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Question 2: The Subcommittee is considering including a 

 provision in the reauthorization which would extend the deadline 

 for states without approved Coastal Zone Management Plans to 

 submit non-point pollution control programs. This would allow 

 states like Texas, which are currently trying to get into the 

 program, the time they need to develop a plan without penalizing 

 them for trying. Would NOAA support this provision? 



Answer: Section 3 05 of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) 

 provides for two years of development funds to states to develop 

 a coastal zone management program. After two years, if a state 

 has not submitted an approvable program, funding is the state's 

 responsibility to continue program development. 



NOAA recognizes that two years is a very short amount of time to 

 develop a coastal zone management program with all its necessary 

 elements. NOAA would consider relief from this two-year 

 limitation to allow the states, which have made substantial 

 progress toward completing their coastal zone management 

 programs, additional time to complete program development. 



The concurrent development of a coastal nonpoint program presents 

 a challenge to states developing coastal zone management 

 programs. The fact that section 305 states are not authorized to 

 receive section 6217 funds for the development of coastal 

 nonpoint programs limits the ability of such states to produce 

 both a coastal zone management program and a coastal nonpoint 

 program within the limited time frame. NOAA looks forward to 

 discussing with Congress ways of addressing the statutory problem 

 creating this inequity. 



Question 3: The NOAA authorization act calls for the 

 establishment of a joint NOAA-EPA coastal monitoring program. 

 What is the status of this progrzun? 



Answer: The NOAA authorization act for FY 1992 amended the 

 Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 by 

 adding a new title. Title V — National Coastal Monitoring Act. 

 This amendment requires that the Under Secretary for NOAA and the 

 Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency jointly 

 develop and implement a comprehensive program for consistent 

 monitoring of the Nation's coastal ecosystems and for assessing 

 and monitoring high priority coastal waters to enhance the 

 ability of Federal, state, and local authorities to carry out 

 effective remedial programs for these waters. 



This program is mandated to review and evaluate scientifically 

 valid methods for monitoring environmental quality, to identify 

 uniform indicators of coastal environmental quality, and to 

 establish a coastal environmental monitoring information system. 



