[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 107 (Friday, June 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35747-35749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13110]


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 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Interagency Working Group on the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia 
Research and Control Amendments Act

AGENCY: National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notices; publication of report and plan summary.

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SUMMARY: The National Ocean Service (NOS) of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) publishes this notice to announce the 
publication of a detailed outline summarizing the intent of the Great 
Lakes Plan on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and Hypoxia.
    Notice is also hereby given of the publication of ``HABs and 
Hypoxia Comprehensive Research Plan and Action Strategy: An Interagency 
Report.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caitlin Gould ([email protected], 
240-533-0290) or Stacey DeGrasse ([email protected], 240-402-
1470)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    HABS and hypoxia can have detrimental impacts to human and animal 
health, local and regional economies, and long-term national security. 
In response, the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control 
Amendments Act of 2014 (HABHRCA) establishes a national program and 
Federal interagency task force to advance the understanding of HABs and 
hypoxia events, and to respond to, detect, predict, control, and 
mitigate these events to the greatest extent practicable.
    Section 8 of the HABHRCA requires NOAA, as the lead federal agency 
of the task force and Interagency Working Group on HABHRCA (IWG-
HABHRCA), to develop and submit to Congress a plan for reducing, 
mitigating, and controlling HABs and hypoxia in the Great Lakes, and 
publish a summary of the plan in the Federal Register prior to 
submission. The plan builds upon the Great Lakes HABs and Hypoxia 
Integrated Assessment contained in ``HABs and Hypoxia Comprehensive 
Research Plan and Action Strategy: An Interagency Report'', referenced 
herein, and builds upon the work of the International Joint Commission 
(e.g., reports entitled A Balanced Diet for Lake Erie: Reducing 
Phosphorous Loadings and Harmful Algal Blooms and Human Health Effects 
from Harmful Algal Blooms: a Synthesis) and the Great Lakes Water 
Quality Agreement (e.g. Annex Four). The Plan also addresses key 
aspects of Federal Activities to better understand and address HABs and 
hypoxia in the Great Lakes. Those efforts include establishing HAB and 
hypoxia forecast products through comprehensive monitoring integrated 
with satellite coverage and modeling of coastal, and freshwater zones; 
and developing and deploying lower cost, easy to use, and real-time 
sensors for early detection of hypoxia and HAB cells and toxins. The 
Plan further reflects significant engagement between IWG-HABHRCA 
agencies and a wide variety of stakeholders. Stakeholder engagement 
provides the IWG with information and perspective that enhances Federal 
data collection efforts.

II. Summary of the Great Lakes Plan on Harmful Blooms and Hypoxia

    The IWG-HABHRCA is producing the Great Lakes Plan on Harmful Algal 
Blooms and Hypoxia: An Interagency Report (hereafter: The ``Plan''), 
which will assess the current state of the science on causes and 
impacts of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and

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hypoxia in the Great Lakes, highlight progress to date and current 
challenges, and propose next actions.
    An overview of the current state of science in the Plan will 
discuss challenges and recommendations related to HABs and hypoxia, 
addressing improving scientific understanding; prediction, modeling, 
and monitoring; mitigating the causes and impacts; social science; and 
engagement, communications, and outreach. Throughout, the report will 
consider prevention, control, and mitigation as related to HABs and 
hypoxia in the region. It will also discuss Federal progress and 
successes.

Scientific Understanding: Requirements for Understanding, Verifying, 
and Characterizing HABs and Hypoxia

    The section on improving scientific understanding will synthesize 
existing knowledge regarding bloom toxicity and the detection and 
mapping of HAB and hypoxia extent. It also will review causes of HABs 
and hypoxia, including the role of phosphorus and nitrogen, invasive 
species, herbicides, climate change, and other environmental drivers, 
as well as how these factors influence the duration and intensity of 
HAB and hypoxia events. It also will review questions related to the 
timing of events and causes of HAB toxicity.

Monitoring

    Expanded and coordinated monitoring and data aggregation efforts, 
as well as advances in monitoring technologies, can help answer 
pressing questions at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. The 
report will discuss how scientific understanding and nutrient 
mitigation strategies for HABs and hypoxia can be improved with 
additional environmental monitoring. It also will discuss how 
partnerships between agencies and non-Federal groups play a role in 
enhancing the efficiency of monitoring efforts.

