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National Estuarine Research Reserve System
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: January 23, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 15)]
[Notices]
[Page 7466-7467]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23ja01-20]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Estuarine Research Reserve System
AGENCY: Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent to adopt the South Slough National Estuarine
Research Reserve (NERR) Cooperative Conservation/Acquisition Plan as an
amendment to the South Slough NERR Management Plan.
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SUMMARY: The National Ocean Service announces the availability of the
Draft Cooperative Conservation/Acquisition Plan (Plan) as an amendment
to the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR)
management plan adopted in 1994. The South Slough NERR is located in
the Coos Bay Estuary in southern Oregon. The plan sets forth priorities
and guidelines for acquisition and stewardship of properties within the
South Slough watershed, Coos Bay watershed, and broader Columbian
biogeographic region. The plan was developed to guide the use of the
Gustafson bequest to the South Slough NERR which is to be used by the
NERR for land acquisition purposes. An extensive public involvement
process was pursued to develop the Plan.
The Cooperative Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC), made up of
representatives of local business, real estate, environmental, and
county, state and federal government interests was created to guide the
development of the Plan. Two public meetings were held to receive
comments on the Plan which were integrated into the current draft Plan.
DATES: Written comments will be accepted through March 2, 2001.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Nina Garfield, NOAA-ERD,
SSMC-4, 11th Floor, 1305 East West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND A COPY OF THE PLAN CONTACT: Craig Cornu,
Stewardship Coordinator, South Slough National Estuarine Research
Reserve, P.O. Box 5417, Charleston, Oregon 97420, 541-888-2581 x 301.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Located in Coos Bay's South Slough inlet,
the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) was
established in 1974 as the first in a nationwide system of coastal
reserves dedicated to estuarine research, education and stewardship.
The South Slough NERR Cooperative Plan for Watershed Conservation
(Plan) is intended to advance the stewardship goals of the South Slough
NERR Management Plan (SSNERR, 1974) by guiding the Reserve's
acquisition of new land management responsibilities. The cornerstone of
the 1994 South Slough NERR Management Plan stewardship goal is ``to
ensure that the Reserves ecosystems will continue to be available for
long-term estuarine research, education and interpretation.'' The
stewardship mission of the South Slough NERR also focuses on providing
``stewardship for key examples of estuarine ecosystem types of the
lower Columbian biogeographic region.'' The proposed acquisition plan,
therefore, looks at three geographic perspectives: (1) Estuarine
ecosystems within or integrally linked to the present South Slough NERR
administrative lands; (2) estuarine ecosystems associated with the Coos
Bay watershed; and (3) estuarine ecosystems within the larger
biogeographic region (the coastal area between the mouth of the
Columbia River to the north and Cape Mendocino to the south).
The two driving forces behind the development of the proposed Plan
are: (1) The findings of the Reserve's 1994 Management Plan, and (2) a
$1.6 million bequest from a local Coos Bay resident, Chalmer Gustafson,
for the sole purpose of acquiring additional land to be added to the
South Slough NERR.
The proposed Plan is a program in which ``acquisition'' is defined
to include a variety of actions, including fee simple purchase,
easements, land donations, land exchanges, stewardship partnerships and
others. It is strictly a ``willing seller'' program.
Upon approval by the South Slough NERR Management Commission, the
proposed Plan will become part of the South Slough NERR Management Plan
and the NERR Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). To approve changes to the existing management
plan, an opportunity for public comment must be provided. An extensive
process of public input and comment has been undertaken for the
development and review of the proposed plan. This Federal Register
Notice provides additional opportunity for public comment.
Central to the development of the proposed Plan was the formation
of the Cooperative Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC), made up of
representatives of local business, real estate, environmental, and
county, state and federal government interests. The CPAC had six
meetings over an eight-month period in 1998-99, and presided over two
public open house meetings. The CPAC, South Slough NERR staff, and the
consultants worked together as a team to develop the foundation of the
proposed Plan.
