the Amendment 9
draft public hearing paper and action
guide. These preliminary issues may not
represent the full range of issues that
eventually will be evaluated in the
DEIS. A copy of the Amendment 9 draft
public hearing paper and action guide
are available at https://
sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_
fisheries/gulf_fisheries/coral/Coral9/
Coral9index.html. Additionally, public
comments will be solicited at public
hearings held by the Council, which are
planned for spring 2018 and will be
announced in the Federal Register.
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60004
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 241 / Monday, December 18, 2017 / Notices
After the DEIS associated with
Amendment 9 is completed, it will be
filed with the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). After filing, the EPA will
publish a notice of availability (NOA) of
the DEIS for public comment in the
Federal Register. The DEIS NOA will
have a 45-day comment period. This
procedure is pursuant to regulations
issued by the Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ) for implementing the
procedural provisions of the NEPA (40
CFR parts 1500–1508) and to NOAA’s
Administrative Order 216–6A regarding
NOAA’s compliance with NEPA and the
CEQ regulations.
The Council and NMFS will consider
public comments received on the DEIS
in developing the final environmental
impact statement (FEIS), and before the
Council votes to submit Amendment 9
to NMFS for Secretarial review and
implementation under the MagnusonStevens Act. NMFS will announce in
the Federal Register the availability of
the final amendment and FEIS for
public review during the Secretarial
review period, and will consider all
public comments prior to final agency
action to approve, disapprove, or
partially approve the final amendment.
During Secretarial review, NMFS will
also file the FEIS with the EPA and the
EPA will publish an NOA for the FEIS
in the Federal Register.
NMFS will announce, through a
notice published in the Federal
Register, all public comment periods on
the final amendment, the proposed
implementing regulations, and the
availability of the associated FEIS.
NMFS will consider all public
comments received during the
Secretarial review period, whether they
are on the final amendment, the
proposed regulations, or the FEIS, prior
to final agency action.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 12, 2017.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–27142 Filed 12–15–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Science Advisory Board (SAB); Notice
of a Meeting
Office of Oceanic and
Atmospheric Research (OAR), National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Department of
Commerce (DOC).
AGENCY:
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17:53 Dec 15, 2017
Jkt 244001
ACTION:
Notice of public meeting.
This notice sets forth the
schedule and proposed agenda of a
meeting of the NOAA Science Advisory
Board (SAB). The members will discuss
issues outlined in the section on Matters
to be considered.
Time and Date: The meeting will be
held Tuesday, February 20, 2018 from
2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
(EST). These times and the agenda topic
described below are subject to change.
For the latest agenda please refer to the
SAB website: https://sab.noaa.gov/
SABMeetings.aspx.
SUMMARY:
Public access is available at:
NOAA, SSMC 3 Room 11836, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD.
Members of the public may participate
virtually by registering at: https://
attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/
2013943949799846914.
ADDRESSES:
The
NOAA Science Advisory Board (SAB)
was established by a Decision
Memorandum dated September 25,
1997, and is the only Federal Advisory
Committee with responsibility to advise
the Under Secretary of Commerce for
Oceans and Atmosphere on strategies
for research, education, and application
of science to operations and information
services. SAB activities and advice
provide necessary input to ensure that
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) science
programs are of the highest quality and
provide optimal support to resource
management.
Status: The meeting will be open to
public participation with a 10-minute
public comment period at 3:45–3:55
p.m. EST. The SAB expects that public
statements presented at its meetings will
not be repetitive of previously
submitted verbal or written statements.
In general, each individual or group
making a verbal presentation will be
limited to a total time of two (2)
minutes. Written comments for the
meeting should be received in the SAB
Executive Director’s Office by February
13, 2018 to provide sufficient time for
SAB review. Written comments received
after by the SAB Executive Director after
these dates will be distributed to the
SAB, but may not be reviewed prior to
the meeting date.
Special Accommodations: This
meeting is physically accessible to
people with disabilities. Requests for
special accommodations may be
directed to the Executive Director no
later than 12 p.m. on February 13th.
Matters To Be Considered: The
meeting will include discussions on the
SAB biennial work plan. Meeting
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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materials, including work products will
be made available on the SAB website:
https://sab.noaa.gov/SABMeetings.aspx.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Cynthia Decker, Executive Director,
SSMC3, Room 11230, 1315 East-West
Hwy., Silver Spring, MD 20910; Phone
Number: 301–734–1156; Email:
Cynthia.Decker@noaa.gov; or visit the
SAB website at https://sab.noaa.gov/
SABMeetings.aspx.
Dated: December 7, 2017.
David Holst,
Chief Financial Officer/CAO, Office of
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017–27185 Filed 12–15–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–KD–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Defense Acquisition Regulations
System
[Docket Number DARS–2017–0021; OMB
Control Number 0704–0214]
Information Collection Requirement;
Defense Federal Acquisition
Regulation Supplement; Part 217,
Special Contracting Methods
Defense Acquisition
Regulations System, Department of
Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments regarding a proposed
extension of an approved information
collection requirement.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, DoD
announces the proposed extension of a
public information collection
requirement and seeks public comment
on the provisions thereof. DoD invites
comments on: Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of DoD, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
the accuracy of the estimate of the
burden of the proposed information
collection; ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and ways to minimize the
burden of the information collection on
respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
The Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) has approved this information
collection requirement for use through
February 28, 2018. DoD proposes that
OMB extend its approval for three
additional years.
