[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 159 (Friday, August 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46213-46214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-4050]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 070809457-7458-01]


Amendment to Final Guidelines for the Coastal and Estuarine Land 
Conservation Program

AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; amendment to final guidelines.

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

SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National 
Ocean Service publishes this notice to amend the Final Guidelines for 
the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP). For those 
grants issued in fiscal years 2002 and 2004 only, and that have one or 
more project proposals submitted to NOAA, but not approved, as of 
August 17, 2007, the CELCP may extend the financial assistance award 
period. For grants issued in fiscal year 2002, they may be extended for 
up to 3 additional months, providing for a potential maximum award 
duration of five years and three months. For grants issued in fiscal 
year 2004, they may be extended for up to one additional year, 
providing for a potential maximum award duration of four years. This 
extension is intended solely to give the CELCP

[[Page 46214]]

sufficient time to review and make a determination on the documentation 
supporting the project proposals that it has received but does not have 
time to complete before the awards' currently scheduled end date of 
September 30, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact: 
Elisabeth Morgan, 301-713-3155 X166, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation 
Program was established pursuant to Public Law 107-77 for the purpose 
of protecting important coastal and estuarine areas that have 
significant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, or 
aesthetic values, or that are threatened by conversion from their 
natural or recreational state to other uses. The Final Guidelines for 
CELCP were published in the Federal Register on June 17, 2003 (68 FR 
35860). The Final Guidelines stated that the standard financial 
assistance award period is 18 months, and could be extended an 
additional 18 months if circumstances warrant, but may not exceed 3 
years. In the case of FY2002 awards, NOAA was directed by Congress in 
FY2005 to provide an additional two years beyond that provided for by 
the CELCP Guidelines. The CELCP has received review packages for 
numerous land acquisition projects very late in the performance period 
from awards funded in 2002 and 2004 that are still open, for which 
there may not be sufficient time to complete review before the awards' 
currently scheduled end date of September 30, 2007. For this reason, 
CELCP is amending the Final Guidelines for the Coastal and Estuarine 
Land Conservation Program to allow the financial assistance award 
period for awards issued in fiscal years 2002 and 2004 that have 
project documentation currently pending with NOAA to be extended for up 
to an additional year. It is not intended to give grant recipients more 
time to submit additional proposals. The maximum potential award 
duration for 2002 grants is five years and three months, ending 
December 31, 2007, and for 2004 it is four years, ending on September 
30, 2008.

Classification

Executive Order 12866

    This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of Executive Order 12866.

Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)

    It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies 
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 
13132.

Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required 
by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules 
concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 
U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not 
required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical 
requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not 
been prepared.

Steve Kozak,
Chief of Staff for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management.
[FR Doc. 07-4050 Filed 8-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-M