[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 226 (Monday, November 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 69838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27729]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed He'eia National Estuarine Research Reserve in Kane'ohe Bay, 
Hawai'i

AGENCY: National Estuarine Research Reserve System, Office for Coastal 
Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management 
Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1451-1466), the State of Hawai`i and 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) intend to 
conduct two public scoping meetings on December 17, 2014, in Kane`ohe, 
Hawai`i, and on December 19, 2014, in Honolulu, Hawai`i, as part of 
NOAA's draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) and draft management 
plan (DMP) process to solicit comments for the preparation of a DEIS 
and DMP on the Proposed He'eia National Estuarine Research Reserve in 
Kane'ohe Bay.

DATES: December 17, 2014, at 5:00-7:00 p.m. and December 19, 2014, at 
5:00-7:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: December 17 at the King Intermediate School, 46-155 
Kamehameha Hwy., Kane`ohe, HI 96744 and December 19 at the NOAA 
Fisheries Honolulu Service Center, 1139 N. Nimitz Hwy., Ste 220, 
Honolulu, HI 96817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Rebecka Arbin, Hawai`i Office 
of Planning, P. O. Box 2359, Honolulu, HI 96804 at (808)587-2831 or 
[email protected] or Joelle Gore, Acting Chief, 
Stewardship Division, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean 
Service, NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, 
at (301) 713-3155 ext. 177, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The decision to be made by NOAA is whether 
to designate the proposed He`eia National Estuarine Research Reserve. 
The State of Hawai`i, through its Office of Planning, site partners and 
NOAA are working to determine the boundaries of the reserve, how the 
reserve would be managed, and the policies of the proposed reserve. 
These decisions will be made through an analysis process and described 
in the reserve management plan.
    Found within the largest sheltered bay in the Hawaiian Islands, the 
He`eia estuary constitutes a range of diverse habitats, including 
uplands, wetland, and fringing coral reefs, and is representative of 
the estuarine habitats in the Insular biogeographic region. In 
addition, the site hosts numerous traditional Hawaiian practices, 
including an ancient Hawaiian fish pond and taro cultivation. The 
combination of unique traditional Hawaiian land uses and natural 
habitats is expected to attract a broad range of research interests 
from multiple scientific disciplines. In July 2012, the Governor of 
Hawai`i sent NOAA a letter of interest in exploring the feasibility of 
designating a reserve within the Hawaiian Islands based on ongoing 
conversations with community groups and the University of Hawai`i. In 
February 2013, the State of Hawai`i undertook a site selection process 
to determine appropriate areas of the Hawaiian Islands that might be 
nominated for inclusion in the reserve System. Hawai`i, working with 
scientists, community organizations, and the public, gathered input and 
suggestions to inform the selection of a potential site for 
consideration as a national estuarine research reserve.
    On May 21, 2014, the Governor of the State of Hawai`i nominated the 
He`eia estuary for consideration as a Hawai`i reserve. On October 27, 
2014, NOAA accepted the site nomination document for the proposed 
He`eia reserve and initiated planning efforts with the Hawai`i Office 
of Planning HIMB.
    The He`eia reserve is proposed to be administered by the State of 
Hawaii in cooperation with the Hawaii Office of Planning, the Hawai`i 
Department of Land and Natural Resources, the University of Hawai`i, 
Hawai`i Community Development Authority, and community organizations 
Kako`o `[Omacr]iwi, Paepae o He`eia, Ko`olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, 
Kamaaina Kids, and The Nature Conservancy, with support from other 
state and county agencies and community members. The Hawai`i Office of 
Planning, in collaboration with those partners, is jointly developing 
an outline of a preliminary DMP. The outline is intended to identify 
specific needs and priorities related to research, education, and 
stewardship. At the public meetings, the Hawai`i Office of Planning and 
NOAA will provide a synopsis of the process for developing a DEIS and 
DMP and will solicit comments on the scope and the significant issues 
to be analyzed in a DEIS.
    Interested parties who wish to submit suggestions or comments about 
the scope or content of the proposed DEIS and DMP are invited to attend 
the above meetings or provide comments to the Hawai`i Office of 
Planning or NOAA's Office for Coastal Management. Comments can be 
submitted to [email protected] or U.S. mail at the 
addresses listed below.

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

    Dated: November 18, 2014.
Donna Rivelli,
Deputy Chief Financial Officer, National Ocean Service, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-27729 Filed 11-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P