[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 68102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22302]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of the Availability of Finding of No Significant Impact 
for a Low-Energy Marine Seismic Survey by the Scripps Institution of 
Oceanography on the Louisville Ridge in the Southwest Pacific Ocean

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Finding of No Significant Impact 
for proposed activities in the Southwest Pacific Ocean.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation gives notice of the 
availability of a Finding of No Significant Impact for proposed 
activities in the Southwest Pacific Ocean.
    The Division of Ocean Sciences in the Directorate for Geoscience 
(GEO/OCE) has prepared an Environmental Assessment of a marine 
geophysical survey by the Research Vessel Roger Revelle, in the 
vicinity of Louisville Ridge in the Pacific Ocean, January-February 
2006. The proposed action is expected to result in substantial benefits 
to NSE-funded research in ocean science. The draft Environmental 
Assessment was available for public review for a 30-day period.

DATES: Comments on the FONSI must be submitted on or before December 9, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and 
the Environmental Assessment (EA) are available upon request from: Dr. 
Alexander Shor, National Science Foundation, Division of Ocean 
Sciences, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: 
(703) 292-8583. Written comments should be submitted to this same 
address, or via email to [email protected]. The FONSI and EA are also 
available on the agency's Web site at 
http://www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/pubs/scripps_louisville_ridge_EA.pdf
and http://www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/pubs/scripps_louisville_ridge_FONSI.pdf.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation prepared a 
draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for a marine geophysical survey in 
the Pacific Ocean and solicited public comments (Federal Register): 
July 7, 2005, Vol. 70, No. 129, Page 39346). The National Science 
Foundation has prepared a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) 
based on this EA, in accordance with CEQ regulations Sec.  1500-1508 
and 45 CFR 640. It was determined that the proposed activity would not 
result in a significant impact on the quality of the human environment 
within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969. Therefore, a FONSI was issued, and no environmental impact 
statement is required.
    copies of the FONSI and the Environmental Assessment titled, 
Environmental Assessment of a Planned Low-Energy Marine Seismic Survey 
by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography on the Louisville Ridge in 
the Southwest Pacific Ocean, January-Februay 2006, are available upon 
request from: Dr. Alexander Shor, National Science Foundation, Division 
of Ocean Services, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, Arlington, VA 22230. 
Telephone: (703) 292-8583 or at the agency's Web site at 
http://www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/pubs/scripps_louisville_ridge_EA.pdf and
http://www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/pubs/scripps_louisville_ridge_FONSI.pdf.
    The National Science Foundation invites interested members of the 
public to provide written comments on this FONSI.

    Dated: November 3, 2005.
Dr. Alexander Shor,
Division of Ocean Sciences, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 05-22302 Filed 11-08-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M