Draft Revised Management Plans for the ACE Basin, Elkhorn Slough, and Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserves; Notice of Proposed Boundary Changes

Summary

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is soliciting comments from the public regarding a proposed revision of the management plans for the Ashepoo[hyphen]Combahee[hyphen]Edisto Basin (ACE Basin) National Estuarine Research Reserve in South Carolina, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve in California, and Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Alabama. A management plan provides a framework to guide a reserve's programs, track progress toward meeting its goals, and identify potential opportunities or changes in direction. It is also used to guide programmatic evaluations of a reserve. Management plan revisions are required at least every five years. These draft revised management plans are intended to replace the ACE Basin Research Reserve, Elkhorn Slough Research Reserve, and Weeks Bay Research Reserve management plans, which were approved in 2011, 2007, and 2017, respectively. NOAA is also considering requests to change the boundary of each reserve and is simultaneously soliciting comments from the public on the proposed boundary changes.