80 FR 10667 - Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program: Finding That Oregon Has Not Submitted a Fully Approvable Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 39 (February 27, 2015)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announce the availability of the federal agencies' finding that Oregon has not submitted a fully approvable Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program that meets the requirements of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA). CZARA directs states and territories with coastal management programs previously approved under Section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act to develop and implement coastal nonpoint pollution control programs which must be submitted to NOAA and EPA for approval.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10667-10668]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-04230]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY


Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program: Finding That Oregon 
Has Not Submitted a Fully Approvable Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control 
Program

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of 
Commerce; Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announce the 
availability of the federal agencies' finding that Oregon has not 
submitted a fully approvable Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program 
that meets the requirements of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization 
Amendments (CZARA). CZARA directs states and territories with coastal 
management programs previously approved under Section 306 of the 
Coastal Zone Management Act to develop and implement coastal nonpoint 
pollution control programs which must be submitted to NOAA and EPA for 
approval.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Castellan, Stewardship 
Division, (N/OCM6), Office for Coastal Management, NOS, NOAA, 1305 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, phone (301) 713-3155, 
x125, email [email protected].

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


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA and EPA (federal agencies) announce the 
availability of the federal agencies' finding that Oregon has not 
submitted a fully approvable coastal nonpoint pollution control program 
(coastal nonpoint program). Section 6217(a) of the Coastal Zone Act 
Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA), 16 U.S.C. 1455b(a), requires that 
each state (or territory) with a coastal management program previously 
approved under section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act must 
prepare and submit to the federal agencies a coastal

[[Page 10668]]

nonpoint program for approval by the federal agencies. State coastal 
nonpoint programs were to be submitted to the federal agencies for 
approval by July 1995, and Oregon submitted its program by that date. 
The federal agencies provided public notice of, and invited public 
comment on, their proposal to approve, with conditions, the Oregon 
program (62 FR 6216). The federal agencies approved the program by 
letter dated January 13, 1998, subject to the conditions specified in 
the letter (63 FR 11655). All of the conditions identified at that time 
must be met for Oregon to have a fully approvable coastal nonpoint 
program. The federal agencies' finding announced in this notice 
addresses only the additional management measures related to forestry, 
which were conditioned in the 1998 approval.
    Prior to making this finding, the federal agencies invited public 
input on the federal agencies' proposed decision and the reasoning for 
such a decision and provided a 90-day public comment period on the 
proposed decision (see December 20, 2013, Federal Register Notice 78 FR 
77104). The federal agencies also announce their publication of a 
response to the comments received regarding the proposed decision.
    Over time, Oregon has made considerable progress in its coastal 
nonpoint program in order to satisfy the conditions the federal 
agencies identified. As explained in the decision document containing 
the rationale for the federal agencies' decision, however, the federal 
agencies find that Oregon has not yet submitted a fully approvable 
program that meets the condition set for developing additional 
management measures for forestry, and consequently, the federal 
agencies find that Oregon has not submitted a program that is 
approvable under CZARA. The decision document describes why Oregon's 
program has not yet satisfied the remaining conditions that relate to 
reducing the adverse effects of certain forestry-related activities on 
Oregon's coastal water quality.
    References: The decision document, response to comments, public 
comments received, and other supporting information used to make the 
finding announced here are available on the NOAA Web site at http://coast.noaa.gov/czm/pollutioncontrol/. Hard copies are available at: 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Oregon Operations Office, 805 SW. 
Broadway, Suite 500, Portland, Oregon 97205, Tom Townsend, phone (503) 
326-3250.

    Dated: February 24, 2015.
W. Russell Callender,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.
Dennis J. McLerran,
Regional Administrator, Region 10, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency.
[FR Doc. 2015-04230 Filed 2-26-15; 8:45 am]
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