96-9859. Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Proposed Texas Coastal Management Program

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 78 (Monday, April 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17688-17689]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9859]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the 
Proposed Texas Coastal Management Program

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is 
hereby giving notice of its intent to prepare a Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS) on its proposed approval of the Texas Coastal 
Management Program (TCMP, or program) under the provisions of Section 
306 of the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, 16 
U.S.C. Sec. 1455. The DEIS is scheduled for publication and release in 
May 1996.
    The proposed Federal approval of the TCMP would make the state 
eligible for program administration and enhancement awards and require 
Federal actions to be consistent with the enforceable policies of the 
State's management program. 16 U.S.C. 1455, 1456. The alternatives to 
approval include delaying approval of the program, or denying approval 
which, in this case, is the no-action alternative.
    The TCMP was developed pursuant to a public notice and comment 
process, including many public meetings that addressed the scope and 
contents of the TCMP. The Program is the culmination of several years 
of development and consists of numerous State policies on diverse 
coastal management issues. An initial document was submitted to NOAA in 
December 1994, but that document was withdrawn for further 
consideration. The Texas legislature

[[Page 17689]]

amended the program and in June 1995 the revised plan was released for 
public comment. Texas considered the comments in the preparation of the 
TCMP program submitted to NOAA in October 1995. Copies of the State's 
October program submittal document are available from NOAA. See address 
below.
    Given the public process used to develop the TCMP, no scoping 
meetings are planned for the development of the DEIS. However, comments 
are solicited regarding the range of alternatives in the DEIS that have 
been identified in this notice. The decision whether to approve, deny 
or delay approval would be based primarily on the extent that the Texas 
Coastal Program satisfies the requirements of Section 306 of the 
Coastal Zone Management Act. Therefore, NOAA also solicits comments on 
the proposed Federal approval of the TCMP and the other alternatives 
under Section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act, particularly with 
respect to the adequacy of the TCMP on the following issues:
    (1) The State's Coastal Zone Boundary;
    (2) The coastal policies in terms of specificity, scope and 
enforceability;
    (3) The scope and geographic coverage of the laws and regulations 
identified in the TCMP to manage impacts on important coastal resources 
such as: wetlands, tidal flats, submerged grasses, beaches and dunes 
and other valuable natural resources;
    (4) The mechanisms for State agency coordination and consultation 
in order to ensure compliance with the State's coastal policies and 
effective implementation of the TCMP;
    (5) The consideration of the national interest in, the need for, 
and management of, oil and gas and other energy related facilities and 
activities, ports, navigation projects, major water dependent 
activities and other activities of national interest; and
    (6) The enhancement, coordination and simplification of State and 
local governmental decision making;

DATES: Individuals or organizations wishing to submit comments on the 
range of alternatives, the underlying issues for decision, or other 
issues should do so by May 22, 1996. Any comments received after that 
date will be included with the comments received on the DEIS and 
accordingly made part of the record. The dates for public meetings on 
the DEIS will be the subject of a subsequent notice.

ADDRESSES: Requests for the above described documents and all comments 
should be made to:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service,
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management,
Coastal Programs Division, Gulf/Caribbean Region
1305 East-West Highway (N/ORM3)
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Attention: Bill O'Beirne

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill O'Beirne at tel. [phone] 
x160; fax [phone]; internet [[e-mail]].

    Dated: April 16, 1996.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419 Coastal Zone Management 
Program Administration)
David L. Evans,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal 
Zone Management.
[FR Doc. 96-9859 Filed 4-19-96; 8:45 am]
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