81 FR 33213 - Northeast Ocean Plan
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 101 (May 25, 2016)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 101 (May 25, 2016)
| Page Range | 33213-33215 | |
| FR Document | 2016-12196 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 33213-33215] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-12196] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XE633 Northeast Ocean Plan AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce; National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Department of the Interior; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Joint Staff, Department of Defense; Environmental Protection Agency; Department of Energy; U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security; Department of Transportation; and Department of Agriculture. ACTION: Notice with request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Northeast Regional Planning Body (NE RPB), which is composed of eight Federal agencies and departments, six States, six federally recognized Indian Tribes, and the New England Fishery Management Council, is requesting public comment on its draft Northeast Ocean Plan. The Northeast Ocean Plan, developed pursuant to the National Ocean Policy, was prepared collaboratively by the Regional Planning Body to build upon and improve existing Federal, State, and Tribal decision-making and planning processes in the Northeast Region. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as lead Federal agency for the Northeast Regional Planning Body, is publishing this notice on behalf of the NE RPB. DATES: Submit comments on or before July 25, 2016. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by one of the following methods:On-line at http://neoceanplanning.org/plan. Email: [email protected]. Mail: Betsy Nicholson, Federal Co-Lead, Northeast Regional Planning Body, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. NOAA, on behalf of the NE RPB, intends to make available to the public all comments, including names and addresses when provided. The Draft Northeast Ocean Plan may be obtained online at http://neoceanplanning.org/plan. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betsy Nicholson, Federal Co-Lead, Northeast Regional Planning Body, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background National Ocean Policy Executive Order 13547, signed July 19, 2010, Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes (National Ocean Policy), established a national policy to protect, maintain, and restore the health and biodiversity of the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources; enhance the sustainability of the ocean and coastal economies; preserve our maritime heritage; support sustainable uses and access; provide for adaptive management to enhance our understanding of and capacity to respond to climate change and ocean acidification; increase our scientific understanding and awareness of changing environmental conditions, trends, and their causes; and perform duties in accordance with applicable international law, including respect for and preservation of navigational rights and freedoms, which are essential for the global economy, international peace, national security, and foreign policy interests. The National Ocean Policy encourages a comprehensive, adaptive, integrated, ecosystem-based, and transparent ocean planning process based on sound science for analyzing current and anticipated uses of ocean and coastal areas. The National Ocean Policy also provides for the voluntary development of regional marine plans by intergovernmental regional planning bodies that build upon and improve existing Federal, State, and Tribal decision-making and planning processes. These regional plans, developed by, for, and in the regions, will enable a more integrated, comprehensive, ecosystem-based, flexible, and proactive approach to planning and managing sustainable multiple uses across sectors and improve the conservation of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes. Northeast Regional Planning Body The NE RPB includes six States (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont); six federally recognized Indian Tribes (Aroostook Band of Micmacs, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council, Mohegan Indian Tribe of Connecticut, Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island, and Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)); eight Federal agencies and departments (U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of [[Page 33214]] Homeland Security, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and their component agencies (the National Oceanic Atmospheric and Administration, the Maritime Administration, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Joint Staff, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers); and the New England Fishery Management Council. The NE RPB is not a regulatory body and has no independent legal authority to regulate or direct Federal, State, or Tribal entities, nor does the draft Northeast Ocean Plan (NE Ocean Plan or the Plan), described below, augment or subtract from any entity's existing statutory or other authorities. Development of the Draft Northeast Ocean Plan The NE RPB met for the first time in November 2012. The NE RPB directed the formal processes and developed the draft NE Ocean Plan over the course of 3-1/2 years. The NE RPB process leading to the draft NE Ocean Plan included a total of seven multi-day public meetings between November 2012 and November 2015. Between NE RPB meetings, there was ongoing outreach to obtain public feedback, identify and discuss issues, review data and procure scientific input. For example, members of the NE RPB met with expert work groups, stakeholder groups, environmental groups, and marine industries, including commercial fishing and shipping groups. The draft NE Ocean Plan is based on science and informed by stakeholder data and input. Throughout the planning process, stakeholders were involved in developing data products for human activities (shipping, fishing, recreation, energy, and