Notice of Public Hearings and Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Management Plan for the Proposed Designation of the Green Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Issuing agencies

Abstract

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act, as amended (CZMA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management is announcing a 45- day public comment period and public hearings to solicit comments on the draft management plan (DMP) and draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed designation of the Green Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (Green Bay Reserve). The DMP addresses research, monitoring, education, and stewardship needs for the proposed Green Bay Reserve, and the DEIS evaluates alternatives to the proposed action, along with the potential environmental impacts of these alternatives.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 214 (Friday, November 6, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 214 (Friday, November 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70065-70067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22673]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Public Hearings and Availability of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Management Plan for the 
Proposed Designation of the Green Bay National Estuarine Research 
Reserve

AGENCY: Office for Coastal Management (OCM), National Ocean Service 
(NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability; public hearings.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Coastal Zone 
Management Act, as amended (CZMA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management is announcing a 45-
day public comment period and public hearings to solicit comments on 
the draft management plan (DMP) and draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS) for the proposed designation of the Green Bay National 
Estuarine Research Reserve (Green Bay Reserve). The DMP addresses 
research, monitoring, education, and stewardship needs for the proposed 
Green Bay Reserve, and the DEIS evaluates alternatives to the proposed 
action, along with the potential environmental impacts of these 
alternatives.

DATES: NOAA is accepting written public comments on the adequacy of the 
DMP and DEIS for the proposed designation of the Green Bay Reserve 
through 11:59 p.m. Central Time (CT) on December 21, 2026. In addition, 
NOAA will accept oral public comments on the adequacy of the DMP and 
DEIS for the proposed designation of the Green Bay Reserve during a 
virtual public hearing held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. CT via Zoom and 
an in-person public hearing held from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. CT on 
Thursday, December 10, 2026. All comments received at the December 10 
public hearings and during the 45-day public comment period will be 
considered in preparing the final management plan and final 
environmental impact statement for the proposed designation of the 
Green Bay Reserve.

ADDRESSES: Hearing documents are available on the federal eRulemaking 
portal at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> (enter NOAA-NOS-2024-0006 in the Search 
box). Written comments may be submitted using the following methods:
    <bullet> Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the federal eRulemaking portal. Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> 
and enter NOAA-NOS-2024-0006 in the Search box. Click the Comment icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comment. Written 
comments provided electronically must be submitted no later than 11:59 
p.m. CT on December 21, 2026.
    <bullet> Mail: Submit written comments to Erica Seiden, NOAA Office 
for Coastal Management, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th Floor, Silver 
Spring, Maryland 20910; ATTN: Green Bay NERR. Written comments provided 
by mail must be postmarked no later than December 21, 2026.
    Instructions: All comments received are part of the public record 
and will be posted for public viewing on <a href="https://regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NOS-2024-0006">https://regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NOS-2024-0006</a> with no changes. All personally 
identifiable information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential 
business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted 
voluntarily by the commenter will be publicly accessible and maintained 
by NOAA as part of the public record. NOAA will accept anonymous 
comments. To do so, on the eRulemaking Portal, enter ``N/A'' in the 
required fields if you wish to remain anonymous. If you would like to 
submit an anonymous comment during the in-person meeting, a comment 
box, along with paper and writing implements, will be provided. If you 
would like to provide an anonymous comment during the virtual public 
scoping meeting, type your comment into the question box, and state 
that you would like to remain anonymous when your comment is read. 
Multimedia submissions (i.e., audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied 
by a written comment. The written comment is considered the official 
comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. 
NOAA will generally not consider comments, or comment contents, located 
outside of the primary submission sites or addresses (i.e., those 
posted on the web, cloud, or other file-sharing system).

