[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 100 (Friday, May 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28448-28449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13553]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Federal Approval of the Ohio Coastal Management Program

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

[[Page 28449]]

National Ocean Service's approval of the Ohio Coastal Management 
Program pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended 
16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) approved the Ohio Coastal Management 
Program (OCMP) on May 16, 1997, pursuant to the provisions of section 
306 of the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, 16 
U.S.C. 1455 (CZMA). The OCMP is described in the Ohio Coastal 
Management Program and Final Environmental Impact Statement (P/FEIS) 
published on April 11, 1997.
    Ohio is the 31st state to receive Federal approval of its coastal 
management program. Ohio submitted a proposed coastal program to NOAA 
in 1996. Upon reaching a preliminary decision that the program met the 
requirements of the CZMA, and in order to meet its responsibilities 
under the National Environmental Policy Act, NOAA published the Ohio 
Coastal Management Program and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (P/
DEIS) for public review on September 6, 1996. NOAA published the P/FEIS 
including public comments on the P/DEIS and responses to those comments 
on April 11, 1997. NOAA has also fulfilled its responsibilities under 
the Endangered Species Act through consultations with the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
    The OCMP is the culmination of several years of development by the 
State of Ohio, interest groups, the general public, Federal agencies, 
and in consultation with NOAA. The OCMP consists of numerous state 
policies on diverse coastal management issues which are prescribed by 
statute and other legal mechanisms and made enforceable under state 
law. The OCMP will improve the decision making process for determining 
appropriate coastal land and water uses in light of resource 
consideration and increase public awareness of coastal resources and 
processes. The OCMP will increase long term protection of the state's 
coastal resources, while providing for sustainable economic 
development.
    NOAA approval of the OCMP makes the state eligible for federal 
financial assistance for program administration and enhancement under 
sections 306, 306A, 308 and 309 of the CZMA (16 U.S.C. Secs. 1455, 
1455a, 1456a, and 1456b). Ohio has submitted an application for 
$804,000 in FY 1997 Federal CZMA funds which are available to Ohio. 
These funds will generally be used to assist the state in administering 
the various state authorities included in the OCMP, as well as be used 
to fund local management efforts.
    NOAA approval of the OCMP also makes operational, as of the date of 
this Federal Register notice, the CZMA federal consistency requirement 
with respect to the OCMP (16 U.S.C. 1456; 15 CFR part 930). Therefore, 
as of today, direct federal activities occurring within or outside the 
Ohio Coastal Zone must be consistent to the maximum extent practicable 
with the enforceable policies of the OCMP. In addition, activities 
within or outside the Ohio Coastal Zone requiring a federal license or 
permit listed in the P/FEIS, and federal financial assistance to state 
agencies and local governments that are reasonably likely to affect any 
land or water use or natural resource of the Ohio Coastal Zone must be 
consistent with the enforceable policies of the OCMP.
    Chapter 5 of the P/FEIS identifies the enforceable policies of the 
Ohio program. Chapter 7 of the P/FEIS identifies federally licensed or 
permitted activities subject to the federal consistency requirements. 
Chapters 4 and 7 and Appendix Q of the P/FEIS, as well as the CZMA 
regulations at 15 CFR part 930, provide specific procedures to be used 
in the Federal/State coordination process.

ADDRESSES: For further information please contact Diana Olinger at 
(301) 713-3113, ext. 168; or via fax at (301) 713-4009; or via the 
Internet at <[email protected]>.

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

    Dated: May 19, 1997.
David L. Evans,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 97-13553 Filed 5-22-97; 8:45 am]
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