aquaculture, for example) and marine life and habitat (through review of the methods, analyses, and draft products for spatial data characterizing species and their habitat) and were encouraged to review spatial data on the Northeast Ocean Data Portal (the Portal). In collaboration with the Northeast Ocean Data Portal Working Group, the NE RPB developed the Portal as an on-line source that incorporates maps and data characterizing ocean resources and mapping human activities. Since June 2013, the Portal has averaged more than 5,000 visits from 2,400 unique visitors per month. The Portal is available on-line at www.northeastoceandata.org. II. The Draft Northeast Ocean Plan The draft NE Ocean Plan, developed using the best available science and knowledge, provides an integrated, comprehensive, ecosystem-based, flexible, and proactive approach to planning and managing uses of the northeast marine environment. The Plan is a forward-looking document intended to strengthen interagency coordination, planning, and policy implementation, and to enhance public participation. The Plan has three main goals: (1) Healthy ocean and coastal ecosystems; (2) effective decision-making; and (3) compatibility among past, current, and future ocean uses. The Plan promotes the use of data from the Portal to inform agency actions, enhance stakeholder input and involvement, locate potential areas of conflict, and identify additional information and science needs. The Plan also describes best practices for inter-agency coordination as well as coordination among Federal agencies, Tribes, States, and stakeholders. The Plan enhances the tools and information available for Federal agency actions and planning, clarifying alternatives and opportunities within the context of Tribal and State agency actions, and by increasing coordination across these governments. The draft NE Ocean Plan does not augment or subtract from any entity's existing statutory or other authorities. The Plan provides a strategy to monitor and analyze trends in ecosystem health, and undertake efforts to communicate progress towards achieving the three main goals. The Plan is a foundation, not a finished structure, and it will continue to evolve as new trends, information, and needs emerge. III. Implementation of the NE Ocean Plan Executive Order 13547, which adopts the Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force (Final Recommendations), establishes a process for the National Ocean Council (NOC or Council) to review and certify each regional marine plan to ensure it is consistent with the National Ocean Policy and includes the essential elements described in the Final Recommendations. Consistent with Executive Order 13547, each NOC member will, as described in the Final Recommendations, and to the fullest extent consistent with applicable law, comply with those regional plans certified by the NOC. The NOC has issued guidance to the NOC member agencies in the form of the Marine Planning Handbook (Handbook). The Handbook calls for the NOC member agencies to concur that regional marine plans submitted by the regional planning bodies are consistent with the substantive and procedural standards set forth in the Final Recommendations. The NOC concurrence operates as the certification described in Executive Order 13547. By concurring that the NE Ocean Plan was developed in accordance with the substantive and procedural standards in the Final Recommendations, the NOC certifies that Federal members of the NE RPB will use the NE Ocean Plan to guide and inform their actions consistent with their existing statutory and regulatory authorities. The Federal members of the NE RPB administer a wide range of statutes and programs affecting the marine environment in the Northeast. These Federal departments and agencies carry out actions under Federal laws involving a wide range of regulatory responsibilities and non-regulatory missions and management activities throughout the Nation's waterways and the ocean. These activities include managing and developing marine transportation systems, national security and homeland defense activities, regulating ocean discharges, siting energy facilities, permitting sand removal and beach re- nourishment, managing national parks, national wildlife refuges, and national marine sanctuaries, regulating commercial and recreational fishing, and managing activities affecting threatened and endangered species and migratory birds. The specific manner and mechanism a Federal agency uses to implement the final NE Ocean Plan will depend upon that agency's mission, authorities, and activities in the marine environment. The Federal members of the NE RPB will publicly describe the administrative mechanisms they will use to implement the NE Ocean Plan when the NE RPB submits the Plan to the NOC for review and concurrence. If the NOC concurs (i.e., certifies) that the NE Ocean Plan is consistent with Executive Order 13547, the Final Recommendations, and the NOC Handbook, each Federal NE RPB member will incorporate the final NE Ocean Plan into their planning processes and internal agency documents, and use the NE Ocean Plan to guide and inform their decisions and actions, consistent with applicable law. Federal NE RPB members with regulatory responsibilities will incorporate the final NE Ocean Plan into their pre-planning, planning, and permitting to guide and inform Federal agency internal and external permitting [[Page 33215]] decisions, environmental compliance, resource management plans, and other actions taken pursuant to existing statutory and regulatory authorities. These agencies will ensure their scientists, managers, decision-makers, and analysts align their actions with the NE Ocean Plan to the fullest extent possible under existing statutory and regulatory authorities. The NE Ocean Plan does not create new authorities, regulations, or Federal agency missions. All Federal activities will continue to be managed under existing statutory and regulatory authorities. The RPB member State and Tribal governments and New England Fishery Management Council are in the process of describing how they can use the NE Ocean Plan to guide and