[Federal Register: September 20, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 183)]
[Notices]
[Page 59268-59269]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20se02-49]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Notice of Dates and Locations for Public Scoping Meetings on the
Review of the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Management Plan
AGENCY: National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP), National Ocean
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Department of Commerce (DOC).
SUMMARY: The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) was
designated in 1992. Encompassing an 842-square mile area off the coast
of Massachusetts, SBNMS protects one of the most biologically diverse
areas along the eastern seaboard. It is one of the primary feeding
grounds of the highly migratory humpback whale, the part-time home of
the endangered northern right whale, and has a highly varied seafloor
that supports a wide variety of demersal fish species and invertebrate
species.
In accordance with Section 304(e) of the National Marine
Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), the NMSP
has re-initiated a review of the SBNMS management plan to evaluate the
substantive progress toward implementing the management plan and goals
of the Sanctuary and to make revisions to the plan and regulations as
necessary to fulfill the purposes and policies of the NMSA. NOAA is
currently seeking comments on the scope, types, and significance of
issues related to the Sanctuary management plan and regulations.
Background
The current management plan for the Sanctuary was originally
published in July 1993. In December 1998 and January 1999, the NMSP
initiated a review of this plan by holding scoping meetings to solicit
public comments on the status of site management. Scoping participants
commented on a variety of issues, which were then characterized by
Sanctuary staff and drafted into a
[[Page 59269]]
``State of the Sanctuary Report'' during Winter 2001/2002 (a change in
Sanctuary administration delayed the management plan review process for
approximately one year).
The State of the Sanctuary Report, which also contains current
background information on the Sanctuary's administrative capacities,
its environmental features and human uses, and its going activities,
has been released to familiarize the public with the current status of
Sanctuary management and the range of issues identified during the
initial scoping period of 1998/1999. The report can be obtained by
contacting the SBNMS Management Plan Review Coordinator at the address
below or by downloading it from the SBNMS website at http://
stellwagen.nos.noaa.gov. Interested parties should refer to this report
when submitting comments on the Sanctuary's management plan during this
re-initiation of the scoping period.
Comments on the Sanctuary management plan or regulations may be
submitted in three ways: (1) In writing to SBNMS Management Plan Review
Coordinator at the address or fax number below; (2) via email to
sbnmsplan@noaa.gov; or (3) in writing or orally at one of the public
meetings.
The public meetings will begin on September 24, 2002. A complete
list of dates and address for these meetings is an follows:
Meeting 1--6:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 24, 2002 at the Mystic
Aquarium in Mystic, CT; htt://www.mysticaquarium. org.
Meeting 2--6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 25, 2002 at the New
Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, MA (18 Johnny Cake Hill Rd);
http://whalingmuseum.org.
Meeting 3--6:30 p.m. Thursday, September 26, 2002 at the
Provincetown Town Hall Auditorium in Provincetown, MA (260 Commercial
St.); http://www.provincetowngov.org.
Meeting 4--10 a.m. Saturday, September 28, 2002 at the Sea
Education Association in Falmouth, MA (177 Woods Hole Rd.); http://
www.sea.edu.
Meeting 5--6:30 p.m. Monday, September 30, 2002 at the Gloucester
City Hall Council Chamber in Gloucester, MA (9 Dale Ave.); htt://
www.ci.gloucester.ma.us.
Meeting 6--6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 1, 2002 at the University of
Maine School of Law in Portland, ME (246 Deering Ave.); http://
www.law.usm.maine.edu/about-dir.htm.
Meeting 7--6:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 2, 2002 at Yokens
Restaurant and Conference Center in Portsmouth, NH (Rte. 1, So. 1390
Lafayette Rd.); http://www.yokens.com.
Meeting 8--6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 3, 2002 at the New England
Aquarium in Boston, MA (Central Wharf); http://www.neaq.org.
Meeting 9--11 a.m. Saturday, October 5, 2002 at the Plymouth Public
Library in Plymouth, MA (132 South St.); http://www.gis.net/[sim]ppl/.
DATES: The public meetings begin on September 24, 2002 and end on
October 5, 2002; comments on the management planor regulations should
be received on or before October 18, 2002.
ADDRESSES: Addresses for the upcoming public meetings are detailed in
the Background section above. For a copy of the State of the Sanctuary
Report, contact the Management Plan Review Coordinator, Stellwagen Bank
National Marine Sanctuary, 175 Edward Foster Rd. Scituate, MA 02066.
Copies can also be downloaded from the SBNMS website at http://
stellwagen.nos.noaa.gov.
To submit comments, you may (1) mail them to the address above; (2)
fax them to (781) 545-8036; (3) email them to sbnmsplan@noaa.gov; or
(4) attend one of the upcoming public meetings. Comments should be
addressed to the attention of the Management Plan Review Coordinator.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katrina VanDine at (781) 545-8026 X203
or via e-mail at sbnmsplan@noaa.gov.
Dated: September 17, 2002.
Jamison S. Hawkins,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone
Management.
[FR Doc. 02-23980 Filed 9-19-02; 8:45 am]
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