[Federal Register: May 22, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 99)]
[Notices]
[Page 27989-27990]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22my03-60]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Announcement of Intent To Initiate the Process To Consider Marine
Reserves in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary; Intent To
Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Marine Sanctuaries Division (MSD), National Ocean Service
(NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as
amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), NOAA's National Marine
Sanctuary Program (NMSP) is considering the establishment of a network
of marine reserves within the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
(CINMS or Sanctuary) to maintain the natural biological communities,
and to protect, and, where appropriate, restore and enhance natural
habitats, populations, and ecological processes.
Marine reserves are one of a variety of resource management tools
used to manage and protect marine resources. This action is being
considered to complement the State of California's recent establishment
of a network of marine reserves and protected areas within the State
waters of the CINMS.
The NMSP will prepare an environmental impact statement which will
examine a range of management and regulatory alternatives associated
with consideration of marine reserves within the Sanctuary. The NMSP
will conduct three public scoping meetings during the scoping period to
gather information and other comments from individuals, organizations,
and government agencies on the scope, types and significance of issues
related to consideration of marine reserves in the Sanctuary. The dates
and locations of the public scoping meetings are listed below.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 23, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to the Channel Islands National
Marine Sanctuary, attn. Sean Hastings, 113 Harbor Way, Suite 150, Santa
Barbara, California 93109, by fax to (805) 568-1582, or by electronic
mail to reservesprocess@noaa.gov. Comments will be available for public
review at the same address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sean Hastings, (805) 966-7107, Ext.
472.
[[Page 27990]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Sanctuary was designated in September
1980, and consists of 1,252 square nautical miles of open ocean and
near shore habitat approximately 25 miles off the coast of Santa
Barbara, California, encompassing the waters surrounding San Miguel,
Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands from mean
high tide to six nautical miles offshore. The NMSP's primary goal is
the protection of the Sanctuary's natural and cultural resources
contained within its boundaries. The NMSP uses a variety of non-
regulatory and regulatory management measures to protect its resources.
The Sanctuary is an area of national significance because of its
exceptional natural beauty and marine and cultural resources.
In April 1999, the Sanctuary and the California Department of Fish
and Game (CDFG) developed a joint Federal and State partnership to
consider establishing marine reserves within the Sanctuary. Marine
reserves are one of a variety of resource management tools used to
manage and protect marine resources. The Channel Islands Marine
Reserves Process was initiated in July of 1999, when the Sanctuary
Advisory Council (SAC) created a multi-stakeholder Marine Reserves
Working Group (MRWG) to seek agreement on the potential establishment
of marine reserves within the Sanctuary. Included in the Channel
Islands Marine Reserves Process were a SAC designated Science Advisory
Panel and a NOAA led Socio-economic Team made up of blue ribbon
scientists, academics and practitioners. Extensive scientific and
socioeconomic data were collected in support of the reserves process.
From July 1999 to May 2001, the MRWG met monthly to receive, weigh, and
integrate advice from technical advisors and the public and to develop
a recommendation for the SAC. In May 2001, the results of the Channel
Islands Marine Reserves Process were forwarded to the SAC, including
the MRWG consensus agreements, areas of disagreement, Science Panel
advice and socio-economic analysis. A composite map with two reserve
network options ranging from 12 to 29 percent of the Sanctuary was also
forwarded. In June 2001, the SAC transmitted the full public record of
the MRWG and the SAC to the CINMS and CDFG, and charged the agencies
with crafting a final recommendation for the California Fish and Game
Commission (FGC).
Sanctuary and CDFG staff continued to work with stakeholders in
crafting a recommendation. On August 24, 2001 the Sanctuary and CDFG
forwarded the results of the Channel Islands Reserves Process and
recommended to the FGC a network of reserves and protected areas that
would include approximately 25% of the Sanctuary.
The CDFG prepared environmental review documents pursuant to the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which included an analysis
of a range of alternative reserves networks, including identifying the
Sanctuary and CDFG recommended option as the preferred alternative. On
October 23, 2002, the FGC approved the preferred alternative and the
establishment of a network of marine reserves and protected areas
within State waters of the Sanctuary (approximately 10%). The FGC
decision was made based on the culmination of the Channel Islands
Marine Reserves Process and the CDFG and NOAA supported alternative for
a network of marine reserves in the Sanctuary. The State's network went
into effect on April 9, 2003.
The NMSP is initiating a process to consider the establishment of
marine reserves within the Sanctuary to complement the State's network
of reserves and protected areas. This review process will build upon
the nearly four years of work to date on this matter, including the
information and analyses contained in the State's CEQA environmental
documents. The NMSP anticipates completion of the environmental review
process and concomitant documents will require approximately eighteen
to twenty-four months.
The NMSP will prepare an environmental impact statement, proposed
regulations, and any proposed modifications to the Sanctuary's
designation document, as warranted. The environmental impact statement
will examine a range of management and regulatory alternatives
associated with consideration of marine reserves within the Sanctuary.
Any change to the Sanctuary's terms of designation will be pursuant to
the requirements of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, including
necessary consultations with Federal and State agencies, the Pacific
Fishery Management Council (PFMC), and others, and submission of the
environmental impact statement, proposed regulations and any proposed
changes to the designation document to Congress, the Governor of the
State of California, and the public for comment. Further, the PFMC will
be provided the opportunity to prepare draft Sanctuary fishing
regulations for the Exclusive Economic Zone portion of the Sanctuary
for any marine reserve proposal. Finally, any change to a term of
designation would not apply to State waters if the Governor objects
during the requisite review period.
For a complete history of the Channel Islands Marine Reserves
Process and the State's Environmental Documents please see http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/channel_islands/
and/or http://www.cinms.nos.noaa.gov/marineres/main.html The same information can
also be obtained by contacting John Ugoretz with California Department
of Fish and Game, (805) 560-6758 and/or the contact information below.
The Sanctuary is also revising its 1983 Management Plan. A Final
EIS and Management Plan are expected by the end of 2003. Please see
http://www.cinms.nos.noaa.gov/marineres/manplan.html for more
information on this independent process.
Public Scoping Meetings: Dates and Locations
The NMSP will conduct three public scoping meetings to gather
information and other oral or written comments from individuals,
organizations, and government agencies on the scope, types and
significance of issues related to consideration of marine reserves in
the Sanctuary. These meetings will be conducted in a format to maximize
the opportunity for all attendees to provide public comment. The dates,
times and location of the meetings are as follows:
(1) Thursday, June 5, 2003, 6:30-9 p.m., Orvene S. Carpenter
Community Center, 550 Park Avenue Pt. Hueneme, CA.
(2) Thursday, June 12, 2003, 6:30-9 p.m., Santa Barbara Public
Library, Faulkner Gallery, 40 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA.
(3) Friday, July 18, 2003, 1:30-4 p.m., Four Points by Sheraton,
1050 Schooner Drive, Ventura, CA. This meeting will be held with the
Sanctuary Advisory Council.
Dated: May 16, 2003.
Jamison S. Hawkins,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone
Management.
[FR Doc. 03-12815 Filed 5-21-03; 8:45 am]
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