Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument; Proposed Joint Monument Management Plan, 79901-79903 [2022-28203]
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 248 / Wednesday, December 28, 2022 / Notices
ddrumheller on DSK6VXHR33PROD with NOTICES
announces, along with public comments
received, will be available online in
Docket No. FWS–R8–ES–2022–0143 at
https://www.regulations.gov.
Submitting Comments: You may
submit comments by one of the
following methods:
• Email: fw8cfwocomments@fws.gov.
Please include ‘‘MSCP Subarea Plan
Boundary Line Amendment’’ at the
beginning of your comments.
• U.S. mail: Assistant Field
Supervisor; Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife
Office; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
2177 Salk Avenue, Suite 250; Carlsbad,
CA 92008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Jonathan Snyder, Assistant Field
Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife
Office (see ADDRESSES); telephone: 760–
431–9440, email at jonathan_d_snyder@
fws.gov. Individuals in the United States
who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing,
or have a speech disability may dial 711
(TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services.
Individuals outside the United States
should use the relay services offered
within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
have received an application from the
County of San Diego to amend the
incidental take permit (PRT–840414)
issued for the existing Multiple Species
Conservation Program County of San
Diego Subarea Plan (MSCP Subarea
Plan). We also announce a public
comment period. We invite comments
from the public and Federal, Tribal,
State, and local governments.
We have made a preliminary
determination that amendment of the
permit is neither a major Federal action
that will significantly affect the quality
of the human environment within the
meaning of section 102(2)(C) of the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), nor will
it individually or cumulatively have
more than a negligible effect on the
species covered in the MSCP Subarea
Plan. Therefore, the permit amendment
qualifies as a categorical exclusion
under NEPA as provided by the
Department of the Interior Manual (516
DM 8.5(C)(2)).
Background
On March 17, 1998, the Service issued
an incidental take permit (PRT–840414),
pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.), for 85 species covered by the
MSCP Subarea Plan. The MSCP Subarea
Plan boundary encompasses 252,132 ac
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18:26 Dec 27, 2022
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of unincorporated land in south San
Diego County, California. Opportunity
for public review of the original permit
application and the habitat conservation
plan was provided in the Federal
Register on March 28, 1997 (62 FR
14938) and November 14, 1997 (62 FR
61140).
The applicant is seeking an
amendment to their incidental take
permit, consistent with section 1.14.2 of
the MSCP Subarea Plan Implementing
Agreement, to modify the MSCP
Subarea Plan boundary to add 77.02
acres of land for conservation purposes
(i.e., a ‘‘hardline preserve’’) to be used
as mitigation for projects impacting nonnative grassland.
The conservation lands are in an
unincorporated portion of northern San
Diego County in the community of
Ramona, approximately 0.5 mile north
of the existing MSCP Subarea Plan
boundary. The conservation land
consists of four parcels (Assessor’s
Parcel Numbers 283–055–28–00, 283–
055–29–00, 283–055–30–00, 283–055–
31–00, and 283–055–31–00) located
northeast of the intersection of Highland
Valley and Dye roads, south of State
Route 67 (SR–67), and west of
Etcheverry Street. The parcels support
vernal pool, southern willow scrub,
freshwater marsh, and nonnative
grassland vegetation communities,
which include potential habitat for the
federally listed endangered San Diego
fairy shrimp (Branchinecta
sandiegonensis) and the burrowing owl
(Athene cunicularia), both MSCP
Subarea Plan covered species. More
details on the specific parcels and their
locations are available in the permit
amendment application (see
ADDRESSES).
Public Comments
If you wish to comment on the permit
application, proposed HCP amendment,
and associated documents, you may
submit comments by any of the methods
noted in the ADDRESSES section.
Public Availability of Comments
Written comments we receive become
part of the public record associated with
this action. Before including your
address, phone number, email address,
or other personal identifying
information in your comments, you
should be aware that your entire
comment—including your personal
identifying information—may be made
publicly available at any time. While
you can ask us in your comment to
withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
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79901
Authority
We provide this notice under section
10(c) of the Endangered Species Act (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and National
Environmental Policy Act regulations
(40 CFR 1506.6).
Scott Sobiech,
Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife
Office, Carlsbad, California.
