[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 46 (Monday, March 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13632-13633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04732]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Approval of the Final Management Plan for the Hudson 
River National Estuarine Research Reserve

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

ACTION: Public notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office for Coastal Management, 
National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce approves the revised 
Management Plan for the Hudson River National Estuarine Research 
Reserve, which is comprised of four component sites along the Hudson 
River in New York. In accordance with applicable Federal regulations, 
the New York State

[[Page 13633]]

Department of Environmental Conservation revised its management plan. 
The revised Management Plan will replace the plan previously approved 
in 2009. View the approved Hudson River, NY, National Estuarine 
Research Reserve Management Plan at https://coast.noaa.gov/data/docs/nerrs/Reserves_HUD_MgmtPlan.pdf .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nina Garfield of NOAA's Office for 
Coastal Management, by email at [email protected], phone at 240-
533-0817, or mail at: 1305 NOAA, NOS, OCM, East West Highway, SSMC4, 
Silver Spring, MD 20919.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to 15 CFR 921.33, a state must 
periodically revise its Reserve management plan, changes to the final 
management plan may be made only after written approval by NOAA, and 
NOAA will approve amendments to management plans by notice in the 
Federal Register. On March 6, 2019, NOAA issued a notice in the Federal 
Register announcing a thirty-day public comment period for the Hudson 
River National Estuarine Research Reserve revised management plan (84 
FR 8087). Responses to the written and oral comments received, and an 
explanation of how comments were incorporated into the final revised 
plan, are available in Appendix 10 of the revised plan.
    The Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve has outlined 
in the revised Management Plan how it will manage administration and 
its core program providing detailed actions that will enable it to 
accomplish specific goals and objectives. Since 2009, the Hudson River 
National Estuarine Research Reserve has provided technical expertise to 
coastal communities to reduce risks to natural hazards; expanded 
monitoring programs; installed a sentinel site for monitoring marsh 
ecosystem responses to sea level rise; conducted training workshops; 
implemented K-12 and public education programs; installed a water level 
observation station that is compliant with NOAA's National Water Level 
Observation Network; restored hydrologic flows at Gays Point in the 
Stockport Flats component; and established itself as a regional leader 
in the design and implementation of living shorelines.
    The revised Management Plan updates the former plan with 
accomplishments since 2009, and identifies new priorities that will 
guide the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve's operations 
through 2024. Facility priorities include improvements to exhibits and 
access to the visitor center; the provision of lodging options for 
interns, students, and visiting professionals; enhancements to trails; 
upgraded access for researchers and recreational users at component 
sites; the assessment of existing and potentially new living shoreline 
structures at component sites; and the evaluation of facility 
resilience to climate change. Education priorities include the 
continuation of teacher training and public outreach offerings; the 
implementation of distance learning strategies to reach expanded 
audiences; the inclusion of new topics to the education curriculum 
including marine debris and microplastics, climate change, estuarine 
monitoring, and restoration; and the expansion of educational programs 
to component sites. The Coastal Training Program (CTP) priorities are 
to continue to address nature-based shoreline conservation efforts and 
lead a statewide collaboration on living shorelines. The research and 
monitoring priorities are to conduct research relevant to the Hudson 
River and broader mid-Atlantic region; continue implementation and 
analysis of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System Sentinel 
Site monitoring protocols; and maintain the Hudson River Environmental 
Conditions Observing System water quality stations and the Turkey Point 
Tide Station. The stewardship priorities will support restoration 
efforts identified in the Hudson River Restoration Plan; provide 
technical assistance to restoration practitioners; control invasive 
species in the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve 
habitats; promote fish passage; and acquire remaining holdings in the 
Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve.
    NOAA has reviewed the impacts of the revised Management Plan and 
determined that the revision of the Management Plan will not have a 
significant effect on the human environment and therefore qualifies for 
a categorical exclusion under NOAA Administrative Order 216-6.

Keelin S. Kuipers,
Deputy Director, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-04732 Filed 3-6-20; 8:45 am]
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