Evaluation of National Estuarine Research Reserve; Notice of Public Meeting; Request for Comments

<NOTICE> DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE <SUBAGY>National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</SUBAGY> <SUBJECT>Evaluation of National Estuarine Research Reserve; Notice of Public Meeting; Request for Comments</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Notice of public meeting; opportunity to comment. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Office for Coastal Management will hold an in-person public meeting to solicit input on the performance evaluation of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve. NOAA also invites the public to submit written comments. </SUM> <DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> NOAA will hold an in-person public meeting at 6 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. NOAA may close the meeting 10 minutes after the conclusion of public testimony and after responding to any clarifying questions from meeting participants. NOAA will consider all relevant written comments received by Friday, May 9, 2025. </DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods: • <E T="03">In-Person Public Meeting:</E> Provide oral comments during the in-person public meeting on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET at Mather Auditorium, Wells Reserve, 342 Laudholm Farm Road, Wells, Maine 04090. • <E T="03">Email:</E> Send written comments to Carrie Hall, Evaluator, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, at <E T="03">czma.evaluations@noaa.gov.</E> Include “Comments on Performance Evaluation of Wells Reserve” in the subject line. NOAA will accept anonymous comments; however, the written comments NOAA receives are considered part of the public record, and the entirety of the comment, including the name of the commenter, email address, attachments, and other supporting materials, will be publicly accessible. Do not submit sensitive personally identifiable information, such as account numbers and Social Security numbers, or confidential business information. Comments that contain profanity, vulgarity, threats, or other inappropriate language will not be considered. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Carrie Hall, Evaluator, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, by email at <E T="03">Carrie.Hall@noaa.gov</E> or by phone at (240) 410-3422. Copies of the previous evaluation findings, reserve management plan, and reserve site profile may be viewed and downloaded at <E T="03">https://coast.noaa.gov/czm/evaluations/.</E> A copy of the evaluation notification letter and most recent progress report may be obtained upon request by contacting Carrie Hall. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> Section 315(f) of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) requires NOAA to conduct periodic evaluations of federally approved national estuarine research reserves. The evaluation process includes holding one or more public meetings, considering public comments, and consulting with interested Federal, State, and local agencies and members of the public. During the evaluation, NOAA will consider the extent to which the Wells Reserve Management Authority has met the national objectives and has adhered to the management plan approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the requirements of section 315(b)(2) of the CZMA, and the terms of financial assistance under the CZMA. When the evaluation is complete, NOAA's Office for Coastal Management will place a notice in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> announcing the availability of the final evaluation findings. <E T="03">Authority:</E> 16 U.S.C. 1461. <SIG> <NAME>Keelin Kuipers,</NAME> Deputy Director, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. </SIG> </SUPLINF> <FRDOC>[FR Doc. 2025-03994 Filed 3-13-25; 8:45 am]</FRDOC> </NOTICE>