Vol. 79 Monday, No. 71 April 14, 2014 Part II Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 15 CFR Part 922 Proposed Expansion and Regulatory Revision of Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries; Proposed Rule VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:15 Apr 11, 2014 Jkt 232001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\14APP2.SGM 14APP2 TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 20982 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 71 / Monday, April 14, 2014 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Location: Gualala Community Center. mammals. GFNMS is located along and Address: 47950 Center St., Gualala, offshore California’s north-central coast, National Oceanic and Atmospheric CA 95445. west of northern San Mateo, San Administration Time: 6 p.m. Francisco, Marin and southern Sonoma Counties. GFNMS is composed of (4) Bodega Bay, CA 15 CFR Part 922 approximately 1,279 square statute Date: June 18, 2014. [Docket No. 130405335–4240–01] miles (966 square nautical miles) of Location: Grange Hall. offshore waters extending out to and RIN 0648–BD18 Address: 1370 Bodega Ave., Bodega around the Farallon Islands and Bay, CA 94923. nearshore waters (up to the mean high Proposed Expansion and Regulatory Time: 6 p.m. water line) from Bodega Head to Rocky Revision of Gulf of the Farallones and ADDRESSES: You may submit comments Point in Marin. The Farallon Islands lie Cordell Bank National Marine on this document, identified by NOAA– along the outer edge of the continental Sanctuaries NOS–2012–0228, by any of the shelf, between 15 and 22 statute miles AGENCY: Office of National Marine following methods: (13 and 19 nmi) southwest of Point • Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean Electronic Submissions: Submit all Reyes and approximately 30 miles (26 Service (NOS), National Oceanic and electronic public comments via the nmi) due west of San Francisco. In Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to addition to sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, Department of Commerce (DOC). www.regulations.gov/ small coves, and offshore stacks, GFNMS includes open bays (Bodega ACTION: Proposed rule. #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NOS-2012- 0228, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, Bay, Drakes Bay) and enclosed bays or SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and complete the required fields and enter estuaries (Bolinas Lagoon, Tomales Bay, Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is or attach your comments. Estero Americano, and Estero de San proposing to expand the boundaries of • Mail: Submit written comments to Antonio). GFNMS is located inshore of Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Maria Brown, Sanctuary the California current, and its waters are Sanctuary (GFNMS) and Cordell Bank Superintendent, Gulf of the Farallones characterized by wind-driven National Marine Sanctuary (CBNMS) to National Marine Sanctuary, 991 Marine upwelling, localized eddies, counter- an area north and west of their current Drive, The Presidio, San Francisco, CA current gyres, high nutrient supply, and boundaries, as well as to amend existing 94129. high levels of phytoplankton. sanctuary regulations and add new Instructions: Comments sent by any Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary regulations. NOAA is also proposing to other method, to any other address or revise the corresponding sanctuary individual, or received after the end of CBNMS was designated in 1989, and terms of designation and management the comment period, may not be was established to protect and preserve plans. The purpose of this action is to considered by NOAA. All comments the extraordinary ecosystem, including extend national marine sanctuary received are a part of the public record invertebrates, marine birds, mammals, protections to an area that has and will generally be posted for public and other natural resources, of Cordell nationally significant marine resources viewing on www.regulations.gov Bank and its surrounding waters. and habitats and is the source of without change. All personal identifying CBNMS is located offshore of nutrient-rich upwelled waters for the information (e.g., name, address, etc.), California’s north-central coast, off of Marin County. CBNMS protects an area existing sanctuaries. A draft confidential business information, or of 529 square statute miles (399 square environmental impact statement and otherwise sensitive information nautical miles). The main feature of the draft revised management plans have submitted voluntarily by the sender will sanctuary is Cordell Bank, an offshore been prepared for this proposed action. be publicly accessible. ONMS will granite bank located on the edge of the NOAA is soliciting public comment on accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/ continental shelf, about 49 miles (43 the proposed rule, draft environmental A’’ in the required fields if you wish to nmi) northwest of the Golden Gate impact statement, and draft revised remain anonymous). Attachments to Bridge and 23 miles (20 nmi) west of the management plans. electronic comments will be accepted in Point Reyes lighthouse. CBNMS is DATES: Comments on this proposed rule Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only. entirely offshore and shares its southern will be considered if received by June and eastern boundary with GFNMS. 