inform their activities and decisions. IV. Conclusion Through Executive Order 13547, Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes, President Obama established a National Ocean Policy to ensure the protection, maintenance, and restoration of the health of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources; enhance the sustainability of ocean and coastal economies; preserve our maritime heritage; support sustainable uses and access; provide for adaptive management to enhance our understanding of and capacity to respond to climate change and ocean acidification; and coordinate with our national security and foreign policy interests. The NE RPB anticipates the NE Ocean Plan will increase the sharing of information and data across resource managers, stakeholders and the public; enhance decision-making through collaboration and coordination within NOAA and among Federal, State and Tribal governments; and provide for an improved information and data system that characterizes human activities and natural resources in Northeast waters from the coast to 200 nautical miles offshore. This informational overlay, along with the best practices for improved coordination, will improve the context for decisions affecting the resources and coastal and ocean waters of the Northeast region. Authority: Executive Order 13547, ``Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts and the Great Lakes'' (July 19, 2010). Cathryn D. Sullivan, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [FR Doc. 2016-12196 Filed 5-24-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P
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information collected to determine DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
whether an entity has met all of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric I. Background
criteria to receive TsunamiReady
Supporter recognition. Administration National Ocean Policy
II. Method of Collection RIN 0648–XE633 Executive Order 13547, signed July
19, 2010, Stewardship of the Ocean, Our
Applications may be faxed, mailed or Northeast Ocean Plan Coasts, and the Great Lakes (National
emailed. AGENCY: National Oceanic and Ocean Policy), established a national
Atmospheric Administration, policy to protect, maintain, and restore
III. Data the health and biodiversity of the ocean,
Department of Commerce; National Park
OMB Control Number: 0648–0419. Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, resources; enhance the sustainability of
Form Number(s): None. the ocean and coastal economies;
Department of the Interior; U.S. Army
Type of Review: Regular submission Corps of Engineers, the Joint Staff, preserve our maritime heritage; support
(revision of a currently approved Department of Defense; Environmental sustainable uses and access; provide for
information collection). Protection Agency; Department of adaptive management to enhance our
Energy; U.S. Coast Guard, Department of understanding of and capacity to
Affected Public: Business or other for-
Homeland Security; Department of respond to climate change and ocean
profit organizations; not-for-profit
Transportation; and Department of acidification; increase our scientific
institutions.
Agriculture. understanding and awareness of
Estimated Number of Respondents: ACTION: Notice with request for changing environmental conditions,
305. comments. trends, and their causes; and perform
Estimated Time per Response: Initial duties in accordance with applicable
applications, 2 hours; renewal SUMMARY: The Northeast Regional international law, including respect for
applications, 1 hour. Planning Body (NE RPB), which is and preservation of navigational rights
composed of eight Federal agencies and and freedoms, which are essential for
Estimated Total Annual Burden departments, six States, six federally the global economy, international peace,
Hours: 565. recognized Indian Tribes, and the New national security, and foreign policy
Estimated Total Annual Cost to England Fishery Management Council, interests. The National Ocean Policy
Public: $150 in recordkeeping/reporting is requesting public comment on its encourages a comprehensive, adaptive,
costs. draft Northeast Ocean Plan. The integrated, ecosystem-based, and
Northeast Ocean Plan, developed transparent ocean planning process
IV. Request for Comments pursuant to the National Ocean Policy, based on sound science for analyzing
was prepared collaboratively by the current and anticipated uses of ocean
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether Regional Planning Body to build upon
the proposed collection of information and coastal areas. The National Ocean
and improve existing Federal, State, and Policy also provides for the voluntary
is necessary for the proper performance Tribal decision-making and planning development of regional marine plans
of the functions of the agency, including processes in the Northeast Region. The by intergovernmental regional planning
whether the information shall have National Oceanic and Atmospheric bodies that build upon and improve
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Administration (NOAA), as lead Federal existing Federal, State, and Tribal
agency’s estimate of the burden agency for the Northeast Regional decision-making and planning
(including hours and cost) of the Planning Body, is publishing this notice processes. These regional plans,
proposed collection of information; (c) on behalf of the NE RPB. developed by, for, and in the regions,
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and DATES: Submit comments on or before will enable a more integrated,
clarity of the information to be July 25, 2016. comprehensive, ecosystem-based,
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, flexible, and proactive approach to
burden of the collection of information identified by one of the following planning and managing sustainable
on respondents, including through the methods: multiple uses across sectors and
use of automated collection techniques • On-line at http:// improve the conservation of the ocean,
or other forms of information neoceanplanning.org/plan. our coasts, and the Great Lakes.
