[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 197 (Friday, October 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64127-64128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22461]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Final Management Plan for the Great Bay National Estuarine 
Research Reserve

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

ACTION: Notice; approval of management plan.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office for Coastal Management, 
National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
approves the revised management plan for the Great Bay National 
Estuarine Research Reserve (Great Bay Reserve) in New Hampshire. In 
accordance with applicable federal regulations, the New Hampshire Fish 
and Game Department revised the Great Bay Reserve's management plan, 
which replaces the plan that was approved in 2007.

ADDRESSES: The approved management plan can be downloaded or viewed at 
https://www.greatbay.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ManagementPlan.pdf. 
A hard copy of the documents may be requested by sending a written 
request to the point of contact identified below (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Mountz of NOAA's Office for 
Coastal Management, by email at [email protected], phone at 
(240) 533-0819, or mail at: 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Pursuant to 15 CFR 921.33(c), a state must revise the management 
plan for a national estuarine research reserve at least every five 
years. Changes to a national estuarine research reserve's management 
plan may be made only after receiving written approval from NOAA. NOAA 
approves changes to management plans via notice in the Federal 
Register. On March 24, 2020, NOAA issued a notice in the Federal 
Register announcing a thirty-day public comment period for the proposed 
revision of the management plan for the Great Bay Reserve (85 FR 
16618). Responses to written and oral comments NOAA received, and an 
explanation of how comments were incorporated into the final version of 
the revised management plan, are available in appendix 3 of the plan.
    The management plan outlines the Great Bay Reserve's strategic 
goals and objectives; administrative structure; programs for conducting 
research and monitoring, education, and training; resource protection 
and restoration plans; public access and visitor use plans; 
consideration for future land acquisition; and facility development to 
support Great Bay Reserve operations. Since 2007, the Great Bay Reserve 
has implemented its core and system-wide programs; secured science, 
education, and conservation grants to serve Great Bay communities; made 
significant repairs and improvements to the Discovery Center campus 
including installing a pervious pavement parking lot, replacing the 
original boardwalk, and refurbishing staff offices in the Depot House 
and Discovery Center; updated exhibits in Discovery Center including 
designing and installing marine debris exhibits; and enhanced 
waterfront access for kayak launching. There will be no boundary change 
with the approval of the revised management plan. The revised 
management plan will serve as the guiding document for the 10,235-acre 
Great Bay Reserve for the next five years.
    NOAA reviewed the environmental impacts of the revised management 
plan and determined that this action is categorically excluded from 
further analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 
42

[[Page 64128]]

U.S.C. 4321 et seq., consistent with NOAA Administrative Order 216-6A.

(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.)

Keelin Kuipers,
Deputy Director, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-22461 Filed 10-8-20; 8:45 am]
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