[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8231-8232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3720]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Draft Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for Thunder 
Bay National Marine Sanctuary: Notice of Public Availability and 
Meetings

AGENCY: Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean 
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice of public availability and meetings.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 304(e) of the National Marine 
Sanctuaries Act (NMSA), as amended, NOAA is soliciting public comment 
on the draft management plan and draft environmental assessment for 
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

DATES: Comments: Comments on the draft management plan and draft 
environmental assessment will be considered if received on or before 
April 10, 2009.
    Public meetings: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for 
the dates and locations for the public meetings.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy: For a copy of the draft management plan 
and draft environmental assessment, contact the Management Plan Review 
Coordinator, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 500 W. Fletcher 
Street, Alpena, MI 49707. Copies can also be downloaded from the 
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) website at http://www.thunderbay.noaa.gov.
    To submit comments: Comments on the draft management plan and draft 
environmental assessment may be submitted by one of the following 
methods:
    1. In writing to the Thunder Bay NMS Management Plan Review 
Coordinator (see to obtain a copy section above);
    2. By e-mail to [email protected]; or
    3. By providing comments (oral or written) at one of the public 
meetings (see public meetings section below).
    Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record 
and will be generally posted to http://www.regulations.gov without 
change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, 
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly 
accessible. Do not submit confidential business information or 
otherwise sensitive or protected information. NOAA will accept 
anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required fields if you wish to 
remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted 
in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Public meetings: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for the 
dates and locations for the public meetings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tera Panknin at (989) 356-8805 ext. 38 
or via e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background Information

    On October 7, 2000, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) designated TBNMS as the nation's thirteenth 
national marine sanctuary (NMS). At that time, NOAA prepared and 
released a management plan for the new sanctuary. TBNMS is jointly 
managed by NOAA and the State of Michigan. The sanctuary's mission is 
to preserve nationally significant shipwrecks and regional maritime 
landscape through resource protection, education, and research. The 
sanctuary also promotes appreciation and responsible use of Thunder 
Bay, the Great Lakes, and the oceans.
    NOAA is now undergoing the first review of the 1999 TBNMS 
management plan pursuant to section 304(e) of the NMSA. The draft 
revised management plan (2009) was prepared by NOAA and the State of 
Michigan's Department of History, Arts and Libraries in cooperation 
with the Thunder Bay Sanctuary Advisory Council and with input from the 
public, local governments, State and Federal agencies, and other 
stakeholders. The draft revised plan is comprised of four action plans 
(resource protection, education and outreach, research, and 
operations). It sets priorities to guide sanctuary programs and 
operations and provides the public with a better understanding of the 
sanctuary's strategies to protect Thunder Bay's resources.
    The draft environmental assessment analyzes the environmental 
impacts of the revised management plan pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act. In doing so, it analyzes two alternatives: 
the status quo (no change to the 1999 management plan) and the 
preferred alternative (revising the 1999 management plan).

Public Meetings

    Public meetings will be held at the following locations and dates:

[[Page 8232]]



March 18, 6:30 p.m............  Rogers City, MI..  Presque Isle District
                                                    Library, 181 East
                                                    Erie Street, Rogers
                                                    City, MI 49779.
March 19, 6:30 p.m............  Harrisville, MI..  Harrisville
                                                    Courthouse, 106
                                                    North 5th Street,
                                                    Harrisville, MI
                                                    48740.
March 20, 2 p.m...............  Lansing, MI......  Michigan Historical
                                                    Center, 702 West
                                                    Kalamazoo Street,
                                                    Lansing, MI 48909.
March 24, 6:30 p.m............  Alpena, MI.......  Great Lakes Maritime
                                                    Heritage Center, 500
                                                    West Fletcher
                                                    Street, Alpena, MI
                                                    49707.
 


    Dated: February 17, 2009.
Daniel J. Basta,
Director, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
[FR Doc. E9-3720 Filed 2-23-09; 8:45 am]
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