Public Hearings

    <bullet> The virtual public hearing will be held via Zoom at the 
following link: <a href="https://wisconsin-edu.zoom.us/j/96577868965">https://wisconsin-edu.zoom.us/j/96577868965</a> on December 
10, 2026, at 10 a.m. CT. If requested upon joining the virtual hearing, 
the meeting ID is 965 7786 8965. This virtual public hearing may also 
be joined via telephone. The telephone number is (301) 715-8592, and 
the access code is 96577868965#.
    <bullet> The in-person public hearing will be conducted on December 
10, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. CT in Room 136 of the S.T.E.M. Innovation Center 
at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay campus, located at 2019 
Technology Way, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54311. This hearing will be in-
person only and not broadcast.
    Participants can provide comments during both the virtual and in-
person hearings. Both public hearings will present the same 
information. To ensure full consideration by NOAA, oral comments must 
be in English. The public hearings will be transcribed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erica Seiden, NOAA Office for Coastal 
Management, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th Floor, Silver Spring, Maryland 
20910; ATTN: Green Bay NERR; (240) 429-5166; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#690c1b000a08471a0c000d0c072907060808470e061f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a5c0d7ccc6c48bd6c0ccc1c0cbe5cbcac4c48bc2cad3">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (Reserve System) is 
a federal-state partnership program authorized under the Coastal Zone 
Management Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.

[[Page 70066]]

1461). The Reserve System protects a representative system of estuaries 
across the nation and is dedicated to improving estuarine science, 
education, and stewardship. Reserve activities directly inform the 
local and national management of the nation's coasts and increase the 
resilience of coastal communities. There are currently 30 reserves 
across 25 different U.S. states and territories. Together, the national 
reserves protect more than 1.4 million acres of estuarine habitat for 
long-term research, monitoring, education, and stewardship.
    Each reserve is managed by a lead state agency or university and 
brings together local stakeholders, scientists, land management 
professionals, and educators to understand coastal management issues 
and generate local, integrated solutions. NOAA administers the Reserve 
System but does not own or manage the land within a reserve. Instead, 
NOAA provides strategic direction, national coordination, technical 
assistance, and funding to states to implement reserves at the local 
level. The designation of a reserve does not add new state or federal 
regulations. Memoranda of Agreement are used to articulate roles and 
responsibilities among relevant partners and landowners in the state 
and NOAA.
    The Green Bay Reserve nomination process formally began on March 
25, 2019, when the governor of Wisconsin submitted a letter of interest 
to NOAA. NOAA responded affirmatively on July 19, 2019. Between 
September 2020 and September 2022, the University of Wisconsin-Green 
Bay, with guidance from NOAA, undertook a comprehensive site selection 
process for the proposed Green Bay Reserve. This process was informed 
by input from the public, affected landowners, state and federal agency 
representatives, Tribal nations, academia, nongovernmental 
organizations, and local government units. Through this collaborative 
process, the state selected a site for the proposed reserve comprising 
three components (Peshtigo River, Lower Bay, and Sturgeon Bay) and 
consisting entirely of publicly owned or land trust-held areas. NOAA 
received the state's nomination of the proposed multicomponent site for 
the Green Bay Reserve on December 29, 2022. NOAA evaluated the 
nomination package and found that the proposed site met the Reserve 
System's requirements. (See 16 U.S.C. 1461(b).)
    On January 25, 2024, NOAA informed the State of Wisconsin of its 
accepted nomination and started the formal designation process by 
publishing a notice of intent to prepare a draft environmental impact 
statement and hold scoping meetings on the proposed designation. Public 
hearings were held on March 19, 2024, and written comments were 
accepted until April 19, 2024.
    The National Estuarine Research Reserve System's implementing 
regulations require the preparation of both a draft management plan and 
environmental impact statement as part of the designation process. (15 
CFR 921.13.)

