[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 16986]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9070]



[[Page 16986]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the 
Proposed Minnesota Coastal Management Program

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to prepare a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the proposed approval of the 
Minnesota Coastal Management Program (MCMP, or Program) under the 
provisions of Section 306 of the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 
1972, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1455, and distribute it in June, 1998.
    Federal approval of the MCMP would make the State eligible for 
program administration grant funds and require that Federal actions be 
consistent with the Program.
    The Program is the culmination of several years of development and 
consists of numerous State policies on diverse management issues which 
are prescribed by statute and made enforceable under State law. The 
Program should improve the decision making process for determining 
appropriate coastal land and water uses in light of resource 
considerations. The program should increase public awareness of coastal 
resources. Federal alternatives will include delaying or denying 
approval if certain requirements of the Coastal Zone Management Act 
have not been met. State alternatives include the possibility of 
modifying parts of the Program or withdrawal of the request for Federal 
approval.
    In order to determine the scope and significance of issues to be 
addressed in the DEIS, the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource 
Management (OCRM) hereby solicits comments on the proposed action, 
particularly with respect to the following issues:
    (1) The adequacy of the scope and geographic coverage of the 
Program's laws and regulations to manage impacts on shorelands, water 
quality, wetlands, and other vulnerable natural resources;
    (2) The adequacy of the mechanisms for State agency coordination 
and consultation in order to effectively implement the MCMP; and
    (3) The adequacy of the mechanisms for ensuring State agency 
consistency with the policies of the MCMP and resolving conflicts 
between agencies.
    The manner in which the State proposes to address the above 
requirements was presented in the State public review Draft Program 
Document of the MCMP, in February, 1997. The State has considered all 
comments submitted in response to that document in the preparation of 
the MCMP Draft Program Document to be released with the DEIS in June, 
1998. Copies of the State draft document are available from OCRM.

DATES: Persons or organizations wishing to submit comments on these or 
other issues should do so by May 7, 1998. Any comments received after 
that time will be considered in the response to comments received on 
the DEIS.

ADDRESSES: Requests for the above described documents and all comments 
should be made to: Neil Christerson, Coastal Programs Division, Great 
Lakes Region, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, 1305 
East-West Highway (N/ORM3), Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; tel. 301/
713-3113, ext. 167, e-mail: [email protected].

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

    Dated: April 2, 1998.
Nancy Foster,
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management.
[FR Doc. 98-9070 Filed 4-6-98; 8:45 am]
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