[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 4, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31807-31808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12505]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 700
RIN 0648-AV53
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Proposed Environmental Review
Process for Fishery Management Actions; Meeting Announcements
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces three public meetings to solicit comments on
the proposed rule that would revise and update the NMFS procedures for
complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in the
context of fishery management actions developed pursuant to the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act).
DATES: The meetings will be held on June 25 in Washington, D.C. from
1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time; on July 15 in St. Petersburg, FL
from 6 pm to 8 p.m. Eastern time; and on July 24 in Seattle, WA from
1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Pacific time.
ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the following locations:
Council on Environmental Quality, 722 Jackson Place, NW,
Washington, DC 20503; telephone: 202 395 5750.
National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, 263
13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; telephone: 727-824-5301.
Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center, 17620 International
Boulevard, Seattle, WA 98188; telephone: 206-244-4800.
[[Page 31808]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Leathery at (301) 713-2239 or
via email at steve.leathery@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 14, 2008, NMFS published a proposed
rule in the Federal Register (73 FR 27998) that would revise and update
the NMFS procedures for complying with the NEPA in the context of
fishery management actions developed pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. These regulations are modeled on the Council of Environmental
Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing the procedural provisions of
NEPA, 40 CFR parts 1500-1508, with specific revisions to the existing
NMFS procedures made pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act (MSRA). The procedures
are designed to conform to the timelines for review and approval of
fishery management plans and plan amendments developed pursuant to the
Magnuson-Stevens Act. Further, these procedures are intended to
integrate applicable environmental analytical procedures, including the
timeframes for public input, with the procedure for the preparation and
dissemination of fishery management plans, plan amendments, and other
actions taken or approved pursuant to the MSA in order to provide for
timely, clear, and concise analysis that is useful to decisionmakers
and the public, reduce extraneous paperwork, and effectively involve
the public. NMFS is holding these public meeting to solicit public
comments on the proposed rule.
Special Accommodations
These meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Requests
for sign language interpretation or other aids, and requests for
special accommodations or needs should be directed to Steve Leathery at
(301) 713-2239 at least 5 business days in advance of the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1854(i)
Dated: May 30, 2008.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-12505 Filed 6-3-08; 8:45 am]
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