2015-23643. Coral Reef Conservation Program

AGENCY:

Coral Reef Conservation Program, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice of Public Meeting, Notice of Public Comment.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given of a public meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF). The meeting will be held in Fajardo, Puerto Rico at El Conquistador Resort, 1000 El Conquistador Avenue, Fajardo, Puerto Rico 00738. The meeting provides a forum for coordinated planning and action among federal agencies, state and territorial governments, and nongovernmental partners. The meeting will be held Thursday, October 29, 2015. Additional workshops, evening events, and field trips will be on either side of the meeting on Tuesday, October 27, Wednesday, October 28, Friday, October 30, and Saturday, October 31. Registration is requested for all events associated with the meeting.

This meeting has time allotted for public comment. All public comments must be submitted in written format. A written summary of the meeting will be posted on the USCRTF Web site within two months of occurrence. For information about the meeting, registering and submitting public comments, go to http://www.coralreef.gov.

Commenters may address the meeting, the role of the USCRTF, or general coral reef conservation issues. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comments, you should be aware that your entire comment, including personal identifying information may be made publicly available at any time. While you can request that the USCRTF withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Established by Presidential Executive Order 13089 in 1998, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force mission is to lead, coordinate and strengthen U.S. government actions to better preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. Co-chaired by the Departments of Commerce and Interior, Task Force members include leaders of 12 federal agencies, seven U.S. states and territories and three freely associated states.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Shannon Simpson, NOAA USCRTF Steering Committee Point of Contact, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, 1305 East-West Highway, N/OCRM, Silver Spring, MD 20910 at 303-497-6246 or Cheryl Fossani, USCRTF Executive Secretary, U.S. Department of Interior, MS-3530-MIB, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240 at [phone] or visit the USCRTF Web site at http://www.coralreef.gov.

Dated: September 15, 2015.

Christopher Cartwright,

Associate Assistant Administrator for Management and CFO/CAO, Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.