[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60721-60723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24738]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XZ21


Notice of Intent to Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement on Implementing Recovery Actions for Hawaiian Monk Seals

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement; announcement of public scoping period; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces its 
intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) 
to analyze the environmental impacts of implementing specific 
management actions and administering the associated research and 
enhancement program for Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi) in 
the Northwestern and Main Hawaiian Islands. Publication of this notice 
begins the official public scoping process that will help identify 
alternatives and determine the scope of environmental issues to be 
considered in the PEIS.

ADDRESSES: Written statements and questions regarding the public 
scoping process must be postmarked by November 15, 2010. To be included 
on a mailing list and receive newsletters and copies of the Draft and 
Final PEIS, please send mailing address and/or email address to Jeff 
Walters, Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Coordinator, Protected Resources 
Division, NOAA NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office, 1601 Kapiolani 
Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814. Comments on this notice and the 
scoping process for this action may be submitted by:
     Mail: 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 
96814.
     Scoping Meetings: Oral and written comments will be 
accepted during the upcoming scoping meetings. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION, SCOPING MEETINGS (below) for dates and locations of public 
scoping meetings for this issue.
     Email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Walters, NMFS Pacific Islands 
Regional Office, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814, 
or via the following email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS is the Federal agency responsible for 
management of Hawaiian monk seals, under the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act 
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.). NMFS funds and conducts research and 
enhancement activities on Hawaiian monk seals in the Northwestern 
Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) and Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). In 1976, NMFS 
listed Hawaiian monk seals as ``endangered'' under the ESA and 
``depleted'' under the MMPA. As required under section 4 of the ESA, 
NMFS published a Recovery Plan for the species in 1983, which was 
revised in 2007. The funds administered by NMFS to implement recovery 
actions, including research and enhancement, have been designated by 
Congress and allocated within NMFS' annual budgets for the purpose of 
promoting Hawaiian monk seal recovery. The intent of this PEIS is to 
evaluate, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the potential direct, indirect, and 
cumulative impacts on the human environment of the alternative 
approaches to implementing recovery actions, including research and 
enhancement activities, under the Hawaiian monk seal recovery program.

Background

    The Hawaiian monk seals' population has experienced a prolonged 
decline and currently only approximately 1,200 monk seals remain. 
Numerous threats to the survival of Hawaiian monk seals are identified 
in the Hawaiian monk seal Recovery Plan. In the NWHI, young seals are 
starving, pups are being killed by sharks, seals are getting entangled 
in marine debris, and sea level rise threatens terrestrial habitats. 
Low juvenile survival over the past two decades is the primary cause of 
the population's decline. There is insufficient recruitment into the 
breeding population, and the population decline will likely continue 
without intervention. Enhancement activities, including but not limited 
to translocating seals from areas of lower to higher survival 
probability, are being considered to improve juvenile survival and the 
overall health of the population.
    The purpose of implementing recovery activities for Hawaiian monk 
seals is to promote the recovery of the species population to levels at 
which ESA protection is no longer needed. Research, enhancement, and 
management activities on Hawaiian monk seals considered in this PEIS 
are funded, undertaken, and permitted by NMFS, which are federal 
actions requiring NEPA compliance. The need for this action is rooted 
in fundamental

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biological and ecological factors that are now limiting the population. 
As part of this action, NMFS is developing measures that will help 
identify factors limiting the population, minimize human-induced 
impacts and other factors affecting survival, promote recovery, prevent 
harm, and avoid jeopardy or continued disadvantage to the species. 
Research and monitoring will continue to play a key role in determining 
whether enhancement activities achieve their desired outcomes.
    NMFS administers funds that have been designated by Congress and 
allocated within NMFS' annual budget for the purpose of implementing 
recovery actions on Hawaiian monk seals. Using these funds, NMFS 
implements various management, research, and enhancement activities for 
recovery of the species. This PEIS would satisfy the NEPA compliance 
requirements for funding and undertaking recovery actions for Hawaiian 
monk seals, including the subset of actions requiring MMPA and ESA 
permits.
    The purposes of the ESA, as described in section 2, are to provide 
a means whereby the ecosystems upon which threatened and endangered 
species may depend may be conserved, to provide a program for the 
conservation of such threatened and endangered species, and to take 
such steps as may be appropriate to achieve the purposes of the 
treaties and conventions set forth in section 2(a) of the ESA.

