[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77104-77105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30297]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY


Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program: Intent To Find That 
Oregon Has Failed To Submit an Approvable Coastal Nonpoint Pollution 
Control Program

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of intent to find that Oregon has failed to submit an 
approvable coastal nonpoint program.

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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invite public comment on 
the intent of the two agencies to find that Oregon has failed to submit 
an approvable Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program. The Coastal 
Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) directs states and 
territories with coastal zone management programs previously approved 
under Section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act to develop and 
implement coastal nonpoint programs, which must be submitted to NOAA 
and EPA for approval. Prior to making such a finding, NOAA and EPA 
invite public input on the two federal agencies' reasoning particularly 
because, among other things, a finding that a state has failed to 
submit an approvable program would lead to adverse financial 
consequences for the State in terms of federal grant funding.

DATES: Individuals or organizations wishing to submit comments on the 
draft findings document should do so by March 20, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be made to: Joelle Gore, Acting Chief, 
Coastal Programs Division (N/ORM3), Office of Ocean and Coastal 
Resource Management, NOS, NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, 
Maryland, 20910, phone (301) 713-3155, x177, email 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Castellan, Coastal Programs 
Division, (N/ORM3), Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, 
NOS, NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910, 
phone (301) 713-3155, x125, email [email protected].

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419 Coastal Zone Management 
Program Administration)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA and EPA (federal agencies) propose to 
find, and invite public comment on the proposed findings, that Oregon 
has failed to submit an approvable coastal nonpoint program. Section 
6217(a) of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA), 16 
U.S.C. section 1455b(a), requires that each state (or territory) with a 
coastal zone management program previously approved under section 306 
of the Coastal Zone Management Act must prepare and submit to the 
federal agencies a coastal nonpoint pollution control program for 
approval. Coastal nonpoint pollution control programs were to be 
submitted for approval by July 1995. Oregon submitted its program to 
the federal agencies for approval. The federal agencies provided public 
notice of and invited public comment on their proposal to approve, with 
conditions, the Oregon program (62 FR 6216). The federal agencies 
approved the program by letter dated January 13, 1998, subject to the 
conditions specified in the letter (63 FR 11655).
    Over time, Oregon made incremental changes to its program in order 
to satisfy the identified conditions. As explained in the proposed 
findings document, however, the federal agencies propose to find that 
the State has not yet submitted an approvable program to meet the full 
range of conditions and the federal agencies intend to find that the 
State has failed to submit a program that is approvable under CZARA. 
The proposed findings document describes why the State program has not 
yet satisfied three of the remaining conditions that relate to 
controlling adverse water quality impacts from forestry, new 
development, and onsite sewage disposal systems. The federal agencies 
also invite public comment on whether the State program includes 
agricultural management measures necessary to achieve and maintain 
water quality standards as provided in CZARA section 6217(b)(3), 16 
U.S.C. section 1455b(b)(3).
    The federal agencies have not, in the past, found that a state has 
failed to submit an approvable program under CZARA. The proposed 
findings document that would support a final determination by each 
federal agency of a failure is available for a 90-day public comment 
period. The proposed findings document and supporting information used 
to make this decision is available for download on the NOAA Web site at 
http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/czm/6217/findings.html. Hard copies

[[Page 77105]]

will be available at: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Oregon 
Operations Office, 805 SW Broadway, Suite 500, Portland, Oregon, 97205, 
Tom Townsend, phone (503) 326-3250.

    Dated: December 13, 2013.
Holly A. Bamford,
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.
Nancy K. Stoner,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, Environmental 
Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 2013-30297 Filed 12-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P