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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 198 (Friday, October 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82575-82576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23560]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Notice of Request for Public Comment on the Draft National Coral 
Reef Resilience Strategy

AGENCY: The Coral Reef Conservation Program, Office for Coastal 
Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Request for written comments.

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SUMMARY: NOAA announces the request for written public comments on the 
draft National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy (National Strategy) in 
accordance with the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (CRCA), as 
reauthorized and amended by the James M. Inhofe National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. NOAA administers the Coral Reef 
Conservation Program (CRCP), which is implemented in the coastal areas 
and marine waters of Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, 
Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, American Samoa, the U.S. Pacific Remote Island Area, and 
targeted international regions, including the wider Caribbean, the 
Coral Triangle, the South Pacific, and Micronesia. The reauthorized 
CRCA directs NOAA to develop the National Strategy within two years of 
enactment. The National Strategy will replace the existing CRCP 
Strategic Plan (2018). The intended effect of this notice is to 
initiate a period of public review and comment on the National 
Strategy.

DATES: NOAA will consider all relevant written comments by November 25, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft National Strategy may be found on 
www.regulations.gov (search for NOAA-NOS-2024-0121). Comments may be 
submitted by the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/NOAA-NOS-2024-0121 Click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, 
complete the required

[[Page 82576]]

fields, and enter or attach your comments.
     Email: Please direct written comments via email to 
[email protected]. In the subject heading of your email, please 
include ``Written comments draft National Coral Reef Resilience 
Strategy''.
    Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record 
and generally will be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov 
without change. All personally identifiable information (name, address, 
etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive 
information submitted voluntarily by the commenter will be publicly 
accessible. NOAA will accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the 
required fields you wish to remain anonymous). Multimedia submissions 
(audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The 
written comment is considered the official comment and should include 
discussion of all points you wish to make. NOAA will generally not 
consider comments or comment contents located outside of the primary 
submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing system). 
Comments that are not responsive or contain profanity, vulgarity, 
threats, or other inappropriate language will not be considered.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caroline Donovan, NOAA Coral Reef 
Conservation Program, by email at [email protected] or phone at 
(240) 410-3416.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    NOAA announces the request for written public comments on the draft 
National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy (National Strategy) in 
accordance with the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (CRCA), as 
reauthorized and amended by the James M. Inhofe National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Pub. L. 117-263, December 23, 
2022, 136 Stat 2395). NOAA administers the Coral Reef Conservation 
Program (CRCP), which is implemented in the coastal areas and marine 
waters of Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Gulf of 
Mexico, Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
American Samoa, the U.S. Pacific Remote Island Area, and targeted 
international regions, including the wider Caribbean, the Coral 
Triangle, the South Pacific, and Micronesia. The reauthorized CRCA 
directs NOAA to develop the National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy 
(National Strategy) within two years of enactment. The National 
Strategy will replace the existing CRCP Strategic Plan (2018).
    The draft National Strategy articulates the vision, purpose, and 
goals that will drive the work of the U.S. coral reef conservation 
community now and into the future. Strategies, objectives, and actions 
that will help achieve these goals are described in detail. To support 
development of the National Strategy, NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation 
Program consulted with the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of 
Defense, covered States, and covered Native entities through the United 
States Coral Reef Task Force and its working groups and other 
stakeholders; and the CRCP solicited public review and comment on 
scoping and the draft strategy. The National Strategy is based upon 
sound science, innovative management approaches, effective enforcement, 
meaningful partnerships, and inclusive public participation. The 
National Strategy uses an adaptive management framework and 
incorporates a resilience-based management approach into five 
conservation goals. If adequately resourced, the conservation outcomes 
supported by this plan will result in healthy, resilient coral reef 
ecosystems in the United States that will provide a variety of valuable 
services to current and future generations.
    Pursuant to section 204(b) of the reauthorized CRCA, the required 
elements of the National Strategy are:
     A discussion addressing:
    [cir] continuing and emerging threats to the resilience of U.S. 
coral reef ecosystems;
    [cir] remaining gaps in coral reef ecosystem research, monitoring, 
and assessment;
    [cir] the status of management cooperation and integration among 
Federal reef managers and covered reef managers;
    [cir] the status of efforts to manage and disseminate critical 
information and enhance interjurisdictional data sharing related to 
research, reports, datasets, and maps;
    [cir] areas of special focus, which may include:
    [squf] improving natural coral recruitment,
    [squf] preventing avoidable losses of corals and their habitat,
    [squf] enhancing the resilience of coral populations,
    [squf] supporting a resilience-based management approach,
    [squf] developing, coordinating, and implementing watershed 
management plans,
    [squf] building and sustaining watershed management capacity at the 
local level,
    [squf] providing data essential for coral reef fisheries 
management,
    [squf] building capacity for coral reef fisheries management,
    [squf] increasing understanding of coral reef ecosystem services,
    [squf] educating the public on the importance of coral reefs, 
threats, and solutions, and
    [squf] evaluating intervention efficiency;
    [cir] the status of conservation efforts, including the use of 
marine protected areas to serve as replenishment zones developed 
consistent with local practices and traditions and in cooperation with, 
and with respect for the scientific, technical, and management 
expertise and responsibilities of, covered reef managers;
    [cir] science-based adaptive management and restoration efforts; 
and
    [cir] management of coral reef emergencies and disasters.
     A statement of national goals and objectives designed to 
guide:
    [cir] future Federal coral reef management and restoration 
activities authorized under Section 203 of the reauthorized CRCA;
    [cir] conservation and restoration priorities for grants awarded 
under section 211 of the reauthorized CRCA; and
    [cir] research priorities for the reef research coordination 
institutes designated under section 213(b)(1)(B).
     A designation of priority areas for conservation and 
priority areas for restoration to support the review and approval of 
grants under Section 211(e) of the reauthorized CRCA.
     Technical assistance in the form of general templates for 
use by covered reef managers and Federal reef managers to guide the 
development of coral reef action plans under Section 205 of the 
reauthorized CRCA, including guidance on the best science-based 
practices to respond to coral reef emergencies that can be included in 
coral reef action plans.

Public Comment

    The official public comment period lasts until November 25, 2024. 
Please visit the CRCP web page for additional information on the 
program: https://coralreef.noaa.gov/.

    Authority: Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000.

Nicole R. LeBoeuf,
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management, 
National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-23560 Filed 10-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P
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