[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 136 (Friday, July 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42689-42690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16241]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Evaluation of Coastal Zone Management Programs and National 
Estuarine Research Reserves

AGENCY: Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean 
Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), DOC.

ACTION: Notice of intent to evaluate.

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SUMMARY: The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management 
(OCRM) announces its intent to evaluate the performance of the Hawaii 
Coastal Management Program; the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine 
Research Reserve, Rhode Island; the Minnesota Coastal Management 
Program; the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve, New 
York; and the Washington Coastal Management Program and Padilla Bay 
National Estuarine Research Reserve, Washington.
    The Coastal Zone Management Program evaluations will be conducted 
pursuant to section 312 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 
(CZMA), as amended, and regulations at 15 CFR Part 923, Subpart L. The 
National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluations will be conducted 
pursuant to sections 312 and 315 of the CZMA and regulations at 15 CFR 
Part 921, Subpart E and Part 923, Subpart L.
    The CZMA requires continuing review of the performance of states 
with respect to coastal program implementation. Evaluation of Coastal 
Zone Management Programs and National Estuarine Research Reserves 
requires findings concerning the extent to which a state has met the 
national objectives, adhered to its Coastal Management Program document 
or Reserve final management plan approved by the Secretary of Commerce, 
and adhered to the terms of financial assistance awards funded under 
the CZMA.
    The evaluations will include a site visit, consideration of public 
comments, and consultations with interested Federal, state, and local 
agencies and members of the public. Public meetings will be held as 
part of the site visits.
    Notice is hereby given of the dates of the site visits for the 
listed evaluations, and the dates, local times, and locations of the 
public meetings during the site visits.
    The Hawaii Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will be 
held August 23-27, 2004. One public meeting will be held during the 
week. The public meeting will be on Monday, August 23, 2004, at 6 p.m., 
at St. Andrew's Priory School, Kennedy Hall, Room K111, 224 Queen Emma 
Square, Honolulu, Hawaii.
    The Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Rhode 
Island, evaluation site visit will be held September 14-17, 2004. One 
public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be 
on Wednesday, September 15, 2004, at 12 noon at 55 South Reserve Drive, 
Prudence Island, Rhode Island.
    The Minnesota Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will 
be held September 27-October 1, 2004. Two public meetings will be held 
during the week. The first public meeting will be on Monday, September 
27, 2004, at 7 p.m., in the Large

[[Page 42690]]

Conference Room at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 525 South 
Lake Avenue, Suite 400, Duluth, Minnesota. The second public meeting 
will be on Wednesday, September 29, 2004, at 6 p.m., in the Board Room 
at the Cook County Courthouse, 411 West Second Street, Grand Marais, 
Minnesota.
    The Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve, New York, 
evaluation site visit will be held September 28-30, 2004. One public 
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be on 
Wednesday, September 29, 2004, at 7 p.m., at the Tivoli Bays Visitor 
Center, Watts DePeyster Fireman's Hall, 1 Tivoli Commons, Tivoli, New 
York.
    The Washington Coastal Management Program and Padilla Bay National 
Estuarine Research Reserve, Washington, joint evaluation site visit 
will be held September 27-October 1, 2004. One joint public meeting 
will be held during the week. The joint public meeting will be held on 
Wednesday, September 29, 2004, at 7 p.m., in the Evergreen Room, 
Washington State University Extension, 600 128th Street, SE., Everett, 
Washington.
    Copies of states' most recent performance reports, as well as 
OCRM's notifications and supplemental request letters to the states, 
are available upon request from OCRM. Written comments from interested 
parties regarding these Programs are encouraged and will be accepted 
for each Program until 15 days after the last public meeting held for 
that Program. Please direct written comments to: Ralph Cantral, Chief, 
National Policy and Evaluation Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal 
Resource Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, N/ORM7, 10th 
Floor, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. When the evaluations are 
completed, OCRM will place a notice in the Federal Register announcing 
the availability of the Final Evaluation Findings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ralph Cantral, Chief, National Policy 
and Evaluation Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource 
Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, N/ORM7, 10th Floor, 
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, (301) 713-3155, Extension 118.

    Dated: July 12, 2004.
Eldon Hout,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.
Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419, Coastal Zone Management 
Program Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-16241 Filed 7-15-04; 8:45 am]
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