[FR Doc. 2022–28226 Filed 12–27–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[FWS–R5–NWRS–2022–N062; FF05R00000
FXRS12610500000]
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts
Marine National Monument; Proposed
Joint Monument Management Plan
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior; National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for
comments.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration intend to
prepare a draft monument management
plan for the Northeast Canyons and
Seamounts Marine National Monument,
which was established by Presidential
Proclamation 9496 and updated by
Presidential Proclamation 10287. When
the draft plan is complete, we will
advertise its availability and seek public
comment. We furnish this notice to
advise the public and Federal, Tribal,
State, and local governments and
agencies of our intentions, and to obtain
suggestions and information on the
scope of issues to consider during the
planning process. An environmental
assessment to evaluate the potential
effects of various management
alternatives will also be prepared. The
environmental assessment will provide
resource managers with the information
needed to determine if the potential
effects may be significant and warrant
preparation of an environmental impact
statement, or if the potential impacts
lead to a finding of no significant
impact.
SUMMARY:
To ensure consideration, we
must receive your written comments by
January 27, 2023.
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\28DEN1.SGM
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79902
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 248 / Wednesday, December 28, 2022 / Notices
Document availability and
comment submission: Additional
information about the Monument is
available at https://www.fws.gov/
national-monument/northeast-canyonsand-seamounts-marine and https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-englandmid-atlantic/habitat-conservation/
northeast-canyons-and-seamountsmarine-national.
Please send your written comments or
requests for more information by one of
the following methods:
• Email: ncsmnm_planning@fws.gov.
• U.S. Mail: Brittany Petersen, Marine
Monument Superintendent, USFWS;
300 Westgate Center Drive; Hadley, MA
01035.
For more information, please see
Public Availability of Comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brittany Petersen, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Marine National
Monument Superintendent, by phone at
413–253–8329, or via email at
ncsmnm@fws.gov; or Marianne
Ferguson, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, by phone
at 978–675–2188, or via email at
marianne.ferguson@noaa.gov.
Individuals in the United States who are
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have
a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY,
TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services.
Individuals outside the United States
should use the relay services offered
within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ADDRESSES:
Background
On October 8, 2021, President Joseph
Biden issued Proclamation 10287 (86 FR
57349, October 15, 2021), charging the
Secretaries of the managing agencies,
the Department of the Interior and the
Department of Commerce
(Departments), to prepare a joint
management plan for the Northeast
Canyons and Seamounts Marine
National Monument by September 15,
2023.
ddrumheller on DSK6VXHR33PROD with NOTICES
Monument Establishment and
Management Responsibilities
On September 15, 2016, President
Barack Obama issued Presidential
Proclamation 9496 (81 FR 65161,
September 21, 2016), establishing the
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts
Marine National Monument
(Monument) under the authority of the
Antiquities Act of 1906. The canyon and
seamount area contains objects of
historic and scientific interest that are
situated upon lands owned or
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18:26 Dec 27, 2022
Jkt 259001
controlled by the Federal Government—
the Monument was established for the
purpose of preserving these objects for
the public interest. More information
about the Monument’s establishment
and regulated activities can be found in
Presidential Proclamation 9496 (81 FR
65161, September 21, 2016).
The Monument is composed of two
units, located in the Atlantic Ocean
approximately 130 miles (mi) (209
kilometers (km)) southeast of Cape Cod,
Massachusetts. The Canyons Unit
includes three underwater canyons—
Oceanographer, Gilbert, and Lydonia—
and covers approximately 941 square mi
(mi2) (2,437 square km (km2)). The
Seamounts Unit includes four
seamounts—Bear, Mytilus, Physalia,
and Retriever—and encompasses 3,972
mi2 (10,287 km2). The waters and
submerged lands within the Monument
boundaries total approximately 4,913
mi2 (12,725 km2).
The Secretary of the Interior and
Secretary of Commerce share
management responsibilities for the
Monument, as directed by Presidential
Proclamations 9496 and 10287, under
their applicable legal authorities. The
Proclamations require the Secretaries to
prepare a management plan within their
respective authorities for the Monument
and promulgate and implement
regulations that address specific actions
necessary for the proper care and
management of the Monument. With
this notice, the Departments are
commencing development of the
Monument Management Plan (MMP,
plan). The Departments will work
cooperatively under the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service’s (Service) lead in this
process and intend to cooperatively
coordinate in the development and
timing of this planning process and
implementation of the plan.
