[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 217 (Thursday, November 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56540-56541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28054]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Initiation of Joint Review of Management Plans/
Regulations for the Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, and Monterey 
Bay National Marine Sanctuaries; Intent To Prepare Draft Environmental 
Impact Statements and Management Plans; Scoping Meetings

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

ACTION: Initiation of joint review of management plans/regulations; 
intent to prepare environmental impact statements; scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (CBNMS) was designated 
in 1989 and encompasses 526 square miles of open ocean off Point Reyes, 
California. Cordell Bank is a submerged island that reaches within 120 
feet of the ocean surface. The upwelling of nutrient rich ocean waters 
and the bank's topography create one of the most biologically 
productive areas in North America. The present management plan was 
completed in 1989.
    Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS) is located 
along the California coast west of the San Francisco Bay area. It was 
designated in 1981 and encompasses 1,255 square miles. The Gulf of the 
Farallones is rich in marine resources, including spawning grounds and 
nursery areas for commercially valuable species, at least 36 species of 
marine mammals, and 15 species of breeding seabirds. The present 
management plan was completed in 1987.
    Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) stretches along 276 
miles of the central California coast and encompasses 5,328 square 
miles of coastal and ocean waters. It was designated in 1992 and 
contains many diverse biological communities, including sandy bottom 
and rocky outcrop habitats, the nation's largest expanse of kelp 
forests, one of the deepest underwater canyons in North America, and a 
vast open ocean habitat. The present management plan was completed in 
1992.
    The National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) is jointly reviewing 
the management plans for all three sanctuaries. These sanctuaries are 
located adjacent to one another, managed by the same program, and share 
many of the same resources and issues. In addition, all three sites 
share many overlapping interest and user groups. It is also more cost-
effective for the program to review the three sites jointly rather than 
conducting three independent reviews.
    In accordance with section 304(e) of the National Marine 
Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), the 
Marine Sanctuaries Division (MSD) of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is initiating a review of the 
management plans, to evaluate substantive progress toward implementing 
the goals for the Sanctuaries, and to make revisions to the plans and 
regulations as necessary to fulfill the purposes and policies of the 
NMSA.
    The proposed revised management plans will likely involve changes 
to existing policies and regulations of the Sanctuary, to address 
contemporary issues and challenges, and to better protect and manage 
the Sanctuaries resources and qualities. The review process is composed 
of four major stages: information collection and characterization; 
preparation and release of a draft management plan/environmental impact 
statement, and any proposed amendments to the regulations; public 
review and comment; preparation and release of a final management plan/
environmental impact statement, and any final amendments to the 
regulations. NOAA

[[Page 56541]]

anticipates completion of the revised management plans and concomitant 
documents will require approximately eighteen to twenty-four months.
    NOAA will conduct public scoping meetings to gather information and 
other comments from individuals, organizations, and government agencies 
on the scope, types and significance of issues related to the 
sanctuaries management plans and regulations. The scoping meetings are 
scheduled starting on November 28, and are detailed below.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before January 31, 
2002.
    Scoping meetings will be held at:
    (1) Wednesday, November 28, 2001, 1 P.M. and 6:30 P.M. in Santa 
Cruz*, CA.
    (2) Thursday, November 29, 2001, 1 P.M. and 6:30 P.M. in Monterey*, 
CA.
    (3) Saturday, December 1, 2001, 1 PM in Salinas*, CA.
    (4) Monday, December 3, 2001, 6:30 P.M. in San Luis Obispo, CA.
    (5) Tuesday, December 4, 2001, 6:30 P.M. in Cambria, CA.
    (6) Wednesday, December 5, 2001, 6:30 P.M. in Big Sur, CA.
    (7) Thursday, December 6, 2001, 6:30 P.M. in Half Moon Bay, CA.
    (8) Friday, December 7, 2001, 8:30 A.M. in Half Moon Bay, CA.
    (9) Tuesday, December 11, 2001, 10 A.M.--2 P.M. in Sacramento, CA.
    (10) Friday, December 14, 2001, 10 A.M.--12:30 P.M. in Washington, 
DC.
    (11) Monday, January 7, 2002, 6:30 P.M. in Gualala, CA.
    (12) Tuesday, January 8, 2002, 6:30 P.M. in Bodega Bay, CA.
    (13) Wednesday, January 9, 2002, 7:30 P.M. in Pt. Reyes Station, 
CA.
    (14) Thursday, January 10, 2002, 6:30 P.M. in San Rafael, CA.
    (15) Monday, January 14, 2002, 6:30 P.M. in Rohnert Park, CA.
    (16) Tuesday, January 15, 2002, 6:30 P.M. in San Francisco, CA.
    (17) Wednesday, January 16, 2002, 6:30 P.M. in Pacifica, CA.
    (18) Thursday, January 17, 2002, 6:30 P.M. in San Jose*, CA.
    * Spanish Translation Available

