[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 200 (Thursday, October 16, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 59588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26087]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY


Minnesota and Texas Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs: 
Conditional Approvals, Final Findings Documents and Records of Decision

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. 
Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA).

ACTION: Notice of conditional approval of Coastal Nonpoint Programs and 
availability of Final Findings Documents and Records of Decision for 
Minnesota and Texas.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the conditional approval of the 
Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs (coastal nonpoint programs) 
and of the availability of the Final Findings Documents and Records of 
Decision for Minnesota and Texas. Section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act 
Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) 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 programs.
    NOAA and EPA have approved, with conditions, the coastal nonpoint 
programs submitted by Minnesota and Texas. In order to receive final 
approval of their programs, Minnesota and Texas will need to meet the 
conditions within the associated timeframes as indicated in the Final 
Findings Documents.

DATES: The conditional approval of the coastal nonpoint pollution 
control programs for Minnesota and Texas is effective upon the date of 
publication of this Notice in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final Findings Documents are available on the 
NOAA Web site at http://www.ocrm.nos.noaa.gov/czm. Copies of the Final 
Findings and Records of Decision also may be obtained upon request 
from: Helen Farr, Coastal Programs Division (N/ORM3), Office of Ocean 
and Coastal Resource Management, NOS, NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, phone (301) 713-3155, x150, e-mail 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Helen Farr, NOAA, (301) 713-3155, 
x150; or Don Waye, EPA (202) 566-1170.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA and EPA have prepared a Findings 
Document for each coastal nonpoint program submitted for approval. 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 program. Proposed Findings documents, 
Environmental Assessments, and Findings of No Significant Impact 
prepared for the coastal nonpoint programs submitted by Minnesota and 
Texas were made available for public comment in the Federal Register on 
March 17, 2003 (68 FR 12675) and April 7, 2003 (68 FR 16787), 
respectively. No public comments were received on the programs.
    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
NOAA has also prepared a Record of Decision on each program. The Record 
of Decision: (1) States what the decision was; (2) identifies all 
alternatives considered, specifying the alternative considered to be 
environmentally preferable; and (3) states whether all practicable 
means to avoid or minimize environmental harm from the alternative 
selected have been adopted.
    In March 1996, NOAA published a programmatic environmental impact 
statement (PEIS) that assessed the environmental impacts associated 
with the approval of State and Territory coastal nonpoint programs. The 
PEIS forms the basis for the environmental assessments NOAA has 
prepared for each State and Territorial coastal nonpoint program 
submitted to NOAA and EPA for approval. In the PEIS, NOAA determined 
that the approval and conditional approval of coastal nonpoint programs 
will not result in any significant adverse environmental impacts and 
that these actions will have an overall beneficial effect on the 
environment. Because the PEIS served only as a ``framework for 
decision'' on individual State and Territorial coastal nonpoint 
programs, and no actual decision was made following its publication, 
NOAA has prepared a NEPA Record of Decision on each individual State 
and Territorial program submitted for review.

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

    Dated: October 9, 2003.
Alan Neuschatz,
Associate Assistant Administrator, Management and Budget Office, 
National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
G. Tracy Mehan, III,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, Environmental Protection 
Agency.
[FR Doc. 03-26087 Filed 10-15-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-M