Ocean and coastal resource management: Marine sanctuaries— Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, CA; management plan/regulations review and intent to prepare environmental impact statement; scoping meeting,

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Federal Register: July 20, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 138)Proposed RulesPage 38853From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr20jy99-24

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

15 CFR Part 922

Initiation of Review of Management Plan/Regulations of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary; Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Management Plan; Scoping Meeting

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

ACTION: Scoping meeting.

SUMMARY: The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS or 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 present management plan for the Sanctuary was completed in 1982. 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) has initiated 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 notice of intent to revise the management plan was issued on June 11, 1999 (64 FR 31528).

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 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 notice in 64 FR 31528) 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 and communities located north of the Sanctuary, NOAA has decided to add a scoping meeting for the San Luis Obispo region.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before August 14, 1999.

The new scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, August 5 at 6:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (Management Plan Review), 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, California 93109. Comments will be available for public review at the same address.

The new scoping meeting will be held at the PG and E Community Center, 6588 Ontario Road, San Luis Obispo, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Walton, Management Plan Specialist, at (805) 884-1470.

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

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary Program) Ted Lillestolen, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management.

FR Doc. 99-18458Filed7-19-99; 8:45 amBILLING CODE 3510-08-M

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