[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2117-2118]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-725]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Meeting of the Chairs of the National Marine Sanctuary Program's 
Sanctuary Advisory Councils

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

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) is holding a 
meeting of the Chairs of its eleven site-specific Sanctuary Advisory 
Councils (Councils). The purpose of the meeting is to hold discussion 
and obtain input from the Chairs on the following: NMSP policy topics 
discussed during 2003 meeting, reauthorization of the National Marine 
Sanctuaries Act, and activities of cruise ships in sanctuaries. The 
meeting will be open to the public. Opportunities for public comment 
will be provided at 8:45 a.m. and 3 p.m. on a first-come, first-served 
basis. Members of the public wishing to provide comments will be asked 
to sign up upon arrival and will likely be limited in how much time 
they will be allotted for comments (depending upon how many people have 
signed up). A maximum of twenty minutes will be allotted at 8:45 a.m. 
and again at 3 p.m. for public comments.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, February 26, 2004, from 
8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Opportunities for public comment will be 
provided at 8:45 a.m. and 3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at The Marshall House, 123 East 
Broughton Street, Savannah, Georgia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Brubeck at (206) 842-6084 or 
Elizabeth Moore at (301) 713-3125 ext. 170.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA) 
authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to establish one or more Advisory 
Councils to provide advice to the Secretary regarding the designation 
and management of National Marine Sanctuaries. Eleven Councils exist, 
for the Channel Islands, Cordell Bank, Florida Keys, Gray's Reef, Gulf 
of the Farallones, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale, Monterey Bay, 
Olympic Coast, Stellwagen Bank, and Thunder Bay Sanctuaries and the 
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve and proposed 
Sanctuary. Councils represent a wide variety of community interests and 
are active in various projects and issues affecting the management of 
their local Sanctuaries; Councils generally meet on a monthly or 
bimonthly basis. Each year, the NMSP hosts a meeting for all the 
Council Chairs and Coordinators to discuss project and topics of mutual 
interest (2004's meeting will be the fourth such meeting). This year, 
for the second time, the Chairs are being asked to provide advice to 
the national program leadership on policy topics important on a 
programmatic rather than a site-specific level. The purpose of the

[[Page 2118]]

meeting is to hold discussion and obtain input from the Chairs on the 
following: NMSP policy topics discussed during 2003 meeting, 
reauthorization of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, and activities 
of cruise ships in sanctuaries. The meeting will be open to the public. 
Opportunities for public comment will be provided at 8:45 a.m. and 3 
p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. The Chairs will provide this 
advice only during the meeting announced by this notice, and will not 
become a permanent national advisory body.

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

    Dated: January 7, 2004.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary 
Program)
Jamison S. Hawkins,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Management, Ocean Services and 
Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-725 Filed 1-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-NK-M