[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 48 (Monday, March 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14315-14316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-05285]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Boundary Expansion for the Narragansett Bay National 
Estuarine Research Reserve

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed boundary expansion and availability of a 
draft

[[Page 14316]]

environmental assessment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is 
considering a request to expand the boundary of the Narragansett Bay 
National Estuarine Research Reserve (Narragansett Bay NERR or the 
Reserve) and is soliciting comments from the public on the proposed 
boundary expansion. The public is also invited to comment on the draft 
environmental assessment for the proposed boundary expansion.

DATES: Comments must be received at the appropriate address (see 
ADDRESSES) on or before April 14, 2021.

ADDRESSES: The draft environmental assessment describing the proposed 
boundary expansion can be downloaded or viewed at coast.noaa.gov/czm/compliance/. The document is also available by sending a written 
request to the point of contact identified below (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT).
    You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
    Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments by 
email to [email protected].
    Mail: Submit written comments to Patmarie S. Nedelka, Office for 
Coastal Management, 1305 East-West Highway, N/ORM, 10th Floor, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910.
    Comments submitted by any other method or after the comment period 
may not be considered. All comments are part of the public record and 
may be publicly accessible. Any personal identifying information (e.g., 
name or address) submitted voluntarily by the sender may also be 
accessible. NOAA will accept anonymous comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrianne Harrison of NOAA's Office for 
Coastal Management on contract with Lynker Inc, by email at 
[email protected], phone at 603-862-4272, or mail at: Patmarie 
S. Nedelka, Office for Coastal Management, 1305 East-West Highway, N/
ORM, 10th Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, as lead 
agency for managing the Narragansett Bay NERR, has requested approval 
to expand the reserve's geographic boundary by adding 1 new parcel to 
the existing approved boundary. Pursuant to 15 CFR 921.33(a), NOAA may 
require public notice, including notice in the Federal Register and an 
opportunity for public comment, before approving a boundary or 
management plan change. In addition, boundary changes involving the 
acquisition of properties not listed in the reserve's management plan 
or final environmental impact statement require public notice and the 
opportunity for comment. Since the Little Property parcel was not 
evaluated in the reserve's original environmental impact statement, 
NOAA has developed an environmental assessment to analyze the effects 
of the requested change, and is publishing notice of the availability 
of this assessment for public review and comment.

II. NOAA Proposed Action and Alternatives

    NOAA is releasing a draft environmental assessment, prepared in 
accordance with section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), and the Council 
on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural 
Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508). NOAA's proposed action 
would be to approve a change in the boundary of the Narragansett Bay 
NERR to add 1 parcels to the current boundary.
    The draft environmental assessment identifies and assesses 
potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed boundary 
expansion, and identifies a preferred alternative and a no action 
alternative. The preferred alternative would add 1 parcels to the 
reserve's boundary, which would result in a net increase in size of 103 
acres. As a result, NOAA believes the proposed boundary expansion would 
(1) fill in a gap in the Narragansett Bay NERR near the center of 
Prudence Island, (2) provide a more encompassing area for the Reserve's 
research, monitoring, and education programs, and (3) provide an 
opportunity for more coordination and integrated ecosystem management 
that would help the Reserve attain its mission of practicing and 
promoting coastal and estuarine stewardship through innovative research 
and education, using a system of protected areas. Therefore, NOAA 
prefers the proposed boundary expansion over the no action alternative.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.; 15 CFR 921.33.

Keelin S. Kuipers,
Deputy Director, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-05285 Filed 3-12-21; 8:45 am]
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