[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 180 (Friday, September 16, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57716-57717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23864]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA707


Notice of Availability of a Draft Companion Manual for Executive 
Order 11988 Floodplain Management and Executive Order 11990 Protection 
of Wetlands

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NOAA announces the availability of a draft companion manual to 
provide agency-wide guidance for executing compliance with Executive 
Order 11988 Floodplain Management and Executive Order 11990 Protection 
of Wetlands. The companion manual provides procedures and guidance in 
accordance with specific sections of Executive Order 11988 and 
Executive Order 11990. The purpose of the companion manual is to 
promote quality and consistency in implementing floodplain management 
and protection of wetlands across the agency and to provide the 
necessary procedures to agency personnel.

DATES: Written comments and input will be accepted on or before 
September 30, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Emily Johannes, Senior 
Environmental Technical Advisor, NOAA, Safety and Environmental 
Compliance Office, 1315 East-West Highway, Suite 11115, Silver Spring, 
MD 20910; e-mail [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Emily Johannes, Senior Environmental 
Technical Advisor, NOAA, 301-713-2870 x132, [email protected]. A 
copy of the draft companion manual can be viewed or downloaded at 
http://www.seco.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces the availability of a 
draft companion manual to provide agency-wide guidance for executing 
compliance with Executive Order 11988--Floodplain Management and 
Executive Order 11990--Protection of Wetlands. Executive Orders 11988 
and 11990 require Federal agencies to avoid, mitigate, and minimize 
harm to floodplains and wetlands from land use and construction 
activities and to consider the public safety and conditions to property 
located in or adversely affecting floodplains. This companion manual 
provides procedures and guidance in accordance with section 4(d) of 
Executive Order 11988 and section 6 of Executive Order 11990. The 
purpose of the companion manual is to promote quality and consistency 
in implementing floodplain management and protection of wetlands across 
the agency. The companion manual provides agency-wide compliance 
processes and guidance for RPMs to use to efficiently and effectively 
comply with the Executive Orders when undertaking actions involving 
Federal lands, land use, or real property. NOAA is accepting comments 
on the draft companion manual for 15 calendar days, beginning on 
September 16, 2011, until September 30, 2011.

Written Comments

    Today's publication is a notice of internal NOAA guidance and not a 
rulemaking. If you choose to submit comments, please limit such 
comments to issues pertinent to the companion manual itself and explain 
the reasons

[[Page 57717]]

for any recommended changes. Where possible, reference the specific 
section or paragraph of the companion manual which you are addressing.
    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. If you wish us 
to withhold your name and/or address, phone number, e-mail address or 
other personal identifying information, you must state this prominently 
at the beginning of your comment.

    Dated: September 9, 2011.
James Norris,
Director, Safety and Environmental Compliance Office, National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-23864 Filed 9-15-11; 8:45 am]
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