01-30789. Evaluation of Coastal Zone Management Programs

AGENCY:

Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), DOC.

ACTION:

Notice of intent to evaluate.

SUMMARY:

The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) announces its intent to evaluate the performance of the Louisiana Coastal Resources Program.

This Coastal Zone Management Program evaluation will be conducted pursuant to section 312 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA), as amended 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 Coastal Zone Management Programs 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 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.

Notice is hereby given of the dates of the site visit for this evaluation, and the dates, local times, and locations of the public meeting during the site visit.

The Louisiana Coastal Resources Program evaluation site visit will be held February 18-22, 2002. One public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be on Wednesday, February 20, 2002, at 7 p.m., in the LaSalle Office Building, 617 North 3rd Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Copies of Louisiana's most recent performance reports, as well as OCRM's notification and supplemental request letters to the State, are available upon request from OCRM. Written comments from interested parties regarding this Program are encouraged and will be accepted until 15 days after the public meeting. Please direct written comments to Douglas Brown, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th floor, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Douglas Brown, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, [phone], Extension 215.

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

Dated: December 6, 2001.

Alan Neuschatz,

Chief Financial Officer/Chief Information Officer for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management.