[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56644-56645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19296]


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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.

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SUMMARY: The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management 
(OCRM) announces its intent to evaluate the performance of the Rhode 
Island Coastal Management Program, the Chesapeake Bay-Maryland National 
Estuarine Research Reserve, the Delaware Coastal Management Program and 
Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Georgia Coastal 
Management Program.
    The Coastal Zone Management Program evaluations 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 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.
    Each 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 dates of the site visits for the 
listed evaluations, and the dates, local times, and locations of the 
public meeting during the site visits.
    The Rhode Island Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit 
will be held November 14-18, 2005. One public meeting will be held 
during the week. The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 
15, 2005, at 7:30 p.m. at the Narragansett Bay Commission Board Room, 
One Service Road, Providence, Rhode Island.
    The Chesapeake Bay-Maryland National Estuarine Research Reserve 
evaluation site visit will be held November 14-16, 2005. One public 
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held 
on Monday, November 14, 2005, at 7 p.m. at the Jug Bay Sanctuary, 1361 
Wrighton Road, Lothian, Maryland.
    The Delaware Coastal Management Program and Delaware National 
Estuarine Research Reserve joint evaluation site visit will be held 
December 5-9, 2005. One public meeting will be held during the week. 
The joint public meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 7, 2005, 
at 6 p.m. at 818 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover, Delaware.
    The Georgia Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will 
be held December 12-16, 2005. One public meeting will be held during 
the week. The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 13, 
2005, at 1 p.m. at the Coastal Electric Membership Cooperative, 1265 
South Coastal Highway (U.S. 17), Midway, Georgia.
    Copies of states' most recent performance reports, as well as 
OCRM's evaluation notification and supplemental information 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 until 15 days after the public meeting 
held for a 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, N/ORM7, 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 Florida, Mississippi, and Washington Coastal 
Management Programs (CMPs); and the Padilla Bay (Washington) and North 
Carolina 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 Florida, Mississippi, and Washington 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. Padilla Bay 
(Washington) and North Carolina 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].

[[Page 56645]]


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) 563-7118.

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

    Dated: September 19, 2005.
Eldon Hout,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 05-19296 Filed 9-27-05; 8:45 am]
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