Modeling

    The prediction and modeling section will discuss the methods and 
technology that are being developed to provide advanced warnings of HAB 
and hypoxic events, forecast recovery efforts related to nutrient 
abatement, and raise awareness of HABs and hypoxia in order to reduce 
risk to public health. Methods and technology discussed in the report 
will include data, calibration, and validation needs related to HAB and 
hypoxia models.

Impacts and Assessments

    Mitigating the causes and impacts of HABs and hypoxia will 
encompass best management practices (BMPs) for addressing HABs and 
hypoxia, as well as BMPs during HAB and hypoxic events to minimize 
potential human health and socioeconomic risk. Mitigation challenges 
will include, but are not limited to, implementing new programs that 
reduce nutrient inputs, along with monitoring and modeling to determine 
BMP effectiveness.
    Sections discussing challenges related to socioeconomics, 
engagement, communications, and outreach of these issues in the region 
will include information on health impacts for humans, the aquatic 
ecosystem, pets, and wildlife, as well as information on cost-benefit 
analyses, valuation of ecosystem services, and risk assessment. It will 
also discuss how to better communicate between Federal agencies and 
with non-Federal stakeholders.

Timeline and Budget

    Recommendations for actions in each of the themes will be included 
in the report. The specific timeline and budgetary requirements for the 
deployment of future assets are subject to the availability of 
appropriations.
    This report will consider HAB and hypoxic events that occur 
throughout the Great Lakes, such as those in Lake Erie's western basin 
and Sandusky Bay, Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay, and Lake Michigan's Green 
Bay. Stakeholder engagement and consultation will play a significant 
role in informing the content of the report; the IWG is soliciting 
input from academics, agricultural interests, industry, state and 
international agencies, and other stakeholder groups. To ensure that 
the Plan is technically sound and cost-effective, interagency 
collaborations and other partnerships will be identified as possible 
opportunities for leveraging resources, including areas of expertise, 
workforce, funding, or equipment. The Plan will refer to existing 
reports for information, such as the International Joint Commission's A 
Balanced Diet for Lake Erie: Reducing Phosphorous Loadings and Harmful 
Algal Blooms, and Annex Four of the Great Lakes Water Quality 
Agreement. The Plan will expand upon relevant topics as they relate to 
current challenges and recommendations for future efforts.

Other Information

    The IWG-HABHRCA is comprised of representatives from NOAA, United 
States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 
United States Geological Survey (USGS), National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration (NASA), United States Navy, National Institute of 
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Science Foundation 
(NSF), United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Park 
Service (NPS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States 
Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 
(BOEM).

Other Information

    Stakeholders are invited to submit questions and provide input 
related to concerns and successes pertaining to HABs and hypoxia in the 
Great Lakes region. The IWG-HABHRCA continues to seek general and 
technical feedback on topics including:
     Regional, Great Lakes-specific priorities for:
    [cir] Ecological, economic, and social research on the causes and 
impacts of HABs and hypoxia;
    [cir] Approaches to improving monitoring and early warnings, 
scientific understanding, prediction and modeling, and socioeconomics 
of these events; and
    [cir] Mitigating the causes and impacts of HABs and hypoxia.
     Communication and information dissemination methods that 
state, tribal, local, and international governments and organizations 
may undertake to educate and inform the public concerning HABs and 
hypoxia in the Great Lakes; and
     Perceived needs for handling Great Lakes HAB and hypoxia 
events, as well as an action strategy for managing future situations.
    Inquiries and comments may be submitted via email ([email protected]) or via U.S. mail to Caitlin Gould at NOAA, National 
Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, SSMC-4, #8237, 1305 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Technical feedback in the form of 
brief annotated bibliographic entries would be welcome. The Interagency 
Working Group will gladly accept public input at any time; however, 
only those that are received on or before May 15, 2016, will be 
considered when the Interagency Working Group finalizes the plan.

Other Information

    Paperwork Reduction Act: Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be 
subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of 
information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 
unless that collection

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displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

    Dated: May 26, 2016.
Mary C. Erickson,
Director, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean 
Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-13110 Filed 6-2-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P