[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 1027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00182]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


National Estuarine Research Reserve System

AGENCY: Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public comment period for the Jacques Cousteau 
National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan revision.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nina Garfield at (240) 533-0817 or Kim 
Texeira at (240) 533-0781 of NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, 1305 
East-West Highway, N/ORM5, 10th floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATON: Notice is hereby given that the Office for 
Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce is announcing a 
thirty-day public comment period for the Jacques Cousteau National 
Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan revision. Pursuant to 15 CFR 
921.33(c), the revised plan will bring the reserve into compliance. The 
Jacques Cousteau Reserve revised plan will replace the plan approved in 
2009.
    The revised management plan outlines the administrative structure; 
the research/monitoring, stewardship, education, and training programs 
and priorities of the reserve; plans for a proposed future boundary 
expansion through inclusion of past and future land acquisition; and 
facility development priorities to support reserve operations.
    The Jacques Cousteau Reserve takes an integrated approach to 
management, linking research and education, coastal training, and 
stewardship functions. The Rutgers University 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. Since the last management plan, the reserve has: Provided 
technical expertise to coastal communities to reduce risks to natural 
hazards; expanded monitoring programs; installed a sentinel site for 
monitoring marsh ecosystem response to sea level rise; upgraded 
exhibits; conducted training workshops; implemented K-12 education 
programs; purchased a marsh; installed a trail; and promoted 
reclamation of ghost crab pots.
    The total number of acres within the boundary is 116,116 acres, 
which is a modification of the original 114,665 acres identified in the 
previous management plan. The revised acreage is a result of updated 
mapping techniques rather than a boundary expansion resulting from 
inclusion of new habitats. The revised management plan will serve as 
the guiding document for the Jacques Cousteau Reserve for the next five 
years.
    NOAA's Office Coastal Management will be conducting an 
environmental analysis in accordance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act on the proposed approval of the Reserve's revised management 
plan. The public is invited to provide comment or information about any 
potential environmental impacts of the proposed action, and these 
comments will be used to inform the decision making process.
    View the Jacques Cousteau Reserve Management Plan revision at 
(https://jcnerr.org/JCNERR_MNGMTPLAN_2018to2023.pdf) and provide 
comments to the Reserve's Assistant Manager, Lisa Auermuller 
(<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#442531213629312828042925362d2a216a363130232136376a212031"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="85e4f0e0f7e8f0e9e9c5e8e4f7ecebe0abf7f0f1e2e0f7f6abe0e1f0">[email protected]</span></a>).

Keelin Kuipers,
Acting Deputy Director, Office for Coastal Management National Ocean 
Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-00182 Filed 1-8-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-08-P


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