[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 8, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44497-44498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15487]


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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 Alaska 
Coastal Management Program.
    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 CZMA 
requires continuing review of the performance of states with respect to 
coastal program implementation. Evaluation of a Coastal Management 
Program requires findings concerning the extent to which a state has 
met the national objectives, adhered to its Coastal Management Program 
document 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 
visit for the listed evaluation, and the date, local time, and location 
of the public meeting during the site visit.
    Date and Time: The Alaska Coastal Management Program evaluation 
site visit will be held August 13-18, 2007. The public meeting will be 
held on Monday, August 13, 2007, at 4 p.m. at the Department of Natural 
Resources Office of Project Management and Permitting, 302 Gold Street, 
Suite 202, Juneau, Alaska. Members of the public may also participate 
in the public meeting via teleconference by calling 1-800-315-6338. The 
call-in code is 1111.

ADDRESSES: Copies of a state's most recent performance reports, as well 
as OCRM's evaluation notification and supplemental information request 
letters to the state, are available upon request from OCRM. Written 
comments

[[Page 44498]]

from interested parties regarding this Program are encouraged and will 
be accepted until 15 days after the public meeting held for the 
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 Massachusetts Coastal 
Management Program (CMP) and the Chesapeake Bay-Virginia 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 Commonwealth of Massachusetts was found to be implementing and 
enforcing its federally approved coastal management program, addressing 
the national coastal management objectives identified in CZMA Section 
303(2)(A)-(K), and adhering to the programmatic terms of its financial 
assistance awards. The Chesapeake Bay-Virginia 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.

    Dated: August 2, 2007.
David M. Kennedy,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National 
Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-15487 Filed 8-7-07; 8:45 am]
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