A hearing has been scheduled in Manteo on November 21, 2013 related to the Proposed Designation of Marine Critical Habitat for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle.  The hearing will be conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), an agency within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

The OBPA will publish a summary of our views on the issues that affect our membership and which must be appropriately addressed by NOAA during this process.  We will publish our recommendations prior to the meeting for our members to consider in their official comments.

We encourage all to comment of this important matter, and to attend the meeting in Manteo on November 21, 2013 if you are able.  Comments are due by 11/29/2013.

The announcement published  11/4/2013 in the Federal Register follows.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 226

RIN 0648–BD27

Proposed Designation of Marine Critical Habitat for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Caretta caretta, Under the Endangered Species Act; Public Hearing

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

SUMMARY: We, NMFS, will hold a public hearing related to our Proposed Designation of Marine Critical Habitat for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Caretta caretta, under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

DATES: The public hearing will be held on November 21, 2013, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with doors  opening at 6:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The hearing will be held at: Dare County Administration Building, Dare County Board of Commissioners Meeting Room, 954 Marshall C. Collins Drive, Manteo, NC 27954.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Susan Pultz, NMFS Office of Protected
Resources, Silver Spring, MD,
telephone: 301–427–8472,
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background
NMFS staff will present a brief overview of the Proposed Rule titled Designation of Critical Habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Loggerhead Sea Turtle Distinct Population Segment (DPS) and Determination Regarding Critical Habitat for the North Pacific Ocean Loggerhead DPS. Following this overview, members of the public will have the opportunity to go on record with comments on the proposed designation. Members of the public may also submit written comments at the hearing, or via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. To do the latter, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2013-0079-0002 , click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on July 18, 2013 (78 FR 43006) and may be obtained at http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2013-0079-0002 or https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/07/18/2013-17204/endangered-andthreatened-species-designation-ofcritical-habitat-for-the-northwestatlantic-ocean
More information and background documents can be found at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/loggerhead.htm
 Scroll down to ‘‘Key Documents.’’

Speaker Sign Up
Doors will open for registration at 6:30 p.m. for sign-up and seating. Time allotted will depend upon the number of speakers but will likely be limited to 5 minutes each. Registered speakers will be asked to indicate their full name, contact information, and the identity of any organizations on whose behalf they may be speaking.

Special Accommodations
The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary aids should be directed to Susan Pultz (see ADDRESSES) 3 days prior to the meeting.