30, 2014. Public hearings will be held as FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Similar to GFNMS, CBNMS is located in detailed below: Maria Brown at [email protected] a major coastal upwelling system. The or 415–561–6622; or Dan Howard at (1) Sausalito, CA combination of oceanic conditions and [email protected] or 415–663– undersea topography provides for a Date: May 22, 2014. 0314. highly productive environment in a Location: U.S. Army Corps of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: discrete offshore area. Prevailing Engineers Bay Model Visitor Center. currents push nutrients from upwelling Address: 2100 Bridgeway Blvd., I. Introduction southward along the coast, moving Sausalito, CA 94965. Time: 6 p.m. A. Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell nutrients and other prey over the upper Bank National Marine Sanctuaries levels of the Bank. The vertical relief (2) Point Arena, CA and hard substrate of the Bank provide Gulf of the Farallones National Marine benthic habitat with near-shore Date: June 16, 2014. Sanctuary Location: Point Arena City Hall. characteristics in an open ocean Address: 451 School St., Point Arena, GFNMS was designated in 1981, and environment 23 miles (20 nmi) from CA 95468. was established to protect and preserve shore. The combination of sedentary Time: 6 p.m. a unique and fragile ecological plants and animals typical of nearshore community, including the largest waters in close proximity to open ocean (3) Gualala, CA seabird colony in the contiguous United species like blue whales and albatross Date: June 17, 2014. States and diverse and abundant marine creates a rare mix of species and a VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:15 Apr 11, 2014 Jkt 232001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\14APP2.SGM 14APP2 TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 71 / Monday, April 14, 2014 / Proposed Rules 20983 unique biological community at #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NOS-2012- In addition, the proposed action CBNMS. 0228 or http://farallones.noaa.gov/ would protect significant submerged The National Marine Sanctuaries Act manage/expansion_cbgf.html or may be cultural resources and historical (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) gives obtained by contacting the individual properties, as defined by the National NOAA the authority to expand national listed under the heading FOR FURTHER Historic Preservation Act and its marine sanctuaries to meet the purposes INFORMATION CONTACT. regulations (historical properties and policies of the NMSA, including: include but are not limited to: Artifacts, B. Need for Action • ‘‘. to provide authority for records, remains related to or located in comprehensive and coordinated The proposed action would expand the properties and properties of conservation and management of these the boundaries of GFNMS and CBNMS traditional religious and cultural marine areas [national marine north and west of the sanctuaries’ importance to an Indian tribe and that sanctuaries], and activities affecting current boundaries and would include meet the National Register criteria). them, in a manner which complements waters and submerged lands off of There are several existing state and existing regulatory authorities (16 U.S.C. Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino federal laws that provide some degree of 1431(b)(2)); [and] Counties. This expansion would add to protection of historical resources, but • to maintain the natural biological the National Marine Sanctuary System a the State of California regulations only communities in the national marine globally significant coastal upwelling extend 3 nautical miles offshore and sanctuaries, and to protect, and, where center originating off of Point Arena and existing federal regulations do not appropriate, restore and enhance natural flowing into GFNMS and CBNMS via provide comprehensive protection of habitats, populations and ecological wind-driven currents. The proposed these resources. Records document over processes . .’’ (16 U.S.C. 1431(b)(3)). action would also apply existing 200 vessel and aircraft losses between The NMSA also requires NOAA to regulations into the expansion area, 1820 and 1961 along California’s north- periodically review and evaluate amend current regulations for GFNMS central coast from Bodega Head north to and CBNMS, and add new regulations. progress in implementing