The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking comments from the public on a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) and management plan for a proposed National Marine Sanctuary along New York State’s eastern Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River.
According to a notice posted this week in the Federal Register:
“This area would include up to 1,786 square miles [4,626 square kilometers] of lake waters and bottomlands adjacent to Jefferson, Wayne, Oswego, Cayuga, and St. Lawrence counties in the state of New York. The proposed area contains 64 known shipwrecks and one aircraft representing events spanning more than 200 years of our nation’s history. Based on historical records, an additional 20 shipwrecks and three aircraft may be located there.”
Comments on the draft EIS are due by September 10th, 2021, and NOAA said it plans to hold public meetings on the following dates:
(1) Date: August 18, 2021, Location: Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center, Address: 26 East First Street, Oswego, NY 13126, Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EDT. A virtual meeting platform may substitute if public safety concerns remain to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
(2) Date: August 19, 2021, Location: Clayton Opera House, Address: 405 Riverside Drive, Clayton, NY 13624, Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EDT. A virtual meeting platform may substitute if public safety concerns remain to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
(3) Date: August 24, 2021, Location: virtual meeting, Time: 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT
(4) Date: August 26, 2021, Location: virtual meeting, Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT
The draft EIS and management plan are available at sanctuaries.noaa.gov.
(Image credit: NOAA)