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to either of the following 
addresses:

Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries, 
Anne Walton, Management Plan Coordinator, Fort Mason, Building 201, San 
Francisco, CA 94123, (415) 561-6622 phone, (415) 561-6616 fax, 
[email protected].
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Sean Morton, Management Plan 
Coordinator, 299 Foam Street, Monterey, CA 93940, (831) 647-4217 phone, 
(831) 647-4250 fax, [email protected].
    Comments will be available for public review at the same addresses. 
Comments may also be submitted on the Joint Management Plan Website at 
http://sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/jointplan or via e-mail at 
[email protected].
    Scoping meetings will be held at:
    (1) Santa Cruz Civic Center, 307 Church Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 
95060.
    (2) Monterey Conference Center, One Portola Plaza, Monterey, CA, 
93940.
    (3) Hartnell College, 156 Homestead Avenue, Salinas, CA, 93901.
    (4) San Luis Obispo Public Library, 995 Palm Street, San Luis 
Obispo, CA, 93401.
    (5) Cambria Grammer School, 1350 Main Street, Cambria, CA, 93428.
    (6) Big Sur Lodge at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, 47225 Pacific 
Coast Highway One, Big Sur, CA, 93920.
    (7) Ted Adcock Community Center, 535 Kelly Avenue, Half Moon Bay, 
CA, 94019.
    (8) Douglas Beach House, 311 Mirada Road, Half Moon Bay, CA, 94019.
    (9) Sheraton Grand Sacramento, Compagno Room, 1230 J Street, 
Sacramento, CA, 95814.
    (10) U.S. Department of Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Bldg., Rooms 
6800 & 6802, 14th Street and Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 
20230.
    (11) Gualala Arts Center, 46501 Old State Highway, Gualala, CA, 
95445.
    (12) Bodega Marine Laboratory, 2099 Westside Road, Bodega Bay, CA, 
94923.
    (13) Point Reyes Dance Palace, Main Hall, 5th and B Street, Pt. 
Reyes Station, CA, 94956.
    (14) Marin Center, Hospitality Room and Six Meeting Rooms, Avenue 
of the Flags, North San Pedro Road, San Rafael, CA, 94903.
    (15) Doubletree Hotel, Rohnert Park, Salons 3 & 4, One Doubletree 
Drive, Rohnert Park, CA, 94928.
    (16) Marina Middle School, 3500 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA, 
94123.
    (17) Oceana High School, 401 Paloma Avenue, Pacifica, CA, 94044.
    (18) Santa Clara County Office of Education, 1290 Ridder Park 
Drive, San Jose, CA, 95131.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell 
Bank National Marine Sanctuaries, Anne Walton, Management Plan 
Coordinator, Fort Mason, Building 201, San Francisco, CA 94123, (415) 
561-6622, [email protected].

-or-

    Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Sean Morton, Management 
Plan Coordinator, 299 Foam Street, Monterey, CA 93940, (831) 647-4217, 
[email protected].
    Information about the Joint Management Plan Review can also be 
found on the Internet at: http://sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/jointplan.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary 
Program)

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. section 1431 et seq.

Jamison S. Hawkins,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management.
[FR Doc. 01-28054 Filed 11-7-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P