[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 211 (Thursday, November 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60802-60803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-24062]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Final Management Plans for the Lake Superior and Mission-Aransas 
National Estuarine Research Reserves

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

ACTION: Notice of approval of the revised management plan for the Lake 
Superior and Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserves.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 plans for the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research 
Reserve in Wisconsin and the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine 
Research Reserve in Texas. In accordance with applicable Federal 
regulations, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension 
revised the Lake Superior Reserve's management plan, which replaces the 
plan previously approved in 2010, and the University of Texas at Austin 
revised the Mission-Aransas Reserve's management plan, which replaces 
the plan previously approved in 2015.

ADDRESSES: The approved Lake Superior Reserve management plan can be 
downloaded or viewed at https://lakesuperiorreserve.org/files/2020/03/lsnerr-management-plan.pdf. The approved Mission-Aransas Reserve 
management plan can be downloaded or viewed at https://sites.cns.utexas.edu/manerr/about/management-plan. These documents are 
also available by sending a written request to the point of contact 
identified below (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the Lake Superior revised 
management plan--Bridget Faust-Accola of NOAA's Office for Coastal 
Management, by email

[[Page 60803]]

at [email protected], phone at (651) 983-0235, or mail at: 1735 
Lake Drive West, Chanhassen, MN 55317-8582. For the Mission-Aransas 
revised management plan--Matt Chasse of NOAA's Office for Coastal 
Management, by email at [email protected], phone at 410-570-1020.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to 15 CFR 921.33(c), a state must 
revise the management plan for a research reserve at least every five 
years. Changes to a 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 November 02, 
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 Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (81 FR 
69320). On July 1, 2021, 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 Mission-Aransas National Estuarine 
Research Reserve (86 FR 35072). Responses to written and oral comments 
received, and an explanation of how comments were incorporated into the 
final versions of the revised management plans, are available in 
appendix B of the Lake Superior plan and appendix 8 of the Mission-
Aransas plan.
    The revised management plans outline each reserve's: Strategic 
goals and objectives; administrative structure; programs for conducting 
research and monitoring, education, and training; resource protection, 
restoration, and manipulation plans; public access and visitor use 
plans; consideration for future land acquisition; and facility 
development to support reserve operations.
    The Lake Superior revised management plan focuses on changes to 
facilities through acquiring permanent housing for visiting students 
and researchers; growing the sectors by structurally supporting 
additional staff; advancing geographic information systems (GIS) and 
data management priorities; and developing a formal advisory board and 
strategic relationships with the private sector in the region. Since 
September 2010, the reserve has acquired permanent facilities for the 
reserve's operations; hired core sector leads and support staff; opened 
a public interpretive center and classroom; and expanded formal 
partnerships in research and education across the region. The revised 
management plan will serve as the guiding document for the 16,697-acre 
research reserve for the next five years.
    The Mission-Aransas revised management plan builds upon past 
successes and accomplishments and is designed to address specific 
priority coastal management issues. The priority issues for research 
and monitoring include marine debris, industrial growth impacts, eDNA, 
freshwater inflow, biological monitoring, and sea level rise and 
coastal subsidence. For education and training, priorities to be 
addressed include connecting children and nature; outdoor education 
programming, climate change and its effects on coastal environments; 
coastal ecology and habitat diversity; marine debris and its impacts on 
the coastal environment; and stewardship of estuarine and coastal 
resources.
    Since its inception, this reserve has engaged in strategic 
partnerships with its land managing partners and others based on mutual 
interests. These partnerships are expected to be maintained or expanded 
through the revised management plan including reserve administration of 
the Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK), providing animal rehabilitation 
services for species endemic to the estuary. The reserve is also 
planning to maintain and improve reserve facilities including Fennessey 
Ranch, the Bay Education Center, the ARK, and the Patton Marine Science 
Education Center.
    Neither the Lake Superior or Mission-Aransas revised management 
plans change the total acreage of either reserve.
    NOAA reviewed the environmental impacts of the Lake Superior and 
Mission-Aransas revised management plans and determined that these 
actions are categorically-excluded from further analysis under the 
National Environmental Policy Act, consistent with NOAA Administrative 
Order 216-6.]
    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. 2021-24062 Filed 11-3-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-NK-P