Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 13 / Friday, January 19, 2001 / Notices 5509

Respondents also will be asked

questions that relate to issues that were

not important at the time of the 1979

survey. These issues include large scale

timber harvesting on national forest and

private lands; a large increase in tourist

and recreational use of the Tongass

National Forest; expansion of tourist use

into back-country areas; economic

restructuring of the area that is moving

away from timber, mining, and

commercial fishing toward tourism and

service industries; and an increasing

resident and visitor population

competing for limited fish and wildlife

resources.

Forest Service personnel and

University of Alaska research staff will

conduct a random sample survey of

southeast Alaska residents, through

telephone interviews.

Data gathered in this information

collection are not available from other

sources.

Estimate of Annual Burden: 30

minutes per respondent.

Type of Respondents: Individual

residents of southeast Alaska

communities.

Estimated Annual Number of

Respondents: 1600 per year.

Estimated Annual Number of

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 800 hours.

Comment Is Invited

The agency invites comments on the

following: (a) Whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the stated purposes and the proper

performance of the functions of the

agency, including whether the

information will have practical or

scientific utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including the use of

automated, electronic, mechanical, or

other technological collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology.

Use of Comments

All comments received in response to

this notice, including names and

addresses when provided, will become

a matter of public record. Comments

will be summarized and included in the

request for Office of Management and

Budget approval.

Dated: January 9, 2001.

Barbara C. Weber,

Associate Deputy Chief for Research &

Development.

[FR Doc. 01–1583 Filed 1–18–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–U

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

The Department of Commerce (DOC)

has submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

clearance the following proposal for

collection of information under

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction

Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Agency: Bureau of Export

Administration (BXA).

Title: Short Supply Regulations—

Unprocessed Western Red Cedar.

Agency Form Number: None.

OMB Approval Number: 0694–0025.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved collection of

information.

Burden: 35 hours.

Average Time Per Response: 60

minutes per response.

Number of Respondents: 35

respondents.

Needs and Uses: The information is

collected as supporting documentation

for license applications to export

western red cedar logs to enforce the

Export Administration Act’s prohibition

against the export of such logs from

State or Federal lands.

Affected Public: Individuals,

businesses or other for-profit

institutions.

Required to obtain or retain a benefit.

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker.

Copies of the above information

collection proposal can be obtained by

calling or writing Madeleine Clayton,

Departmental Clearance Officer, Office

of the Chief Information Officer, (202)

482–3129, Department of Commerce,

Room 6086, 14th and Constitution

Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20230,

or via e-mail at MClayton@doc.gov.

Written comments and

recommendations for the proposed

information collection should be sent

within 30 days of publication of this

notice to David Rostker, OMB Desk

Officer, Room 10202, New Executive

Office Building, Washington, DC 20230.

Dated: January 12, 2001.

Madeleine Clayton,

Departmental Clearance Officer, Office of the

Chief Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 01–1563 Filed 1–18–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–33–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[Docket No. 010111011–1011–01]

RIN 0648–AO99

Announcement of Intent To Initiate the

Process To Designate the

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral

Reef Ecosystem Reserve as a National

Marine Sanctuary; Intent To Prepare a

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

and Management Plan

AGENCY: Marine Sanctuaries Division

(MSD), National Ocean Service (NOS),

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration, Department of

Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice

SUMMARY: On December 4, 2000,

President William Clinton signed

Executive Order 13178 establishing the

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral

Reef Ecosystem Reserve, pursuant to the

National Marine Sanctuaries

Amendments Act of 2000. The Reserve

extends approximately 1200 nautical

miles long and 100 nautical miles wide.

Pursuant to this Act and the Executive

Order, NOAA, on behalf of the Secretary

is initiating the process to designate the

Reserve as a national marine sanctuary

and will proceed with the subsequent

steps of the designation process. In

designating the sanctuary, the Executive

Order directs NOAA to supplement or

compliment the existing Reserve.

NOAA will prepare an environmental

impact statement and management plan

which will examine the management,

boundary and regulatory alternatives

associated with sanctuary designation.

NOAA will hold scoping meetings to

solicit information and comments on

the range and significance of issues

related to sanctuary designation and

management.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Helen Golde, (301) 713–3125, ext. 152

or helen.golde@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

National Marine Sanctuaries Act

(NMSA), 16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.,

authorizes the Secretary of Commerce

(Secretary) to designate discrete areas of

the marine environment as national

marine sanctuaries to protect their

special conservation, recreational,

ecological, historical, cultural,

archaeological, scientific, educational,

or esthetic qualities. The NMSA is

administered by the National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA) through the Marine Sanctuaries

Division (MSD).

5510 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 13 / Friday, January 19, 2001 / Notices

On May 26, 2000, President Clinton

directed the Secretaries of Commerce

and the Interior, working cooperatively

with the State of Hawaii and consulting

with the Western Pacific Fishery

Management Council, to develop

recommendations for a new,

coordinated management regime to

increase protection of the coral reef

ecosystem of the Northwestern

Hawaiian Islands and provide for

sustainable use of the area. Upon

consideration of their recommendations

and comments received during the

public visioning process on this

intiative, President Clinton issued

Executive Order 13178 on December 4,

2000, establishing the Northwestern

Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem

Reserve (Reserve), pursuant to the

National Marine Sanctuaries

Amendments Act of 2000 (Act), Public

Law 106–513.

