[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 3, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 122-123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22485]


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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 
Massachusetts Coastal Management Program, the Guam Coastal Management 
Program, the Chesapeake Bay-Virginia National Estuarine Research 
Reserve, and the Weeks Bay (Alabama) National Estuarine Research 
Reserve.
    The Coastal Zone Management Programs 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 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 each 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 meetings during the site visits.
    Dates and Times: The Massachusetts Coastal Management Program 
evaluation site visit will be held February 5-9, 2007. One public 
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held 
on Tuesday,

[[Page 123]]

February 6, 2007, at 5:30 p.m. at the Massachusetts Office of Coastal 
Zone Management, Atrium, 251 Causeway Street, Boston, Massachusetts.
    The Guam Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will be 
held February 12-16, 2007. One public meeting will be held during the 
week. The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 13, 2007, at 
5 p.m. at the Richardo J. Bordallo Governor's Complex, 513 Marine 
Drive, Adelup, Guam.
    The Chesapeake Bay-Virginia National Estuarine Research Reserve 
evaluation site visit will be held March 20-22, 2007. One public 
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held 
on Wednesday, March 21, 2007, at 6:30 p.m. at the College of William 
and Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Wilson House, Route 
1208, Greate Road, Gloucester Point, Virginia.
    The Weeks Bay (Alabama) National Estuarine Research Reserve 
evaluation site visit will be held March 20-23, 2007. One public 
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held 
on Wednesday, March 21, 2007, at 6 p.m. at the Weeks Bay National 
Estuarine Research Reserve, Auditorium, 11300 U.S. Highway 98, 
Fairhope, Alabama.

ADDRESSES: 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 evaluation is 
completed, OCRM will place a notice in the Federal Register announcing 
the availability of the Final Evaluation Findings.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given of the availability 
of the final evaluation findings for the Rhode Island, Michigan, 
Delaware, and Indiana Coastal Management Programs (CMPs) and the 
Delaware and Jobos Bay (Puerto Rico) 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 Rhode Island, Michigan Delaware, and Indiana 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 
Delaware and Jobos Bay (Puerto Rico) 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].

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: December 20, 2006.
David M. Kennedy,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National 
Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
 [FR Doc. E6-22485 Filed 12-29-06; 8:45 am]
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