[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 30, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 35102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-16674]



[[Page 35102]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

15 CFR Part 922


Regulation of the Operation of Motorized Personal Watercraft in 
the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

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

ACTION: Extension of Comment Period.

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SUMMARY: On April 23, 1999, NOAA published a proposed rule and notice 
of availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) restricting 
the use of motorized personal watercraft in the Gulf of the Farallones 
National Marine Sanctuary (FR Volume 64, Number 78, pages 19945-19952). 
On May 20, 1999, NOAA published a notice of public meeting and 
extension of the comment period. On June 9, 1999, NOAA published an 
extension of the comment period. This notice further extends the 
comment period.

DATES: Comments on the proposed rule or DEA must be received by July 
21, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Ed Ueber, Sanctuary Manager, Gulf 
of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, Ft. Mason, Building 201, 
San Francisco, California 94123; fax: (415) 561-6616; email: 
[email protected]. Comments received will be available for public 
inspection at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ed Ueber at (415) 561-6622.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA proposes to amend the regulations 
governing the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary 
(Sanctuary) to prohibit the operation of motorized personal watercraft 
(MPWC) in the nearshore waters of the Sanctuary. Specifically, the 
operation of MPWC would be prohibited from the mean high-tide line 
seaward to 1,000 yards (approximately 0.5 nautical mile), including 
seaward of the Farallone Islands. The proposed rule would ensure that 
Sanctuary resources and qualities are not adversely impacted and would 
help avoid conflicts among various users of the Sanctuary.
    The original notice of proposed rule, published on May 23, 1999, 
had a 30 day comment period, which closed on May 24. On May 20, 1999, 
NOAA published a notice to the Federal Register extending the comment 
period until June 11, 1999. On June 9, 1999, in response to a request 
to further extend the comment period, NOAA published a notice in the 
Federal Register extending the comment period until July 1, 1999. Due 
to concerns regarding the adequacy of time for review of all supporting 
documentation to the proposed rule, this notice further extends the 
comment period until July 21, 1999.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary 
Program)

    Dated: June 25, 1999.
Ted Lillestolen,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management.
[FR Doc. 99-16674 Filed 6-29-99; 8:45 am]
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