[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57399-57400]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-28228]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


National Estuarine Research Reserve System

AGENCY: Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM), 
National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting in Moss Point, Mississippi on the site 
selection process for the nomination of a candidate site for the 
National Estuarine Research Reserve System.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management 
Act of 1972, as amended, the State of Mississippi and the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) intend to conduct a 
public meeting on November 30, 1995 in Moss Point, Mississippi as part 
of NOAA's site selection process for the nomination of a candidate site 
for the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) System.

DATES: Thursday, November 30, 1995, at 7:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: East Jackson County Community Center--Orange Grove, 9313 Old 
State Road, Moss Point, Mississippi 39581.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mark W. LaSalle, MSU Coastal Research and Extension Center at (601) 
388-4710 or Nathalie Peter, Program Specialist, Sanctuaries and 
Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, 
NOAA, at (301) 713-3132, ext. 119.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NERR System is dedicated to fostering a 
system of estuarine reserves that represents the wide range of coastal 
and estuarine habitats found in the United States. NOAA has developed a 
classification scheme and typology of national estuarine areas that 
places the coastlines of the United States into biogeographic regions 
and subareas.

    Site selection criteria are based on ecological representativeness, 
value for research and education, and practical coastal management 
considerations. The site ultimately designated will be used by 
researchers, educators, and the general public to study estuarine 
ecology and coastal issues that can aid in coastal policy making and 
management decisions.
    During the past year, the State of Mississippi in consultation with 
NOAA has undertaken a process to identify a site which adequately 
represents the 

[[Page 57400]]
major estuarine characteristics of the Mississippi delta coastal 
ecosystem. An estuary located in Mississippi would be the first site to 
represent the Mississippi Delta subarea of the Louisianian 
Biogeographic Region.
    After consideration of several possible sites along the Mississippi 
Gulf coast, the Mississippi National Estuarine Research Reserve Site 
Selection and Advisory Committee has selected the Grand Bay area of 
southeast Mississippi as its candidate site for nomination as a 
potential NERR. The public meeting is being held to provide details and 
solicit comments on this proposed site.
    At the public meeting, the Mississippi Department of Marine 
Resources and Mississippi State University (MSU) will provide an 
overview of the national NERR Program; a summary of the Mississippi 
NERR initiative, including the site selection process and a description 
of the proposed site; and an open question and answer period.
    Following the public meeting, a site nomination document will be 
developed based on existing research documents and literature, and 
comments received from NOAA, the Mississippi National Estuarine 
Research Reserve Site Selection and Advisory Committee, and the general 
public. The final site selection document will then be sent to the 
Governor of Mississippi for approval. If approved, the Governor will 
forward the site selection package and a nomination letter to NOAA for 
final clearance. A draft and final Environmental Impact Statement and 
Management Plan must be prepared prior to final site designation.
    The public meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday November 
30, 1995, at the East Jackson County Community Center--Orange Grove, 
9313 Old Stage Road, Moss Point, Mississippi 39581.
    Interested parties who wish to comment on the site selection are 
invited to attend. For more information, contact Mark W. LaSalle, MSU 
Coastal Research and Extension Center at (601) 388-4710 or Nathalie 
Peter, Program Specialist, Sanctuaries and Reserves Division, Office of 
Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOAA, at (301) 713-3132, ext. 
119.

Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.420 (Coastal Zone 
Management) Research Reserves

    Dated: November 9, 1995.
David L. Evans,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal 
Zone Management.
[FR Doc. 95-28228 Filed 11-14-95; 8:45 am]
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