The Countrywide Marine Fisheries Service and the Advanced Research Plans Agency will hold 2 public hearings in Hawaii to gain comments on the Kauai Outline Environmental Impact Statement for the suggested Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate (ATOC) Plan and associated Marine Mammal Research Program, the agencies announced today.
Prepared jointly by NMFS and ARPA, the Outline environmental impact statement addresses environmental concerns and potential effects of the suggested activity, and has been accessible to the public since Jan. 6. Copies of the statement may be requested by calling Marilyn Cox of the University of California, San Diego, at (619) 534-3860.
Additionally, NMFS and ARPA have extended the federal public review period for the Kauai Outline environmental impact statement from Feb. 20 to March 9, 1995, to coincide with the close of the public review period under the state of Hawaii's Environmental Policy Act. Notice of this extension will be published in the Federal Register on Feb. 3.
The Hawaii hearings will take place on Feb. 9, 6:00 p.m., at the War Memorial Convention Hall, 4191 Hardy Street, Lihue, Kauai; and on Feb. 10, 6:00 p.m., at the Mabel Smythe Building, 510 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu. For more information concerning the hearings, contact Eugene Nitta of the NMFS Honolulu lab at (808) 973-2987.
Comments on the Outline environmental impact statement should be mailed to: Advanced Research Plans Agency, c/o Mr. Clayton H. Spikes, Marine Acoustics, Inc., four Crystal Park, Suite 901, Arlington, Virginia 22202. A copy should be provided to Mr. Roy Schaefer, Department of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawaii, P.O. Box 621, Honolulu, HI 96809.
The ATOC Plan is a suggested proof-of-concept study funded by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program. Long-term ocean climate changes would be measured by using acoustic sound paths in the deep sea as a means of precise synoptic temperature data collection.
The associated Marine Mammal Research Plan involves extensive research on the potential effects of low frequency sound on marine animals, particularly marine mammals and sea turtles.
In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and Endangered Species Act of 1973, an application for a scientific research permit has been submitted to the Countrywide Marine Fisheries Service. Because of potential environmental concerns, the Outline environmental impact statement has been prepared.
The Countrywide Marine Fisheries Service is an environmental arm of the Business Department?ational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Advanced Research Plans Agency is the central research arm of the Defense Department.