The Monument’s Natural Resources
The Northeast Canyons and
Seamounts Marine National Monument
harbors exceptional geological features,
in an area where the Gulf Stream and
the Deep Western Boundary Current
meet, creating the ideal conditions that
result in a nutrient-rich, biodiverse area
in the ocean. This area of productivity
draws in a diversity of ocean life and
supplies these creatures with nursery,
feeding, and migration habitats.
The submarine canyons and
seamounts create dynamic currents and
eddies that enhance biological
productivity and provide feeding and
wintering grounds for seabirds; pelagic
species, including whales, dolphins,
and turtles; and highly migratory fish,
such as tunas, billfish, and sharks. The
warm Gulf Stream conditions support at
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Frm 00054
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
least 54 species of corals. The corals,
together with other structure-forming
fauna such as sponges and anemones,
create a foundation for vibrant deep-sea
ecosystems, providing food, spawning
habitat, and shelter for an array of fish
and invertebrate species. The abundant
waters are a beacon for the Atlantic’s
seabirds, including Atlantic puffins
(Fratercula arctica), razorbills (Alca
torda), shearwaters, gannetts, and even
Bermuda storm-petrels (Pterodroma
cahow), which were once thought to be
extinct. Endangered species such as the
sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus),
Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys
kempii), and a variety of others have
been viewed within the Monument’s
boundaries. The ecological conditions
found in the Monument sustain a
diverse food web that is unique to this
area along the Atlantic coast.
The Canyons Unit
Oceanographer, Gilbert, and Lydonia
Canyons are among the largest of the
major submarine canyons that line the
U.S. continental shelf. They extend
approximately 22 to 30 mi in length (35
to 48 km), and range in depth from
approximately 500 feet (ft) (152 meters
(m)) at their heads to around 7,700 ft
(2,345 m) where they intersect with the
continental rise, making them deeper
than the Grand Canyon. Active erosion
and powerful ocean currents transport
sediments and organic carbon through
the canyons, resulting in habitats for
sponges, corals, and other invertebrates
that filter food from the water to
flourish, and for larger species such as
squid, octopus, skates, flounders, and
crabs. Major oceanographic features,
such as currents, temperature gradients,
eddies, and fronts, occur on a large scale
and influence the distribution patterns
of such highly migratory oceanic
species. These unique conditions
support an area with some of the highest
diversity of marine mammals along the
East Coast of the United States.
The Seamounts Unit
Bear, Physalia, Mytilus, and Retriever
Seamounts are extinct underwater
volcanoes, and the only seamounts in
the U.S. Atlantic Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ). They form the beginning of
the New England Seamount chain,
which stretches halfway across the
western North Atlantic Ocean. Bear
Seamount is approximately 100 million
years old and the largest of the four; it
rises approximately 8,200 ft (2,499 m)
from the seafloor to within 3,280 ft
(1,000 m) of the sea surface. Its summit
is over 12 mi (19 km) in diameter. The
three smaller seamounts reach to within
6,500 ft (1,981 m) of the sea surface. All
E:\FR\FM\28DEN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 248 / Wednesday, December 28, 2022 / Notices
four seamounts have steep and complex
topography that interrupts passing
currents; this action provides a constant
supply of plankton and nutrients to the
animals that inhabit the unit. It also
causes upwelling of nutrient-rich waters
toward the ocean surface. These
seamounts support highly diverse
ecological communities, with deep-sea
corals that are hundreds to thousands of
years old and a wide array of other
bottom-dwelling marine organisms not
found on the surrounding deep-sea
floor. They provide shelter from
predators, increased food, nurseries, and
spawning areas. The New England
Seamounts have many rare and endemic
species, several of which are new to
science and are not known to live
anywhere else on Earth.
The Monument Management Plan
Development Process
The MMP’s format will include
elements similar to a National Wildlife
Refuge System comprehensive
conservation plan (CCP), and the
planning process for those elements will
be conducted in a manner similar to the
CCP planning and public involvement
process. The MMP will be updated
every 15 years.
