```

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 218 (Friday, November 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69399-69400]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28436]

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

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 
Louisiana Coastal Resources Management Program and the Jobos Bay 
(Puerto Rico), Rookery Bay (Florida), and Chesapeake Bay (Maryland) 
National Estuarine Research Reserves.
    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 CZMA 
requires continuing review of the performance of states with respect to 
coastal program implementation. Evaluation of a Coastal Management 
Program requires findings concerning the extent to which a state has 
met the national objectives, adhered to its Coastal Management Program 
document approved by the Secretary of Commerce, and adhered to the 
terms of financial assistance awards funded under the CZMA.
    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. Evaluation of a 
National Estuarine Research Reserve requires findings concerning the 
extent to which a state has met the national objectives, adhered to its 
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 the site visit. When the evaluation is completed, OCRM will 
place a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of 
the Final Evaluation Findings. 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 Louisiana Coastal Resources Management Program 
evaluation site visit will be held January 3-7, 2011. One public 
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held 
on Monday, January 3, 2011, at 6:30 p.m. in the Griffon Room, LaSalle 
Building, Capitol Complex, 617 North 3rd Street, Baton Rouge, 
Louisiana.
    The Jobos Bay (Puerto Rico) National Estuarine Research Reserve 
evaluation site visit will be held January 24-28, 2011. One public 
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held 
on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 5 p.m. at the Jobos Bay National 
Estuarine Research Reserve Visitors' Center, Road 705, Kilometer 2.3, 
Main Street, Aguirre, Puerto Rico.
    The Rookery Bay (Florida) National Estuarine Research Reserve 
evaluation site visit will be held January 24-28, 2011. One public 
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held 
on Wednesday, January 26, 2011, at 6:30 p.m. at the Rookery Bay 
National Estuarine Research Reserve Environmental Learning Center, 300 
Tower Road, Naples, Florida.
    The Chesapeake Bay (Maryland) National Estuarine Research Reserve 
evaluation site visit will be held January 24-28, 2011. One public 
meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held 
on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 7 p.m. at the McCann Center, Jug Bay 
Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton Road, Lothian Maryland.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the states' most recent performance reports, as 
well as OCRM's evaluation notification and supplemental information 
request letters to the state, 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 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].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given of the availability 
of the final evaluation findings for the Rhode Island Coastal 
Management Program (CMP) and the Tijuana River (California), Padilla 
Bay (Washington), and North Carolina National Estuarine Research 
Reserves (NERRs). 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 State of Rhode Island was found to be implementing and 
enforcing its federally approved coastal management program, addressing 
the national coastal management objectives identified in CZMA Section 
303(2)(A)-(K), and adhering to the programmatic terms of its financial 
assistance awards. The Tijuana River, Padilla Bay, and North Carolina 
NERRs were 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

[[Page 69400]]

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 1, 2010.
Donna Wieting,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National 
Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-28436 Filed 11-10-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P
```