[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 131 (Friday, July 9, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41446-41447]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15612]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 224

[I.D. 040704A]


Endangered Fish and Wildlife; Advance Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (ANPR) for Right Whale Ship Strike Reduction; Extension of 
Public Comment Period; Notice of Public Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings and extension of public comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is conducting public meetings along the Atlantic coast in 
association with an ANPR published June 1, 2004, which provided that 
NMFS is considering regulations to implement a strategy to reduce 
mortalities to North Atlantic right whales as a result of vessel 
collisions. The public, as well as Federal, state, and local agencies 
are encouraged to participate in these meetings. In addition, to ensure 
the public has adequate time to review and comment on the ANPR, NMFS is 
extending the comment period on the ANPR until September 15, 2004.

DATES: Written and electronic comments on the ANPR must be received 
(see ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on September 
15, 2004. The public meetings will be held in July and August 2004. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates, times, and locations.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: Chief, Marine Mammal 
Conservation Division, Attn: Right Whale Ship Strike Strategy, Office 
of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910. Comments may be sent via fax to (301)427-2522, Attn: Right Whale 
Ship Strike Strategy. Comments may also be sent via email to 
[email protected] or to the Federal eRulemaking portal: 
http://www.regulations.gov (follow instructions for submitting 
comments).
    The June 1, 2004, ANPR may be obtained at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/ 
under the 'Recent News and Hot Topics' link. Using the drop-down menu, 
the link 'Ship Strike Strategy' provides access to the ANPR, as well as 
links to background and supporting documentation related to the 
proposed strategy.

[[Page 41447]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aleria Jensen, Fishery Biologist, 
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, at (301) 713-2322; Pat Gerrior, 
Fishery Biologist, Northeast Regional Office, NMFS, at (508) 495-2264; 
or Barb Zoodsma, Fishery Biologist, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, at 
(904) 321-2806.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides additional 
opportunity for public involvement in the development and 
implementation of a strategy to address the lack of recovery of the 
endangered North Atlantic right whale by reducing the likelihood and 
threat of ship strike mortalities to the species. The strategy is 
described in greater detail in the ANPR published June 1, 2004 (69 FR 
30857). In summary, it is a multi-faceted plan that includes potential 
routing changes, speed reductions, and the use of dynamic management 
areas as proposed operational measures. In association with the comment 
period on the ANPR, NMFS is holding five public meetings to present the 
strategy and solicit information on the development and implementation 
of the proposed new operational measures. In addition, the agency 
intends to convene a series of smaller focal group meetings through its 
regional Right Whale Recovery Implementation Teams to discuss specific 
stakeholder questions and concerns. Comments received during the ANPR 
comment period and in associated meetings will assist the agency in 
subsequent rulemaking decisions about using this methodology to reduce 
the threat of ship collisions to right whales.

Schedule of Public Scoping Meetings

    The dates, times, and locations of the meetings are scheduled as 
follows:
    1. Tuesday, July 20, 2004, 3 to 6 p.m.
    Tip O'Neill Federal Building, Rm 335 A & B, 10 Causeway Street, 
Boston, MA 02222.
    2. Wednesday, July 21, 2004, 3 to 6 p.m. Jersey City-Newport 
Courtyard Marriot, 540 Washington Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07310.
    3. Monday, July 26, 2004, 3 to 6 p.m. Hilton Riverside Wilmington, 
301 N. Water Street, Wilmington, NC 28401.
    4. Tuesday, July 27, 2004, 3 to 6 p.m. Radisson Riverwalk Hotel, 
1515 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32207-8133.
    5. Tuesday, August 3, 2004, 3 to 6 p.m. NOAA Headquarters Science 
Center, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    NMFS is also extending the comment period on the ANPR through 
September 15, 2004, to include public input at the public meetings and 
to give the public time to comment after attending the meetings.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Request for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Aleria Jensen at 301-713-2322.

Laurie K. Allen,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-15612 Filed 7-8-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S