[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17325-17326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6696]
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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.
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SUMMARY: The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management
(OCRM) announces its intent to evaluate the performance of the Wells
(Maine) National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Narragansett Bay
(Rhode Island) National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Wisconsin
Coastal Management Program.
The Coastal Zone Management Program evaluation 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
National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluations 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. The CZMA requires
continuing review of the performance of states with respect to coastal
program implementation. Evaluation of Coastal Management Programs and
National Estuarine Research Reserves requires findings concerning the
extent to which a state has met the national objectives, adhered to its
Coastal Management Program document or 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.
Dates and Times: The Wells (Maine) National Estuarine Research
Reserve evaluation site visit will be held May 13-15, 2008. One public
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held
on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at 5 p.m. at the Mather Auditorium, Wells
National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farm, 342 Laudholm Farm
Road, Wells, Maine.
The Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island) National Estuarine Research
Reserve evaluation site visit will be held May 20-23, 2008. One public
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held
on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, at 12 noon at the Hope Brown Center,
Farnham Farm, Prudence Island, Rhode Island. ONLY in the event the
ferry to Prudence Island cannot operate, the public meeting will be
held on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, at 12 noon at the Foundry, Room 280,
235 Promenade Street, Providence, Rhode Island.
The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will
be held June 16-20, 2008. One public meeting will be held during the
week. The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 18, 2008, at 6
p.m. at The Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon
Bay, Wisconsin.
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 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 South Slough (Oregon) National
Estuarine Research Reserve (South Slough NERR) and the Maryland and New
York Coastal Management Programs (CMPs). 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 states of Maryland and New York were found to be implementing
and enforcing their federally approved coastal management programs,
addressing the national coastal management objectives identified in
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CZMA Section 303(2)(A)-(K), and adhering to the programmatic terms of
their financial assistance awards. The South Slough NERR was 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 [email protected].
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.
Dated: March 20, 2008.
David M. Kennedy,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National
Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Federal Domestic Assistance
Catalog 11.419. Coastal Zone Management Program Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-6696 Filed 3-31-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P