[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59268-59269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23980]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Dates and Locations for Public Scoping Meetings on the 
Review of the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary 
Management Plan

AGENCY: National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP), National Ocean 
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
Department of Commerce (DOC).

SUMMARY: The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) was 
designated in 1992. Encompassing an 842-square mile area off the coast 
of Massachusetts, SBNMS protects one of the most biologically diverse 
areas along the eastern seaboard. It is one of the primary feeding 
grounds of the highly migratory humpback whale, the part-time home of 
the endangered northern right whale, and has a highly varied seafloor 
that supports a wide variety of demersal fish species and invertebrate 
species.
    In accordance with Section 304(e) of the National Marine 
Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), the NMSP 
has re-initiated a review of the SBNMS management plan to evaluate the 
substantive progress toward implementing the management plan and goals 
of the Sanctuary and to make revisions to the plan and regulations as 
necessary to fulfill the purposes and policies of the NMSA. NOAA is 
currently seeking comments on the scope, types, and significance of 
issues related to the Sanctuary management plan and regulations.

Background

    The current management plan for the Sanctuary was originally 
published in July 1993. In December 1998 and January 1999, the NMSP 
initiated a review of this plan by holding scoping meetings to solicit 
public comments on the status of site management. Scoping participants 
commented on a variety of issues, which were then characterized by 
Sanctuary staff and drafted into a

[[Page 59269]]

``State of the Sanctuary Report'' during Winter 2001/2002 (a change in 
Sanctuary administration delayed the management plan review process for 
approximately one year).
    The State of the Sanctuary Report, which also contains current 
background information on the Sanctuary's administrative capacities, 
its environmental features and human uses, and its going activities, 
has been released to familiarize the public with the current status of 
Sanctuary management and the range of issues identified during the 
initial scoping period of 1998/1999. The report can be obtained by 
contacting the SBNMS Management Plan Review Coordinator at the address 
below or by downloading it from the SBNMS website at http://stellwagen.nos.noaa.gov. Interested parties should refer to this report 
when submitting comments on the Sanctuary's management plan during this 
re-initiation of the scoping period.
    Comments on the Sanctuary management plan or regulations may be 
submitted in three ways: (1) In writing to SBNMS Management Plan Review 
Coordinator at the address or fax number below; (2) via email to 
[email protected]; or (3) in writing or orally at one of the public 
meetings.
    The public meetings will begin on September 24, 2002. A complete 
list of dates and address for these meetings is an follows:
    Meeting 1--6:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 24, 2002 at the Mystic 
Aquarium in Mystic, CT; htt://www.mysticaquarium. org.
    Meeting 2--6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 25, 2002 at the New 
Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, MA (18 Johnny Cake Hill Rd); 
http://whalingmuseum.org.
    Meeting 3--6:30 p.m. Thursday, September 26, 2002 at the 
Provincetown Town Hall Auditorium in Provincetown, MA (260 Commercial 
St.); http://www.provincetowngov.org.
    Meeting 4--10 a.m. Saturday, September 28, 2002 at the Sea 
Education Association in Falmouth, MA (177 Woods Hole Rd.); http://www.sea.edu.
    Meeting 5--6:30 p.m. Monday, September 30, 2002 at the Gloucester 
City Hall Council Chamber in Gloucester, MA (9 Dale Ave.); htt://
www.ci.gloucester.ma.us.
    Meeting 6--6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 1, 2002 at the University of 
Maine School of Law in Portland, ME (246 Deering Ave.); http://www.law.usm.maine.edu/about-dir.htm.
    Meeting 7--6:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 2, 2002 at Yokens 
Restaurant and Conference Center in Portsmouth, NH (Rte. 1, So. 1390 
Lafayette Rd.); http://www.yokens.com.
    Meeting 8--6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 3, 2002 at the New England 
Aquarium in Boston, MA (Central Wharf); http://www.neaq.org.
    Meeting 9--11 a.m. Saturday, October 5, 2002 at the Plymouth Public 
Library in Plymouth, MA (132 South St.); http://www.gis.net/[sim]ppl/.

DATES: The public meetings begin on September 24, 2002 and end on 
October 5, 2002; comments on the management planor regulations should 
be received on or before October 18, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Addresses for the upcoming public meetings are detailed in 
the Background section above. For a copy of the State of the Sanctuary 
Report, contact the Management Plan Review Coordinator, Stellwagen Bank 
National Marine Sanctuary, 175 Edward Foster Rd. Scituate, MA 02066. 
Copies can also be downloaded from the SBNMS website at http://stellwagen.nos.noaa.gov.
    To submit comments, you may (1) mail them to the address above; (2) 
fax them to (781) 545-8036; (3) email them to [email protected]; or 
(4) attend one of the upcoming public meetings. Comments should be 
addressed to the attention of the Management Plan Review Coordinator.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katrina VanDine at (781) 545-8026 X203 
or via e-mail at [email protected].

    Dated: September 17, 2002.
Jamison S. Hawkins,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management.
[FR Doc. 02-23980 Filed 9-19-02; 8:45 am]
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