DATES: DoD will consider all comments
received by February 16, 2018.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\18DEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 241 (Monday, December 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60003-60004]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27142]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XF855
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Gulf of Mexico Coral Habitat Management Areas
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent (NOI) to prepare a draft environmental impact
statement (DEIS); request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The NMFS Southeast Region, in collaboration with the Gulf of
Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council), intends to prepare a DEIS
to describe and analyze management alternatives to be included in
Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Coral and
Coral Reef Resources of the Gulf of Mexico: Coral Habitat Areas
Considered for Management in the Gulf of Mexico (Amendment 9).
Amendment 9 will consider alternatives that would modify fishing
regulations within the existing habitat areas of particular concern
(HAPC) boundary of Pulley Ridge; establish new areas for HAPC status in
the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) that may include associated fishing
regulations; and prohibit dredge fishing in all HAPCs that are managed
with fishing regulations. These decisions would help conserve Gulf
coral resources and essential fish habitat to maintain suitable marine
fishery habitat to support sustainable fisheries. The purpose of this
NOI is to inform the public of upcoming opportunities to provide
additional comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the DEIS,
as specified in this notice.
DATES: Written comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the
DEIS must be received by NMFS by January 17, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on Amendment 9 identified by ``NOAA-
NMFS-2017-0146'' by either of the following methods:
Electronic submissions: Submit all electronic comments via
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2017-0146, click the
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or
attach your comments.
Mail: Submit all written comments to Lauren Waters, NMFS
Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL
33701.
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauren Waters, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, or email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Over 100 species of coral are included in
the FMP for the Coral and Coral Reef Resources of the Gulf. In 2013,
the Council held a workshop to discuss how corals may be affected by
Gulf fisheries. One of the workshop recommendations was for the Council
to consider additional habitat protections for new and existing coral
areas in the Gulf. While designating particular sites within existing
coral essential fish habitat (EFH) as HAPCs does not provide any
additional specific protections to designated areas, it can be used to
focus attention on those areas for future Council actions and when NMFS
conducts required EFH consultations on Federal actions that may
adversely affect the habitat.
In December 2014, the Council convened their Coral Working Group to
discuss which areas in the Gulf may warrant specific protection for
corals. The group identified 47 areas, including existing HAPCs, that
may be in need of new or revised protection and recommended that new
areas also be designated as HAPCs. In May 2015, the Council's Special
Coral Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and Coral Advisory
Panel (AP) reviewed these areas along with members of the shrimp
fishing community and recommended that the boundaries of some of the
areas be refined based on available fishing information. In August
2016, the Council's Coral SSC, Coral AP, Shrimp AP, as well as Council
invitees including royal red shrimp fishermen and bottom longline
fishermen, provided input to the Council and recommended that 14 areas
be designated as HAPCs with accompanying fishing regulations and 8
areas be designated without accompanying fishing regulations. Based on
this input, the Council began developing Amendment 9.
NMFS, in collaboration with the Council, will develop a DEIS to
describe and analyze alternatives to address the management needs
described above including the ``no action'' alternative. The Amendment
9 DEIS will describe and analyze the modification of fishing
regulations within the existing Pulley Ridge HAPC boundary, the
establishment of 22 new HAPCs, and the exclusion of dredge fishing in
all HAPCs that are managed with fishing regulations.
In accordance with NOAA's Administrative Order 216-6A, accompanying
National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) Procedures (companion
manual), and the Scoping Process, NMFS, in collaboration with the
Council, has identified preliminary environmental issues as a means to
initiate discussion for scoping purposes only. The public is invited to
provide written comments on the preliminary issues, which are
identified as actions and alternatives in the Amendment 9 draft public
hearing paper and action guide. These preliminary issues may not
represent the full range of issues that eventually will be evaluated in
the DEIS. A copy of the Amendment 9 draft public hearing paper and
action guide are available at https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/coral/Coral9/Coral9index.html.
Additionally, public comments will be solicited at public hearings held
by the Council, which are planned for spring 2018 and will be announced
in the Federal Register.
[[Page 60004]]
After the DEIS associated with Amendment 9 is completed, it will be
filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). After filing, the
EPA will publish a notice of availability (NOA) of the DEIS for public
comment in the Federal Register. The DEIS NOA will have a 45-day
comment period. This procedure is pursuant to regulations issued by the
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) for implementing the procedural
provisions of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and to NOAA's
Administrative Order 216-6A regarding NOAA's compliance with NEPA and
the CEQ regulations.
The Council and NMFS will consider public comments received on the
DEIS in developing the final environmental impact statement (FEIS), and
before the Council votes to submit Amendment 9 to NMFS for Secretarial
review and implementation under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. NMFS will
announce in the Federal Register the availability of the final
amendment and FEIS for public review during the Secretarial review
period, and will consider all public comments prior to final agency
action to approve, disapprove, or partially approve the final
amendment. During Secretarial review, NMFS will also file the FEIS with
the EPA and the EPA will publish an NOA for the FEIS in the Federal
Register.
NMFS will announce, through a notice published in the Federal
Register, all public comment periods on the final amendment, the
proposed implementing regulations, and the availability of the
associated FEIS. NMFS will consider all public comments received during
the Secretarial review period, whether they are on the final amendment,
the proposed regulations, or the FEIS, prior to final agency action.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 12, 2017.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-27142 Filed 12-15-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
