[Federal Register: September 13, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 176)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 55135-55136]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13se04-17]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 224
[I.D. 040704A]
Endangered Fish and Wildlife; Advance Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (ANPR) for Right Whale Ship Strike Reduction; Extension of
Public Comment Period
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice to extend public comment period.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is extending the public comment period on the Advance
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) published June 1, 2004. The ANPR
announces a strategy to reduce mortalities to North Atlantic right
whales as a result of vessel collisions. NMFS is extending the public
comment period through November 15, 2004, to allow for adequate time to
conduct stakeholder meetings along the Atlantic coast in association
with the ANPR comment period.
DATES: Written and electronic comments on the ANPR must be received
(see ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. eastern standard time on November
15, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to:
Mail: Chief, Marine Mammal Conservation Division, Attn:
Right Whale Ship Strike Strategy, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Fax: (301)427-2522, Attn: Right Whale Ship Strike
Strategy.
E-mail: shipstrike.comments@noaa.gov.
Federal Rulemaking portal: http://www.regulations.gov
(follow instructions for submitting comments).
The June 1, 2004, ANPR may be obtained at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/
under the ``Recent News and Hot Topics'' link. Using the drop-down
menu, the link ``Ship Strike Strategy'' provides access to the ANPR, as
well as links to background and supporting documentation related to the
proposed strategy.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Payne, Division Chief, Office
of Protected Resources, NMFS, at (301) 713-2322; Pat Gerrior, Fishery
Biologist, Northeast Regional Office, NMFS, at (508) 495-2264; or Barb
Zoodsma, Fishery Biologist, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, at (904)
321-2806.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice provides additional opportunity
for public involvement in the development and implementation of a
strategy to reduce the likelihood and threat of ship strike mortalities
to North Atlantic right whales. The strategy is described in greater
detail in the ANPR published June 1, 2004 (69 FR 30857). In summary, it
is a multi-faceted plan that includes potential routing changes, speed
reductions, and the use of dynamic management areas as proposed
operational measures.
NMFS has already held five public meetings (Boston, MA; Jersey
City, NJ; Wilmington, NC; Jacksonville, FL; and Silver Spring, MD) in
July and August 2004 to present the strategy and solicit information on
the development and implementation of the proposed new operational
measures. The agency is extending the comment period through
[[Page 55136]]
November 15, 2004, to convene a series of smaller stakeholder meetings
through its regional Right Whale Recovery Implementation Teams.
Comments received during the extended ANPR comment period, and in the
associated stakeholder meetings, will assist the agency in determining
what actions are necessary to reduce the threat of ship collisions to
right whales.
Dated: September 7, 2004.
Laurie K. Allen
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-20539 Filed 9-10-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S