[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 174 (Monday, September 11, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62343-62344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19380]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Review of Nomination for Mariana Trench 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: On January 21, 2022, NOAA requested written comments to 
facilitate the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries' (ONMS) five-year 
review of the nomination for a proposed Mariana Trench National Marine 
Sanctuary (NMS). On March 10, 2022, NOAA reopened the public comment 
period for an additional 45 days, ending on April 25, 2022. In those 
notices, NOAA requested relevant information as it pertains to its 11 
evaluation criteria for inclusion in the inventory of sites eligible to 
be considered for designation as national marine sanctuaries. NOAA has 
synthesized the information gathered through the public process, 
completed an internal analysis, and the ONMS Director has made the 
determination that the Mariana Trench NMS nomination will be removed 
from the inventory.

DATES: This determination took effect on September 7, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Kristina Kekuewa, Pacific Islands Regional Director, NOAA 
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, 1845 Wasp Blvd., Honolulu, 
Hawaii 96818, or at [email protected], or at 808-725-5252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristina Kekuewa, Pacific Islands 
Regional Director, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, 1845 
Wasp Blvd., Honolulu, Hawaii 96818, or at [email protected], or 
at 808-725-5252.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background Information

    In 2014, NOAA issued a final rule re-establishing the sanctuary 
nomination process (SNP), which details how communities may submit 
nominations of areas of the marine and Great Lakes environment for NOAA 
to consider for designation as national marine sanctuaries (79 FR 
33851). NOAA moves successful nominations to an inventory of areas that 
could be considered for national marine sanctuary designation. The 
final rule re-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 Mariana Trench NMS was accepted to the 
national inventory on March 13, 2017, and was therefore scheduled to 
expire in March 2022.
    In November 2019, NOAA issued a notice (84 FR 61546) to clarify 
procedures for evaluating and updating a nomination as it approaches 
the five-year mark on the inventory of areas that could be considered 
for national marine sanctuary designation. This notice explained that 
if a nomination remains responsive to the 11 evaluation criteria for 
inclusion on the inventory, it may be appropriate to allow the 
nomination to remain on the inventory for another five years. The 
notice also established a process for NOAA to consider the continuing 
viability of nominations nearing the five-year expiration mark. The 11 
evaluation criteria can be found at https://nominate.noaa.gov.
    On January 21, 2022, NOAA published a notice in the Federal 
Register to request written comments to facilitate ONMS' five-year 
review of the nomination of the Mariana Trench NMS (87 FR 3284). On 
March 10, 2022, following requests from the public for additional time 
to comment on the five-year review, NOAA reopened the public comment 
period for an additional 45 days, ending on April 25, 2022 (87 FR 
13709). NOAA requested relevant information pertaining to the 11 
evaluation criteria that NOAA applied to evaluate the Mariana Trench 
NMS nomination for inclusion in the national inventory of areas that 
NOAA may consider for future designation as a national marine 
sanctuary. During the two comment periods, 62 online comments were 
received, and the nominator provided additional information, which NOAA 
has considered in evaluating the nomination against the criteria. 
Submitted comments can be found at www.regulations.gov (search for 
Docket Number NOAA-NOS-2022-0005). Additionally, the nominating 
organization subsequently submitted a letter to NOAA requesting that 
the nomination be withdrawn and removed from the inventory.
    In analyzing this material, particular attention was given to new 
scientific information about the national significance of natural and 
cultural resources, increases or decreases in the threats to resources 
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.

[[Page 62344]]

    Following NOAA's review of the relevant information, it was 
determined that there are still significant threats to the area, and it 
is still an area of national significance. However, there is not 
currently demonstrated broad community support for the nomination 
remaining on the inventory of possible designations. ONMS has also 
determined that it is not clear, at this time, how a sanctuary 
designation would supplement or complement existing management and 
regulatory authorities for the Marianas Trench. Therefore, and in 
consideration of the nominating organization's request to withdraw the 
nomination, the ONMS Director has determined the nomination for the 
Mariana Trench NMS should not remain on the inventory of successful 
nominations.
    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. 2023-19380 Filed 9-8-23; 8:45 am]
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