[Federal Register: March 20, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 54)]
[Notices]
[Page 13688]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20mr03-45]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 031703C]
Notice of Availability of the National Coral Reef Action Strategy
for Public Comment
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for public comment.
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SUMMARY: The Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 requires the
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) to submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and to the Committee on Resources of the
House of Representatives, and publish in the Federal Register, a
national coral reef action strategy (Strategy), consistent with the
purposes of the Act.
Pursuant to the Act, NOAA has prepared a National Coral Reef Action
Strategy, in cooperation with the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (Task
Force), which provides a statement of Goals and Objectives,
implementation plans, and a description of federal funding directly
related to advancing coral reef conservation each fiscal year. The
Strategy is intended to help guide and improve U.S. government and non-
government efforts to conserve coral reefs. This notice announces the
availability of the National Coral Reef Action Strategy for use in
implementing the Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program and public
review.
DATES: Comments on the National Coral Reef Action Strategy must be
received no later than May 19, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and public inspection of these comments may
be sent to NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, 1305 East West
Highway, NOS/ORR 10201, Silver Spring, MD 20910; faxed to (301)-713-
4389; or emailed to roger.b.griffis@noaa.gov. Copies of the Strategy
are available from this address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Griffis; (301)-713-2989
extension 115; roger.b.griffis@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The National Coral Reef Action Strategy was produced through
extensive consultation with the federal, state, territory and
commonwealth members of the Task Force and its Working Groups. The
Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 states that in developing this
Strategy, the Secretary may consult with the Task Force. The Strategy
builds on the existing National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs,
which was adopted by the Task Force in 2000 as the national blueprint
for U.S. action to address the coral reef crisis. The Coral Reef
Conservation Act of 2000 also establishes a Coral Reef Conservation
Program to provide grants of financial assistance for projects that are
consistent with the Strategy.
The Strategy is designed to track accomplishments and identify
priorities to implement the goals and objectives of the Coral Reef
Conservation Act and the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs.
The Strategy provides partial summaries of accomplishments and needs to
address 13 major goals. The intent is to work closely with the Task
Force, other partners, and the public to update the Strategy annually
or as needed to help guide future actions.
The Task Force was established by Executive Order 13089 in 1998 to
help lead and coordinate U.S. government efforts (both domestically and
internationally) to conserve and sustain coral reef ecosystems. The
Task Force is co-chaired by the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary
of the Interior, and includes the heads of 11 federal agencies and the
Governors of 7 states, territories and commonwealths with coral reef
management responsibilities.
After the close of the comment period, NOAA will consider the
comments received during review and possible revision of the Strategy
in the future. The Strategy is available from the web site
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=www.coralreef.noaa.gov or from see ADDRESSES.
Authority: Pub. L 106-562.
Dated: February 26, 2003.
Jamison S. Hawkins,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Ocean Services and Coastal Zone
Management.
[FR Doc. 03-6713 Filed 3-19-03; 8:45 am]