With this notice, NOAA announces that it is considering whether to expand the boundaries of Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones national marine sanctuaries. NOAA will conduct this review pursuant to section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1434(e)). As required by the NMSA, the review will include public processes outlined under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). NOAA anticipates that the review and potential expansion of existing sanctuary boundaries will be completed within 18 to 24 months.
DATES: Comments must be received by March 1, 2013. Dates for scoping meetings are:
(1) January 24 2013 at the Bodega Bay Grange Hall.
(2) February 12, 2013 at the Gualala Community Center.
(3) February 13, 2013 at the Point Arena High School.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
NOAA-NOS-2012-0228, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NOS-2012-0228, click the
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or
attach your comments.
Mail: Maria Brown, Sanctuary Superintendent, Gulf of the
Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, 991 Marine Drive, The Presidio,
San Francisco, CA 94129.
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period,
may not be considered by NOAA. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NOAA will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Brown at Maria.Brown@noaa.gov or
415-561-6622; or Dan Howard at Dan.Howard@noaa.gov or 415-663-0314.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background Information
Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS),
designated in 1981, and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (CBNMS),
designated in 1989, are federally protected marine areas along and
offshore of California's north-central coast. Centered along an
important upwelling area, the sanctuaries are able to support important
commercial and recreational fisheries, tourism and recreation
industries, and coastal economies and communities. Sanctuary personnel
contribute greatly to ocean and coastal management by engaging in
public outreach and education to promote stewardship, conducting
scientific and applied research initiatives, and developing and
supporting programs that strengthen resource protection for the long-
term health of the region.
NOAA is considering expansion of GFNMS and CBNMS to an area north
of the existing sanctuaries that extends from Bodega Bay in Sonoma
County, to Alder Creek in Mendocino County, and west to the edge of the
continental shelf. This area encompasses the Point Arena upwelling
center that consistently produces the most intense upwelling in all of
North America.
The nutrients brought to the surface during upwelling events at
Point Arena are carried south into the sanctuaries by the prevailing
California Current; these nutrients fuel an incredibly productive ocean
area protected by GFNMS and CBNMS. The sanctuaries are destination
feeding areas for endangered blue whales and humpback whales, sharks,
salmon, and seabirds like albatrosses and shearwaters that travel tens
of thousands of miles. Food that results from the Point Arena upwelling
center also supports the largest assemblage of breeding seabirds in the
contiguous United States on the Farallon Islands. Living reefs of
corals, sponges and a myriad of other invertebrates cover hard bottom
areas and these sessile invertebrate communities are washed with food
rich water from the north. These invertebrate reefs also provide
structure and habitat for many species of juvenile and adult rockfish
that prosper in these productive waters. Sanctuary waters also support
valuable commercial fisheries for salmon and Dungeness crab. Local
ports and coastal communities all derive socioeconomic benefits from
these healthy ocean habitats. The rich diversity and health of this
thriving marine ecosystem depends on the cold nutrient rich source
water originating from the Point Arena upwelling center.
In 2008, the joint management plan review for CBNMS and GFNMS
determined that managers in these sanctuaries would facilitate a public
process in the next five years to ensure that ``current boundaries were
inclusive of the area's natural resource and ecological qualities,
including the biogeographic representation of the area.'' Sanctuary
advisory councils from both sites have regularly discussed the boundary
expansion alternative and have expressed support for boundary expansion
when proposed by local congressional members.
In accordance with Section 304(e) of the NMSA, NOAA is now
initiating a review of the boundaries for CBNMS and GFNMS to evaluate
and assess a proposed expansion of the sanctuaries. As noted above,
NOAA is considering extending the boundaries of the two sanctuaries to
add the northern area from Bodega Bay, Sonoma County to Alder Creek,
Mendocino County, and west to the edge of the continental shelf
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(for a map of the area considered and other relevant information, see
http://farallones.noaa.gov/manage/northern_area.html). In doing so,
NOAA is considering extending, and as necessary amending, the
regulations and management plan for GFNMS and CBNMS to this area and is
specifically requesting public comment on issues that would arise in
doing so. This expansion would protect the upwelling source waters of
the sanctuaries as well as nationally-significant seascapes, wildlife,
and shipwrecks, and would promote ecotourism and sustainable fishing
practices. Although no decision has been made yet regarding this
possible action, expanded sanctuary boundaries could protect up to an
additional 2,771 square statute miles.
Review Process
The review process for the proposed expansion of the sanctuary
boundaries is composed of four stages:
1. Determine the scope of issues to be addressed and identify
significant issues related to any proposed expansion;
2. Prepare and release a draft environmental impact statement
(DEIS) that identifies boundary expansion alternatives, together with
all other documents required by the NMSA including a resource
assessment, revised management plans, and a notice of proposed
rulemaking (NPRM) to amend the sanctuary regulations;
3. Allow public review and comment on the DEIS, NPRM, and related
documents; and
4. Prepare and release a final environmental impact statement and
related documents, including a response to public comments, with a
final rule if appropriate.
NOAA anticipates that completing the review and process for
potentially expanding sanctuary boundaries will take approximately 18-
24 months.
At this time, NOAA is soliciting public comments to:
1. Gather information and comments from individuals, organizations,
and government agencies on: (a) Whether NOAA should expand GFNMS and
CBNMS boundaries; and (b) what, if any, potential effects might result
from a boundary expansion; and
2. Help determine the scope of issues, including alternatives to be
considered, in the preparation of an environmental impact statement
(EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (43
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), if warranted.
Public Scoping Meetings: NOAA intends to conduct a series of public
scoping meetings to collect public comments. These meetings will be
held on the following dates and at the following locations and times:
1. Bodega Bay, CA
Date: January 24, 2013.
Location: Bodega Bay Grange Hall.
Address: 1370 Bodega Avenue, Bodega Bay, CA 94923.
Time: 6 p.m.
2. Gualala, CA
Date: February 12, 2013.
Location: Gualala Community Center.
Address: 47950 Center Street, Gualala, CA 95445
Time: 6 p.m.
3. Pt. Arena, CA
Date: February 13, 2013.
Location: Point Arena High School.
Address: 185 Lake Street, Point Arena, CA 95468.
Time: 6 p.m.