[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 26, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66390-66391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31659]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 121701D]


Groundfish Fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area 
and the Gulf of Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of meeting to review proposed work plan for preparing a 
revised Alaska Groundfish Fisheries Draft Programmatic Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and to discuss draft multi-
objective policy alternatives.

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SUMMARY: On November 27, 2001, NMFS announced its intent to revise the 
Alaska Groundfish Fisheries draft Programmatic SEIS. After reviewing 
more than 21,000 comment letters received on the draft Programmatic 
SEIS, NMFS determined that revisions to the draft Programmatic SEIS are

[[Page 66391]]

appropriate and necessary. NMFS also determined that these revisions 
will require the release of a revised draft Programmatic SEIS. Based on 
these decisions, NMFS announced a new series of dates for preparing the 
revised draft, preparing the final programmatic SEIS, and issuing the 
Record of Decision.
    This document announces that NMFS will hold three public meetings 
in Seattle, WA, and in Anchorage and Bethel, AK in January 2002 for the 
purpose of presenting a work plan, answering questions concerning the 
new work plan, and schedule, and soliciting public input on new, multi-
objective policy alternatives.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION under the heading ``Meeting Dates 
and Addresses'' for the dates of the public meetings.

ADDRESSES:  See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION under the heading ``Meeting 
Dates and Addresses'' for meeting addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven K. Davis, Programmatic SEIS 
Coordinator, Anchorage, AK, (907) 271-3523.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 27, 2001, NMFS issued a notice 
informing the public of its decision to prepare a revised draft 
Programmatic SEIS and release that draft for public comment prior to 
preparing a final Programmatic SEIS. This decision was based on the 
agency's review and preliminary analysis of the comments received on 
the draft Programmatic SEIS.
    NMFS has scheduled two public meetings and is planning a third 
meeting in January 2002. The purpose of these meetings is to present a 
work plan for preparing the revised draft programmatic SEIS, answering 
questions concerning the work plan and schedule, and soliciting 
suggestions for draft multi-objective policy alternatives. The 
development of these new alternatives will be based on comments 
received on the January 2001 draft Programmatic SEIS, input received 
from the public at these January meetings, and on recommendations from 
the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council). The final suite 
of multi-objective policy alternatives will serve as the focus of the 
revised draft Programmatic SEIS.
    Information on these meetings can also be found in the Council's 
December 2001 newsletter. A meeting announcement will also be mailed to 
the Programmatic SEIS mailing list. Additional information concerning 
the meeting agenda and draft multi-objective policy alternatives will 
be posted on the NMFS Alaska Region's website at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov and at the Council's website at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc prior to the meetings.

Meeting Dates and Addresses

    1. January 22, 2002, 9 a.m. Pacific standard time - Alaska 
Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Building 9, Room A/
B, Seattle, WA.
    2. January 24, 2002, 9 a.m. Alaska local time - Federal Courthouse, 
222 West 9th Avenue, Room 154, Anchorage, AK.
    3. Bethel, AK. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Alaska local time. 
The location and date to be announced (see websites for information).

Special Accommodations

    The meetings will be physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Steven K. Davis (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 7 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 19, 2001.
Jonathan M. Kurland,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-31659 Filed 12-21-01; 8:45 am]
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