Federal Consistency Appeal by WesternGeco of North Carolina Objection, 17539 [2020-06424]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 61 / Monday, March 30, 2020 / Notices
FR 15115). The meeting will be
rescheduled at a later dated and
announced in the Federal Register.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 25, 2020.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–06524 Filed 3–27–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Federal Consistency Appeal by
WesternGeco of North Carolina
Objection
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice of closure—
administrative appeal decision record.
AGENCY:
This announcement provides
notice that the decision record has
closed for an administrative appeal filed
with the Department of Commerce
(Department) by WesternGeco
requesting that the Secretary of
Commerce (Secretary) override an
objection by the North Carolina Division
of Coastal Management to a consistency
certification for a proposed project to
conduct a marine Geological and
Geophysical seismic survey in the
Atlantic Ocean.
DATES: The decision record for
WesternGeco’s Federal consistency
appeal of North Carolina’s objection
closed on March 30, 2020.
ADDRESSES: NOAA has provided access
to publicly available materials and
related documents comprising the
appeal record on the following website:
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-HQ-2019-0089.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
questions about this Notice, contact
Martha McCoy, NOAA Office of General
Counsel, Oceans and Coasts Section,
1305 East-West Highway, Room 6111,
Silver Spring, MD 20910, (301) 713–
7391, martha.mccoy@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
September 20, 2019, the Secretary
received a ‘‘Notice of Appeal’’ filed by
WesternGeco pursuant to the Coastal
Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA),
16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq., and
implementing regulations found at 15
CFR part 930, subpart H. The ‘‘Notice of
Appeal’’ is taken from an objection by
the North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management to a consistency
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:05 Mar 27, 2020
Jkt 250001
certification for a proposed project to
conduct a marine Geological and
Geophysical seismic survey in the
Atlantic Ocean. This matter constitutes
an appeal of an ‘‘energy project’’ within
the meaning of the CZMA regulations,
see 15 CFR 930.123(c).
Under the CZMA, the Secretary may
override the North Carolina Division of
Coastal Management’s objection on
grounds that the project is consistent
with the objectives or purposes of the
CZMA, or is necessary in the interest of
national security. To make the
determination that the proposed activity
is ‘‘consistent with the objectives or
purposes of the CZMA,’’ the Department
must find that: (1) The proposed activity
furthers the national interest as
articulated in sections 302 or 303 of the
CZMA, in a significant or substantial
manner; (2) the national interest
furthered by the proposed activity
outweighs the activity’s adverse coastal
effects, when those effects are
considered separately or cumulatively;
and (3) no reasonable alternative is
available that would permit the
proposed activity to be conducted in a
manner consistent with the enforceable
policies of the applicable coastal
management program. 15 CFR 930.121.
To make the determination that the
proposed activity is ‘‘necessary in the
interest of national security,’’ the
Secretary must find that a national
defense or other national security
interest would be significantly impaired
if the proposed activity is not permitted
to go forward as proposed. 15 CFR
930.122.
The Secretary must close the decision
record in a Federal consistency appeal
160 days after the Notice of Appeal is
published in the Federal Register. 15
CFR 930.130(a)(1). However, the CZMA
authorizes the Secretary to stay closing
the decision record for up to 60 days
when the Secretary determines it
necessary to receive, on an expedited
basis, any supplemental information
specifically requested by the Secretary
to complete a consistency review or any
clarifying information submitted by a
party to the proceeding related to
information in the consolidated record
compiled by the lead Federal permitting
agency. 15 CFR 930.130(a)(2), (3).
Consistent with the above schedule,
the decision record for WesternGeco’s
Federal consistency appeal of North
Carolina’s objection closed on March 30,
2020. No further information or briefs
will be considered in deciding this
appeal.
NOAA has provided access to
publicly available materials and related
documents comprising the appeal
record on the following website: https://
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
17539
www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-HQ-2019-0089.
(Authority Citation: 15 CFR 930.130(a))
Adam Dilts,
Chief, Oceans and Coasts Section, NOAA
Office of General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020–06424 Filed 3–27–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–JE–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Science Advisory Board
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
This notice sets forth the
schedule and proposed agenda for the
meeting of the Science Advisory Board
(SAB). The members will discuss issues
outlined in the section on Matters to be
considered.
