81 FR 91137 - Notice of Approval for the He`eia National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 242 (December 16, 2016)

Notice is hereby given that the Stewardship Division, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce approves the Management Plan for the He`eia National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) located in Hawai'i. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) is a federal-state partnership administered by NOAA. The system protects more than 1.3 million acres of estuarine habitat for long-term research, monitoring, education and stewardship throughout the coastal United States. Established by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, each reserve is managed by a lead state agency or university, with input from local partners. NOAA provides funding and national programmatic guidance. The He'eia Reserve Management Plan addresses research, monitoring, education, and stewardship/cultural resources needs for the proposed reserve. The Management Plan has been organized with goals, objectives and strategies that are based on an adaptive management planning framework. These goals, focusing on the He`eia estuary, traditional knowledge, coastal resources, and management issues, closely link the NERRS program sectors of education, research and training, and stewardship. The goals of the Management Plan can be applied beyond the five-year timeframe of the Management Plan. On September 2, 2016, NOAA issued notice of a public hearing and a thirty-day public comment period for the He`eia Reserve Management Plan and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement associated with the Proposed Designation of the He'eia NERR (81 FR 60676). On October 13, 2016, NOAA announced a 13-day extension to the public comment period (81 FR 70666). Responses to the relevant written and oral comments on the Management Plan have been incorporated into Appendix D of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the He`eia National Estuarine Research Reserve. The final Management Plan and final EIS, including the Appendix D response to comments, are available at the regulations.gov Web site by searching for Docket Number NOAA-NOS-2016- 0114, and at https://coast.noaa.gov/czm/compliance/.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 242 (Friday, December 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91137-91138]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30441]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Approval for the He`eia National Estuarine Research 
Reserve Management Plan

AGENCY: Stewardship Division, Office for Coastal Management, National 
Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Public notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Stewardship Division, Office 
for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce approves 
the Management Plan for the He`eia National Estuarine Research Reserve 
(NERR) located in Hawai'i.
    The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) is a 
federal-state partnership administered by

[[Page 91138]]

NOAA. The system protects more than 1.3 million acres of estuarine 
habitat for long-term research, monitoring, education and stewardship 
throughout the coastal United States. Established by the Coastal Zone 
Management Act of 1972, as amended, each reserve is managed by a lead 
state agency or university, with input from local partners. NOAA 
provides funding and national programmatic guidance.
    The He'eia Reserve Management Plan addresses research, monitoring, 
education, and stewardship/cultural resources needs for the proposed 
reserve. The Management Plan has been organized with goals, objectives 
and strategies that are based on an adaptive management planning 
framework. These goals, focusing on the He`eia estuary, traditional 
knowledge, coastal resources, and management issues, closely link the 
NERRS program sectors of education, research and training, and 
stewardship. The goals of the Management Plan can be applied beyond the 
five-year timeframe of the Management Plan.
    On September 2, 2016, NOAA issued notice of a public hearing and a 
thirty-day public comment period for the He`eia Reserve Management Plan 
and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement associated with the Proposed 
Designation of the He'eia NERR (81 FR 60676). On October 13, 2016, NOAA 
announced a 13-day extension to the public comment period (81 FR 
70666). Responses to the relevant written and oral comments on the 
Management Plan have been incorporated into Appendix D of the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the He`eia National Estuarine 
Research Reserve. The final Management Plan and final EIS, including 
the Appendix D response to comments, are available at the 
regulations.gov Web site by searching for Docket Number NOAA-NOS-2016-
0114, and at https://coast.noaa.gov/czm/compliance/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joelle Gore, Chief, Stewardship 
Division, Office for Coastal Management at 240-533-0813 or via email at 
[email protected].

Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.420
Coastal Zone Management Program Administration

    Dated: December 13, 2016.
Keelin Kuipers,
Division Chief, Policy, Planning and Communications, National Ocean 
Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-30441 Filed 12-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-08-P