Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 25 / Tuesday, February 7, 1995 / Proposed Rules 7155

notice of proposed rulemaking (59 FR

40319) to revise the natural resource

damage assessment regulations. The

natural resource damage assessment

regulations establish procedures for

assessing damages for injury to natural

resources resulting from a discharge of

oil into navigable waters under the

Clean Water Act, or a release of a

hazardous substance under the

Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability

Act. The August 8, 1994, notice

proposed a simplified ‘‘type A’’

procedure for assessing damages from

relatively minor discharges or releases

in the Great Lakes. The Department is

extending the period for comment on

the proposed rule and making it

coextensive with the comment period

for a similar proposed type A procedure

for coastal and marine environments.

DATES: Comments will be accepted

through July 6, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent in

duplicate to the Office of Environmental

Policy and Compliance, ATTN: NRDA

Rule—GLE, Room 2340, Department of

the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20240 (regular business

hours 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday

through Friday).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stephen F. Specht at (202) 208–3301, or

SSPECHT@IOS.DOI.GOV on Internet.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

natural resource damage assessment

regulations establish procedures that

Federal, State, and Tribal natural

resource trustees may use to obtain

compensation from liable parties for

natural resource injuries under the

Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability

Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.)

and the Clean Water Act, as amended

(33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.). The regulations

provide an administrative process for

conducting assessments as well as two

types of technical procedures for the

actual determination of injuries and

damages. ‘‘Type A’’ procedures are

standard procedures for simplified

assessments requiring minimal field

observation in cases of minor discharges

or releases in certain environments.

‘‘Type B’’ procedures are site-specific

procedures for detailed assessments in

other cases.

On August 8, 1994, the Department of

the Interior published a proposed rule to

amend the regulations to include an

additional type A procedure for

assessing natural resource damages in

Great Lakes environments. 59 FR 40319.

The proposed procedure incorporates a

computer model called the Natural

Resource Damage Assessment Model for

Great Lakes Environments Version 1.31

(NRDAM/GLE). The comment period on

the August 8, 1994, proposed rule was

originally set to close on November 7,

1994, but was extended through

February 6, 1995. 59 FR 54877

(November 2, 1994).

On December 8, 1994, the Department

published a proposed rule to revise an

existing type A procedure for coastal

and marine environments. 59 FR 63300.

The proposed revised type A procedure

for coastal and marine environments

incorporates a computer model, called

the Natural Resource Damage

Assessment Model for Coastal and

Marine Environments Version 2.2

(NRDAM/CME), that uses the same

computer modelling approach as the

proposed NRDAM/GLE. The comment

period on the December 8, 1994,

proposed rule was originally set to close

on February 6, 1995.

The Department has received

numerous requests for additional time

to comment on the proposed type A

procedure for coastal and marine

environments. In a separate notice

appearing elsewhere in today’s Federal

Register, the Department is extending

the comment period on the proposed

type A procedure for coastal and marine

environments through July 6, 1995.

A number of commenters have noted

the structural similarities between the

proposed NRDAM/CME and the

proposed NRDAM/GLE and have

requested that they be allowed to review

the two type A procedures concurrently.

Although the proposed NRDAM/CME

and the proposed NRDAM/GLE

incorporate distinct geographic

databases and information, there are

substantial similarities between the two

proposed rules and computer models.

Therefore, the Department has decided

to allow for concurrent public review of

the two proposed models and

consolidated consideration of the

comments received on the proposed

rules. The Department is extending the

comment period for the proposed type

A procedure for Great Lakes through

July 6, 1995, to make it coextensive with

the extended comment period for the

proposed type A procedure for coastal

and marine environments. Any

comment that is submitted on only one

of the proposed rules but that is relevant

to both rules will be considered in both

rulemakings.

Dated: February 2, 1995.

Bonnie R. Cohen,

Assistant Secretary—Policy, Management,

and Budget.

[FR Doc. 95–3023 Filed 2–6–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–RG–P

43 CFR Part 11

RIN 1090–AA23

Natural Resource Damage

Assessments: Type A Procedure for

Coastal and Marine Environments

AGENCY: Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of

comment period.

SUMMARY: On December 8, 1994, the

Department of the Interior issued a

notice of proposed rulemaking (59 FR

63300) to revise the natural resource

damage assessment regulations. The

natural resource damage assessment

regulations establish procedures for

assessing damages for injury to natural

resources resulting from a discharge of

oil into navigable waters under the

Clean Water Act, or a release of a

hazardous substance under the

Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability

Act. The December 8, 1994, notice

proposed revisions to a simplified ‘‘type

A’’ procedure for assessing damages

from relatively minor discharges or

releases in coastal and marine

environments. The Department is

extending the period for comment on

the proposed rule and making it

coextensive with the comment period

for a similar proposed type A procedure

for Great Lakes environments.

DATES: Comments will be accepted

through July 6, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent in

duplicate to the Office of Environmental

Policy and Compliance, ATTN: NRDA

Rule—CME, Room 2340, Department of

the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20240 (regular business

hours 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday

through Friday).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stephen F. Specht at (202) 208–3301, or

SSPECHT@IOS.DOI.GOV on Internet.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

natural resource damage assessment

regulations establish procedures that

Federal, State, and Tribal natural

resource trustees may use to obtain

compensation from liable parties for

natural resource injuries under the

Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability

Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.)

and the Clean Water Act, as amended

(33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.). The regulations

provide an administrative process for

conducting assessments as well as two

types of technical procedures for the

actual determination of injuries and

damages. ‘‘Type A’’ procedures are

standard procedures for simplified

assessments requiring minimal field
7156 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 25 / Tuesday, February 7, 1995 / Proposed Rules

observation in cases of minor discharges

or releases in certain environments.