DATES: The meeting is scheduled for
April 14, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00
p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and
April 15, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:15
p.m. EST. This time and the agenda
topics described below are subject to
change.
For the latest agenda please refer to
the SAB website: https://sab.noaa.gov/
SABMeetings.aspx.
SUMMARY:
This will be a webinar
meeting. The link for the webinar
registration for the April 14–15, 2020
meeting may be found here: https://
attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/
8446468520392398605.
ADDRESSES:
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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\30MRN1.SGM
30MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 61 (Monday, March 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 17539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06424]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Consistency Appeal by WesternGeco of North Carolina
Objection
AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice of closure--administrative appeal decision record.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This announcement provides notice that the decision record has
closed for an administrative appeal filed with the Department of
Commerce (Department) by WesternGeco requesting that the Secretary of
Commerce (Secretary) override an objection by the North Carolina
Division of Coastal Management to a consistency certification for a
proposed project to conduct a marine Geological and Geophysical seismic
survey in the Atlantic Ocean.
DATES: The decision record for WesternGeco's Federal consistency appeal
of North Carolina's objection closed on March 30, 2020.
ADDRESSES: NOAA has provided access to publicly available materials and
related documents comprising the appeal record on the following
website: https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-HQ-2019-0089.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this Notice,
contact Martha McCoy, NOAA Office of General Counsel, Oceans and Coasts
Section, 1305 East-West Highway, Room 6111, Silver Spring, MD 20910,
(301) 713-7391, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 20, 2019, the Secretary
received a ``Notice of Appeal'' filed by WesternGeco pursuant to the
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA), 16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq., and
implementing regulations found at 15 CFR part 930, subpart H. The
``Notice of Appeal'' is taken from an objection by the North Carolina
Division of Coastal Management to a consistency certification for a
proposed project to conduct a marine Geological and Geophysical seismic
survey in the Atlantic Ocean. This matter constitutes an appeal of an
``energy project'' within the meaning of the CZMA regulations, see 15
CFR 930.123(c).
Under the CZMA, the Secretary may override the North Carolina
Division of Coastal Management's objection on grounds that the project
is consistent with the objectives or purposes of the CZMA, or is
necessary in the interest of national security. To make the
determination that the proposed activity is ``consistent with the
objectives or purposes of the CZMA,'' the Department must find that:
(1) The proposed activity furthers the national interest as articulated
in sections 302 or 303 of the CZMA, in a significant or substantial
manner; (2) the national interest furthered by the proposed activity
outweighs the activity's adverse coastal effects, when those effects
are considered separately or cumulatively; and (3) no reasonable
alternative is available that would permit the proposed activity to be
conducted in a manner consistent with the enforceable policies of the
applicable coastal management program. 15 CFR 930.121. To make the
determination that the proposed activity is ``necessary in the interest
of national security,'' the Secretary must find that a national defense
or other national security interest would be significantly impaired if
the proposed activity is not permitted to go forward as proposed. 15
CFR 930.122.
The Secretary must close the decision record in a Federal
consistency appeal 160 days after the Notice of Appeal is published in
the Federal Register. 15 CFR 930.130(a)(1). However, the CZMA
authorizes the Secretary to stay closing the decision record for up to
60 days when the Secretary determines it necessary to receive, on an
expedited basis, any supplemental information specifically requested by
the Secretary to complete a consistency review or any clarifying
information submitted by a party to the proceeding related to
information in the consolidated record compiled by the lead Federal
permitting agency. 15 CFR 930.130(a)(2), (3).
Consistent with the above schedule, the decision record for
WesternGeco's Federal consistency appeal of North Carolina's objection
closed on March 30, 2020. No further information or briefs will be
considered in deciding this appeal.
NOAA has provided access to publicly available materials and
related documents comprising the appeal record on the following
website: https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-HQ-2019-0089.
(Authority Citation: 15 CFR 930.130(a))
Adam Dilts,
Chief, Oceans and Coasts Section, NOAA Office of General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-06424 Filed 3-27-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P
