2018-27046. Evaluation of State Coastal Management Programs

AGENCY:

Office for Coastal Management (OCM), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION:

Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office for Coastal Management will hold a public meeting to solicit comments on the performance evaluation of the Rhode Island Coastal Management Program.

DATES:

Rhode Island Coastal Management Program Evaluation: The public meeting will be held on February 5, 2019, and written comments must be received on or before February 15, 2019.

For specific dates, times, and locations of the public meetings, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments on the coastal program NOAA intends to evaluate by any of the following methods:

Public Meeting and Oral Comments: A public meeting will be held in Wakefield, Rhode Island. For the specific location, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Written Comments: Please direct written comments to Carrie Hall, Evaluator, Planning and Performance Measurement Program, Office for Coastal Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 11th Floor, N/OCM1, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, or email comments [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Carrie Hall, Evaluator, Planning and Performance Measurement Program, Office for Coastal Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 11th Floor, N/OCM1, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, by phone at [phone] or email comments [e-mail]. Copies of the previous evaluation findings and 2016-2020 Assessment and Strategy may be viewed and downloaded on the internet at http://coast.noaa.gov/​czm/​evaluations. A copy of the evaluation notification letter and most recent progress report may be obtained upon request by contacting the person identified under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 312 of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) requires NOAA to conduct periodic evaluations of federally approved state and territorial coastal programs. The process includes one or more public meetings, consideration of written public comments, and consultations with interested Federal, state, and local agencies and members of the public. During the evaluation, NOAA will consider the extent to which the state has met the national objectives, adhered to the management program approved by the Secretary of Commerce, and adhered to the terms of financial assistance under the CZMA. When the evaluation is completed, NOAA's Office for Coastal Management will place a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Final Evaluation Findings.

You may participate or submit oral comments at the public meeting scheduled as follows:

Date: February 5, 2019.

Time: 6:00 p.m., local time.

Location: Stedman Government Center, Conference Room A, 4808 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, Rhode Island 02879.

Written public comments must be received on or before February 15, 2018.

Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419

Coastal Zone Management Program Administration

Dated November 26, 2018.

Keelin Kuipers,

Deputy Director, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.