[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 123 (Monday, June 29, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31044-31046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-15309]



[[Page 31044]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-FHC-2009-N0101; 94300-1124-0000-T5]


Coastal Barrier Resources System Digital Mapping Pilot Project

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of the public comment period on report and 
draft maps; notice of public meetings via Web cast and teleconference.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), advise the 
public that we are extending the public review and comment period for 
the Report to Congress: John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System 
Digital Mapping Pilot Project and draft maps. Also, we plan to host 
public meetings via Web cast and teleconference on the John H. Chafee 
Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) Digital Mapping Pilot Project.

DATES: Comment Period: To ensure consideration, we must receive your 
written comments on the report and draft maps by August 5, 2009.
    Public Meetings: We will hold public meetings via Web cast and 
teleconference; see ``Public Meetings'' and ``Meeting Participation 
Information'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for meeting dates, times, 
and registration information.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand-deliver (during normal business hours) comments 
to Katie Niemi, Coastal Barriers Coordinator, Division of Habitat and 
Resource Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax 
Drive, Room 860A, Arlington, VA 22203 or send comments by electronic 
mail (e-mail) to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fcbfbeaebd9f9391919992888fbc9a8b8fd29b938a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a0e3e2f2e1c3cfcdcdc5ced4d3e0c6d7d38ec7cfd6">[email protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katie Niemi, Coastal Barriers 
Coordinator, (703) 358-2161.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) of 1982 (16 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.) established the CBRS, a defined set of geographic units located 
along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, and U.S. 
Virgin Island coasts. CBRA removes the Federal incentive for 
development in these high-risk and biologically important coastal 
barrier habitats by limiting Federal subsidies such as flood insurance 
within the CBRS. Development can still occur provided that private 
developers or other non-Federal parties bear the full cost.
    The CBRS boundaries are depicted on U.S. Geological Survey 
topographic quadrangle maps, which are, on average, 30 years old. 
Because the maps are outdated technologically, the CBRS boundaries do 
not always align precisely with the geomorphic, cultural, or 
development features that they were intended to follow. As a result, 
some properties and projects intended to be eligible for Federal 
subsidies are not eligible and vice versa. Modernizing the CBRS maps 
using digital technology addresses the inaccuracies of the outdated 
maps; corrects errors that adversely affect private property owners; 
increases efficiencies and accessibility by allowing the integration of 
CBRS information into digital planning tools; conserves natural 
resources; and helps preserve the long-term integrity of the CBRS.
    The pilot project creates draft revised maps for 70 CBRS units 
(representing approximately 10 percent of the entire CBRS) and 
establishes a framework for modernizing the remainder of the CBRS maps. 
The different types of proposed boundary changes reflected in the draft 
pilot project maps include:
    <bullet> Alignment with geomorphic features (e.g., shorelines), 
development features (e.g., edge of a road, property parcel 
boundaries), and cultural features (e.g., park boundaries);
    <bullet> Adjustment to reflect geomorphic change;
    <bullet> Adjustment to map channel boundaries consistently;
    <bullet> Addition of associated aquatic habitat;
    <bullet> Addition of conservation or recreation area to existing 
Otherwise Protected Areas (OPAs);
    <bullet> Addition of new OPAs;
    <bullet> Addition of undeveloped fastland (land above mean high 
tide) not currently within the CBRS;
    <bullet> Removal of private land that was inadvertently included 
within an OPA; and
    <bullet> Reclassification from System unit to OPA and vice versa.
    In cases where we found no compelling evidence to propose a revised 
boundary, the existing boundary remains unchanged.
    For more information on the pilot project, as well as how to get a 
copy of the report and draft maps, see our April 7, 2009, notice (74 FR 
15743) or visit the Service's Internet site: http://www.fws.gov/habitatconservation/coastal_barrier.html.

Comment Period Extension

    We are extending the public comment period on the Report to 
Congress: John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Digital 
Mapping Pilot Project and draft maps, which we originally opened on 
April 7, 2009 (74 FR 15743), to allow additional time for public 
meetings and submission of comments by the public. If you previously 
submitted comments, you need not resubmit them; we have already 
incorporated them into the public record and will fully consider them 
when we finalize the pilot project maps and submit the report to 
Congress, per the directives of the Coastal Barrier Resources 
Reauthorization Act of 2005 (CBRRA of 2005; Pub. L. 109-226).

Public Meetings

    We will hold the following public meetings via Web cast and 
teleconference. The purpose of the meetings is to give the public an 
overview of the pilot project effort and to offer an opportunity for 
questions and answers regarding the draft maps contained in the pilot 
project. See Appendix A for specific units we will discuss for the 
involved States.

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               Date                   Time  (eastern time)                          States
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 14, 2009....................  10 a.m.-12 p.m...........  Delaware and Louisiana.
July 14, 2009....................  1-3 p.m..................  North Carolina and South Carolina.
July 15, 2009....................  10 a.m.-12 p.m...........  North Florida.
July 15, 2009....................  1-3 p.m..................  South Florida.
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Meeting Participation Information

    These meetings are open to the public. Members of the public 
planning to participate must register at http://www.fws.gov/habitatconservation/coastal_barrier.html by close of business July 10, 
2009. Registrants will be provided with instructions for participation 
via e-mail. If you require

[[Page 31045]]

additional accommodations, please notify the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT at least one week prior to the meeting.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Appendix A--Pilot Project Units

    Below we list the pilot project units for each State, by unit 
number, unit name, and county.