technology. • Email: comment@
neoceanplanning.org. Northeast Regional Planning Body
Comments submitted in response to • Mail: Betsy Nicholson, Federal Co- The NE RPB includes six States
this notice will be summarized and/or Lead, Northeast Regional Planning (Connecticut, Rhode Island,
included in the request for OMB Body, 55 Great Republic Drive, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine,
approval of this information collection; Gloucester, MA 01930. and Vermont); six federally recognized
they also will become a matter of public • NOAA, on behalf of the NE RPB, Indian Tribes (Aroostook Band of
record. intends to make available to the public Micmacs, Houlton Band of Maliseet
Dated: May 19, 2016. all comments, including names and Indians, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal
addresses when provided. The Draft Council, Mohegan Indian Tribe of
Sarah Brabson,
Northeast Ocean Plan may be obtained Connecticut, Narragansett Indian Tribe
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. online at http://neoceanplanning.org/ of Rhode Island, and Wampanoag Tribe
[FR Doc. 2016–12247 Filed 5–24–16; 8:45 am] plan. of Gay Head (Aquinnah)); eight Federal
BILLING CODE 3510–KE–P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: agencies and departments (U.S.
Betsy Nicholson, Federal Co-Lead, Department of Agriculture, U.S.
Northeast Regional Planning Body, 55 Department of Commerce, U.S.
Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA Department of Defense, U.S. Department
01930. of Energy, U.S. Department of
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decisions, environmental compliance, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE membership on the Panel, applicants
resource management plans, and other are requested to submit the following
actions taken pursuant to existing National Oceanic and Atmospheric five items and answer five response
statutory and regulatory authorities. Administration questions. The entire package should be
These agencies will ensure their a maximum length of seven pages or
scientists, managers, decision-makers, Hydrographic Services Review Panel fewer. NOAA is an equal opportunity
and analysts align their actions with the AGENCY: National Ocean Service, employer.
NE Ocean Plan to the fullest extent National Oceanic and Atmospheric (1) A cover letter that responds to the
possible under existing statutory and Administration (NOAA), Department of five questions listed below as a
regulatory authorities. The NE Ocean Commerce. statement of interest to serve on the
Plan does not create new authorities, panel, ‘‘Short Response Questions’’
ACTION: Notice of membership
regulations, or Federal agency missions. below.
solicitation for Hydrographic Services (2) Highlight the nominee’s specific
All Federal activities will continue to be
Review Panel. area(s) of expertise relevant to the
managed under existing statutory and
regulatory authorities. SUMMARY: In accordance with the purpose of the Panel from the list in the
The RPB member State and Tribal Hydrographic Service Improvements Federal Register Notice;
governments and New England Fishery Act Amendments of 2002, Public Law (3) A current resume.
107–372, the Administrator of the (4) A short biography of 400 to 600
Management Council are in the process
National Oceanic and Atmospheric words.
of describing how they can use the NE
Administration (NOAA) is required to (5) The nominee’s full name, title,
Ocean Plan to guide and inform their
solicit nominations for membership at institutional affiliation, and contact
activities and decisions.
least once a year for the Hydrographic information.
