[Federal Register: April 23, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 79)]
[Notices]
[Page 21975-21977]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23ap08-109]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[FWS-R1-R-2008-N0040; 1265-0000-10137-S3]
Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, Hawai`i
AGENCIES: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Interior; National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability for the draft monument management plan
and environmental assessment; announcement of public meetings; request
for comments.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that NOAA, FWS, and the State
of Hawai`i's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), and
Office of Hawaiian Affairs have prepared a Draft Monument Management
Plan (MMP) and associated environmental assessment (EA) for the
Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (Monument) located in the
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), which includes all federal lands
and waters within its boundaries. The State of Hawai`i is a Cooperating
Agency on the development of the MMP and EA. The Monument's resources
and management activities, ongoing and proposed, are described in the
Draft MMP. The MMP is available for public review and comments. Ten
public meetings are scheduled to obtain your comments on and answer
your questions about the Draft MMP, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for
details.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive written comments by
July 8, 2008.
ADDRESSES: The Draft MMP and EA are available on the FWS and NOAA Web
sites http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands and http://hawaiireef.noaa.gov/
, as well as at local libraries within the State of Hawai`i. You may
provide written comments on the Draft MMP and EA by any of the
following methods:
U.S. Mail: Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, Attn: Susan
White, FWS Superintendent, Box 50167, Honolulu, HI 96850-5000; or
E-mail: PMNM_MMP_Comments@fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan White, FWS Superintendent, phone
(808) 792-9480.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Monument Background
On June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush established the
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument by issuing
Presidential Proclamation 8031 (Proclamation) (71 FR 36443, June 26,
2006) under the authority of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16
U.S.C. 431) (the Antiquities Act).
On December 8, 2006, the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior
and the Governor of Hawai`i signed a Memorandum of Agreement to jointly
manage Federal and State lands and waters within the Monument as Co-
Trustees and to collectively protect, conserve, and enhance Monument
marine and terrestrial habitats and resources.
On February 28, 2007, President Bush amended the Proclamation to
rename the Monument--Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument--to
reflect Hawaiian language and culture (72 FR 10031, March 6, 2007).
Location, Size, and Federal and State Resource Management
Proclamation 8031 reserves all lands and interests in lands owned
or controlled by the Government of the United States in the
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), including emergent and submerged
lands and waters out to a distance of approximately 50 nautical miles
from the islands.
The Monument is approximately 100 nautical miles wide and extends
approximately 1,200 miles around coral islands, seamounts, banks, and
shoals. The area includes the:
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem
Reserve,
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge/Battle of Midway
National Memorial,
Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge,
Hawaii State Seabird Sanctuary at Kure Atoll, and
State of Hawai`i's Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine
Refuge.
NOAA maintains responsibility for managing the NWHI Coral Reef
Ecosystem Reserve, included within the Monument, and has primary
responsibility regarding the management of the marine areas of the
Monument, in consultation with FWS.
Refuge areas within the Monument, including the Midway Atoll
National Wildlife Refuge, the Battle of Midway National Memorial, and
the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, are managed by FWS.
The State maintains responsibility for managing state lands and
waters within the Monument, including the NWHI State Marine Refuge and
State Seabird Sanctuary at Kure Atoll.
Public Outreach and the MMP's Relationship to Previous Plans
As directed by Proclamation 8031, the Co-Trustees modified NOAA's
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Proposed National Marine Sanctuary Draft
Management Plan (available at http://www.hawaiireef.noaa.gov), as
appropriate, to create the Draft MMP. The MMP also builds upon the
Interim Midway Visitor Services Plan (available at http://www.fws.gov/
midway). Nearly 52,000 comments were received during NOAA's Sanctuary
planning process, and a total of 6,282 comments were received on FWS's
Draft Interim Midway Visitor Services Plan. Comments and issues raised
during these planning efforts that are subject to decision by the Co-
Trustees were considered during development of the Draft MMP. A summary
of public involvement and the issues raised during scoping are included
in the Draft MMP.
Management Planning Process and MMP Framework
The Draft EA of the MMP was developed in accordance with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
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(NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); NEPA regulations (40 CFR
parts 1500-1508); other appropriate Federal laws and regulations; and
agency policies and procedures for compliance with those regulations.
The EA has also been developed in accordance with the state
environmental review requirements under Chapter 343, Hawai`i Revised
Statues.
FWS' refuge comprehensive conservation planning requirements, State
of Hawai`i's DLNR planning needs along with consultation with the
Office of Hawaiian Affairs regarding Native Hawaiian traditional and
cultural resources, rights and practices, and other elements were also
incorporated into the Draft MMP. The National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966 (Refuge Administration Act), as amended by
the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C.
668dd-668ee), requires the FWS to develop a comprehensive conservation
plan (CCP) for every national wildlife refuge. The purpose for
developing a CCP is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year strategy
for achieving refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission of
the National Wildlife Refuge System, consistent with sound principles
of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and FWS
policies. In addition to conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs
identify wildlife-dependent recreation available to the public.
Draft MMP/EA Alternatives
Two alternatives are analyzed in the Draft MMP and EA; a No Action
Alternative and a Proposed Action Alternative (the preferred
alternative). Under the No Action Alternative, the Co-Trustees would
continue to implement activities to address priority management needs
based on agency-specific plans. Under the Proposed Action Alternative,
the Co-Trustees would implement new and expanded activities, in
addition to ongoing activities, to manage high priority needs.