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            Number                            Name                                    County
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Delaware (1 Map)
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DE-07.........................  Delaware Seashore..............  Sussex.
DE-07P........................  Delaware Seashore..............  Sussex.
H01...........................  North Bethany Beach............  Sussex.
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                                             North Carolina (9 Maps)
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NC-01.........................  Pine Island Bay................  Currituck, Dare.
NC-05P........................  Roosevelt Natural Area.........  Carteret.
NC-06.........................  Hammocks Beach.................  Onslow.
NC-06P........................  Hammocks Beach.................  Onslow, Carteret.
L05...........................  Onslow Beach Complex...........  Onslow.
L06...........................  Topsail........................  Onslow.
L07...........................  Lea Island Complex.............  Pender, New Hanover.
L08...........................  Wrightsville Beach.............  New Hanover.
L09...........................  Masonboro Island...............  New Hanover.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                             South Carolina (1 Map)
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M02...........................  Litchfield Beach...............  Georgetown.
M03...........................  Pawleys Inlet..................  Georgetown.
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                                                Florida (27 Maps)
                                                  North Florida
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FL-01.........................  Fort Clinch....................  Nassau.
FL-01P........................  Fort Clinch....................  Nassau.
P04A..........................  Usinas Beach...................  St. Johns.
P05...........................  Conch Island...................  St. Johns.
P05P..........................  Conch Island...................  St. Johns.
P08...........................  Ponce Inlet....................  Volusia.
P08P..........................  Ponce Inlet....................  Volusia.
FL-13P........................  Spessard Holland Park..........  Brevard.
P09A..........................  Coconut Point..................  Brevard.
P09AP.........................  Coconut Point..................  Brevard.
FL-73P........................  De Soto........................  Manatee.
FL-78.........................  Rattlesnake Key................  Manatee.
FL-78P........................  Rattlesnake Key................  Manatee.
FL-82.........................  Bishop Harbor..................  Manatee.
FL-80P........................  Passage Key....................  Manatee.
FL-81.........................  Egmont Key.....................  Hillsborough.
FL-81P........................  Egmont Key.....................  Hillsborough.
FL-83.........................  Cockroach Bay..................  Hillsborough.
FL-85P........................  Sand Key.......................  Pinellas.
P26...........................  Pepperfish Keys................  Dixie.
FL-89.........................  Peninsula Point................  Franklin.
FL-93.........................  Phillips Inlet.................  Bay.
FL-93P........................  Phillips Inlet.................  Bay.
FL-94.........................  Deer Lake Complex..............  Walton.
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                                                  South Florida
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P10A..........................  Blue Hole......................  Indian River, St. Lucie.
FL-14P........................  Pepper Beach...................  St. Lucie.
P11...........................  Hutchinson Island..............  St. Lucie.
P11P..........................  Hutchinson Island..............  St. Lucie.
FL-15.........................  Blowing Rocks..................  Martin, Palm Beach.
FL-16P........................  Jupiter Beach..................  Palm Beach.
FL-17P........................  Carlin.........................  Palm Beach.
FL-18P........................  MacArthur Beach................  Palm Beach.
FL-19.........................  Birch Park.....................  Broward.

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FL-19P........................  Birch Park.....................  Broward.
FL-20P........................  Lloyd Beach....................  Broward.
P14A..........................  North Beach....................  Broward.
FL-39.........................  Tavernier Key..................  Monroe.
FL-40.........................  Snake Creek....................  Monroe.
FL-43.........................  Channel Key....................  Monroe.
FL-44.........................  Toms Harbor Keys...............  Monroe.
FL-45.........................  Deer/Long Point Keys...........  Monroe.
FL-46.........................  Boot Key.......................  Monroe.
FL-64P........................  Clam Pass......................  Collier.
P17A..........................  Bowditch Point.................  Lee.
FL-67.........................  Bunche Beach...................  Lee.
FL-67P........................  Bunche Beach...................  Lee.
P21...........................  Bocilla Island.................  Charlotte.
P21P..........................  Bocilla Island.................  Charlotte.
P22...........................  Casey Key......................  Sarasota.
FL-72P........................  Lido Key.......................  Sarasota.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                               Louisiana (13 Maps)
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LA-01.........................  Isle Au Pitre..................  St. Bernard.
LA-02.........................  Grand Island...................  St. Bernard.
S04...........................  Timbalier Bay..................  Lafourche.
S05...........................  Timbalier Islands..............  Terrebonne, Lafourche.
S06...........................  Isle Dernieres.................  Terrebonne.
S07...........................  Point au Fer...................  Terrebonne, St. Mary.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: June 18, 2009.
Marvin E. Moriarty,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. E9-15309 Filed 6-26-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P


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