Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 65 / Tuesday, April 5, 2011 / Notices 18775 

Public Availability of Comments 

Before including your address, phone 

number, or other personal identifying 

information in your comment, you 

should be aware that your entire 

comment—including your personal 

identifying information—may be made 

publicly available at any time. While 

you can ask us in your comments to 

withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Robyn Thorson, 

Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7960 Filed 4–4–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R1–R–2009–N265; 1265–0000–10137– 

S3] 

Pacific Remote Islands Marine National 

Monument; Monument Management 

Plan, Comprehensive Conservation 

Plans, and Environmental Assessment 

AGENCIES: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior; National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), intend to 

prepare the monument management 

plan (MMP) for the Pacific Remote 

Islands Marine National Monument 

(Monument), established by Presidential 

Proclamation 8336. Additionally, the 

FWS also intends to prepare new or 

revised comprehensive conservation 

plans (CCPs) for the following national 

wildlife refuges (Refuges) contained 

therein: Baker Island, Howland Island, 

Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman 

Reef, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Atoll. 

When the draft MMP is complete, we 

will advertise its availability and again 

seek public comment. We furnish this 

notice to advise the public and other 

Federal agencies of our intentions, and 

to obtain suggestions and information 

on the scope of issues to consider 

during the planning process. 

An environmental assessment (EA) to 

evaluate the potential effects of various 

management alternatives will also be 

prepared. The EA will provide resource 

managers with the information needed 

to determine if the potential effects may 

be significant and warrant preparation 

of an Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS), or if the potential impacts lead to 

a Finding of No Significant Impact 

(FONSI). 

DATES: To ensure consideration, we 

must receive your comments by May 5, 

2011. 

ADDRESSES: Additional information 

about the Monument and its seven 

Refuge units is available at http:// 

www.fws.gov/ 

pacificremoteislandsmarinemonument/ 

and http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/MNM/ 

mnm_index.html. Please send your 

written comments or requests for more 

information by any of the following 

methods: 

E-mail: Pacific_Reefs@fws.gov. 

Fax: (808) 792–9586. 

U.S. Mail: Susan White, Project 

Leader, Pacific Reefs National Wildlife 

Refuge Complex, 300 Ala Moana Blvd. 

Room 5–231, Honolulu, HI 96850. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Susan White, Project Leader, (808) 792– 

9550. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Monument Establishment and 

Management Responsibilities 

On January 6, 2009, President George 

W. Bush issued Proclamation No. 8336 

(Proclamation), establishing the 

Monument under the authority of the 

Antiquities Act of 1906. The Monument 

incorporates approximately 86,888 

square miles within its boundaries, 

which extend 50 nautical miles (nmi) 

from the mean low water lines of Baker, 

Howland, and Jarvis Islands; Johnston, 

Palmyra, and Wake Atolls; and Kingman 

Reef. The Secretary of the Interior, in 

consultation with the Secretary of 

Commerce, has responsibility for 

management of the Monument, 

including out to 12 nmi from the mean 

low water lines of Baker, Howland, and 

Jarvis Islands; Johnston, Palmyra, and 

Wake Atolls; and Kingman Reef, 

pursuant to applicable legal authorities. 

The Secretary of Commerce, through 

NOAA, and in consultation with the 

Secretary of the Interior, has primary 

responsibility for management of the 

Monument seaward from 12 to 50 nmi 

with respect to fishery-related activities 

regulated pursuant to the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens 

Act) (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), the 

Proclamation, and other applicable legal 

authorities. 

The Proclamation requires the 

Secretaries of the Interior and 

Commerce to prepare management 

plans within their respective authorities 

for the Monument, and promulgate 

implementing regulations that address 

specific actions necessary for the proper 

care and management of the Monument. 

With this notice, the Department of the 

Interior and Department of Commerce 

(Departments) are commencing 

development of the MMP. The 

Departments will work cooperatively 

under the Fish and Wildlife Service’s 

lead in this process. The Commerce 

Department, in consultation with the 

Secretary of the Interior, is working with 

the Western Pacific Fishery 

Management Council pursuant to the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act and 

Proclamation to develop a fisheries 

ecosystem plan amendment and related 

regulations. To the extent they relate to 

waters within the Monument, the plan 

amendment and implementing 

regulations will be one component of 

the MMP. The Departments intend to 

cooperate and coordinate in the 

development and timing of these 

planning and management processes. 