Through an iterative process involving South Slough NERR staff and
the general public the CPAC developed acquisition goals to guide the
proposed Plan development that resulted in the identification of an
acquisition Planning Area comprised of seven Areas of Interest. Each
Area of Interest was also assigned a level of effort or allocation of
time and budget resources and property selection criteria.
Three principal acquisition goals led to the identification of the
Areas of Interest and development of selection criteria: Goal (1)
protect the lands within the current Reserve administrative boundary,
emphasizing the need to acquire key landscape features within the South
Slough watershed; Goal (2) provide diversity of
[[Page 7467]]
habitat, emphasizing the Reserve's need to represent bioregional
habitat types as required by NOAA; and Goal (3) address specific
projects, emphasizing acquisitions that allow Reserve staff to respond
to opportunities that will advance South Slough NERR research,
education and stewardship objectives.
The Areas of Interest in which future acquisition efforts will be
focused are described as follows:
Area of Interest 1--the Winchester Creek watershed. The Winchester
Creek watershed was identified as the most critical property to
protecting the South Slough mission and addressing the CPAC's goals and
selection criteria because of its large size and landscape relationship
to the South Slough NERR. Only 10% of the acquisition resources were
recommended for targeting this Area of Interest due to the existing
solid partnership between Coos County (major property owner) and the
South Slough NERR.
Area of Interest 2--watersheds of the east-west streams which are
tributary watersheds feeding into the existing South Slough NERR
boundaries. The decision was reached that controlling the headwaters of
creeks draining into Reserve bottomlands is a relatively high priority
for protecting Reserve habitats and for enhancing opportunities for
research initiatives. Therefore, the CPAC recommended that up to 30% of
the acquisition resources be available to achieve the acquisition goals
for this Area of Interest.
Area of Interest 3--the north watersheds of South Slough, including
several tributaries, ocean inputs, and shorelines outside the South
Slough watershed. Activities in the watershed tributary to South Slough
outside the NERR boundaries, and in the waters of the Coos Bay and
ocean immediately outside South Slough can have impacts on conditions
inside the South Slough NERR boundary. Because of small parcel sizes
and numerous owners, 25% of the acquisition resources were allocated by
the CPAC to this Area of Interest.
Area of Interest 4--the town of Charleston, Oregon; This Area of
Interest is identified in order to seek and respond to opportunities
for a South Slough NERR presence in the town, such as an interpretive
facility. Up to 15% of the acquisition resources were recommended by
the CPAC for this Area of Interest.
Area of Interest 5--the existing South Slough NERR ownership. These
lands are identified as an Area of Interest based on the finding that
water and mineral rights associated with some of these parcels are
owned by parties other than the State of Oregon, and these should be
dealt with either through acquisition or agreement. A resource
allocation level of 5% was identified for this Area of Interest.
Area of Interest 6--Coos Bay Estuary. Within this Area of Interest,
the SSNERR will dedicate resources to negotiating partnerships on lands
outside the immediate South Slough area, but within the Coos Estuary.
This does not preclude fee simple purchases. A resource allocation of
10% is dedicated to this Area of Interest.
Area of Interest 7--biogeographic regional opportunities. Resources
will be dedicated to negotiating partnerships on public lands outside
the South Slough watershed, but within the greater biogeographic region
for purposes of adding under-represented habitat types to the South
Slough NERR program. Only 5% of the acquisition resources as
recommended by the CPAC for this Area of Interest.
The Cooperative Plan presents information gathered on the Planning
Area, including general property valuation and ownership. Mineral and
water rights of the existing Reserve lands are also summarized. A
landscape assessment is provided for the Planning Area, with
information on the occurrence of habitat types that are not presently
represented in the Reserve.
The Cooperative Plan recognizes the need to leverage the Gustafson
bequest using grant or other funds.
Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Number 11.420 (Coastal Zone
Management) Research Reserves
Dated: January 17, 2001.
Ted I. Lillestolen,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone
Management.
[FR Doc. 01-1948 Filed 1-22-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P