[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6888-6889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02392]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Estuarine Research Reserve System
AGENCY: Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Public Comment Period for the Apalachicola, Florida
National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan revisions.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Estuarine Reserves Division,
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean
Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce is announcing a thirty day public comment period
for the Apalachicola, Florida National Estuarine Research Reserve
Management Plan revisions. Pursuant to 15 CFR 921.33(c), the revised
plan will bring the reserve into compliance. The Apalachicola Reserve
revised plan will replace the plan approved in 2003.
The revised management plan outlines the administrative structure;
the research & monitoring, education, training, and stewardship goals
of the reserve; and the plans for future land acquisition and facility
development to support reserve operations.
The Apalachicola Reserve emphasizes a fully integrated approach
that links ongoing research, education, training and stewardship
programs together. This integrated approach, in coordination with
strategic partnerships addresses high priority reserve issues including
public use and access, changing land use patterns, the loss of cultural
resources, impacts of global and regional processes on ecosystems and
communities, engagement with local communities, and changes in reserve
habitats. Since the last management plan, the reserve has expanded its
monitoring and geographic information system programs; increased staff
resources; completed a site profile, established a Coastal Training
Program; expanded educational programs; and constructed a new nature
center and headquarters complex in the town of Eastpoint that includes
laboratories, offices, classrooms, interpretative areas, and are
planning interpretive trails.
With the approval of this management plan, the Apalachicola Reserve
will decrease their total acreage from 246,766 acres to 234,715. The
change is attributable to accuracy adjustments based on improved
geographic information for the site. The revised management plan will
serve as the guiding document for the 234,715 acre Apalachicola Reserve
for the next five years. View the Apalachicola, Florida Reserve
Management Plan revision at (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/apalachicola/) and provide comments to ([email protected]).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Chasse at (301) 563-1198 or Erica
Seiden at (301) 563-1172 of NOAA's National Ocean Service, Estuarine
Reserves Division, 1305 East-West Highway, N/ORM5, 10th floor, Silver
Spring, MD 20910.
[[Page 6889]]
Dated: January 29, 2014.
Christopher C. Cartwright,
Associate Assistant Administrator for Management and CFO/CAO, Ocean
Services and Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-02392 Filed 2-4-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P