Evaluation of State Coastal Management Programs and National Estuarine Research Reserves

Federal Register: July 30, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 145)

Notices

Page 37980

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr30jy09-27

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Evaluation of State Coastal Management Programs and National

Estuarine Research Reserves

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean Service,

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Evaluate and Notice of Availability of

Final Findings.

SUMMARY: The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management

(OCRM) announces its intent to evaluate the performance of the Maine

Coastal Management Program, the Washington Coastal Management Program, and the Padilla Bay (Washington) National Estuarine Research Reserve.

The Coastal Zone Management Program evaluations will be conducted pursuant to section 312 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (CZMA) and regulations at 15 CFR part 923, Subpart L. The CZMA requires continuing review of the performance of states with respect to coastal program implementation. Evaluation of Coastal Management

Programs requires findings concerning the extent to which a state has met the national objectives, adhered to its Coastal Management Program document approved by the Secretary of Commerce, and adhered to the terms of financial assistance awards funded under the CZMA.

The National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluation will be conducted pursuant to sections 312 and 315 of the CZMA and regulations at 15 CFR Part 921, Subpart E and Part 923, Subpart L. Evaluation of

National Estuarine Research Reserves requires findings concerning the extent to which a state has met the national objectives, adhered to its

Reserve final management plan approved by the Secretary of Commerce, and adhered to the terms of financial assistance awards funded under the CZMA.

Each evaluation will include a site visit, consideration of public comments, and consultations with interested Federal, state, and local agencies and members of the public. A public meeting will be held as part of the site visit. Notice is hereby given of the dates of the site visits for the listed evaluations, and the dates, local times, and locations of the public meetings during the site visits.

Copies of these final evaluation findings may be obtained upon written request from: Kate Barba, Chief, National Policy and Evaluation

Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th Floor, N/ORM7, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, or Kate.Barba@noaa.gov.

Dates and Times: The Maine Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will be held September 14-18, 2009. One public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held on Tuesday,

September 15, 2009, at 7 p.m., at the Ellsworth City Hall Auditorium, 1

City Hall Plaza, Ellsworth, Maine.

The Washington Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will be held September 21-25, 2009. One public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held on Monday, September 21, 2009, at 6 p.m. at the Washington Department of Ecology Auditorium, 300 Desmond Drive, SE., Lacey, Washington.

The Padilla Bay (Washington) National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluation site visit will be held September 22-24, 2009. One public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 23, 2009, at 7 p.m. at the Padilla Bay National

Estuarine Research Reserve, Interpretive Center Meeting Room, 10441

Bayview-Edison Road, Mt. Vernon, Washington.

ADDRESSES: Copies of states' most recent performance reports, as well as OCRM's evaluation notification and supplemental information request letters to the states, are available upon request from OCRM. Written comments from interested parties regarding these Programs are encouraged and will be accepted until 15 days after the last public meeting held for a Program. Please direct written comments to Kate

Barba, Chief, National Policy and Evaluation Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th

Floor, N/ORM7, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. When the evaluation is completed, OCRM will place a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Final Evaluation Findings.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given of the availability of the final evaluation findings for the Wisconsin Coastal Management

Program (CMP) and the Sapelo Island (Georgia) and Wells (Maine)

National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs). Sections 312 and 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA), as amended, require a continuing review of the performance of coastal states with respect to approval of CMPs and the operation and management of NERRs.

The State of Wisconsin was found to be implementing and enforcing its federally approved coastal management program, addressing the national coastal management objectives identified in CZMA Section 303(2)(A)-(K), and adhering to the programmatic terms of their financial assistance awards. The Sapelo Island and Wells NERRs were found to be adhering to programmatic requirements of the NERR System.

Copies of these final evaluation findings may be obtained upon written request from: Kate Barba, Chief, National Policy and Evaluation

Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th Floor, N/ORM7, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, or Kate.Barba@noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Barba, Chief, National Policy and

Evaluation Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management,

NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th Floor, N/ORM7, Silver Spring,

Maryland 20910, (301) 563-1182.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419 Coastal Zone Management

Program Administration)

Dated: July 23, 2009.

David M. Kennedy,

Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National

Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

FR Doc. E9-18082 Filed 7-29-09; 8:45 am

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