[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52665-52666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18842]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS[supreg]) Advisory 
Committee

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

ACTION: Notice of availability for final programmatic environmental 
assessment and finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. IOOS office, National Ocean Service (NOS), National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has finalized a 
Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) which analyzed the 
potential environmental impacts associated with ocean observing 
activities including sensors and instrumentation; vessels (including 
personal watercraft) and sampling; autonomous underwater vehicles 
(AUV), gliders, and drifters; moorings, marine stations, buoys, and 
fixed arrays; High Frequency radar (HF radar); and sound navigation and 
ranging (sonar) and light detection and ranging (lidar) and prepared a 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to the environmental resources 
within U.S. IOOS regions.
    In parallel with the preparation of the draft and final PEA, IOOS 
initiated and completed a technical review consultation with National 
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Habitat Conservation 
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH), regarding the Magnuson-Stevens Act. 
Furthermore, subsequent to extensive discussion with and training by 
NMFS Office of Protected Resources (OPR) under the National Marine 
Sanctuaries, Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts, it 
has been determined that IOOS observing activities would have 
negligible or no impact to environmental resources under the proposed 
action. The IOOS proposed action provides a mitigation strategy to 
address any unique situations, on a site-specific basis, as more 
information becomes available.
    The final PEA and signed FONSI are posted on the IOOS Web site at 
https://ioos.noaa.gov/about/governance-and-management/environmental-compliance/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Regina Evans, U.S. IOOS Program, 1315 
East-West Highway, 2nd Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910, Silver Spring, 
MD 20910; Phone 240-533-9468; Fax 301-713-3281; Email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Observing activities support the core 
mission of U.S. IOOS: systematic provision of readily accessible marine 
environmental data and data products in an interoperable, reliable, 
timely, and user-specified manner to end-users/customers to serve seven 
critical and expanding societal needs: (1) Improve predictions of 
climate change and weather and their effects on coastal communities and 
the nation; (2) Improve the safety and efficiency of maritime 
operations; (3) More effectively mitigate the effects of natural 
hazards; (4) Improve national and homeland security; (5) Reduce public 
health risks; (6) More effectively protect and restore healthy coastal 
ecosystems; and (7) Enable the sustained use of ocean and coastal 
resources.
    IOOS's conclusion of no significant impact is based on the best 
available scientific data and consultations with underwater acoustic 
experts and biologists from NMFS. Special emphasis was placed on the 
impacts to marine mammals, endangered species, and essential fish 
habitat. IOOS has adopted conservation recommendations from EFH and 
project design criteria (PDC), or best management practices, which

[[Page 52666]]

were created to avoid adverse effects to all ESA-listed species and 
designated critical habitats from OPR. As implemented, the conservation 
recommendations and PDCs would insure that all U.S. IOOS funded 
activities (individually and in aggregate) avoid adverse effects to 
protected resources.

    Dated: July 26, 2016.
Zdenka Willis,
Director, U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System Office.
[FR Doc. 2016-18842 Filed 8-8-16; 8:45 am]
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