[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 48 (Monday, March 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14316-14317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-05284]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Review of Nomination for Lake Erie Quadrangle National Marine 
Sanctuary

AGENCY: Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean 
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In May 2020, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration requested written 
comments to facilitate ONMS review of the nomination for Lake Erie 
Quadrangle National Marine Sanctuary (NMS). NOAA requested relevant 
information as it pertains to the 11 national significance criteria and 
management considerations that NOAA applied to evaluate the Lake Erie 
Quadrangle NMS nomination for inclusion in the national inventory of 
areas that NOAA may consider for future designation as a national 
marine sanctuary. NOAA has synthesized the information gathered through 
the public process, completed an internal analysis, and the ONMS 
Director has made a final determination that the Lake Erie Quadrangle 
NMS nomination will remain in the inventory beyond the February 22, 
2021 expiration date.

DATES: This determination took effect on February 22, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Ellen Brody, Great Lakes Regional Coordinator, 4840 South 
State Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 or at [email protected], 734-741-
2270, and at https://nominate.noaa.gov/nominations/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brody, Great Lakes Regional 
Coordinator, 4840 South State Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 or at 
[email protected], 734-741-2270.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background Information

    In 2014, NOAA issued a final rule establishing the sanctuary 
nomination process (SNP), a process by which communities may submit 
nominations of areas of the marine and Great Lakes environment for NOAA 
to consider for designation as a national marine sanctuary (79 FR 
33851). The final rule establishing the SNP included a five-year limit 
on any nomination added to the inventory that NOAA does not advance for 
designation. The nomination for Lake Erie Quadrangle NMS was accepted 
to the national

[[Page 14317]]

inventory on February 22, 2016, and was scheduled to expire in February 
2021.
    On November 13, 2019, NOAA issued a document (84 FR 61546) to 
clarify procedures for evaluating and updating a nomination as it 
approaches the five-year mark. The clarified procedure ensures the 
inventory contains nominations that remain relevant and responsive to 
the 11 SNP national significance criteria and management considerations 
(``SNP Criteria''). The 11 SNP Criteria can be found at https://nominate.noaa.gov.
    On January 12, 2021, NOAA issued a request for public comments on 
this nomination (86 FR 2384). NOAA requested relevant information 
pertaining to the 11 SNP Criteria that NOAA applied to evaluate the 
Lake Erie Quadrangle NMS nomination for inclusion in the national 
inventory of areas that NOAA may consider for future designation as a 
national marine sanctuary. No public comments were received during this 
public comment period, however, the nominator did provide additional 
information which NOAA has used in evaluating the nomination. In 
analyzing this material, particular attention was given to new 
scientific information about the national significance of natural and 
cultural resources, as well as increases or decreases in the threats to 
resources originally proposed for protection, and changes to the 
management framework of the area. NOAA also assessed the level of 
community-based support for the nomination from a broad range of 
interests.
    Following NOAA's review of information provided regarding the 
nomination's merit for remaining on the inventory after five years, it 
was determined that new information shows: There are still significant 
threats to the area; it is still an area of national significance; and, 
there is still broad community support for the nomination remaining on 
the inventory of possible designations, among other criteria that the 
nomination still continues to meet. Therefore, the ONMS Director has 
determined the nomination for the Lake Erie Quadrangle NMS should 
remain on the inventory. NOAA is not proposing to designate Lake Erie 
Quadrangle NMS or any other new national marine sanctuary with this 
action. This notice serves to inform the public of this decision to 
extend the nomination on the inventory.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.

John Armor,
Director, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Ocean 
Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-05284 Filed 3-12-21; 8:45 am]
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