II. Draft Environmental Impact Statement

    The purpose of the Green Bay Reserve DEIS is to inform decision-
makers and the public about the potential environmental impacts of 
designating the proposed Green Bay Reserve as the 31st reserve in the 
nation. NOAA prepared this document pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act. (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) Three 
alternatives were evaluated as part of this DEIS:
    <bullet> No Action Alternative: As required by the National 
Environmental Policy Act, a ``no action alternative'' must be 
considered. The no action alternative represents the scenario in which 
NOAA does not proceed with the proposed action. In this case, the no 
action alternative is the result of declining to designate the Green 
Bay Reserve and implement its draft management plan.
    <bullet> Alternative A: Under this alternative, NOAA would 
designate the originally nominated site as a reserve. Alternative A, 
including upland, wetland, and open waters, is approximately 37,714 
acres in size. The proposed land and waters are organized into three 
component areas by geography: the Peshtigo Component, the Lower Bay 
Component, and the Sturgeon Bay Component.
    <bullet> Alternative B: Under this alternative, NOAA would 
designate a revised nominated site as a reserve. Alternative B is 
similar to Alternative A, though with minor modifications. 
Specifically, additional lands adjacent to the originally nominated 
site acquired by landholding partners are integrated into the proposed 
reserve boundary; meanwhile, small parcels that are not closely aligned 
with the mission of the Reserve System are removed, and the delineation 
of core and buffer areas are revised. Alternative B is approximately 
36,502 acres in size.
    These alternatives allow NOAA to evaluate environmental impacts 
while addressing the proposed action's purpose and need.
    Designating and implementing the proposed Green Bay Reserve, under 
any of the analyzed alternatives, is not expected to result in 
significant adverse impacts to the natural or human environment. 
Designating the proposed Green Bay Reserve and implementing its draft 
management plan provides multiple benefits. First, the reserve would 
support existing efforts and establish new research, monitoring, 
education, and stewardship programs to address priority coastal 
management issues in the Green Bay estuary. Additionally, the reserve 
would leverage existing authorities to ensure a stable environment for 
long-term research and provide a framework for coordination and 
oversight to achieve its goals. Finally, the designation would bring 
additional financial and staff resources to support estuary management.
    Once designated, the Green Bay Reserve would commence operations, 
with associated education, research, training, stewardship, and 
monitoring opportunities and activities. The draft management plan 
highlights activities that, independently or when aggregated with other 
factors, may contribute to reasonably foreseeable impacts on the 
affected environment. If a reserve is designated, future federal 
actions (including actions funded through NOAA cooperative agreements) 
will be evaluated individually to comply with applicable environmental 
laws and policies.

III. Draft Management Plan

    The purpose of the draft management plan is to set a course for 
operating the proposed Green Bay Reserve upon designation. The plan 
provides for administration, research, education, training, 
stewardship, facilities, and management of the proposed site. (15 CFR 
921.13.) The draft management plan for the proposed Green Bay Reserve 
supports the goals of the Reserve System (15 CFR 921.1(b)) and 
addresses issues relevant to northeastern Wisconsin. Specifically, the 
plan defines four key issues relevant to Northeast Wisconsin and the 
Green Bay estuary to focus on over the next five years, should the 
reserve be designated:

<bullet> Preparing Great Lakes communities for long-term ecosystem 
change and variability
<bullet> Restoring sustainable and holistic land-water connections
<bullet> Preserving biodiversity through improved ecological integrity 
and ecosystem resilience
<bullet> Enhancing the Bay of Green Bay's sense of place and connection 
to quality of life


[[Page 70067]]


    The draft plan also defines goals that reflect the priorities of 
the proposed reserve during the first five years after designation:

<bullet> Goal 1: Strengthen community adaptation and preparation for 
projected impacts of climate-driven hydrologic shifts and changing lake 
levels
<bullet> Goal 2: Reduce excessive sediment, nutrient, and contaminant 
loadings into the Bay from watershed inputs
<bullet> Goal 3: Strengthen the ability of native and noninvasive 
species to access terrestrial, wetland, and aquatic habitats and 
improve interconnectedness of ecosystem components
<bullet> Goal 4: Restore healthy wetland, submerged aquatic, and 
benthic habitats and promote diverse species assemblages
<bullet> Goal 5: Foster historical awareness and contemporary 
connections between people and the Green Bay estuary
<bullet> Goal 6: Promote sustainable, beneficial uses of the Bay for 
regional communities

    If designated, the Green Bay Reserve--like all reserves in the 
system--would be responsible for the implementation of programs related 
to education, research, training, stewardship, and monitoring in 
service to communities surrounding the Green Bay estuary. The draft 
management plan for the Green Bay Reserve includes information on its 
core programs as well as program-specific focal areas, potential for 
partnerships, needs, and opportunities. If designated, the development 
and implementation of these reserve programs would be led by the 
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, the lead state agency for the 
proposed Green Bay Reserve.
    As previously noted, the Coastal Zone Management Act's implementing 
regulations for the Reserve System require NOAA to provide notice in 
the Federal Register of the availability of the DEIS (15 CFR 921.13), 
the draft management plan (15 CFR 921.20(h)), and associated public 
hearing(s).
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1461; 15 CFR 921.13.

Keelin S. Kuipers,
Acting Director, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2026-22673 Filed 11-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P


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