To carry out his responsibilities from 

the President under the Proclamation, 

on January 16, 2009, the Secretary of the 

Interior delegated his authority for 

Monument management to the FWS 

Director, and extended the boundaries 

of the Baker Island, Howland Island, 

and Jarvis Island Refuges from 3 nmi to 

12 nmi from the mean low water lines 

of the emergent land. The Secretary also 

extended the Johnston Atoll Refuge 

boundary to 12 nmi from the mean low 

water line of the emergent land, and 

added the emergent and submerged 

lands and waters of Wake Island out to 

12 nmi as a unit of the National Wildlife 

Refuge System (NWRS). In accordance 

with the Proclamation, the Director will 

not commence management of emergent 

lands at Wake Island unless and until a 

use agreement between the Secretary of 

the Air Force and the Secretary of the 

Interior is terminated. The Secretary of 

Defense also continues to manage those 

portions of the emergent lands of 

Johnston Atoll under the administrative 

jurisdiction of the Defense Department 

until such administrative jurisdiction is 

terminated, at which time those 

emergent lands shall be administered as 

part of the Johnston Atoll Refuge. 

Within the boundaries of the 

Monument, the FWS also continues to 

administer pre-existing refuges at Baker, 

Howland, and Jarvis Islands; Johnston 

and Palmyra Atolls; and Kingman Reef, 

in accordance with the National 

Wildlife Refuge System Administration 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
18776 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 65 / Tuesday, April 5, 2011 / Notices 

Act of 1966 (Refuge System 

Administration Act) (16 U.S.C. 668dd– 

668ee), as amended. 

Refuges Overview and Previous 

Planning Efforts 

Howland Island, Baker Island, and 

Jarvis Island are unique places for 

climate change research and other 

research conducted at the equator. 

These areas have deep-water corals, 

coral reefs, corals in near-pristine 

condition, and predator-dominated 

marine ecosystems with a biomass of 

top predators that exceeds the Great 

Barrier Reef’s. At the conclusion of a 3- 

year planning process, CCPs were 

completed for the Baker Island, 

Howland Island, and Jarvis Island 

Refuges on September 24, 2008 (73 FR 

76678; December 17, 2008). For the 

current MMP/CCP planning process, we 

will focus on appropriate conservation 

and management regimes for the three 

Refuges, based on their inclusion in the 

Monument and their expanded 

boundaries. The existing CCPs for the 

three Refuges will be revised as needed. 

Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll have 

relatively undisturbed coral reefs, with 

the highest levels of coral diversity in 

the central Pacific Ocean. Kingman Reef 

has the greatest known fish biomass and 

proportion of apex predators of any 

coral reef ecosystem that has been 

scientifically studied in the world. We 

received public comments regarding 

management of the Kingman Reef and 

Palmyra Atoll Refuges during our CCP 

public scoping period held in June 

2007. We will review those comments 

again as part of the current MMP/CCP 

planning and public involvement 

process. 

Johnston Atoll’s coral reefs help 

connect the Hawaiian archipelago reef 

communities to others in the Pacific. 

They are the originating source for 

much of the larvae for the Hawaiian 

Islands’ corals, invertebrates, and other 

reef fauna. The Atoll’s reefs have the 

deepest reef-building corals on record. 

Wake Atoll encompasses possibly the 

oldest living coral atoll in the world, 

and has healthy and abundant coral and 

fish populations. No previous CCP 

planning occurred for the Johnston Atoll 

and Wake Atoll Refuges. 

The MMP and CCP Planning Process 

The MMP’s format will include 

elements similar to a NWRS CCP, and 

the planning process will be conducted 

in a manner similar to the CCP planning 

and public involvement process for 

those elements. The Refuge System 

Administration Act requires that a CCP 

be developed for each national wildlife 

refuge or planning unit. The purpose for 

developing a CCP is to provide refuge 

managers with a 15-year direction for 

achieving refuge purposes and 

contributing toward the mission of the 

NWRS, consistent with sound 

principles of fish and wildlife 

management, conservation, legal 

mandates, and applicable policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction for conserving wildlife and 

habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities 

available to the public, including 

opportunities for hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation, wildlife 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update the MMP and CCPs 

at least every 15 years consistent with 

the Refuge System Administration Act. 