Proposed Action and Possible Alternatives

    This notice initiates a public scoping period that will help 
determine the structure of each alternative considered in the PEIS. 
NMFS has identified the proposed action and several other alternatives, 
including the No Action Alternative. The final scope and structure of 
the alternatives will reflect the combined input from the public, 
research institutions, affected State and Federal agencies, and NMFS 
administrative and research offices. The number and structure of the 
alternatives that are analyzed in the PEIS will be determined at a 
later date. Themes to include in the range of potential alternatives 
are presented here to provide a framework for public comments:
     No Action Alternative: Under this alternative, currently 
permitted research and enhancement activities on Hawaiian monk seals 
would continue until expiration of the permit in 2014 (NMFS ESA-MMPA 
Permit No. 10137-04 issued to the NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries 
Science Center). Recovery Plan actions authorized by this permit would 
not be implemented beyond 2014. Currently, the existing research and 
enhancement activities include, but are not limited to:
    1. Population assessment (e.g., counting, resighting, marking for 
identification, flipper tags);
    2. Health and disease studies (e.g., tissue sampling, morphometric 
measurements);
    3. Foraging studies (e.g., telemetry, scat collection);
    4. De-worming research (e.g., fecal samples, testing anti-parasite 
treatments);
    5. Translocation of weaned pups within the NWHI to improve juvenile 
survival;
    6. Mitigation of fishery interactions (e.g., disentanglement, 
removal of fishing hooks); and
    7. Mitigation of adult male aggression (e.g., removal and 
relocation of aggressive males).
     Status Quo Alternative: The Status Quo Alternative would 
consist of the existing types and scope of management, research and 
enhancement activities (including those identified in the No Action 
Alternative). New permits would be issued to maintain the current 
levels of research and enhancement activities. Existing management 
activities include but are not limited to protecting seals that haul 
out on recreational beaches and creating effective outreach messages, 
brochures, signs and volunteer programs to minimize human disturbance 
and other adverse impacts.
     Enhanced Implementation Alternative (Proposed Action): The 
Proposed Action would result in implementation and continuation of 
activities identified in the Status Quo, as well as additional 
activities to achieve more comprehensive Recovery Plan implementation. 
These additional activities would include, but are not limited to:
    1. Vaccination studies (including potential vaccination);
    2. Aversive conditioning (e.g., the development of tools to modify 
undesirable seal behavior including interactions with humans or 
domestic animals);
    3. Archipelago-wide translocation to improve juvenile survival; and
    4. De-worming.
    The PEIS will assess the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects 
of implementing the alternative approaches for funding, undertaking, 
and permitting the management, research and enhancement activities on 
Hawaiian monk seals as well as other components of the marine ecosystem 
and human environment. Anyone having relevant information they believe 
NMFS should consider in its analysis should provide a description of 
that information along with complete citations for supporting 
documents.

Public Involvement

    Scoping is an early and open process for determining the scope of 
issues to be addressed in a PEIS and for identifying the significant 
issues related to the proposed action. A principal objective of the 
scoping and public involvement process is to identify a range of 
reasonable management alternatives that will delineate critical issues 
and provide a clear basis for distinguishing among those alternatives 
and selecting a preferred alternative. Through this notice, we are 
notifying the public that a NEPA analysis and decision--making process 
for this proposed action has been initiated so that interested or 
affected people may participate and contribute to the final decision. 
NMFS will ask for additional public comments once the Draft PEIS is 
prepared and available. For additional information about Hawaiian monk 
seals and the PEIS process, please visit our website at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/eis/hawaiianmonkseal.htm. NMFS estimates 
the Draft PEIS will be available in late spring 2011.

Scoping Meetings

    Public scoping meetings will be held on the following dates, times, 
and locations:
    1. Wednesday, October 20, 2010, 5:30 -- 8:30 p.m., Central Union 
Church, 1660 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, O`ahu;
    2. Thursday, October 21, 2010, 6 -- 9 p.m., Mokup[atilde]papa 
Discovery Center, 308 Kamehameha Avenue, Suite 109, Hilo, Hawai`i;
    3. Monday, October 25, 2010, 6 -- 9 p.m., NOAA Sanctuaries New 
Community Learning Center, 726 South K[itilde]hei Road, K[itilde]hei, 
Maui;
    4. Tuesday, October 26, 2010, 6 -- 9 p.m., Hale Mahaolu Home 
Pumehana, 290 Kolapa Place, Kaunakakai, Moloka`i; and
    5. Wednesday, October 27, 2010, 6 -- 9 p.m., Wilcox Elementary 
School, 4319 Hardy Street, L[itilde]hu`e, Kaua`i.
    Comments will be accepted at these meetings as well as during the 
scoping period, and can be submitted to NMFS by November 15, 2010 (see 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). We request that you include in your 
comments: (1) Your name, address, and affiliation (if any); and (2) Any 
background documents to

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support your comments as you think necessary.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Requests 
for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be 
directed to Rachel Sprague, (808) 944-2200 (phone) or (808) 973-2941 
(fax), at least 5 days before the scheduled meeting date.

    Dated: September 22, 2010.
Eric C. Schwaab,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-24738 Filed 9-30-10; 8:45 am]
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