We will conduct environmental
reviews of various management
alternatives and develop an
environmental assessment (EA) in
accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), as
amended; NEPA regulations (40 CFR
parts 1500–1508); other Federal laws
and regulations; and our policies and
procedures for compliance with those
laws and regulations.
The Service, as lead agency for NEPA
purposes, will also designate and
involve as cooperating agencies the
Department of Commerce, through the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), the
Department of Defense, and the
Department of State.
ddrumheller on DSK6VXHR33PROD with NOTICES
Public Involvement
The Service and NOAA will conduct
the planning process in a manner that
will provide participation opportunities
for the public, Tribes, Federal and local
government agencies, and other
interested parties. At this time, we are
seeking ideas and comments to help
guide the management of the
Monument. Potential topics may
include, but are not limited to:
• Research
• Outreach and engagement
• Environmental education
• Conservation of the resource
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18:26 Dec 27, 2022
Jkt 259001
Because the Proclamations prohibit
commercial fishing within the
Monument (with the exception of red
crab and lobster until September 15,
2023), the MMP will not consider
management alternatives that allow
commercial fishing. Opportunities for
additional public input will be
announced throughout the planning
process.
Next Steps
The Service and NOAA will consider
your comments during development of
the Draft MMP/EA.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone
number, or other personal identifying
information in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire
comment—including your personal
identifying information—may be made
publicly available at any time. While
you can ask us in your comments to
withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Kyla Hastie,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Hadley, Massachusetts.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022–28203 Filed 12–27–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
[RR09600000, 23XR0680G1,
RX.15234000.4000001]
Tribal Notice To Consult on
Implementation of the Inflation
Reduction Act
Bureau of Reclamation,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Tribal consultation
and request for comments.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation) is publishing this notice
to announce that Reclamation plans to
consult with federally recognized Indian
Tribes in Reclamation’s 17 western
states on implementation of the
Inflation Reduction Act as it applies to
Tribes.
DATES: The Tribal consultation will be
held virtually on Tuesday, January 24,
2023, from 2 p.m. to approximately 5
p.m. (MST). Additional consultations
will be scheduled and announced
through a future Federal Register notice
SUMMARY:
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79903
in the months ahead. Submit comments
on the consultation on or before January
31, 2023.
ADDRESSES: The virtual meeting held on
Tuesday, January 24, 2023, may be
accessed at https://usbr.gov/native/
tribal_consultation.html. To call into the
meeting by phone (audio only): Call-in
phone number: (202) 640–1187;
Conference ID: 192299827#.
Send written comments on the
consultation to USBR.IR.Act@usbr.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Jeffrey K. Morris, Program Manager,
Native American and International
Affairs Office, Bureau of Reclamation,
telephone (303) 445–3373, email at
jmorris@usbr.gov. Individuals who are
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have
a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY,
TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022,
Reclamation received $550 million for
Domestic Water Projects, $25 million for
Canal Improvements Projects, and $4
billion for the Drought Mitigation in the
Reclamation states (Arizona, California,
Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North
Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South
Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and
Wyoming). Federally recognized Indian
Tribes located in the Reclamation states
are eligible to participate in all of these
programs. Reclamation also received
$12.5 million for Emergency Drought
Relief for Tribes that are impacted by
the operation of a Reclamation water
project in the 17 western states.
Reclamation conducted a listening
session on the Inflation Reduction Act
for Tribes on September 30, 2022.
Material provided in the listening
session and additional information on
the impacts of the Inflation Reduction
Act on Reclamation is posted at this
website: https://www.usbr.gov/inflationreduction-act/.
Reclamation is making it a priority to
garner input from Tribal leaders on the
important opportunities and decisions
related to the Inflation Reduction Act as
it relates to Indian Tribes in the
Reclamation states. These programs will
be implemented over a few years, which
may require that we consult at multiple
decision points. With this consultation,
Reclamation is seeking Tribal input to
inform early planning decisions.
