[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 247 (Friday, December 23, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80342-80343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32898]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Coastal Zone Management Program: Illinois

AGENCY: Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM), 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of 
Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) 
announces availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) on the Illinois Coastal Management Program (ICMP). NOAA has 
received the State of Illinois' application for approval of its coastal 
management program under the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), as 
amended at 16 U.S.C. 1451-1466, and the implementing regulations at 15 
CFR Part 923. The draft ICMP and Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) were released to the public for a 45-day comment period on 
September 15, 2011, and a public hearing was held in Chicago, Illinois 
on October 14, 2011 (76 FR 57022). The comment period expired on 
October 31, 2011. The FEIS includes consideration of all comments 
received during the official comment period for the DEIS. The FEIS has 
been distributed to interested parties and responsible government 
agencies.

DATES: NOAA must receive comments on or before January 22, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS described in this notice is available 
upon request to Diana Olinger, Coastal Program Specialist, OCRM/CPD, N/
ORM3, Station 11204, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 
The FEIS can also be viewed on the Internet and downloaded at OCRM's 
Web site: http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/mystate/il.html, or the 
Illinois Department of Natural Resource's Web site: http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/cmp/Pages/documentation.aspx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diana Olinger, Coastal Program 
Specialist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, OCRM/CPD, 
N/ORM3, Station 11204, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 
telephone (301) 563-1149, facsimile (301) 713-4367, email 
[email protected]. NOAA is not required to respond to comments 
received as a result of issuance of the FEIS; however, comments will be 
reviewed and considered for their impact on issuance of the Record of 
Decision (ROD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coastal Zone Management Act authorizes 
the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to review and approve a state's 
coastal management program. This authority has been delegated by the 
Secretary to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS). Illinois has submitted a coastal 
management program to NOAA for approval. The ICMP is the result of 
substantial efforts on the part of Federal, State, and local agencies, 
regional organizations, and public and private entities.
    Upon finding that a state program has satisfied the requirements of 
the CZMA, NOAA is required to prepare a DEIS and an FEIS, in accordance 
with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, as 
amended at 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370h, and regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-
1508. The proposed Federal action is approval of the ICMP. NOAA's 
approval of the ICMP would make Illinois eligible for program 
administration grant funds, would require Federal actions to be 
consistent with the federally-approved program, and would enhance 
governance of Illinois' coastal land and water uses according to 
coastal policies and standards contained in Illinois statutes, 
authorities, and rules.

[[Page 80343]]

    Alternative actions analyzed in the FEIS include:
     Federal Approval--OCRM can issue an approval based on a 
finding that the ICMP meets all requirements of the CZMA and other 
federal statutes (the preferred alternative).
     ``No action''--OCRM can take no action or deny approval 
based on a finding that the ICMP does not meet all requirements of the 
CZMA and/or other federal statutes.
     Delay Federal Approval--OCRM could delay approval if any 
element of the ICMP necessary for program approval is not satisfied and 
require that the ICMP be modified.
    The FEIS analyzes environmental impacts that may result from 
implementation of the preferred and alternative actions.

Decision Process

    The government's decision as to how to proceed will be announced in 
a Record of Decision (ROD) to be issued no earlier than 30 days after 
publication of this Notice of Availability.

    Dated: December 9, 2011.
Donna Wieting,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National 
Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-32898 Filed 12-22-11; 8:45 am]
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