IV. Conclusion Services Review Panel (HSRP). The Short Response Questions
Through Executive Order 13547, HSRP, a Federal advisory committee,
(1) List the area(s) of expertise, as
Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, advises the Administrator on matters
listed above, which you would best
and the Great Lakes, President Obama related to the responsibilities and
represent on this Panel.
established a National Ocean Policy to authorities set forth in section 303 of the (2) List the geographic region(s) of the
ensure the protection, maintenance, and Hydrographic Services Improvement country with which you primarily
restoration of the health of ocean, Act and such other appropriate matters associate your expertise.
coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and as the Administrator refers to the Panel (3) Describe your leadership or
resources; enhance the sustainability of for review and advice. Those professional experiences which you
ocean and coastal economies; preserve responsibilities and authorities include, believe will contribute to the
our maritime heritage; support but are not limited to: Acquiring and effectiveness of this panel.
sustainable uses and access; provide for disseminating hydrographic data and (4) Describe your familiarity and
adaptive management to enhance our providing hydrographic services, as experience with NOAA navigation data,
understanding of and capacity to those terms are defined in the Act; products, and services.
respond to climate change and ocean promulgating standards for (5) Generally describe the breadth and
acidification; and coordinate with our hydrographic data and services; scope of stakeholders, users, or other
national security and foreign policy ensuring comprehensive geographic groups whose views and input you
interests. coverage of hydrographic services; and believe you can share with the panel.
testing, developing, and operating
The NE RPB anticipates the NE Ocean DATES: Solicitation of nomination is on
vessels, equipment, and technologies
Plan will increase the sharing of an ongoing basis through June 30, 2017.
necessary to ensure safe navigation and
information and data across resource The HSRP maintains a pool of
maintain operational expertise in
managers, stakeholders and the public; candidates to fulfill the HSIA
hydrographic data acquisition and
enhance decision-making through requirements on membership
hydrographic services.
collaboration and coordination within solicitation. Although there are no
The Act states ‘‘the voting members of
NOAA and among Federal, State and current vacancies on the HSRP, this
the Panel shall be individuals who, by
Tribal governments; and provide for an solicitation seeks to update the current
reason of knowledge, experience, or
improved information and data system pool of candidates for consideration of
training, are especially qualified in one
that characterizes human activities and appointment for potential future
or more of the disciplines and fields
natural resources in Northeast waters vacancies on the Panel. Your
relating to hydrographic data and
from the coast to 200 nautical miles application will be kept on file for the
hydrographic services, marine
offshore. This informational overlay, next call for nominations in summer
transportation, port administration,
along with the best practices for 2017 which will fill vacancies in 2018.
vessel pilotage, coastal and fishery
improved coordination, will improve You will not need to reapply in 2017.
management, and other disciplines as
the context for decisions affecting the determined appropriate by the ADDRESSES: Nominations will be
resources and coastal and ocean waters Administrator.’’ The NOAA accepted by email and should be sent to:
of the Northeast region. Administrator seeks and encourages Hydroservices.panel@noaa.gov; or
individuals with expertise in marine Lynne.Mersfelder@noaa.gov. You will
Authority: Executive Order 13547,
navigation, port administration, marine receive a confirmation response.
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
‘‘Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts and
the Great Lakes’’ (July 19, 2010). shipping or other intermodal FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
transportation industries, cartography Lynne Mersfelder-Lewis, NOAA,
Cathryn D. Sullivan, and geographic information systems, telephone: 301–713–2750 x166.
Administrator, National Oceanic and geodesy, physical oceanography coastal SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 33
Atmospheric Administration. resource management, including coastal U.S.C. 883a, et seq., NOAA’s National
[FR Doc. 2016–12196 Filed 5–24–16; 8:45 am] resilience and emergency response, and Ocean Service (NOS) is responsible for
BILLING CODE P other related fields. To apply for providing nautical charts and related
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Document Created: 2018-02-07 15:03:46
Document Modified: 2018-02-07 15:03:46
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice with request for comments. | |
| Dates | Submit comments on or before July 25, 2016. | |
| Contact | Betsy Nicholson, Federal Co-Lead, Northeast Regional Planning Body, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 33213 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XE63 |
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