[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 66 (Thursday, April 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20501-20502]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07195]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Intent To Conduct Scoping in Preparation of the 
National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy for the Coral Reef Conservation 
Program

AGENCY: National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of intent; announcement of public scoping period; 
request for written comments.

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SUMMARY: NOAA announces its intention to prepare a National Coral Reef 
Resilience Strategy (National Strategy) in accordance with the Coral 
Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (CRCA), as reauthorized and amended by 
the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2023. NOAA administers the Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP), 
which is implemented in the coastal areas and marine waters of Florida, 
Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, Guam, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the U.S. 
Pacific Remote Island Area, and targeted international regions 
including the wider Caribbean, the Coral Triangle, the South Pacific, 
and Micronesia. Publication of this document begins the official 
scoping period to help identify content for specific elements of the 
National Strategy. The intended effect of this notice is to provide the 
public with background on the scoping, seek specific input, and provide 
a general opportunity for comment the agency can consider while 
developing the National Strategy.

DATES: NOAA will consider all relevant written comments received by May 
8, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by either of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/NOAA-NOS-2023-0043. Click the ``Comment Now!'' 
icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
     Email: Dr. Harriet L. Nash, Deputy Director, Coral Reef 
Conservation Program, [email protected]. Include ``2023 Strategy 
Scoping'' in the subject line of the message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Harriet L. Nash of NOAA's Coral 
Reef Conservation Program, by email at [email protected] or phone 
at 240-410-3535.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    NOAA announces its intention to prepare a National Strategy in 
accordance with the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, as 
reauthorized and amended by the James M. Inhofe National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Pub. L. 117-263, December 23, 
2022, 136 Stat 2395; reauthorized CRCA). NOAA is preparing the National 
Strategy to support coral reef conservation and restoration activities 
throughout the United States, South Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and 
Pacific Island Regions, and priority international areas (i.e., wider 
Caribbean, Coral Triangle, South Pacific, and Micronesia). After final 
publication, the National Strategy will replace CRCP's current 
Strategic Plan (2018). The National Strategy will contain several 
elements, many of which exist in the current Strategic Plan (https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/19419/noaa_19419_DS1.pdf), that 
will be developed in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, 
the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, covered States, and covered Native 
entities, as well as the Secretary of Defense; by engagement with 
stakeholders; and through public review and comment.
    Pursuant to Section 204(b) of the reauthorized CRCA, the required 
elements of the National Strategy are:
     A discussion addressing:
    [cir] continuing and emerging threats to the resilience of U.S. 
coral reef ecosystems;
    [cir] remaining gaps in coral reef ecosystem research, monitoring, 
and assessment;
    [cir] the status of management cooperation and integration among 
Federal reef managers and covered reef managers;
    [cir] the status of efforts to manage and disseminate critical 
information, and enhance interjurisdictional data sharing, related to 
research, reports, data sets, and maps;
    [cir] areas of special focus, which may include:
    [ssquf] improving natural coral recruitment;
    [ssquf] preventing avoidable losses of corals and their habitat;
    [ssquf] enhancing the resilience of coral populations;
    [ssquf] supporting a resilience-based management approach;
    [ssquf] developing, coordinating, and implementing watershed 
management plans;
    [ssquf] building and sustaining watershed management capacity at 
the local level;
    [ssquf] providing data essential for coral reef fisheries 
management;
    [ssquf] building capacity for coral reef fisheries management;
    [ssquf] increasing understanding of coral reef ecosystem services;
    [ssquf] educating the public on the importance of coral reefs, 
threats, and solutions; and
    [ssquf] evaluating intervention efficiency;
    [cir] the status of conservation efforts, including the use of 
marine protected areas to serve as replenishment zones developed 
consistent with local practices and traditions and in cooperation with, 
and with respect for the scientific, technical, and management and 
expertise and responsibilities of, covered reef managers;
    [cir] science-based adaptive management and restoration efforts; 
and
    [cir] management of coral reef emergencies and disasters.
     A statement of national goals and objectives designed to 
guide:
    [cir] future Federal coral reef management and restoration 
activities authorized under Section 203 of the reauthorized CRCA;
    [cir] conservation and restoration priorities for grants awarded 
under Section 211 of the reauthorized CRCA; and
    [cir] research priorities for the reef research coordination 
institutes designated under Section 213(b)(1)(B).
     A designation of priority areas for conservation, and 
priority areas for restoration, to support the review and approval of 
grants under Section 211(e) of the reauthorized CRCA.
     Technical assistance in the form of general templates for 
use by covered reef managers and Federal reef managers to guide the 
development of coral reef action plans under Section 205 of the 
reauthorized CRCA, including guidance on the best science-based 
practices to respond to coral reef emergencies that can be included in 
coral reef action plans.

Public Comment

    NOAA begins this National Strategy development process by 
soliciting input from the public and interested parties, including 
underrepresented groups, regarding information to be included in any of 
the elements stated above and any other pertinent information. 
Specifically, this scoping process is intended to accomplish the 
following objectives:
    1. Invite affected Federal, State, and local agencies, and 
interested persons to participate in the scoping process for 
development of the National Strategy.

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    2. Initiate consultations with the Secretary of the Interior, the 
U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, covered states, covered Native entities, 
and the Secretary of Defense, as appropriate, pursuant to the 
reauthorized CRCA.
    3. Engage stakeholders, including covered states, coral reef 
stewardship partnerships, reef research coordination institutes, coral 
reef research centers, and recipients of grants awarded pursuant to 
Section 211 of the reauthorized CRCA.
    4. Identify information that may be helpful in developing the 
elements listed above and in Section 204 of the reauthorized CRCA.
    The official scoping period is from April 6, 2023 to May 8, 2023. 
Please visit the CRCP web page for additional information regarding the 
program: https://coralreef.noaa.gov/.
    The preparation of the National Strategy for the CRCP will be 
conducted under the authority and in accordance with the requirements 
of the reauthorized CRCA.
    Authority: Public Law 117-263, 136 Stat 2395.

Nicole R. LeBoeuf,
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management, 
National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-07195 Filed 4-5-23; 8:45 am]
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