[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 136 (Monday, July 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40482-40483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11272]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 040704A]


Endangered Fish and Wildlife; National Environmental Policy Act; 
Right Whale Ship Strike Reduction Regulations; Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings.

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SUMMARY: NMFS will hold three public hearings in August 2006, to 
receive public comments on the North Atlantic right whale ship strike 
reduction strategy and draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) in 
Boston, MA; Baltimore, MD; and Jacksonville, FL.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION under the heading 
Hearing Dates, Times, and Locations for the dates 
and locations of the public hearings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessica Gribbon, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; 
telephone: (301) 713-2322.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 7, 2006, the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) published a Notice of Availability (NOA) in the 
Federal Register announcing the availability of the DEIS for 
implementation of the operational measures of the Right Whale Ship 
Strike Reduction Strategy for public comment and review. The public 
comment period on the DEIS is from July 7, 2006, to September 5, 2006. 
The public has the opportunity to submit comments on the document using 
following methods:
    (1) E-mail: [email protected].
    (2) Mail: Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation 
Division, Attn: Right Whale Ship Strike Reduction Strategy DEIS, Office 
of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910.
    (3) Facsimile (fax) to: 301-427-2522, Attn: Right Whale Ship Strike 
Reduction StrategyDEIS.
    (4) Public Hearings: Submit oral or written comments at public 
hearings for the DEIS.
    NMFS has scheduled three public hearings on the DEIS. The purpose 
of these hearings is to provide an opportunity for the public to submit 
oral or written comments on the DEIS. The DEIS and information on these 
hearings can be found at >http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike/.

[[Page 40483]]

Hearing Dates, Times, and Locations

    The dates, times and locations of the hearings are as follows:
    Tuesday, August 8, 2006 - Jacksonville, FL 1-4 p.m. - University of 
North Florida, University Center, Board of Trustees Room, 1200 Alumni 
Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32224.
    Thursday, August 10, 2006 - Baltimore, MD 1-4 p.m. - Maryland 
Science Center, MSC Theater, 601 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21230.
    Monday, August 14, 2006 - Boston, MA 1-4 p.m. - Thomas (Tip) 
O'Neill, Federal Building, Auditorium, 10 Causeway Street, Boston, MA 
02222.

Special Accommodations

    These hearings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Jessica Gribbon, at (301) 713-
2322, ext.153, at least 7 working days prior to the hearing date.

    Dated: July 11, 2006.
Stewart Harris,
Acting Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation Division, 
Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-11272 Filed 7-14-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S