[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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