[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11011-11012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-5355]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7634-5]


Draft National Coastal Condition Report II

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Notice of availability is hereby given for a 90-day public 
comment period on the draft National Coastal Condition Report II 
describing the condition of the Nation's coastal waters. Coastal waters 
are valuable from both an environmental and economic perspective. These 
waters are vulnerable to pollution from diverse sources. EPA expects 
that this report on the condition of coastal waters will support more 
informed decisions concerning protection of this resource and will 
increase public awareness of the extent and seriousness of pollution in 
these waters. EPA seeks public input concerning the information in the 
report, the availability of additional data, and the appropriateness of 
conclusions drawn from the information presented.

DATES: Written comments must be received by June 7, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Address comments concerning this notice to Barry Burgan, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (4504 T), Office of Water, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone (202) 566-
1242; fax (202) 566-1336 or Kevin Summers, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Research

[[Page 11012]]

and Development, 1 Sabine Island Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561; 
telephone (850) 934-9237; fax (850) 934-9201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Burgan, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (4504 T), Office of Water, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20460 or Kevin Summers, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 1 Sabine Island 
Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section for electronic access and filing address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    In 2001, the first National Coastal Condition Report was released, 
characterizing about 70% of the estuarine resources of the United 
States. Using available data from 1990-1996, EPA, the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture determined that the Nation's estuarine resources were in 
fair condition and presented this information in the first Report. This 
second edition of the National Coastal Condition Report serves as a 
continuing foundation for the Nation's efforts to protect, manage, and 
restore coastal ecosystems. Four Federal agencies (EPA, NOAA, USGS and 
the USFWS) and several State and regional/local organizations have come 
together to report on the current condition of the Nation's coasts.
    The National Coastal Condition Report II describes the condition of 
coastal waters based on several available data sets from different 
agencies and areas of the country and summarizes them to present a 
continuing picture of the condition of coastal waters. Although the 
data sets presented do not cover all coastal areas (e.g., no data for 
Alaska and Hawaii), they do provide a multi-regional assessment of 
coastal condition in the conterminous United States and Puerto Rico. 
For example, EPA's National Coastal assessment is conducting estuarine 
monitoring in all 23 coastal States and Puerto Rico, accounting for 
99.8% of estuarine acreage in the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico. 
Data from several regional and national programs conducted by NOAA, 
USGS and the USFWS are included in this assessment of coastal 
condition. This report serves as a useful tool for analyzing the 
progress of coastal programs implemented since the first Report and as 
a benchmark for the future. This report will be followed in subsequent 
years by reports focusing on continuing assessments of ecological 
condition, examinations of the trends in coastal condition, and 
assessments of more specialized coastal issues.

II. Electronic Access and Filing

    You may view and download the draft Report on EPA's Internet site 
at the Office of Water homepage at http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/nccr2/index.html under Recent Additions. Comments may be sent to Barry 
Burgan or Kevin Summers via U.S. Postal Service, electronic mail (e-
mail) or fax. Please send comments to Barry Burgan at U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (4504 T), Office of Water, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460 (mail), 
[email protected] (e-mail), or (202) 566-1336 (fax); or Kevin 
Summers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and 
Development, 1 Sabine Island Drive, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 (mail), 
[email protected] (e-mail), or (850) 934-9201 (fax). Submit 
electronic comments as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption.

    Dated: March 4, 2004.
Benjamin H. Grumbles,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Water.
[FR Doc. 04-5355 Filed 3-8-04; 8:45 am]
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