[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 227 (Friday, November 24, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 70537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30031]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

15 CFR Part 922


Installing and Maintaining Commercial Submarine Cables in 
National Marine Sanctuaries

AGENCY: Marine Sanctuaries Division (MSD), National Ocean Service 
(NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Reopening of comment period for Advance Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NOAA is reopening the public 
comment on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking published August 
23, 2000. The ANPR was published by NOAA to evaluate whether changes to 
existing National Marine Sanctuary (NMS) regulations or some form of 
policy guidance is necessary to clarify NOAA's decision-making process 
regarding the installation and maintenance of commercial submarine 
cables within NMSs. If changes or additional guidance are appropriate, 
the ANPR also requested comments on what the changes or guidance should 
contain. In addition, the ANPR requested comments on proposed 
principles on the installation of commercial submarine cables within 
the marine and coastal environment as a whole. This notice reopens the 
period for public comment for 15 days.

DATE: Comments on this document must be received by December 11, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Debra Malek, Conservation Policy 
and Planning Branch, National Marine Sanctuary Program, 1305 East-West 
Highway, SSMC4, 11th Floor, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910. Attention: 
Submarine Cable FR Comments. Comments may also be submitted by email 
to: [email protected]
    All comments will be available to the public for review at the NOAA 
Central Library, 2nd floor, Silver Spring Metro Center Building 3 
(SSMC3), 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debra Malek at (301) 713-3125 
extension 162.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 23, 2000, NOAA published an 
advance notice of proposed rulemaking (65 FR 51264). The ANPR was 
published by NOAA to evaluate whether changes to existing NMS 
regulations or some form of policy guidance is necessary to clarify 
NOAA's decision-making process regarding the installation and 
maintenance of commercial submarine cables within NMSs. If changes or 
additional guidance are appropriate, the ANPR also requested comments 
on what the changes or guidance should contain. In addition, the ANPR 
requested comments on proposed principles on the installation of 
commercial submarine cables within the marine and coastal environment. 
The ANPR provided a sixty day period for the submission of public 
comments, with the period closing on October 23, 2000. NOAA received 
numerous comments in response to this ANPR. It also received a number 
of requests for additional time to provide information on this subject. 
In response to these requests, NOAA is providing additional time for 
comments to be submitted. This notice reopens the period for public 
comment for fifteen days, until December 11, 2000.

    Dated: November 15, 2000.
Ted I. Lillestolen,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Oceans and Coastal Zone Management.
[FR Doc. 00-30031 Filed 11-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-M