The Monument's priority management needs are to: understand and
interpret Monument resources, conserve wildlife and habitats, reduce
threats to Monument resources, manage human activities, facilitate
coordination, and achieve effective operations. Action plans consisting
of multiple strategies and activities address the priority management
needs. The 22 action plans and corresponding desired outcomes follow.
Marine Conservation Science: Increase understanding of the
distributions, abundances and functional linkages of marine organisms
and their habitats to improve ecosystem-based management decisions in
the Monument.
Native Hawaiian Culture and History: Increase understanding and
appreciation of Native Hawaiian histories and cultural practices
related to the Monument and effectively manage cultural resources for
their cultural, educational, and scientific values.
Historic Resources: Identify, document, preserve, protect,
stabilize, and where appropriate, reuse, recover, and interpret
historic resources associated with Midway Atoll and other areas within
the Monument.
Maritime Heritage Action Plan: Identify, interpret, and protect
maritime heritage resources in the Monument.
Threatened and Endangered Species: Protect marine mammals and aid
in the recovery of threatened and endangered plants and animals within
the Monument.
Migratory Birds: Conserve migratory bird populations and habitats
within the Monument.
Habitat Management and Conservation: Protect and maintain all the
native ecosystems and biological diversity of the Monument.
Marine Debris: Reduce the adverse effects of marine debris to
Monument resources and reduce the amount of debris entering the North
Pacific Ocean.
Alien Species: Detect, control, eradicate where possible, and
prevent the introduction of alien species into the Monument.
Maritime Transportation and Aviation: Investigate, identify, and
reduce potential threats to the Monument from maritime and aviation
traffic.
Emergency Response: Minimize damage to Monument resources through
coordinated emergency response and assessment.
Permitting: Implement an effective and integrated permit program
for the Monument that manages, minimizes, and prevents negative human
impacts by allowing access only for those activities consistent with
Presidential Proclamation 8031 and the implementing regulations of the
Monument.
Enforcement: Achieve compliance with all regulations within the
Monument.
Midway Atoll Visitor Services: Offer opportunities for visitors to
discover, enjoy, appreciate, protect, and honor the unique natural,
cultural, and historic resources of the Monument.
Agency Coordination: Successfully collaborate with government
partners to achieve publicly supported, coordinated management in the
Monument.
Constituency Building and Outreach: Cultivate an informed, involved
constituency that supports and enhances conservation of the natural,
cultural, and historic resources of the Monument.
Native Hawaiian Community Involvement: Engage the Native Hawaiian
community in active and meaningful involvement in the Monument
management.
Ocean Ecosystems Literacy: Cultivate an ocean ecosystems
stewardship ethic, contribute to the Nation's science and cultural
literacy, and create a new generation of conservation leaders through
formal environmental education.
Central Operations: Conduct effective and well-planned operations
with appropriate human resources and adequate physical infrastructure
in the main Hawaiian Islands to support management of the Monument.
Information Management: Consolidate and make accessible relevant
information to meet educational, management, and research needs for the
Monument.
Coordinated Field Operations: Coordinate field activities and
provide adequate infrastructure to ensure safe and efficient operations
while avoiding impacts to the ecosystems in the Monument.
Evaluation: Determine the degree to which management actions are
achieving the goals of the Monument.
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, it cannot be guaranteed that we will be
able to do so.
Public Meetings
We will hold a statewide series of meetings where you will have
opportunities to ask questions about the MMP and provide formal
comments. Except for the Washington, D.C., meeting, each meeting will
include two sessions--Session 1 will be an informal ``talk story''
session, and Session 2 will be a more formal meeting where you may
present comments. Session times will be the same on each date, Session
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1 will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Session 2 will be held
from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Meeting details are available on the following
Web sites: http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands and http://
hawaiireef.noaa.gov/. The Washington, DC, meeting will begin at 1 p.m.
and end at 4 p.m. The meeting dates and locations follow:
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Number Date Location
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1............... June 9, 2008................. Wai`anae Parks and
Recreation Complex, 85-
601 Farrington
Highway, Wai`anae,
O`ahu.
2............... June 11, 2008................ Auditorium, Main
Interior Building,
1849 C Street, NW.,
Washington, DC.
3............... June 12, 2008................ Maui Arts and Cultural
Center, One Cameron
Way, Kahului, Maui.
4............... June 13, 2008................ Lana`i High and
Elementary School, 555
Frasier Avenue, Lana`i
City, Lana`i.
5............... June 16, 2008................ Kulana `Oiwi Halau, 610
Maunaloa Hwy.,
Kaunakakai, Moloka`i.
6............... June 17, 2008................ He`eia State Park, 46-
465 Kamehameha
Highway, Kane`ohe,
O`ahu.
7............... June 18, 2008................ King Kamehameha Hotel,
75-5660 Palani Road,
Kailua-Kona, Kona,
Hawai`i.
8............... June 19, 2008................ Mokupapapa Discovery
Center, 308 Kamehameha
Ave., Suite 109, Hilo,
Hawai`i.
9............... June 23, 2008................ Hilton Kaua`i Beach
Resort, 4331 Kauai
Beach Drive, Lihu`e,
Kaua`i.
10.............. June 24, 2008................ Japanese Cultural
Center, 2454 South
Beretania Street,
Honolulu, O`ahu.
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Next Step
After the comment period ends for the Draft MMP and EA, we will
analyze the comments and address them in the final MMP.
Dated: April 8, 2008.
David J. Wesley,
Acting Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1,
Portland, Oregon.
Daniel J. Basta,
Director, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland.
[FR Doc. E8-8362 Filed 4-22-08; 8:45 am]
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