Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program; Proposed Findings Document, Environmental Assessment, and Finding of No Significant Impact

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program; Proposed Findings

Document, Environmental Assessment, and Finding of No Significant

Impact

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S.

Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of Extension of Comment Period for Proposed Findings

Document, Environmental Assessment, and Finding of No Significant

Impact on Approval of the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program

for Louisiana.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the extension of the comment period

on the Proposed Findings Document, Environmental Assessment (EA), and

Finding of No Significant Impact on the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution

Control Program (coastal nonpoint program) submitted to the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval by the State of

Louisiana. A Notice of Availability was published at 62 FR 38520 on

July 18, 1997. Comments were due by August 18, 1997. The Findings

document was prepared by NOAA and EPA to provide the rationale for the

agencies' decision to approve the Louisiana coastal nonpoint program.

The EA was prepared by NOAA, pursuant to the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. sections 4321 et seq., to assess the

environmental impacts associated with the approval of the Louisiana

coastal nonpoint program.

NOAA and EPA have proposed to approve, with conditions, the coastal

nonpoint pollution control program submitted by Louisiana. The

requirements of 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508 (Council on Environmental

Quality (CEQ) regulations to implement the National Environmental

Policy Act) apply to the preparation of Environmental Assessments.

Specifically, 40 CFR section 1506.6 requires agencies to provide public

notice of the availability of environmental documents. This notice is

part of NOAA's action to comply with this requirement.

Copies of the Proposed Findings Document, Environmental Assessment,

and Finding of No Significant Impact may be obtained upon request from:

Joseph P. Flanagan, Coastal Program Division (N/ORM3), Office of Ocean

and Coastal Resource Management, NOS, NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway,

Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910, tel. (301) 713-3121, x201.

DATES: Individuals or organizations wishing to submit comments on the

Proposed Findings or Environmental Assessment should do so by October

20, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be made to: Joseph A. Uravitch, 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, x195. (Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog

11.419 Coastal Zone Management Program Administration.

Dated: August 1997.

Nancy Foster,

Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management,

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Robert H. Wayland, III,

Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Environmental

Protection Agency.

[FR Doc. 97-23615 Filed 9-4-97; 8:45 am]

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