Each unit of the NWRS was 

established for specific purposes. We 

use a refuge’s purposes as the 

foundation for developing and 

prioritizing the management goals and 

objectives for each refuge within the 

mission of the NWRS, and to determine 

how the public can use each refuge. The 

CCP planning process is a way for us 

and the public to evaluate management 

goals and objectives that will ensure the 

best possible approach to wildlife, 

plant, and habitat conservation, while 

providing recreational opportunities 

that are compatible with each refuge’s 

establishing purposes and the mission 

of the NWRS. 

We will conduct environmental 

reviews of various alternatives and 

develop an EA in accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.); NEPA regulations (40 CFR 

parts 1500–1508); other Federal laws 

and regulations; and applicable policies 

and procedures for compliance with 

those laws and regulations. 

The Fish and Wildlife Service, as lead 

agency for NEPA purposes, will also 

designate and involve as a cooperating 

agency the Department of Commerce, 

through NOAA, in accordance with 

NEPA and Executive Order 13352 of 

August 26, 2004, titled Facilitation of 

Cooperative Conservation. 

Public Involvement 

The FWS and NOAA will conduct the 

planning process in a manner that will 

provide participation opportunities for 

the public, Federal agencies, and other 

interested parties. At this time, we 

encourage input in the form of issues, 

concerns, ideas, and suggestions for the 

future management of the Monument 

and the Refuges. Opportunities for 

additional public input will be 

announced throughout the planning 

process. We may hold public meetings 

to help share information and obtain 

comments. 

Preliminary Issues, Concerns, and 

Opportunities 

We have identified the following 

preliminary issues, concerns, and 

opportunities that we may address in 

the MMP/CCPs. We may identify 

additional issues during public scoping. 

• Climate change impacts and 

adaptation. 

• Marine debris impacts and removal. 

• Invasive species prevention and 

control. 

• Other potential threats to the 

ecosystem (e.g., trespass; illegal fishing; 

and shipwrecks, groundings, and spills). 

• Emergency response to natural and 

manmade disasters and natural 

resources damage assessments. 

• Operational capabilities for 

effective ecosystem monitoring, 

surveillance, and enforcement. 

• Habitat conservation and 

restoration. 

• Biological and abiotic inventory 

and monitoring. 

• Protected resources and their 

habitats, including coral reefs, marine 

clams, apex predators, marine 

mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, and 

fishes. 

• Historic and cultural resources, 

including maritime heritage. 

• Public education and outreach. 

• International programs and 

collaboration. 

• Scientific exploration and research 

opportunities. 

• Past and current use of military 

sites. 

• Methods for protecting the physical, 

biological, and cultural resources for the 

long term, while providing high-quality 

wildlife-dependent recreation 

opportunities. 

• Marine and terrestrial wildlife and 

habitat management. 

• Visitor services management. 

• Facilities maintenance. 

• Develop an appropriate permitting 

regime for activities in the Monument, 

where necessary. 

• Determine if bioprospecting is 

appropriate and compatible. 

Next Steps 

The FWS and NOAA will be 

considering your comments during the 

development of the Draft MMP/CCPs/ 

EA. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Before including your address, phone 

number, or other personal identifying 

information in your comment, you 

should be aware that your entire 

comment—including your personal 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 65 / Tuesday, April 5, 2011 / Notices 18777 

identifying information—may be made 

publicly available at any time. While 

you can ask us in your comments to 

withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Robyn Thorson, 

Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon. 

Margo Schultz-Haugen, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7962 Filed 4–4–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLAZ910000.L12100000.

XP0000LXSS150A00006100.241A] 

State of Arizona Resource Advisory 

Council Meetings 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of public meetings. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM), Arizona 

Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will 

meet in Phoenix, Arizona, as indicated 

below. 

DATES: Meetings will be held on May 4– 

5, 2011, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. each 

day. 