Public Disclosure of Comments:
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
E:\FR\FM\28DEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79901-79903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-28203]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[FWS-R5-NWRS-2022-N062; FF05R00000 FXRS12610500000]
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument;
Proposed Joint Monument Management Plan
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior; National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration intend to prepare a draft monument
management plan for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National
Monument, which was established by Presidential Proclamation 9496 and
updated by Presidential Proclamation 10287. When the draft plan is
complete, we will advertise its availability and seek public comment.
We furnish this notice to advise the public and Federal, Tribal, State,
and local governments and agencies of our intentions, and to obtain
suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider during
the planning process. An environmental assessment to evaluate the
potential effects of various management alternatives will also be
prepared. The environmental assessment will provide resource managers
with the information needed to determine if the potential effects may
be significant and warrant preparation of an environmental impact
statement, or if the potential impacts lead to a finding of no
significant impact.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by January 27, 2023.
[[Page 79902]]
ADDRESSES: Document availability and comment submission: Additional
information about the Monument is available at https://www.fws.gov/national-monument/northeast-canyons-and-seamounts-marine and https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/habitat-conservation/northeast-canyons-and-seamounts-marine-national.
Please send your written comments or requests for more information
by one of the following methods:
Email: [email protected].
U.S. Mail: Brittany Petersen, Marine Monument
Superintendent, USFWS; 300 Westgate Center Drive; Hadley, MA 01035.
For more information, please see Public Availability of Comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brittany Petersen, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Marine National Monument Superintendent, by phone at
413-253-8329, or via email at [email protected]; or Marianne Ferguson,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, by phone at 978-675-
2188, or via email at [email protected]. Individuals in the
United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services offered within their country to
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On October 8, 2021, President Joseph Biden issued Proclamation
10287 (86 FR 57349, October 15, 2021), charging the Secretaries of the
managing agencies, the Department of the Interior and the Department of
Commerce (Departments), to prepare a joint management plan for the
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument by September
15, 2023.
Monument Establishment and Management Responsibilities
On September 15, 2016, President Barack Obama issued Presidential
Proclamation 9496 (81 FR 65161, September 21, 2016), establishing the
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (Monument)
under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906. The canyon and
seamount area contains objects of historic and scientific interest that
are situated upon lands owned or controlled by the Federal Government--
the Monument was established for the purpose of preserving these
objects for the public interest. More information about the Monument's
establishment and regulated activities can be found in Presidential
Proclamation 9496 (81 FR 65161, September 21, 2016).
The Monument is composed of two units, located in the Atlantic
Ocean approximately 130 miles (mi) (209 kilometers (km)) southeast of
Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The Canyons Unit includes three underwater
canyons--Oceanographer, Gilbert, and Lydonia--and covers approximately
941 square mi (mi\2\) (2,437 square km (km\2\)). The Seamounts Unit
includes four seamounts--Bear, Mytilus, Physalia, and Retriever--and
encompasses 3,972 mi\2\ (10,287 km\2\). The waters and submerged lands
within the Monument boundaries total approximately 4,913 mi\2\ (12,725
km\2\).
The Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Commerce share
management responsibilities for the Monument, as directed by
Presidential Proclamations 9496 and 10287, under their applicable legal
authorities. The Proclamations require the Secretaries to prepare a
management plan within their respective authorities for the Monument
and promulgate and implement regulations that address specific actions
necessary for the proper care and management of the Monument. With this
notice, the Departments are commencing development of the Monument
Management Plan (MMP, plan). The Departments will work cooperatively
under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) lead in this
process and intend to cooperatively coordinate in the development and
timing of this planning process and implementation of the plan.
The Monument's Natural Resources
The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument
harbors exceptional geological features, in an area where the Gulf
Stream and the Deep Western Boundary Current meet, creating the ideal
conditions that result in a nutrient-rich, biodiverse area in the
ocean. This area of productivity draws in a diversity of ocean life and
supplies these creatures with nursery, feeding, and migration habitats.
