Title 15

SECTION 923.133

923.133 Procedure for conducting continuing reviews of approved State CZM programs.

§ 923.133 Procedure for conducting continuing reviews of approved State CZM programs.

(a) As required by section 312(a), the Secretary shall conduct a continuing review of the performance of coastal States with respect to coastal management. Each review shall include a written evaluation with an assessment and detailed findings concerning the extent to which the State has implemented and enforced the program approved by the Secretary, addressed the coastal management needs identified in section 303(2)(A) through (K), and adhered to the terms of any grant, loan, or cooperative agreement funded under this title (16 U.S.C. 1451-1464).

(b) Continuing review procedures. (1) Each State will submit a financial assistance application or work program, whichever is applicable, on a timetable negotiated with the Assistant Administrator, describing the tasks to be undertaken by the State for the purpose of implementing and enforcing its approved CZM program.

(2) For the purpose of evaluation, the States will submit performance reports as specified in the Special Award Conditions, or, if the State is not receiving an award, as negotiated with the Assistant Administrator. The reports will address all areas identified in each State's Performance Report Guidelines.

(3) The Assistant Administrator will collect information on the State CZM programs on a continuing basis. At the beginning of each evaluation, the Assistant Administrator will analyze available information, identify information gaps, and formulate any additional information needs that will be the subject of a supplemental information request to the State.

(4) The Assistant Administrator may conduct a site visit as a part of the evaluation.

(5) Draft findings of the evaluation will be transmitted to the State. The State will have a minimum of two weeks from receipt of the draft findings to review them and provide comments to the Assistant Administrator. This review time may be extended upon request from the State.

(6) Within two weeks from receipt of the draft findings, a State may request a meeting with the Assistant Administrator to discuss the draft findings and the State's comments.

(7) The Assistant Administrator will issue final findings to the State CZM program manager and the head of the State CZM agency within 120 days of the last public meeting in the State. Copies of the final findings will be sent to all persons and organizations who participated in the evaluation. Participants may be asked to complete a card or sign-in sheet provided by the evaluation team indicating that they wish to receive the final findings. Notice of the availability of the final findings will also be published in the Federal Register.

(8) The final findings will contain a section entitled “Response to Written Comments.” This section will include a summary of all written comments received during the evaluation and NOAA's response to the comments. If appropriate, NOAA's response will indicate whether NOAA agrees or disagrees with the comment and how the comment has been addressed in the final findings.

(9) The Assistant Administrator may conduct issue or problem-specific evaluations between scheduled evaluations of approved State CZM programs. Such issue or problem-specific evaluations will be conducted to follow-up on potentially serious problems or issues identified in the most recent scheduled evaluation or to evaluate evidence of potentially serious problems or issues that may arise during day-to-day monitoring of State performance of grants tasks or other program implementation activities in the interim between scheduled evaluations. If the Assistant Administrator conducts an issue or problem specific evaluation, he/she will comply with the procedures and public participation requirements of §§ 923.133 and 923.134.

(c) Requirements for continuing review of approved State CZM programs - (1) Scope of continuing reviews. The continuing review of a State's approved CZM program will include an evaluation of the extent to which the State has:

(i) Implemented and enforced the program approved by the Secretary;

(ii) Addressed the coastal management needs identified in section 303(2) (A)-(K) (16 U.S.C. 1452); and

(iii) Adhered to the terms of financial assistance awards.

(2) Procedure for assessing adherence to the approved CZM program. (i) In reviewing adherence of a State to its approved CZM program, the Assistant Administrator will evaluate all aspects of the “approved CZM program” as defined in § 923.132(d). The evaluation will examine the extent to which:

(A) The State is implementing and enforcing its approved CZM program;

(B) The management agency is effectively playing a leadership role in coastal issues, monitoring the actions of appropriate State and local agencies for compliance with the approved CZM program, and assuring the opportunity for full participation of all interested entities in CZM program implementation; and

(ii) The findings concerning the State's adherence to its approved CZM program will be used in negotiating the next financial assistance award or work program, whichever is applicable.

(3) Procedure for assessing how the State has addressed the coastal management needs identified in section 303(2) (A)-(K). The assessment of the extent to which the State has addressed the coastal management needs identified in section 303(2) (A)-(K) will occur as follows:

(i) The State, in its performance report, will provide the Assistant Administrator with a listing of all actions it is taking during the performance report period to address the national coastal management needs and how these actions relate to conditions in the State and the objectives and priorities in the State CZM program.

(ii) The Assistant Administrator, in the evaluation findings, will assess the extent to which the State's actions are targeted to meeting identified “needs” and the effectiveness of the actions in addressing those needs. Based on this assessment, the Assistant Administrator will make findings and recommendations of the extent to which each State is addressing the coastal management needs identified in section 303.

(iii) The findings concerning how the State has addressed the coastal management needs of section 303 will be used by the Assistant Administrator in negotiating the next financial assistance award.

(4) Procedure for assessing adherence to the terms of financial assistance awards. (i) Adherence to financial and administrative terms of each financial assistance award will be determined by the NOAA Grants Office and the Department of Commerce Inspector General. Adherence to programmatic terms of each financial assistance award will be determined by the Assistant Administrator and the NOAA Grants Office. These determinations will be made in accordance with the requirements outlined in these regulations, the findings of a financial audit of the award, and the following criteria:

(A) Compliance with the statute, regulations, and applicable OMB circulars;

(B) Submission of required reports and satisfactory completion of work products as described in the approved application and within the timeframe specified;

(D) Use of award funds only for approved projects; and

(E) Substantive modification of approved projects only with the prior agreement of NOAA.

(ii) The findings concerning adherence to the terms of financial assistance awards will be used in negotiating the next financial assistance award, if any.

(d) Requirements for continuing review of State coastal energy impact programs - (1) Scope of continuing reviews. The continuing review of State coastal energy impact programs will include the following elements:

(i) An evaluation of the State's adherence to the terms of financial assistance awards;

(ii) An evaluation of the relationship between coastal energy impact projects and the approved CZM program;

(iii) A description of energy activities in coastal areas and the impact resulting from these activities; and

(iv) An evaluation of the effectiveness of the coastal energy impact program in dealing with these consequences.

(2) Procedure for assessing adherence to the terms of financial assistance awards. See § 923.133(c)(4).

[47 FR 21021, May 17, 1982, as amended at 57 FR 31114, July 14, 1992. Redesignated and amended at 61 FR 33818, June 28, 1996]