Evaluation of State Coastal Management Programs and National Estuarine Research Reserves, 30357 [E7-10486]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 104 (Thursday, May 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 30357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10486]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Guana 
Tolomato Matanzas (Florida) National Estuarine Research Reserve, the 
San Francisco Bay (California) National Estuarine Research Reserve, the 
Jacques Cousteau (New Jersey) National Estuarine Research Reserve, the 
Maryland Coastal Management Program, and the Florida Coastal Management 
Program.
    The Coastal Zone Management Program evaluations 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 evaluations 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.
    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 each 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 Guana Tolomato Matanzas (Florida) National 
Estuarine Research Reserve evaluation site visit will be held July 17-
19, 2007. One public meeting will be held during the week. The public 
meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 18, 2007, at 6 p.m. at the 
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve 
Environmental Education Center, 505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra 
Beach, Florida.
    The San Francisco Bay (California) National Estuarine Research 
Reserve evaluation site visit will be held August 27-30, 2007. One 
public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be 
held on Tuesday, August 28, 2007, at 7 p.m. at the Farallon Room, 
Aquarium of the Bay, Pier 39, The Embarcadero at Beach Street, San 
Francisco, California.
    The Jacques Cousteau (New Jersey) National Estuarine Research 
Reserve evaluation site visit will be held September 11-13, 2007. One 
public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be 
held on Wednesday, September 12, 2007, at 7 p.m. at the Jacques 
Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve Coastal Education Center, 
130 Great Bay Boulevard, Tuckerton, New Jersey.
    The Maryland Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will 
be held September 10-14, 2007. One public meeting will be held during 
the week. The public meeting will be held on Monday, September 10, 
2007, at 6:30 p.m. at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 
Tawes State Office Building, C-1 Conference Room, 580 Taylor Avenue, 
Annapolis Maryland.
    The Florida Coastal Management Program evaluation site visit will 
be held September 17-21, 2007. One public meeting will be held during 
the week. The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 18, 
2007, at 6:30 p.m. at the Florida Department of Environmental 
Protection, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Building, Conference Room A, 3900 
Commonwealth Boulevard, Tallahassee, Florida.

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 public meeting 
held for a 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 Virginia, Georgia, 
Connecticut, Oregon, Texas, and New Hampshire coastal management 
programs. Section 312 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 
(CZMA), as amended, requires a continuing review of the performance of 
coastal states with respect to approval of CMPs. The states of 
Virginia, Georgia, Connecticut, Oregon, Texas, and New Hampshire 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.
    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 Ralph.Cantral@noaa.gov.

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.

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

    Dated: May 24, 2007.
David M. Kennedy,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National 
Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
 [FR Doc. E7-10486 Filed 5-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P