As described in Executive Order

13178, the approximately 1,200 mile

stretch of coral islands, seamounts,

banks, and shoals of the Northwestern

Hawaiian Islands are some of the

healthiest and most extensive coral reefs

in the United States. In their own right,

the spectacular coral reefs and lands

provide an amazing geological record of

volcanic and erosive powers that have

shaped this area. This vast area supports

a dynamic reef ecosystem that supports

more that 7,000 marine species, of

which approximately half are unique to

the Hawaiian Island chain. This

incredibly diverse ecosystem is home to

many species of coral, fish, birds,

marine mammals, and other flora and

fauna including the endangered

Hawaiian monk seal, the threatened

green sea turtle, and others. In addition,

this area has great cultural significance

to Native Hawaiian as well as linkages

to early Polynesian culture—making it

additionally worthy of protection and

understanding. This is truly a unique

and special place, a coral reef ecosystem

like no place on earth, and a source of

pride, inspiration, and satisfaction for

all Americans, especially the people of

Hawaii.

The purpose of the Reserve is to

ensure the comprehensive, strong, and

lasting protection of the coral reef

ecosystem and related marine resource

and species of the Northwestern

Hawaiian Islands. The Reserve extends

approximately 1200 nautical miles long

and 100 nautical miles wide. The

Reserve is adjacent to and seaward of

the seaward boundaries of the State of

Hawaii and the Midway Atoll National

Wildlife Refuge, and overlays the

Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife

Refuge to the extent that it extends

beyond the seaward boundaries of the

State of Hawaii.

As required by the Act and Executive

Order 13178, NOAA is initiating the

process to designate the Reserve as a

national marine sanctuary and will

proceed with the steps of the

designation process pursuant to the

applicable provisions of sections 303

and 304 of the NMSA (16 U.S.C. 1433

and 1434). In designating the sanctuary,

the Executive Order directs NOAA to

supplement or compliment the existing

Reserve. As part of the process, NOAA

shall, in consultation with the Governor

of the State of Hawaii, determine

whether State submerged lands and

waters should be included as part of the

sanctuary. In designating and managing

the sanctuary, the Secretary shall

consider the advice and

recommendations of the Reserve

Council established pursuant to

paragraph (f) of section 5 of E.O. 13178.

The Reserve Council is expected to be

established in January, 2001.

NOAA will prepare an environmental

impact statement, pursuant to the

National Environmental Policy Act, and

management plan which will examine

the management, boundary and

regulatory alternatives associated with

sanctuary designation. NOAA will hold

scoping meetings, tentatively planned

for spring 2001, to solicit information

and comments on the range and

significance of issues related to

sanctuary designation and management.

Individuals and representatives of

interested organizations and

government agencies are invited and

encouraged to attend. Opportunities for

comment will exist throughout this

process and will be announced in the

Federal Register, the local media, and

other appropriate channels.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. Section 1431 et seq.,

Pub. L. 106–513.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog

Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary Program)

Dated: January 11, 2001.

John Oliver,

Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative

Officer.

[FR Doc. 01–1475 Filed 1–18–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–08–U

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 092500B]

Coral, Golden Crab, Shrimp, Spiny

Lobster, Red Drum, Coastal Migratory

Pelagic Resources, and SnapperGrouper Fisheries of the South Atlantic

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Issuance of an exempted fishing

permit.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the

issuance of an exempted fishing permit

(EFP) for the North Carolina Aquariums

(applicant), headquartered in Raleigh,

NC. The EFP authorizes the applicant,

with certain conditions, to collect for

public display up to 60 red porgy and

up to 500 lb (227 kg) of coral/live rock

in Federal waters off North Carolina

each year for 2 years. The three North

Carolina Aquariums are located at

Roanoke Island, Pine Knoll Shores, and

Kure Beach, North Carolina. This EFP is

similar to a previously approved EFP for

North Carolina Aquariums that expired

earlier this year.

DATES: The newly issued EFP is

effective January 12, 2001, through

December 31, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the EFP are

available from Peter Eldridge, Southeast

Regional Office, NMFS, 9721 Executive

Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL

33702.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter Eldridge, 727-570-5305; fax 727-

570-5583; e-mail:

peter.eldridge@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EFP is

issued under the authority of the

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act (16

U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and regulations at

50 CFR 600.745(b) concerning exempted

fishing.

The EFP authorizes the applicant,

with certain conditions, to collect for

public display up to 60 red porgy and

up to 500 lb (227 kg) of coral/live rock

in Federal waters off North Carolina

each year for 2 years.

The North Carolina Aquariums

(NCA), with aquariums located at

Roanoke Island, Pine Knoll Shores, and

Kure Beach, is a public, non-profit, selfsupporting institution established to

promote an awareness, understanding,

and appreciation of the diverse natural

and cultural resources associated with

North Carolina’s ocean, estuaries, rivers,