[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 71 (Friday, April 14, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17973-17974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07560]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Notice of Approval for the Weeks Bay, Alabama National Estuarine
Research Reserve Management Plan Revision
AGENCY: Stewardship Division, Office for Coastal Management, National
Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
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 Revised Management Plan for the Weeks Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve (NERR) located in Alabama. Refer to SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION for additional information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Chasse, Stewardship Division,
Office for Coastal Management at 240-533-0808 or via email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 revised management plan outlines the administrative structure;
the research/monitoring, stewardship, education, and training programs
of the reserve; and the plans for future land acquisition and facility
development to support reserve operations.
The Weeks Bay Reserve takes an integrated approach to management,
linking research, education, coastal training, and stewardship
functions. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
has outlined how it will administer the Reserve and its core programs
by providing detailed actions that will enable it to accomplish
specific goals and objectives. Under the previous management plan, the
Reserve built out its core programs and monitoring infrastructure;
constructed several facilities including a Resource Center that
supports education, training, and outreach events; participated in more
than 35 research projects and conducted over 100 coastal training
program events; convened a permanent Restoration Advisory Board; and
built new partnerships with organizations within the Mobile Bay of
Alabama.
With the approval of this management plan, the Weeks Bay Reserve
will increase their total acreage from 6,594 acres to 9,317 acres. The
change is attributable to acquisition of seven tracts acquired by the
State of Alabama totaling 933 acres of land and 1,790
[[Page 17974]]
acres of water bottoms adjacent to the newly acquired land, totaling
2,723 acres. These parcels have high ecological value and provide
increased opportunities for research, education, and restoration. The
revised management plan will serve as the guiding document for the
9,317-acre Weeks Bay Reserve for the next five years.
On December 29, 2016, NOAA issued notice of a public meeting and a
thirty-day public comment period for the Weeks Bay Reserve Management
Plan revision (81 FR 94964). The Weeks Bay, Alabama Reserve Management
Plan revision is available at: (http://www.outdooralabama.com/weeks-bay-reserve), and at https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/reserves/weeks-bay.html.
Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.420, Coastal Zone Management
Program Administration.
Dated: April 7, 2017.
Donna Rivelli,
Deputy Associate Assistant Administrator for Management and CFO/CAO,
Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-07560 Filed 4-13-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P