[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 189 (Thursday, October 1, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50773-50774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23819]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No.: 0909281323-91323-01]
Exception to Final Guidelines for the Coastal and Estuarine Land
Conservation Program
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; exception to final guidelines.
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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National
Ocean Service publishes this notice of exception to the Final
Guidelines for the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program
(CELCP). For those grants issued in fiscal year 2006 that are due to
expire on September 30, 2009, NOAA may extend the financial assistance
award period for up to 6 additional months, providing for a potential
maximum award duration of three years and six months.
DATES: The provisions in this notice are implemented as of September
30, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact:
Elaine Vaudreuil, 301-713-3155 ext. 103, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation
Program was established pursuant to Public Law 107-77 for the purpose
of protecting important coastal and estuarine areas that have
significant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, or
aesthetic values, or that are threatened by conversion from their
natural or recreational state to other uses. In accordance with Public
Law 107-77, CELCP published in the Federal Register on June 17, 2003
(68 FR 35860) program guidelines delineating the criteria for grant
awards. The Final Guidelines for CELCP outline a planning process for
states to identify the conservation needs and priorities within each
state; provide the information necessary for eligible coastal states to
develop land conservation plans and nominate projects to a national
competitive selection process; and delineate the criteria for grant
awards.
In FY 2006, the conference report accompanying the Science, State,
Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006
(Pub. L. 109-108) directed funds for specific land conservation
projects under the CELCP. Consistent with the criteria for grants
awards in the Final Guidelines, the standard financial assistance award
period for these awards is 18 months, which can be extended an
additional 18 months if circumstances warrant, but may not exceed 3
years.
Several FY 2006 awards, whose award period is set to expire on
September 30, 2009, have experienced unforeseen circumstances late in
the process that precluded their completion within the 3-year timeframe
provided in the CELCP Guidelines. In order to ensure that projects can
be completed and funds expended for their intended purpose, NOAA is
extending the maximum potential award duration for those FY 2006 grants
in an open status on September 29, 2009, from three years to three
years and six months, ending no later than March 31, 2010.
Award recipients who wish to avail themselves of the extension to
the award period should contact their Program Officer by September 30,
2009 to inform them of their intent to seek an extension.
This extension applies to only FY 2006 CELCP awards in an open
status on September 29, 2009. This notice does not modify any provision
in the Final Guidelines for the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation
Program published on June 17, 2003.
Classification
Executive Order 12866
This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes
of Executive Order 12866.
[[Page 50774]]
Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)
It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order
13132.
Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act
Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required
by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules
concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5
U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not
required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical
requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)
are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not
been prepared.
September 29, 2009.
John H. Dunnigan,
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management.
[FR Doc. E9-23819 Filed 9-30-09; 8:45 am]
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