The submarine canyons and seamounts create dynamic currents and
eddies that enhance biological productivity and provide feeding and
wintering grounds for seabirds; pelagic species, including whales,
dolphins, and turtles; and highly migratory fish, such as tunas,
billfish, and sharks. The warm Gulf Stream conditions support at least
54 species of corals. The corals, together with other structure-forming
fauna such as sponges and anemones, create a foundation for vibrant
deep-sea ecosystems, providing food, spawning habitat, and shelter for
an array of fish and invertebrate species. The abundant waters are a
beacon for the Atlantic's seabirds, including Atlantic puffins
(Fratercula arctica), razorbills (Alca torda), shearwaters, gannetts,
and even Bermuda storm-petrels (Pterodroma cahow), which were once
thought to be extinct. Endangered species such as the sperm whale
(Physeter macrocephalus), Kemp's Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys
kempii), and a variety of others have been viewed within the Monument's
boundaries. The ecological conditions found in the Monument sustain a
diverse food web that is unique to this area along the Atlantic coast.
The Canyons Unit
Oceanographer, Gilbert, and Lydonia Canyons are among the largest
of the major submarine canyons that line the U.S. continental shelf.
They extend approximately 22 to 30 mi in length (35 to 48 km), and
range in depth from approximately 500 feet (ft) (152 meters (m)) at
their heads to around 7,700 ft (2,345 m) where they intersect with the
continental rise, making them deeper than the Grand Canyon. Active
erosion and powerful ocean currents transport sediments and organic
carbon through the canyons, resulting in habitats for sponges, corals,
and other invertebrates that filter food from the water to flourish,
and for larger species such as squid, octopus, skates, flounders, and
crabs. Major oceanographic features, such as currents, temperature
gradients, eddies, and fronts, occur on a large scale and influence the
distribution patterns of such highly migratory oceanic species. These
unique conditions support an area with some of the highest diversity of
marine mammals along the East Coast of the United States.
The Seamounts Unit
Bear, Physalia, Mytilus, and Retriever Seamounts are extinct
underwater volcanoes, and the only seamounts in the U.S. Atlantic
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). They form the beginning of the New
England Seamount chain, which stretches halfway across the western
North Atlantic Ocean. Bear Seamount is approximately 100 million years
old and the largest of the four; it rises approximately 8,200 ft (2,499
m) from the seafloor to within 3,280 ft (1,000 m) of the sea surface.
Its summit is over 12 mi (19 km) in diameter. The three smaller
seamounts reach to within 6,500 ft (1,981 m) of the sea surface. All
[[Page 79903]]
four seamounts have steep and complex topography that interrupts
passing currents; this action provides a constant supply of plankton
and nutrients to the animals that inhabit the unit. It also causes
upwelling of nutrient-rich waters toward the ocean surface. These
seamounts support highly diverse ecological communities, with deep-sea
corals that are hundreds to thousands of years old and a wide array of
other bottom-dwelling marine organisms not found on the surrounding
deep-sea floor. They provide shelter from predators, increased food,
nurseries, and spawning areas. The New England Seamounts have many rare
and endemic species, several of which are new to science and are not
known to live anywhere else on Earth.
The Monument Management Plan Development Process
The MMP's format will include elements similar to a National
Wildlife Refuge System comprehensive conservation plan (CCP), and the
planning process for those elements will be conducted in a manner
similar to the CCP planning and public involvement process. The MMP
will be updated every 15 years.
We will conduct environmental reviews of various management
alternatives and develop an environmental assessment (EA) in accordance
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA; 42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.), as amended; NEPA regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508);
other Federal laws and regulations; and our policies and procedures for
compliance with those laws and regulations.
The Service, as lead agency for NEPA purposes, will also designate
and involve as cooperating agencies the Department of Commerce, through
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the
Department of Defense, and the Department of State.
Public Involvement
The Service and NOAA will conduct the planning process in a manner
that will provide participation opportunities for the public, Tribes,
Federal and local government agencies, and other interested parties. At
this time, we are seeking ideas and comments to help guide the
management of the Monument. Potential topics may include, but are not
limited to:
Research
Outreach and engagement
Environmental education
Conservation of the resource
Because the Proclamations prohibit commercial fishing within the
Monument (with the exception of red crab and lobster until September
15, 2023), the MMP will not consider management alternatives that allow
commercial fishing. Opportunities for additional public input will be
announced throughout the planning process.
Next Steps
The Service and NOAA will consider your comments during development
of the Draft MMP/EA.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, or other personal
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your
comments to withhold your personal identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Kyla Hastie,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley,
Massachusetts.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-28203 Filed 12-27-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
