[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 68415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-27273]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Intent

AGENCY: National Estuarine Research Reserve System, Office of Ocean and 
Coastal Resource Management (OCRM), National Ocean Service (NOS), 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department 
of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a draft environmental impact 
statement on the proposed St. Louis River National Estuarine Research 
Reserve (reserve) in Superior, Wisconsin. Notice of a public scoping 
meeting in Superior, Wisconsin, to solicit comments on significant 
issues related to the preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement/Draft Management Plan (DEIS/DMP) for the proposed reserve. 
The DEIS/DMP will address the research, education, and stewardship 
needs of the proposed reserve.

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DATES: Monday, December 1, 2008 at 7 p.m.

ADDRESSES: University of Wisconsin--Superior Multicultural Center, Old 
Main--Rm 232, Superior, WI 54880.
SUMMARY: In accordance with section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management 
Act of 1972, as amended, the State of Wisconsin and the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration intend to conduct a public 
scoping meeting on December 1, 2008, in Superior, Wisconsin, as part of 
NOAA's Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Draft Management Plan 
(DEIS/DMP) process to solicit comments for the preparation of a DEIS/
DMP.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The decision to be made by NOAA is whether 
or not to designate the proposed St. Louis River National Estuarine 
Research Reserve. University of Wisconsin-Extension (UW-EX), Wisconsin 
Department of Administration (WI DOA), and NOAA are working to 
determine what the boundaries of the reserve will be, how the reserve 
will be managed, and the policies of the proposed reserve. These 
decisions will be made through an analysis process and spelled out in 
the reserve management plan.
    The St. Louis River freshwater estuary constitutes a relatively 
intact and wetland rich area, and is an excellent representative area 
in the Great Lakes biogeographic region with a diversity of coastal 
habitat types. The unique physical and hydrological features of the 
proposed site is expected to attract a broad range of research 
interests from multiple scientific disciplines. Beginning in 2004, the 
WI DOA and UW-EX organized a number of partners and stakeholders to 
explore the feasibility of a reserve on the Lake Superior coast. In 
2006, the State of Wisconsin undertook a site selection process to 
determine appropriate areas of Wisconsin's Lake Superior coast that 
might be nominated for inclusion in the Reserve System. This process 
and a parallel public participation process generated advice from 
public and private experts in estuarine science and input from the 
public.
    On June 1, 2008, the Governor of the State of Wisconsin nominated 
the St. Louis River Freshwater Estuary for consideration as a Lake 
Superior Reserve. In October of 2008, NOAA approved the site nomination 
document for the proposed Lake Superior reserve and began working with 
UW-EX and WI DOA to develop a management plan and environmental impact 
statement for the proposed reserve.
    The St. Louis River reserve is proposed to be administered by the 
UW-EX in cooperation with partner landholders including the Wisconsin 
Department of Natural Resources and the City of Superior. WI DOA and 
UW-EX are jointly developing an outline of a preliminary draft 
management plan. The outline is intended to identify specific needs and 
priorities related to research, education and stewardship. At the 
public meeting, WI DOA, UW-EX, and NOAA will provide a synopsis of the 
process for developing a DEIS/DMP and will solicit comments on 
significant environmental issues that will be incorporated into a DEIS.
    Interested parties who wish to submit suggestions or comments 
regarding the scope or content of the proposed DEIS/DMP are invited to 
attend the above meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Travis Olsen, Wisconsin Department of 
Administration at (608) 266-3687 or [email protected] or 
Laurie McGilvray, Chief, Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean 
and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean Service, NOAA, 1305 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, (301) 713-3155 ext 
158 or [email protected].

    Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.420, (Coastal Zone 
Management) Research Reserves.

    Dated: November 11, 2008.
David M. Kennedy,
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.
[FR Doc. E8-27273 Filed 11-17-08; 8:45 am]
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