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at 

the BLM National Training Center 

located at 9828 North 31st Avenue, 

Phoenix, Arizona 85051. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Dorothea Boothe, Arizona RAC 

Coordinator at the Bureau of Land 

Management, Arizona State Office, One 

North Central Avenue, Suite 800, 

Phoenix, Arizona 85004–4427, 602– 

417–9504. Persons who use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

to contact the above individual during 

normal business hours. The FIRS is 

available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 

to leave a message or question with the 

above individual. You will receive a 

reply during normal business hours. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 15- 

member Council advises the Secretary 

of the Interior, through the Bureau of 

Land Management, on a variety of 

planning and management issues 

associated with public land 

management in Arizona. Planned 

agenda items include: A welcome and 

introduction of new Council members; 

BLM State Director’s update on BLM 

programs and issues; updates on the 

Arizona Water Strategy, Renewable 

Energy Projects, BLM Wild Lands Policy 

and the Northern Arizona Proposed 

Mineral Withdrawal Draft EIS; RAC 

questions on BLM District Managers’ 

Reports; reports by the RAC working 

groups and other items of interest to the 

RAC. Members of the public are 

welcome to attend the RAC Working 

Group meetings on May 4, and the 

Business meeting on May 5. A half-hour 

public comment period, where the 

public may address the Council, is 

scheduled on May 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 

Noon for any interested members of the 

public who wish to address the Council 

on BLM programs and business. 

Depending on the number of persons 

wishing to speak and time available, the 

time for individual comments may be 

limited. Written comments may be sent 

to the Bureau of Land Management 

address listed above. Final meeting 

agendas will be available two weeks 

prior to the meeting dates and posted on 

the BLM Web site at: http:// 

www.blm.gov/az/st/en/res/rac.html. 

Individuals who need special assistance 

such as sign language interpretation or 

other reasonable accommodations 

should contact the RAC Coordinator 

listed above no later than two weeks 

before the start of the meeting. 

Under the Federal Lands Recreation 

Enhancement Act, the RAC has been 

designated as the Recreation Resource 

Advisory Council (RRAC), and has the 

authority to review all BLM and Forest 

Service (FS) recreation fee proposals in 

Arizona. The RRAC will not review any 

recreation fee proposals at this meeting. 

James G. Kenna, 

Arizona State Director. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7993 Filed 4–4–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–32–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLORP00000.L10200000.DD0000; HAG 11– 

0187] 

Notice of Public Meeting, John DaySnake Resource Advisory Council 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Land 

Policy and Management Act and the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, the 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau 

of Land Management (BLM) John DaySnake Resource Advisory Council (RAC) 

will meet as indicated below: 

DATES: The RAC meeting will take place 

on May 3 and May 4, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

The Dalles Inn, 112 West 2nd Street, 

The Dalles, Oregon 97058. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Mark Wilkening, Public Affairs 

Specialist, BLM Vale District Office, 100 

Oregon Street, Vale, Oregon 97918, 

(541) 473–6218 or e-mail 

mark_wilkening@blm.gov. Persons who 

use a telecommunications device for the 

deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– 

800–877–8339 to contact the above 

individual during normal business 

hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a 

day, 7 days a week, to leave a message 

or question with the above individual. 

You will receive a reply during normal 

business hours. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

business meeting will take place from 8 

a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 3, 2011, at The 

Dalles Inn, 112 West 2nd Street, The 

Dalles, Oregon 97058. The agenda may 

include such topics as: a presentation 

on the Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS) being prepared for the Navy 

Bombing Range at Boardman Oregon; an 

update on the Baker Resource 

Management Plan; an update on The 

John Day Resource Management Plan; 

the Forest Service Blue Mountain Plan 

revision; John Day Environmental 

Assessment (EA) and Permit System; 

Status Report on the BLM Vegetation 

EIS step-down to the District 

Treatments; information on the effects 

of the Department of the Interior’s Wild 

Lands policy, a report by the Federal 

Managers on litigation, energy projects 

and other issues affecting their Districts; 

an orientation for new members of the 

RAC; and other matters that may 

reasonably come before the council. The 

public is welcome to attend all portions 

of the meeting and may make oral 

comments to the Council at 1 p.m. on 

May 3, 2011. Those who verbally 

address the RAC are asked to provide a 

written statement of their comments or 

presentation. Unless otherwise 

approved by the RAC Chair, the public 

comment period will last no longer than 

15 minutes, and each speaker may 

address the RAC for a maximum of five 

minutes. If reasonable accommodation 

is required, please contact the BLM Vale 

District Office at (541) 473–6218 as soon 

as possible. A field trip is scheduled for 

May 4, 2011; the RAC will view the 

proposed new State of Oregon 

Campground, Cottonwood Canyon. In 

addition, the RAC members will have an 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES