Notice2025-14110
Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts; Correction
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 28, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce Department
Abstract
A July 1, 2025, Notice in the Federal Register entitled "Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts" announced an update of Department of Commerce (DOC or Department) Administrative Order 216-6, "Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act," (NEPA) and NEPA implementing procedures specific to sub-components of DOC. As part of that Notice, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) solicited comments on proposals to establish new categorical exclusions (CEs) and amend existing CEs. The description of CEs in that Notice included several technical errors. This correction provides revised CE text and a new deadline for public comments.
Full Text
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 142 (Monday, July 28, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35494-35498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-14110]
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 142 / Monday, July 28, 2025 /
Notices
[[Page 35494]]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Office of the Secretary
[Docket No. 250718-0126]
RIN 0690-XR11
Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts; Correction
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice of Availability; Request for Comments; Correction.
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SUMMARY: A July 1, 2025, Notice in the Federal Register entitled
``Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts'' announced an
update of Department of Commerce (DOC or Department) Administrative
Order 216-6, ``Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act,''
(NEPA) and NEPA implementing procedures specific to sub-components of
DOC. As part of that Notice, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) solicited comments on proposals to establish new
categorical exclusions (CEs) and amend existing CEs. The description of
CEs in that Notice included several technical errors. This correction
provides revised CE text and a new deadline for public comments.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments on NOAA's revised proposal to
establish new and amend existing CEs must be submitted by August 27,
2025.
ADDRESSES: Please submit your comments by only one of the following
means, identifying your submission by docket number. All electronic
submissions must be made to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> and follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
<bullet> Mail: NOAA NEPA Coordinator, 1315 East-West Highway, Room
15877, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Instructions: All comment submissions must include the agency name,
docket name, and docket number (NOAA-HQ-2025-0207). Note that all
comments received will be posted without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>,
including any personal information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katie Renshaw, Chief, Environmental
Review and Coordination Section, Office of General Counsel,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#036862776b66716a6d662d71666d706b6274436d6c62622d646c75"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1f747e6b777a6d76717a316d7a716c777e685f71707e7e31787069">[email protected]</span></a>, (301) 515-0324.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The July 1, 2025, notice in the Federal Register (90 FR 28717)
announcing the Department's updates to its NEPA implementing procedures
specific to sub-components of DOC included several technical errors in
the description of revised CEs proposed by NOAA. Rather than provide
only the corrected language, the instant notice provides below the
entirety of the updated section of the July 1 Notice entitled
``Proposed Revisions to NOAA Categorical Exclusions; Request for
Comments.''
II. Proposed Revisions to NOAA Categorical Exclusions; Request for
Comments
In 2017, NOAA finalized its most recent revision to its NEPA
procedures, including a wholesale overhaul of NOAA's CEs, covering
categories of actions that normally do not have a significant effect on
the human environment, individually or in the aggregate, and therefore
do not require preparation of an EA or EIS. 42 U.S.C. 4336(b)(2),
4336c, 4336e(1); 82 FR 4306 (January 13, 2017). As part of the review
of its agency NEPA procedures, NOAA has also reviewed and is proposing
revisions to its categorical exclusions. This proposal is based on
NOAA's experience implementing these CEs, a review of NOAA's
operational activities, input from the NOAA NEPA Working Group, and
legal and mission changes. The changes to the CEs would prioritize
efficient environmental review in tandem with NOAA's revised NEPA
procedures.
This section lists each proposed revision to the text of NOAA's CEs
and summarizes NOAA's rationale for each proposed revision.
Modifications to the examples of how to apply CEs are available in the
substantiation record at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> and <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/nepa">www.noaa.gov/nepa</a>. The substantiation record provides a full and detailed discussion
of and substantiation for each proposed revision to NOAA's CEs. This
Notice does not discuss any CEs for which NOAA is proposing to modify
only the examples and not change the scope of the CE.
Proposed New Categorical Exclusions
B13: Licensing of Private Remote Sensing Space Systems
NOAA is proposing a new CE to cover remote sensing licensing
actions in response to regulatory and program changes under the Land
Remote Sensing Policy Act (LRSPA), 51 U.S.C. 60101-60162, and its
implementing regulations at 15 CFR part 960. The proposed new CE would
cover the issuance of licenses under the LRSPA by the Commercial Remote
Sensing Regulatory Affairs (CRSRA) division of NOAA's Office of Space
Commerce for private entities to operate space-based private remote
sensing space systems. The CE would also cover associated actions
related to the licenses such as the imposition of license conditions,
shutter control directives issued in the interests of national
security, the modification of such licenses, and disposal of the system
``in a manner satisfactory to the President.''
Proposed CE text: ``B13: Issuance of licenses, conditions, or
license modifications, and associated actions under the Land Remote
Sensing Policy Act (51 U.S.C. 60101-60162) for the operation of private
remote sensing space system activities.''
E5: Shellfish Outplanting
This proposed CE would cover the limited collection of shellfish
from healthy, abundant wild populations using minimally invasive
procedures and resulting in collection of few animals relative to the
overall wild population. The farms and lease sites covered by the
proposed CE are those that employ recommended protocols that prevent
the introduction of disease, chemicals, toxins, and non-native species;
safeguard genetic integrity of
[[Page 35495]]
native populations; and conduct their operations in compliance with
established Federal and state regulatory guidelines and best management
practices. The CE would cover small-scale, limited research that does
not involve the introduction or use of new or modified gear, use of new
or non-approved chemical compounds or chemicals, introduction of a
species not previously present within the waterbody, an increase in the
operational footprint of an existing farm or lease site, or the
creation of a new commercial aquaculture farm or research lease site.
Proposed CE text: ``E5: Research involving the limited collection
and placement of native, naturalized, or shellfish species already
found in the watershed (`outplanting'). This CE covers a limited
collection of shellfish from healthy, abundant wild populations using
minimally invasive procedures and resulting in collection of few
animals relative to the overall wild population. This CE covers
outplanting on existing commercial aquaculture farms or aquaculture
research lease sites or in an established Floating Upweller System
(FLUPSY) for experimental purposes. The farms and lease sites covered
by this CE are those that employ recommended protocols that prevent the
introduction of disease, chemicals, toxins, and non-native species,
safeguard genetic integrity of native populations, and conduct their
operations in compliance with established Federal and state regulatory
guidelines and best management practices. This CE covers small-scale,
limited research that does not involve the introduction or use of new
or modified gear, use of new or non-approved chemical compounds or
chemicals, a species not previously present within the waterbody, an
increase in the operational footprint of an existing farm or lease
site, or the creation of a new commercial aquaculture farm or research
lease site.''
F8: Release Response and Cleanup
NOAA is proposing to add a new CE to cover environmental
assessment, response, and cleanup for real property management purposes
at sites and facilities that NOAA is responsible for managing. This CE
will ensure increased effective response and management across NOAA
properties while bringing NOAA's program into alignment with similar
management regimes at sister agencies.
Proposed CE text: ``F8: Activities related to release response and
cleanup from releases for which NOAA is responsible. This includes, but
is not limited to, release response activities, site characterization
studies, and environmental monitoring (including sampling, analytical
testing, waste disposal, siting, construction, operation, surveying, as
well as installation and decommissioning of characterization and
monitoring devices).''
G10, G11, & G12: Aircraft Operations
NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) manages and
operates NOAA's fleet of fifteen research and survey ships and ten
specialized environmental data-collecting aircraft. NOAA aircraft
operate throughout the world providing a wide range of capabilities
including hurricane reconnaissance and research, marine mammal and
fisheries assessment, and coastal mapping. NOAA aircraft carry
scientists and specialized instrument packages to conduct research for
NOAA's missions.
These proposed CEs would incorporate and adopt language and
parameters similar to those established by other agencies that operate
and maintain aircraft fleets such as the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy.
NOAA is proposing these CEs in order to ensure NEPA coverage for
routine use of aircraft in NOAA's missions. NOAA's existing CEs are
limited to the use of systems to collect data and the repositioning of
assets, not fully covering the broad scope of NOAA's aviation missions.
These CEs would fill this gap by extending CE coverage to OMAO's
training operations, special use airspace requests, airfield
procedures, and routine use of aircraft for both operational and
support purposes. In addition to bringing NOAA's CE use into alignment
with other operational agencies, these CEs will help ensure mission
readiness across NOAA's aircraft fleet.
Proposed CE text: ``G10: Aircraft operations training conducted on
or over nonmilitary land or water areas, where such training is
consistent with the type and tempo of existing non-military airspace,
land, and water use.''
``G11: Formal requests to the Federal Aviation Administration, or
host-nation equivalent agency, to establish or modify special use
airspace.''
``G12: Adopting airfield approach, departure, and en route
procedures that are less than 3,000 feet above ground level and that
also do not route air traffic over noise-sensitive areas, including
residential neighborhoods or cultural, historical, and outdoor
recreational areas.''
Proposed Technical and Editorial Changes
NOAA is proposing technical and editorial corrections to several of
its existing CEs. NOAA has determined these proposed changes do not
substantively affect the scope or change the meaning of the CEs. NOAA
is proposing these revisions to correct grammatical errors, eliminate
duplicative text, provide clarification for practitioners, ensure
consistency, update examples, and use plain language. The proposed text
of each of the CEs for which NOAA proposes technical and editorial
changes are as follows: ``A2: Preparation of a recovery plan pursuant
to Section 4(f)(1) of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C.
1553(f)(1)). Such plans are advisory documents that provide
consultative and technical assistance in recovery planning and do not
implement site-specific or species-specific management actions.
However, implementation of specific tasks identified in a recovery plan
may require additional NEPA analysis depending on the nature of the
action.
``A3: Temporary fishery closures or extensions of closures under
Section 305(c)(3)(C) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1855(c)(3)(C)) to ensure public health and
safety.
``A6: Review and approval of changes to state coastal management
programs under Section 306(e) of the Coastal Zone Management Act (16
U.S.C. 1455(e)) and NOAA's regulations at 15 CFR. Part 923.
``B1: Issuance of permits or permit modifications under Section
10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C.
1539(a)(1)(A)) for take, import, or export of endangered species for
scientific purposes or to enhance the propagation or survival of the
affected species, or in accordance with the requirements of an ESA
Section 4(d) regulation for threatened species.
``B2: Issuance of permits or permit amendments under Section 104 of
the Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1374) for take or import of
marine mammals for scientific research, enhancement, commercial or
educational photography or public display purposes; and issuance of
Letters of Confirmation under the General Authorization for scientific
research involving only Level B harassment.
``B3: Issuance of, and amendments to, `low effect' Incidental Take
Permits and their supporting `low effect' Habitat Conservation Plans
under Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C.
1539(a)(1)(B)).
[[Page 35496]]
``B4: Issuance of incidental harassment authorizations under
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (16
U.S.C. 1371(a)(5)(A) and (D)) for the incidental, but not intentional,
take by harassment of marine mammals during specified activities and
for which no serious injury or mortality is anticipated.
``B5: Issuance of, or amendments to, general permits for activities
that are included in established permit categories at 15 CFR part 922
subpart D and that meet the regulatory review criteria at 15 CFR. Part
922 subpart D, and any applicable site-specific regulations.
``B6: Issuance of, or amendments to, special use permits for
activities in a national marine sanctuary that are necessary to
establish conditions of access to and use of any sanctuary resource or
promote public use and understanding of a sanctuary resource and must
be conducted in a manner that does not destroy, cause the loss of, or
injure sanctuary resources in accordance with Section 310 of the
National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1441).
``B7: Issuance of, or amendments to, authorizations for activities
allowed by a valid Federal, regional, state, local or tribal government
approval (e.g., leases, permits, and licenses) issued after the
effective date of designation or expansion, so long as such
authorizations are based upon a consideration of the regulatory review
criteria at 15 CFR part 922, subpart D.
``B8: Issuance of, or amendments to, certifications for pre-
existing activities authorized by a valid Federal, regional, state,
local, or tribal government approval (e.g., leases, permits, and
licenses) or rights of subsistence use or access in existence on the
effective date of the final regulations for a designation or revised
terms of designation of any national marine sanctuary where the Office
of National Marine Sanctuaries issues terms and conditions that are
either ministerial or prescribe avoidance, minimization, or mitigation
measures.
``B9: Issuance of, or amendments to, Papah[amacr]naumoku[amacr]kea
Marine National Monument (as originally established by Presidential
Proclamation 8031, and named Papah[amacr]naumoku[amacr]kea by
Presidential Proclamation 8112) permits for activities that are
included in established permit categories (50 CFR part 404) and that
meet the regulatory review criteria (50 CFR 404.11), that limit any
potential impacts so that the proposed activity will be conducted in a
manner compatible with the monument's primary objective of resource
protection.
``B12: Issuance of Exempted Fishing Permits, Scientific Research
Permits, and other permits for research that may impact species
regulated under the authority of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act.
This CE is limited to permits that authorize activities that are
limited in size, magnitude, or duration with no potential for
significant individual or cumulative impacts.
``C1: Habitat restoration actions, provided that such action: (1)
Transplants only organisms currently or formerly present at the site or
in its immediate vicinity (if transplant is a component of the action);
(2) Does not require substantial placement of fill or dredging; (3)
Does not involve any removal of debris, excavation, or conditioning of
soils unless such removal of debris, excavation, or conditioning of
soils is geographically limited to the impact area such that site
conditions will not impede or negatively alter natural processes, is in
compliance with all permit and disposal requirements, and will not
impact aquifers or recharge areas; and (4) Does not involve an added
risk of human or environmental exposure to toxic or hazardous
substances, pathogens, or radioactive materials.
``Note on the application of C1: If applicable, limitations and
mitigation measures identified in the NOAA Restoration Center
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Habitat Restoration
Actions must be followed. This CE includes, but is not limited to,
response or restoration actions under the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Oil Pollution Act
(OPA), or National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA), if such actions help
to restore an ecosystem, habitat, biotic community, or population of
living resources to a determinable pre-impact condition prior to the
incident leading to the response or restoration. The decision maker
should consider the scope and scale of response and restoration actions
proposed under CERCLA, OPA, or NMSA, which may preclude the use of this
CE.
``D2: Provision of a grant, a contract or other financial
assistance to a State, Fishery Management Council, or Marine Fisheries
Commission under Section 402(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1881a(d)).
``E2: Social science projects and programs, including economic,
political science, human geography, demography, and sociology studies.
``E6: Research that involves the development and testing of new and
modified fishing gear and technology in order to reduce adverse effects
from fishing gear on non-target species, and is limited in size,
magnitude, or duration.
``F5: Installation, operation, maintenance, improvements, repair,
upgrade, removal, and/or replacement of instruments or instrument
systems in or on: (1) An existing structure or object (e.g., tower,
antenna, building, pier, buoy, terrestrial vehicle, or bridge), (2) On
previously disturbed (e.g., filled, paved, or cleared) ground, or (3)
On undisturbed ground, if the equipment installation, operation, and
removal will require no or minimal ground disturbance. Microwave/radio
communications towers and antennas must be limited to 200 feet in
height without guy wires.
``F6: The determination that real property is excess to the needs
of NOAA, when the real property is excessed in conformity with General
Services Administration procedures or is legislatively authorized to be
excessed.
``G1: Routine administrative actions such as (1) program planning,
direction and evaluation, (2) administrative tasks, services, and
support including personnel and fiscal management, advisory services,
document and policy preparation, and records management, and (3)
development, establishment, or modification of an interagency
agreement, memorandum of understanding, memorandum of agreement,
cooperative agreement, or university agreement for administrative
purposes. This CE does not include any associated activities proposed
in these documents beyond the administrative task of creating and
establishing the document. Actions subsequently funded by or undertaken
pursuant to the approved documents may require additional NEPA review
at the time those actions are proposed.
``G5: Enforcement operations conducted under statutory mandate.
This does not include bringing judicial or administrative civil or
criminal enforcement actions which are outside the scope of NEPA.
``G8(a): Activities that take place in existing facilities and are
purely educational, informational, or advisory to other agencies,
public and private entities, visitors, individuals, or the general
public, including meetings, virtual training exercises, and
simulations.
[[Page 35497]]
``G8(b): Activities that take place outside of existing facilities
and are educational, information, or advisory to other agencies, public
and private entities, visitors, individuals, or the general public,
including field training exercises.
``H7: Transferring real property to a non-Federal entity, an agency
other than the General Services Administration, as well as to States,
local agencies, and Indian Tribes, including return of public domain
lands to the Department of the Interior.''
Proposed Substantive Changes
NOAA's review of its CEs determined that the following four CEs
would benefit from revisions that clarify the scope and applicability
of the CEs. Internal discussions also resulted in many instances in the
addition or revision of examples provided for the CEs for the benefit
of NOAA NEPA practitioners. This section explains the substantive
revisions NOAA is proposing to its CEs and the rationale for those
revisions.
A1: Updates to Fishery Management Actions
NOAA is proposing to amend A1 in order to increase clarity for NOAA
staff on its scope and purpose. This CE is intended to cover fishery
management actions under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act that do not substantially change fishing location,
timing, effort, gear type or harvest levels. This class of fishery
management actions tends to be changes or corrections to previously
implemented actions such as technical corrections; changes to reporting
and notification requirements; changes to provisions for allowable gear
when transiting through closed areas; setting annual catch limits,
quotas, retention limits, possession limits, trip limits, or size
limits; implementation of regional fishery management organization
decisions that are similar to annual catch or retention limits (e.g.,
authorized harvest levels, adjustments for exceeding or not fully
harvesting a U.S. catch limit, adjustments for transferring U.S. quota
to another country per negotiations, adjustments to size limits,
conservation equivalency); adjustment to catch share program rules
(e.g., methods of accountability or distribution); and measures
intended to improve human safety at sea.
The proposed text is as follows: ``A1: A fishery management action,
including those that change regulations, which does not result in a
substantial change in any of the following: fishing location, timing,
effort, authorized gear types, or harvest levels.''
A5: Updates to National Estuarine Research Reserve Actions
NOAA is proposing to amend A5 to allow for National Estuarine
Research Reserve (NERR) boundary changes so long as certain conditions
are met. Additionally, the CE would be limited in that it does not
apply to new NERR management plans, the addition of a new component to
the NERR, or to the execution of any specific action subsequently
funded to support the updated NERR management plan. The proposed
changes and revisions would not result in a substantial change in scope
or applicability from the listed CEs.
The proposed text is as follows: ``A5: Updates to existing National
Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) management plans and boundary
changes, as long as these changes do not significantly change allowable
uses, uses requiring a permit, or restrictions on uses. This CE
includes changes to the NERR boundary where the following conditions
are met: (1) The boundary change meets site selection and feasibility
criteria. 15 CFR 921.11; (2) The proposed management of the properties
is consistent with the NERRS regulations. 15 CFR 921.1, 921.13; and (3)
The state has adequate state control over the parcels. 15 CFR
921.30(a). This CE does not apply to management plans for newly
designated NERRs, the addition of a new component to a multiple-site
NERR, or to the execution of any specific action subsequently funded by
NOAA to support the updated NERR management plan.''
E1 & E3 Updates to Research-Related Actions
NOAA is proposing to create a streamlined E3 CE that combines a
portion of the E1 CE with the E3, E4, and E5 CEs in an effort to
consolidate research-related activities. This consolidation would
increase certainty and efficiency in practice and align NOAA's NEPA
procedures more closely to other agencies' NEPA procedures, which often
only have a single research-related CE. This change is not intended to
change the scope of actions covered under the existing CEs. The past
several years implementing the 2017 CEs have revealed practical
inefficiencies and confusion around selecting the appropriate research-
related CE--between E1, which largely focused on laboratory-based
activities; E3, which largely focused on nondestructive data collection
techniques; E4, which largely focused on the observation of living
resources, without physical contact; and E5, which largely focused on
physical interaction with living resources. It was not uncommon for a
proposed action to involve activities that fell within the gambit of
more than one of these research-related CEs. Because the activities
under each of these CEs have already been determined by NOAA to not
have individual or aggregate significant impacts on the human
environment and the research activities considered are at times a
single proposed action, NOAA has determined it is appropriate to
combine E1 (in part), E3, E4, and E5 into a single research-related CE.
The consolidation of E1 (in part), E3, E4, and E5 will rectify the
unnecessary administrative burden present in the current NOAA NEPA
Procedures and reduce uncertainty, increase efficiency, and ensure
compliance with NEPA when applying CEs. Although this change is not
intended to change the scope of actions covered under the 2017 CEs,
NOAA is proposing to clarify the bounds of the proposed revised E3 by
identifying two prerequisites for its use. Specifically, any activities
covered by the proposed CE would be required to: (1) use scientifically
accepted best management practices (BMPs) or peer-reviewed
scientifically accepted methods that minimize impacts, as applicable,
and (2) avoid locations or times that would normally result in long-
term adverse ecosystem impacts. These changes, along with a new
definition of ``long-term adverse ecosystem impacts'' and examples of
best management practices in the substantiation record, are intended to
elucidate the types of ``methodologies and locations to ensure that
there are no long-term adverse impacts to ecosystems'' that were
considered in the 2017 version of E5.
The proposed text is as follows: ``E1: Computational and dry
laboratory activities including data input and analysis; database and
software development and maintenance; virtual simulations and modeling;
and bench-scale fabrication, development, calibration, and testing of
prototypes.''
``E3: Scientific research activities that involve: field
observation, measurements, or surveys; collecting, analyzing,
processing, or archiving samples or data; capturing, handling, marking,
or tagging living specimens; or any combination thereof.
``This CE applies so long as the activities: (1) use scientifically
accepted best management practices (BMPs) or peer-reviewed
scientifically accepted methods that minimize impacts, as applicable,
and (2) avoid locations or times that would normally result in
[[Page 35498]]
long-term adverse ecosystem impacts. Long-term adverse ecosystem
impacts means an impact that persists after the project has concluded
that alters or disrupts ecosystem functioning, such as modifying
species behavioral patterns or altering habitat functions. The
Administrative Record to this CE presents a non-exhaustive list of
available resources on BMPs and peer-reviewed scientifically accepted
methods that apply to many of the activities encompassed by this CE.''
E4: Updates to Aquaculture Research Actions
The proposed edits to the aquaculture research CE, E8, would reduce
unnecessary administrative burden for aquaculture activities with no
potential for significant impacts to the human environment, reduce
uncertainty, increase efficiency, and ensure compliance with NEPA. This
CE would be limited to research activities conducted at land-based
facilities and does not extend to operations of the facility that are
independent of research activities. The scope of this CE would not
extend to aquaculture farms or aquaculture research sites operating in
marine or coastal waters.
The proposed text is as follows: ``E4: Biological, chemical, food
production, ecological, or toxicological research conducted in an
established, land-based mesocosm or aquaculture facility (e.g.,
recirculating aquaculture system, biofloc system, hatchery) that
employs recommended protocols providing for containment and disposal of
waste, chemicals, toxins, non-native species, etc., in compliance with
established Federal and state regulatory guidelines, and best
management practices.''
NOAA requests comments from the public on its proposed revisions to
existing CEs and new CEs. NOAA also invites comment on the
substantiation record and supporting materials it has prepared to
substantiate this proposal. The agency will consider input from the
public and consult with CEQ for a conformity determination before
finalizing its proposal.
Dated: July 18, 2025.
David Langdon,
Deputy Director of Policy, Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 2025-14110 Filed 7-25-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-P
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