[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 199 (Friday, October 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61204-61205]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23164]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Evaluation of State Coastal Management Programs and National 
Estuarine Research Reserves

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to evaluate and notice of availability of 
final findings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management 
(OCRM) announces its intent to evaluate the performance of the 
Mississippi Coastal Management Program; the Sapelo Island National 
Estuarine Research Reserve, Georgia; and the North Carolina National 
Estuarine Research Reserve.
    The Coastal Zone Management Program evaluation will be conducted 
pursuant to section 312 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as 
amended, (CZMA) 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 Mississippi Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit 
will be held December 6-10, 2004. One public meeting will be held 
during the week. The public meeting will be on Monday, December 6, 
2004, at 5 p.m., at the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources 
Auditorium, 1141 Bay View Avenue, Biloxi, Mississippi.
    The Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, Georgia, 
evaluation site visit will be held December 14-16, 2004. One public 
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held 
on Wednesday, December 15, 2004, at 7 p.m., at the Sapelo Island 
Visitor Center, Landing Road/Route 1, Meridian, Georgia.
    The North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluation 
site visit will be held December 6-10, 2004. Three public meetings will 
be held during the week. The first public meeting will be held on 
Tuesday, December 7, 2004, at 7 p.m. at the Currituck County Library--
Corolla Branch, 1123 Ocean Trail, Corolla, North Carolina. The second 
public meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 8, 2004, at 7 p.m. 
at the C-MAST Building, third floor Library Conference Room, 303 
College Circle, Morehead City, North Carolina. The third public meeting 
will be held on Thursday, December 9, 2004, at 7 p.m. at the North 
Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional 
Office, Room 200, 127 Cardinal Drive Ext., Wilmington, North Carolina.

[[Page 61205]]

    Copies of states' most recent performance reports, as well as 
OCRM's notifications and supplemental request letters to the state, are 
available upon request from OCRM. Written comments from interested 
parties regarding these Programs are encouraged and will be accepted 
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, 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.
    Notice is hereby given of the availability of the final evaluation 
findings for the Virginia and New York Coastal Management Programs 
(CMPs); and the Old Woman Creek (Ohio) and Jacques Cousteau (New 
Jersey) National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs). Sections 312 and 
315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA), as amended, 
require a continuing review of the performance of coastal states with 
respect to approval of CMPs and the operation and management of NERRs.
    The states of Virginia and New York were found to be implementing 
and enforcing their federally approved coastal management programs, 
addressing the national coastal management objectives identified in 
CZMA Section 303(2)(A)-(K), and adhering to the programmatic terms of 
their financial assistance awards. Old Woman Creek (Ohio) and Jacques 
Cousteau (New Jersey) NERRs were found to be adhering to programmatic 
requirements of the NERR System.
    Copies of these final evaluation findings may be obtained upon 
written request from: Ralph Cantral, Chief, National Policy and 
Evaluation Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, 
NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th Floor, Silver Spring, Maryland 
20910, or [email protected], (301) 713-3155, extension 118.

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, 10th Floor, Silver 
Spring, Maryland 20910, (301) 713-3155, extension 118.

    Dated: September 27, 2004.
Eldon Hout,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 04-23164 Filed 10-14-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P