[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8304-8305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3750]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XU53


Notice of Public Scoping Meetings for the Environmental Impact 
Statement on the Effects of Oil and Gas Activities in the Arctic Ocean

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public scoping meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS will hold five public scoping meetings in March 2010 to

[[Page 8305]]

receive public comments on NMFS' intent to prepare an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) on the effects of oil and gas activities (e.g., 
seismic surveys and exploratory drilling) in the Arctic Ocean (U.S. 
Chukchi and Beaufort Seas).

DATES: The comment period for the scoping process is from February 8, 
2010, through April 9, 2010. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION under the 
``Meeting Dates, Times, and Locations'' heading for the dates and 
locations of the public scoping meetings.

ADDRESSES: The public has the opportunity to submit comments and 
statements regarding NMFS' intent to prepare this EIS using the 
following methods:
    <bullet> Mail: P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation and 
Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910;
    <bullet> Facsimile (fax) to: (301) 713-0376;
    <bullet> E-mail to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#36574455425f55535f451855595b5b53584245765859575718515940"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="99f8ebfaedf0fafcf0eab7faf6f4f4fcf7edead9f7f6f8f8b7fef6ef">[email protected]</span></a>; or
    <bullet> Public hearings: submit oral or written comments at public 
scoping meetings.
    Comments sent via e-mail, including all attachments, must not 
exceed a 10-megabyte file size. Information on this project can also be 
found on the Protected Resources webpage at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/eis/arctic.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Payne, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, (301) 713-2289 ext. 110.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On February 8, 2010 (75 FR 6175), NMFS announced its intent to 
prepare an EIS on the effects of oil and gas activities in the U.S. 
Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. In that notice, NMFS announced that it would 
hold a total of eight public scoping meetings in February and March 
2010. However, the February 8, 2010 (75 FR 6175), notice only provided 
dates, times, and locations for the first three meetings.
    NMFS has scheduled additional public scoping meetings to be held in 
Wainwright, Barrow, Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, and Anchorage. The purposes of 
these meetings are to provide an opportunity for the public to learn 
about the proposed action, identify issues to be addressed in the EIS 
process, and to submit oral or written comments on this proposal.

Meeting Dates, Times, and Locations

    The dates, times, and locations of the public scoping meetings are 
as follows:
    (1) March 9, 2010, 7 - 9 p.m., Wainwright Community Center, 
Wainwright, Alaska;
    (2) March 10, 2010, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., Inupiat Heritage Center, 
Barrow, Alaska;
    (3) March 11, 2010, 7 - 9 p.m., Nuiqsut Community Center, Nuiqsut, 
Alaska;
    (4) March 12, 2010, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Kaktovik Community Center, 
Kaktovik, Alaska; and
    (5) March 23, 2010, 7 - 9 p.m., Egan Center, 555 West Fifth Avenue, 
Anchorage, Alaska 99501.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Requests 
for sign language interpretation or auxiliary aids should be directed 
to Sheyna Wisdom by telephone at (907) 261-6705 or by e-mail at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#32615a574b5c536d655b41565d5f72676061715d40421c515d5f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="abf8c3ced2c5caf4fcc2d8cfc4c6ebfef9f8e8c4d9db85c8c4c6">[email protected]</span></a> at least 7 days before the scheduled meeting 
date.

    Dated: February 18, 2010.
Wanda L. Cain,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-3750 Filed 2-23-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>