[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 135 (Friday, July 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40990-40991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13896]


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

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 Tijuana 
River National Estuarine Research Reserve.
    The National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluation will be 
conducted pursuant to sections 312 and 315 of the Coastal Zone 
Management Act of 1972, as amended, (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 a National Estuarine Research 
Reserve requires findings concerning the extent to which a state has 
met the national objectives, adhered to its Reserve final management 
plan approved by the Secretary of Commerce, and adhered to the terms of 
financial assistance awards funded under the CZMA.
    The evaluation will include a site visit, consideration of public 
comments, and consultations with interested Federal, state and local 
agencies and members of the public. A public meeting will be held as 
part of the site visit.
    Notice is hereby given of the date of the site visit for the listed 
evaluation, and the date, local time, and location of the public 
meeting during the site visit. The Tijuana River National Estuarine 
Research Reserve evaluation site visit will be held September 13-16, 
2005. One public meeting will be held during the week. The public 
meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2005, at 7 p.m. at the 
Community Room, 825 Imperial Beach Boulevard, Imperial Beach, 
California.

[[Page 40991]]

    Copies of a state's most recent performance reports, as well as 
OCRM's evaluation notification and supplemental request letters to the 
state, are available upon request from OCRM. Written comments from 
interested parties regarding this Program are encouraged and will be 
accepted until 15 days after the public meeting. 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, N/ORM7, Silver Spring, Maryland 
20910. When the evaluation is 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 Minnesota, Texas, and Alabama Coastal Management 
Programs (CMPs); and the Weeks Bay (Alabama), Narragansett Bay (Rhode 
Island), and Grand Bay (Mississippi) 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 Minnesota, Texas, and Alabama 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. Weeks Bay 
(Alabama), Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island), and Grand Bay (Mississippi) 
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, N/ORM7, 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, N/ORM7, 
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, (301) 713-3155, extension 118.

    Dated: July 8, 2005.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419, Coastal Zone Management 
Program Administration)
Eldon Hout,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 05-13896 Filed 7-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P