[Federal Register: December 27, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 247)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 72296]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27de99-37]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

15 CFR Part 922

 
Initiation of Review of Management Plan/Regulations of the Gray's 
Reef National Marine Sanctuary; Intent To Prepare Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement and Management Plan; Scoping Meetings

AGENCY: Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM), 
National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS or Sanctuary) 
was designated in January 1981, and consists of 17 square nautical 
miles of open ocean and live bottom habitat approximately 17.5 nautical 
miles east of Sapelo Island, Georgia. The present management plan for 
the Sanctuary was completed in 1983. In accordance with Section 304(e) 
of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C 
1431 et seq.), the Marine Sanctuaries Division (MSD) of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is initiating a review of 
the management plan, to evaluate substantive progress toward 
implementing the goals for the Sanctuary, and to make revisions to the 
plan and regulations as necessary to fulfill the purposes and policies 
of the NMSA.
    The proposed revised management plan will likely involve changes to 
existing policies and regulations of the Sanctuary, to address 
contemporary issues and challenges, and to better protect and manage 
the Sanctuary's resources and qualities. The review process is composed 
of four major stages: information collection and characterization; 
preparation and release of a draft management plan/environmental impact 
statement, and any proposed amendments to the regulations; public 
review and comment; preparation and release of a final management plan/
environmental impact statement, and any final amendments to the 
regulations. NOAA anticipates that completion of the revised management 
plan and concomitant documents will require approximately eighteen to 
twenty-four months. NOAA has already conducted five public scoping 
meetings (as announced in the document in 64 FR 63262, November 17, 
1999) to gather information and other comments from individuals, 
organizations, and government agencies on the scope, types and 
significance of issues related to the sanctuary's management plan and 
regulations. Because of the interest of individuals in other 
communities in Georgia, NOAA has decided to conduct three additional 
scoping meetings.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before February 1, 
2000.
    Scoping meetings will be held:

(1) Tuesday, January 11, 2000, 7:00 p.m. in Statesboro, GA
(2) Wednesday, January 12, 2000, 7:00 p.m. in Savannah, GA
(3) Thursday, January 13, 2000, 7:00 p.m. in Savannah, GA

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to the Gray's Reef National 
Marine Sanctuary (Management Plan Review), 10 Ocean Science Circle, 
Savannah, Georgia 31411. Comments will be available for public review 
at the same address.
    Scoping meetings will be held at:

(1) William James Education Complex, 150 Williams Road, Statesboro, GA
(2) Georgetown Elementary School, 1516 King George Blvd., Savannah, GA
(3) Marshpoint Elementary School, 135 Whitemarsh Island Road, Savannah, 
GA

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Becky Shortland, Planning and Outreach 
Coordinator, at (912) 598-2381 or 2345; Becky.Shortland@noaa.gov

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

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary 
Program)

    Dated: December 20, 1999.
Ted Lillestolen,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management.
[FR Doc. 99-33424 Filed 12-23-99; 8:45 am]
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