‘‘Type B’’ procedures are site-specific

procedures for detailed assessments in

other cases.

On December 8, 1994, the Department

published a proposed rule to revise an

existing type A procedure for coastal

and marine environments. 59 FR 63300.

The proposed revised type A procedure

for coastal and marine environments

incorporates a computer model called

the Natural Resource Damage

Assessment Model for Coastal and

Marine Environments Version 2.2

(NRDAM/CME). The comment period

on the December 8, 1994, proposed rule

was originally set to close on February

6, 1995.

The Department has received

numerous requests for additional time

to comment on the proposed type A

procedure for coastal and marine

environments. The requesters have

emphasized the large volume of

technical documentation accompanying

the NRDAM/CME, all of which is

subject to public review and comment.

Some requesters are assembling

multidisciplinary teams to assist in the

review of the model and associated

databases. The Department appreciates

the level of technical review that is

underway and agrees with the

requesters that extending the time for

public review and comment on the

proposed rule is appropriate.

Furthermore, on August 8, 1994, the

Department published a proposed rule

to amend the natural resource damage

assessment regulations to include an

additional type A procedure for

assessing damages in Great Lakes

environments. 59 FR 40319. The

proposed type A procedure incorporates

a computer model, called the Natural

Resource Damage Assessment Model for

Great Lakes Environments Version 1.31

(NRDAM/GLE), that uses the same

computer modelling approach as the

proposed revised NRDAM/CME. The

comment period on the August 8, 1994,

proposed rule was originally set to close

on November 7, 1994, but was extended

through February 6, 1995. 59 FR 54877

(November 2, 1994).

A number of commenters have noted

the structural similarities between the

proposed NRDAM/CME and the

proposed NRDAM/GLE and have

requested that they be allowed to review

the two type A procedures concurrently.

Although the proposed NRDAM/CME

and the proposed NRDAM/GLE

incorporate distinct geographic

databases and information, there are

substantial similarities between the two

proposed rules and computer models.

Therefore, the Department has decided

to allow for concurrent public review of

the two proposed models and

consolidated consideration of the

comments received on the proposed

rules. In a separate notice appearing

elsewhere in today’s Federal Register,

the Department is extending the

comment period for the proposed type

A procedure for Great Lakes through

July 6, 1995, to make it coextensive with

the extended comment period for the

proposed type A procedure for coastal

and marine environments. Any

comment that is submitted on only one

of the proposed rules but that is relevant

to both rules will be considered in both

rulemakings.

Dated: February 2, 1995.

Bonnie R. Cohen,

Assistant Secretary—Policy, Management,

and Budget.

[FR Doc. 95–3024 Filed 2–6–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–RG–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Chapter VI

[I.D. 013195A]

Queen Conch Resources of Puerto

Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; Public

Hearings on the Draft Fishery

Management Plan

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Public hearings; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery

Management Council will hold public

hearings on the Draft Fishery

Management Plan for Queen Conch

Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S.

Virgin Islands (FMP). Testimony may be

presented at any of the hearings.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft

FMP will be accepted on or before

March 10, 1995. The hearings will be

held in February and March 1995 from

7 p.m. to 10 p.m. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for specific dates of the

hearings.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent

to, and copies of the Draft FMP are

available from, Mr. Miguel A. Rolo ́n,

Executive Director, Caribbean Fishery

Management Council, 268 Mun ̃ oz

Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan,

Puerto Rico 00918. The hearings will be

held in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin

Islands. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for locations of the

hearings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Miguel A. Rolo ́n, 809–753–6910.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

proposed management measures would:

(1) Prohibit the possession of

undersized queen conch less than 9

inches (228.6 mm) total length (as

measured from the tip of the spire to the

distal end of the shell) or less than 3/

8–inch (9.5 mm) lip thickness measured

at any location along the lip; all species

in the fishery management unit must be

landed attached to the shell; (2) prohibit

the sale of undersized queen conch and

queen conch shells; (3) establish a bag

limit for personal-use fishers of 3 queen

conch per day, not to exceed 12 per

boat; licensed commercial fishers may

land 75 queen conch per day; (4) require

conch harvested under these provisions

to conform to the minimum size

specifications and be landed attached to

the shell; (5) establish an annual closed

harvest season from July 1 through

September 30 for queen conch; and (6)

prohibit the harvest of queen conch in

the exclusive economic zone (EEZ)

using scuba or hookah gear; any person

with queen conch and either scuba or

hookah gear aboard a vessel in the EEZ

will be presumed in violation of this

prohibition.

The hearings are scheduled from 7

p.m. to 10 p.m. as follows:

1. Wednesday, February 15, 1995—

Centro de Usos Mu ́ltiples, Culebra, PR.

2. Thursday, February 16, 1995—

Salo ́n Asamblea Municipal de la Casa

Alcaldia, Vieques, PR.

3. Tuesday, February 21, 1995—

Antibes Hotel, Cabo Rojo, PR.

4. Wednesday, February 22, 1995—

Meso ́n Criollo Restaurant, Fajardo, PR.

5. Monday, February 27, 1995—

Carabelle Hotel, Christiansted, St. Croix,

U.S.V.I.

6. Tuesday, February 28, 1995—Point

Pleasant Hotel, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

7. Wednesday, March 1, 1995—

Boulon Center, St. John, U.S.V.I.

Dated: February 1, 1995.

David S. Crestin,

Acting Director, Office of Fisheries

Conservation and Management.

[FR Doc. 95–2894 Filed 2–1–95; 4:58 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F