[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68415-68416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-27256]


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

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.

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

SUMMARY: The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management 
(OCRM) announces its intent to evaluate the performance of the Hudson 
River (New York) National Estuarine Research Reserve and the California 
Coastal Commission 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 
National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluation 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.

[[Page 68416]]

    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 meetings during the site visits.

Dates and Times:  The Hudson River (New York) National Estuarine 
Research Reserve evaluation site visit will be held December 1-4, 2008. 
One public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting 
will be held on Tuesday, December 2, 2008, at 7 p.m. at the Hudson 
River National Estuarine Research Reserve, Norrie Point Environmental 
Center, 256 Norrie Point Way, Staatsburg, New York.
    The California Coastal Commission evaluation site visit will be 
held December 8-12, 2008. Two public meetings will be held during the 
week. The first public meeting will be held on Monday, December 8, 
2008, at 7 p.m. at the Ventura County Board of Supervisors Chambers, 
800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, California. The second public 
meeting will be held on Friday, December 12, 2008, at 9 a.m. at San 
Francisco City Hall, Legislative Chamber Room 250, 1 Dr. Carlton B. 
Goodlett Place, San Francisco, California.

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 last public 
meeting held for a Program. Please direct written comments to Kate 
Barba, 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 Florida, Alaska, and Alabama 
Coastal Management Programs (CMP) and the San Francisco Bay (CA) 
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 Florida, Alaska, and Alabama 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 San 
Francisco Bay 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: Kate Barba, 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: Kate Barba, 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) 563-1182.

    Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419 Coastal Zone 
Management Program Administration.

    Dated: November 4, 2008.
Christopher C. Cartwright,
CFO/CAO, NOAA's National Ocean Service.
[FR Doc. E8-27256 Filed 11-17-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P