[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 194 (Friday, October 4, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 51914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25546]



[[Page 51914]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program: Proposed Findings; 
Documents, Environmental Assessments, and Findings of No Significant 
Impact
AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, and The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed findings documents, 
Environmental assessments, and findings of no Significant impact on 
approval of Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs for 
Massachusetts, Maryland, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the availability of the Proposed 
Findings Documents, Environmental Assessments (EA's), and Findings of 
No Significant Impact for Massachusetts, Maryland, the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Coastal 
states were required to submit their coastal nonpoint programs to the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval in July 1995. The 
Findings documents were prepared by NOAA and EPA to provide the 
rationale for the agencies' decision to approve each state and 
territory coastal nonpoint pollution control program. Section 6217 of 
the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA), 16 U.S.C. 
1455b, requires states and territories with coastal zone management 
programs that have received approval under section 306 of the Coastal 
Zone Management Act to develop and implement coastal nonpoint pollution 
control programs. The EA's were prepared by NOAA, pursuant to the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., to 
assess the environmental impacts associated with the approval of the 
coastal nonpoint pollution control programs submitted to NOAA and EPA 
by Massachusetts, Maryland, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
    NOAA and EPA have proposed to approve, with conditions, the coastal 
nonpoint pollution control programs submitted by Massachusetts, 
Maryland, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands. The requirements of 40 CFR parts 1500-1508 (Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations to implement the National 
Environmental Policy Act) apply to the preparation of the Environmental 
Assessments. Specifically, 40 CFR 1506.6 requires agencies to provide 
public notice of the availability of environmental documents. This 
notice is part of NOAA's action to comply with this requirement.
    Copies of the Proposed Findings Documents, Environmental 
Assessments, and Findings of No Significant Impact may be obtained upon 
request from: Joseph P. Flanagan, Coastal Programs Division (N/ORM3), 
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS, NOAA, 1305 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910, tel. (301) 713-3121, 
x201.

DATES: Individuals or organizations wishing to submit comments on the 
proposed Findings or Environmental Assessments should do so by November 
4, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be made to: Joseph A. Uravitch, Coastal 
Programs Division (N/ORM3), Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource 
Management, NOS, NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland, 
20910, tel. (301) 713-3155, x195.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419 Coastal Zone Management 
Program Administration)

    Dated: September 30, 1996.
David L. Evans,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal 
Zone Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Robert H. Wayland, III,
Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Environmental 
Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 96-25546 Filed 10-3-96; 8:45 am]
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