[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 33 (Thursday, February 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8122-8123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3771]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


National Marine Sanctuaries System (NMS)

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 
(DOC).

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Marine Sanctuaries Division (MSD) of the Office of Ocean 
and Coastal Resource Management intends to prepare a Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). The PEIS will describe and 
address physical injury to, loss of and destruction of coral and biotic 
reef communities that result from anthropogenic activities, such as 
vessel groundings and anchoring within the National Marine Sanctuaries. 
The PEIS will also describe and characterize the different approaches 
and methodologies that may be implemented to restore, replace or 
acquire the equivalent of such injured, destroyed or lost resources.
    MSD is publishing this notice in the Federal Register in order to 
advise other agencies and the public of its intent to prepare a PEIS 
and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to 
include in the document.

DATES: Written comments from all interested parties must be received on 
or before March 22, 2000. A scoping meeting will be held in the spring 
of 2000, and a Draft PEIS is expected by fall/winter of 2000. The Final 
PEIS is expected to be completed by the winter of 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests for information should be sent 
to Lisa Symons, NOAA/Marine Sanctuaries Division, 1305 East-West 
Highway, #11535, Silver Spring, MD 20910, phone (310) 713-3145, ext: 
108, email [email protected].

Comments and materials received in response to this notice will be 
available for public inspection, by appointment, at the aforementioned 
address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Marine Sanctuary System was 
established under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA; also known 
as title III of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act), 
16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq. The NMSA authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to

[[Page 8123]]

identify and designate certain areas of the marine environment which 
are of special national significance as National Marine Sanctuaries, 
and provides authority for comprehensive and coordinated conservation 
and management of these marine areas, and activities affecting them, in 
a manner that complements existing regulatory authorities. Further, 
section 312 of the NMSA provides that any person who destroys, causes 
the loss of, or injures any sanctuary resource is liable to the United 
States for response costs and damages. Monies received are used to 
reimburse the Secretary for response actions and damage assessments and 
to fund the restoration, replacement, or acquisition of the equivalent 
of injured, destroyed, or lost Sanctuary resources.
    As a part of its mission to protect and manage the ecological, 
historical, educational, recreational, and aesthetic qualities of the 
National Marine Sanctuaries, MSD will prepare a Reef Restoration PEIS. 
It is MSD's intent to prepare this PEIS such that a tiered process can 
be used in the preparation of future environmental documents concerning 
restoration actions within National Marine Sanctuaries. The PEIS, among 
other things, will set forth methodologies and guidelines for 
restoration actions arising out of injuries to sanctuary resources. 
Accordingly, the PEIS will facilitate the development of both 
subsequent environmental assessments (EAs) and individual restoration 
plans designed to restore sanctuary resources.
    MSD intends to hold a public scoping meeting prior to the 
preparation of the Draft PEIS for those persons and/or organizations 
interested in the development of the Draft PEIS. MSD will also hold a 
public meeting, which will be held concurrent with the public comment 
period to accept comments on the Draft PEIS. Notice of these meetings 
will be published in the Federal Register. All substantive comments 
provided, both written and oral, at the public meeting, will be 
considered in the preparation of the Final PEIS and will become part of 
the public record (i.e., names, addresses, letters of comment, comment 
provided during public meetings).
    Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties to 
ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed action 
and all significant issues are identified. Comments and/or questions 
concerning the preparation of this PEIS should be directed to the MSD 
at the address or phone listed above.

    Dated: February 11, 2000.
Capt. Ted Lillestolen,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management.
[FR Doc. 00-3771 Filed 2-16-00; 8:45 am]
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