[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 131 (Friday, July 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33209-33210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16093]



[[Page 33209]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Draft Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Science Plan; 
Public Meetings

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice of availability of the draft monument natural resources 
science plan; announcement of public meetings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that NOAA, FWS, and the State 
of Hawai`i's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), and 
Office of Hawaiian Affairs have prepared a draft monument natural 
resources science plan (NRSP) for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National 
Monument (Monument) located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 
(NWHI). The State of Hawai`i also participated in the development of 
the NRSP. The monument's research activities, ongoing and proposed, are 
described in the Draft NRSP. The NRSP is available for public review 
and comments. Two public meetings are scheduled to obtain your comments 
on the Draft NRSP, see DATES for details.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments should be received on 
or before August 10th, 2009. Two public meetings will be held where you 
will have opportunities to ask questions about the NRSP and provide 
formal comments. The meetings will be held from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on 
the following dates and locations:
     July 21th: Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument 
conference room, 6600 Kalanianaole Hwy, Suite 300, Honolulu, HI 96825.
     July 23th: Mokupapapa Discovery Center, 308 Kamehameha 
Ave, Suite 203, Hilo, HI, 96720.

ADDRESSES: The Draft NRSP is available on the FWS and NOAA Web site 
http://hawaiireef.noaa.gov/research/welcome.html.
    You may provide written comments on the Draft NRSP by any of the 
following methods:
     U.S. Mail: Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, 
Attn: Science Plan Comments, 6600 Kalanianaole Hwy, Suite 300, Honolulu 
HI, 96825; or
     Fax: to (808) 397-2662; or
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Instructions: All comments received are a part of the 
public record. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: T. `Aulani Wilhelm, Monument 
Superintendent (NOAA); 6600 Kalanianaole Highway, 300, Honolulu, HI 
96825; (808) 397-2660.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Monument Background

    On June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush established the 
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument by issuing 
Presidential Proclamation 8031 (Proclamation) (71 FR 36443, June 26, 
2006) under the authority of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 
U.S.C. 431) (the Antiquities Act). On December 8, 2006, the Secretaries 
of Commerce and the Interior and the Governor of Hawai`i signed a 
Memorandum of Agreement for coordinated, integrated management and 
protection of the monument. On February 28, 2007, President Bush 
amended the Proclamation to rename the monument, Papahanaumokuakea 
Marine National Monument, to reflect native Hawaiian language and 
culture (72 FR 10031, March 6, 2007).

Location, Size, and Federal and State Resource Management

    Proclamation 8031 reserves all lands and interests in lands owned 
or controlled by the Government of the United States in the 
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), including emergent and submerged 
lands and waters out to a distance of approximately 50 nautical miles 
from the islands. The monument is approximately 100 nautical miles wide 
and extends approximately 1,200 miles around coral islands, seamounts, 
banks, and shoals. The area includes the: Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 
Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve, Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge/
Battle of Midway National Memorial, Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife 
Refuge, Hawaii State Seabird Sanctuary at Kure Atoll, and State of 
Hawai`i's Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine Refuge. NOAA maintains 
responsibility for managing the NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve, 
included within the monument, and has primary responsibility regarding 
the management of the marine areas of the monument, in consultation 
with FWS.
    Refuge areas within the monument, including the Midway Atoll 
National Wildlife Refuge, the Battle of Midway National Memorial, and 
the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, are managed by FWS. The 
State maintains responsibility for managing state lands and waters 
within the monument, including the NWHI State Marine Refuge and State 
Seabird Sanctuary at Kure Atoll.

Public Outreach and the NRSP's Relationship to Previous Plans

    The Co-Trustees created the Draft NRSP as one of several eventual 
``step-down'' plans from the Monument Management Plan. The NRSP was 
written in consultation with all members of the Monument Management 
Board. Comments and issues raised during scoping are included in the 
Draft NRSP.

Condition Report

    In preparation for science plan review, NOAA has produced a 
Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Condition Report. The 
Condition Report provides a summary of resources in PMNM, pressures on 
those resources, the current condition and trends, and management 
responses to the pressures that threaten the integrity of the marine 
environment. Specifically, the Condition Report includes information on 
the status and trends of water quality, habitat, living resources and 
maritime archaeological resources and the human activities that affect 
them. The report serves as a supporting document for the Natural 
Resources Science Plan Review Process, to inform constituents who 
desire to participate in that process. It can be found online at http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/condition/pmnm/download.html.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, it cannot be guaranteed that we will be 
able to do so. For more information, please see the ADDRESSES section.


[[Page 33210]]


    Dated: July 1, 2009.
Daniel J. Basta,
Director, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
[FR Doc. E9-16093 Filed 7-9-09; 8:45 am]
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