Federal Register, Volume 74 Issue 2 (Monday, January 5, 2009)

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 2 (Monday, January 5, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 313-315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-31303]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[FWS-R1-R-2008-N0233; 1265-0000-10137-S3]

Papahaanaumokuaakea Marine National Monument, Hawai`i

AGENCIES: Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Interior; National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the monument management plan,
environmental assessment, and findings of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that NOAA, FWS, the State of
Hawai`i's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), and the
Office of Hawai`ian Affairs have completed a Monument Management Plan
(MMP) for the Papahaanaumokuaakea Marine National Monument (Monument)
located in the Northwestern Hawai`ian Islands (NWHI). The Monument's
resources, and current and future management activities, are described
in the MMP and associated environmental assessment (EA). The NOAA and
FWS developed separate findings of no significant impact (FONSIs) to
address each agency's MMP/EA findings. Both FONSIs are available with
the MMP/EA.

DATES: The MMP/EA and FONSIs are now available. Implementation of the
MMP is effective and may begin immediately.

ADDRESSES: Printed copies of the MMP/EA and FONSIs are available for
viewing at NOAA's Papahaanaumokuaakea Marine National Monument office
at 6600 Kalaniana`ole Highway, Suite 300, Honolulu, HI 96825, and may
be obtained by visiting or writing to the office or by telephone at
(808) 397-2660. These documents are also available on compact disk from
the Monument, and for viewing and downloading on the Internet at http://papahanaumokuakea.gov, and http://www.fws.gov/pacific/planning/.
Additional documents developed as part of the MMP/EA planning process
that specifically support FWS programs and environmental compliance
requirements are also available on http://www.fws.gov/pacific/planning/
.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan White, FWS Superintendent, phone
(808) 792-9480.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Monument Background

On June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush established the NWHI
Marine National Monument by issuing Presidential Proclamation 8031
(Proclamation) (71 FR 36443, June 26, 2006) under the authority of the
Antiquities Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431) (the
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 the
Monument's marine and terrestrial habitats and resources.
On February 28, 2007, President Bush amended the Proclamation to
rename the Monument the Papahaanaumokuaakea Marine National Monument to
reflect the region's significance in Native Hawai`ian 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 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 1,200
miles in length, and extends around coral islands, seamounts, banks,
and shoals. The Monument encompasses the following areas.
Northwestern Hawai`ian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem
Reserve.
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge/Battle of Midway
National Memorial.
Hawai`ian Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
Hawai`i State Seabird Sanctuary at Kure Atoll.
State of Hawai`i's Northwestern Hawai`ian Islands Marine
Refuge.
The NOAA maintains responsibility for managing the NWHI Coral Reef
Ecosystem Reserve, included within the Monument, and has primary

[[Page 314]]

responsibility regarding the management of the marine areas of the
Monument, in consultation with FWS.
Refuge lands 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 NWHI State Marine Refuge and State
Seabird Sanctuary at Kure Atoll.

Public Comments

The Draft MMP/EA was distributed for public review and comments for
90 days, from April 23, 2008, to July 23, 2008. Public meetings were
held during the review period to provide the public opportunities to
ask staff questions and provide comments and recommendations. A total
of ten meetings were held on six different islands and in Washington,
DC. as follows: Three meetings on O`ahu, two meetings on the Island of
Hawai`i, and one meeting each on Maui, Lana`i, Moloka`i, and Kaua`i,
and one meeting in Washington, DC. A total of 231 people attended the
public meetings; 78 individuals provided public testimony and one
recorded comments on a tape recorder. Comments given at these public
meetings were recorded in transcripts taken by court reporters. In
addition, written comments were accepted via e-mail, individual
letters, and form letters throughout the review period. Comments
received via individual e-mail totaled 76, individual letters totaled
30, and e-mail form letters totaled 6,246, for a total of 6,352 comment
communications. Changes made to the MMP and associated documents based
on public comments are summarized in Volume V, Response to Comments.

MMP Action Plans

Two alternatives were analyzed in the Draft MMP/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
Proposed Action was selected for implementation.
The MMP describes a comprehensive and coordinated management regime
to achieve the Monument's vision, mission, and guiding principles and
to address priority management needs over the next 15 years. The MMP
will be reviewed and updated every five years. The core of the MMP is
contained in 22 action plans consisting of multiple strategies and
activities to address specific priority management needs and to achieve
the following desired outcomes:

Understanding and Interpreting the NWHI

Marine Conservation Science. Protect the ecological
integrity of natural resources by increasing the 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
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. Identify, interpret, and protect
maritime heritage resources in the Monument.

Conserving Wildlife and Habitats

Threatened and Endangered Species. Safeguard and recover
threatened and endangered plants and animals and other protected
species 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.

Reducing Threats to Monument Resources

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 and Natural Resource Damage Assessment
(NRDA). Minimize damage to Monument resources through coordinated
emergency response and NRDA.

Managing Human Uses

Permitting. Implement an effective and integrated permit
program for the Monument that manages, minimizes, and prevents negative
human impacts by limiting access only for those activities consistent
with Proclamation 8031 and the applicable laws, regulations, and
executive orders.
Enforcement. Achieve compliance with all regulations
within the Monument.
Midway Atoll Visitor Services. Offer visitors
opportunities to discover, honor, enjoy, appreciate, and protect
Monument natural, cultural, and historic resources.

Coordinating Conservation and Management Activities

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 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.

Achieving Effective Monument Operations

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 vision, mission, and goals of the Monument.

[[Page 315]]

Dated: December 11, 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. E8-31303 Filed 1-2-09; 8:45 am]
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