[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8843-8844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2421]


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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 performances of the 
Kachemak Bay (Alaska) National Estuarine Research Reserve, the 
Apalachicola (Florida) National Estuarine Research Reserve, the 
Michigan Coastal Management Program, the Virginia Coastal Management 
Program, and the Indiana 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 Kachemak Bay (Alaska) National Estuarine Research Reserve 
evaluation site visit will be held April 3-6, 2006. One public meeting 
will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held on 
Wednesday, April 5, 2006, at 7 p.m. at the Kachemak Bay National 
Estuarine Research Reserve, Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center, 95 
Sterling Highway, Homer, Alaska.
    The Apalachicola (Florida) National Estuarine Research Reserve 
evaluation site visit will be held May 1-3, 2006. One public meeting 
will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held on 
Wednesday, May 3, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. at the Apalachicola Community 
Center, 222 6th Street, Apalachicola, Florida.

[[Page 8844]]

    The Michigan Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will 
be held May 8-12, 2006. One public meeting will be held during the 
week. The public meeting will be held on Thursday, May 11, 2006, at 7 
p.m. at Northwestern Michigan College, Great Lakes Campus, Great Lakes 
Water Studies Institute, Room 112, 715 East Front Street, Traverse 
City, Michigan.
    The Virginia Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will 
be held May 15-19, 2006. One public meeting will be held during the 
week. The public meeting will be held on Monday, February 14, 2006, at 
4 p.m. at the Department of Environmental Quality, First Floor 
Conference Room, 629 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia.
    The Indiana Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will 
be held May 30-June 2, 2006. One public meeting will be held during the 
week. The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 31, 2006, at 6 
p.m. at the Westchester Public Library Service Center, 100 West Indiana 
Avenue, Chesterton, Indiana.
    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 South Carolina and Maine Coastal Management Programs 
(CMPs) and the Wells (Maine) National Estuarine Research Reserve 
(NERR). 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 South Carolina and Maine 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. The Wells 
(Maine) NERR was 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].

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: February 10, 2006.
Eldon Hout,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.
[FR Doc. E6-2421 Filed 2-17-06; 8:45 am]
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