[Federal Register: June 4, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 107)]
[Notices]               
[Page 38471-38472]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04jn02-42]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

 
Ohio and Georgia Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs: 
Conditional Approvals, Final Findings Documents and Records of Decision

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce (NOAA) and Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA).

ACTION: Notice of conditional approval of Coastal Nonpoint Pollution 
Control Programs and availability of Final Findings Documents and 
Records of Decision for Ohio and Georgia.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the conditional approval of the 
Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs (coastal nonpoint programs) 
and of the availability of the Final Findings Documents and Records of 
Decision for Ohio and Georgia. Section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act 
Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) requires States and Territories with 
coastal zone management programs that have received approval under 
section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act to develop and implement 
coastal nonpoint programs.
    NOAA and EPA have approved, with conditions, the coastal nonpoint 
programs submitted by Ohio and Georgia. In order to receive final 
approval of their programs, Ohio and Georgia will need to meet the 
conditions within the associated timeframes as indicated in the Final 
Findings Documents.

DATES: The conditional approval of the coastal nonpoint pollution 
control programs for Ohio and Georgia is effective upon the date of 
publication of this Notice in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final Findings Documents and Records of 
Decision may be obtained upon request from:

[[Page 38472]]

John King, Acting Chief, Coastal Programs Division (N/ORM3), Office of 
Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS, NOAA, 1305 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910, tel. 301-713-3155 extension 
195, e-mail john.king@noaa.gov; or on the internet at: http://
www.ocrm.nos.noaa.gov/czm/6217/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Rilling, NOAA, 301-713-3155 
(x198); or Stacie Craddock, EPA, 202-566-1204.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA and EPA have prepared a Findings 
Document for each coastal nonpoint program submitted for approval. The 
Findings Documents were prepared by NOAA and EPA to provide the 
rationale for the agencies' decision to apporove each State and 
Territory coastal nonpoint program. Proposed Findings Documents, 
Environmental Assessments, and Findings of No Significant Impact 
prepared for the coastal nonpoint programs submitted by Ohio and 
Georgia were made available for public comment in the Federal Register 
on September 28, 2001 (66 FR 49643). No public comments were received 
on the programs.
    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
NOAA has also prepared a Record of Decision on each program. The Record 
of Decision: (1) States what the decision was; (2) identifies all 
alternatives considered, specifying the alternative considered to be 
environmentally preferable; and (3) states whether all practicable 
means to avoid or minimize environmental harm from the alternative 
selected have been adopted.
    In March 1996, NOAA published a programmatic environmental impact 
statement (PEIS) that assessed the environmental impacts associated 
with the approval of State and Territory coastal nonpoint programs. The 
PEIS forms the basis for the environmental assessments NOAA has 
prepared for each State and Territorial coastal nonpoint program 
submitted to NOAA and EPA for approval. In the PEIS, NOAA determined 
that the approval and conditional approval of coastal nonpoint programs 
will not result in any significant adverse environmental impacts and 
that these actions will have an overall beneficial effect on the 
environment. Because the PEIS served only as a ``framework for 
decision'' on individual State and Territorial coastal nonpoint 
programs, and no actual decision was made following its publication, 
NOAA has prepared a NEPA Record of Decision on each individual State 
and Territorial program submitted for review.

    Dated: May 28, 2002.
Margaret A. Davidson,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Diane C. Regas,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Office of Water, Environmental 
Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 02-13911 Filed 6-3-02; 8:45 am]
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