[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 105 (Monday, June 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33123-33124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11680]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and 
Draft Management Plan for the Proposed Connecticut National Estuarine 
Research Reserve

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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[[Page 33124]]

SUMMARY: NOAA and the State of Connecticut (State) intend to prepare a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Draft Management Plan 
(DMP) for the proposed Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve 
(NERR). The DEIS will consider the human and environmental consequences 
of federally designating the State's proposed site and alternatives, 
and identify a final boundary. The DMP will provide a framework for 
operating the proposed site if approved by NOAA and will include plans 
for administration, research, education, and facilities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erica Seiden, Office for Coastal 
Management, National Ocean Service, NOAA, 1305 East West Highway, N/
OCM, Silver Spring, MD 20910, Phone: 240-533-0781 or Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with Section 315 of the 
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, and its implementing 
regulations (15 CFR part 921), and the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, as amended, NOAA and the State intend to prepare a DEIS 
and DMP for the proposed Connecticut NERR.
    NOAA received the State's nomination of the proposed site on 
January 3, 2019. NOAA evaluated the nomination package and found that 
the proposed site met the NERR System requirements. (See 16 U.S.C. 
1461(b).) NOAA informed the State on September 27, 2019, that it was 
accepting the nomination and that the next step would be to prepare a 
DEIS and DMP. The DEIS will consider the human and environmental 
consequences of designating the State's recommended site and 
alternatives, as well as identify a final boundary. The DMP will set a 
course for operating the reserve once approved and will include plans 
for administration, research, education, and facilities of the proposed 
site. (See 15 CFR 921.13.)
    The proposed site consists of the following State-owned properties: 
Lord Cove Wildlife Management Area; Great Island Wildlife Management 
Area; Bluff Point State Park and Coastal Reserve and Natural Area 
Preserve; Haley Farm State Park; and public trust waters including 
portions of Long Island Sound, the lower Thames River, and the lower 
Connecticut River.
    The proposed site resulted from a comprehensive evaluation process 
that sought the views of the public, affected landowners, and other 
interested parties. The State held an informal, widely-publicized kick-
off meeting on April 12, 2016, to describe the NERR System, explain the 
rationale for establishing a reserve in Connecticut, and identify a 
process for selecting and nominating a site to NOAA. Following the 
kick-off meeting, the State assembled a Site Selection Team composed of 
State agency representatives, academia, non-governmental organizations, 
members of the public, and federal agencies. The team conducted 
preliminary screening, detailed screening, and scoring of potential 
sites that led to the preferred site. The State and NOAA held a public 
meeting on November 13, 2018, to solicit comments on the preferred 
site. (See 83 FR 54572.)
    A separate Federal Register notice will be published to announce a 
public scoping meeting to solicit comments on issues related to the 
proposed action. (See 15 CFR 921.13(c).) Options for the type, 
location, and date of a public scoping meeting are being evaluated.

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

Jeffrey L. Payne,
Director, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-11680 Filed 5-29-20; 8:45 am]
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