(a) Evaluation of adherence with terms of grants
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 1452(2)(A) through (K) of this title, and adhered to the terms of any grant, loan, or cooperative agreement funded under this chapter.
(b) Public participation; notice of meetings; reports
In evaluating a coastal state's performance, the Secretary shall conduct the evaluation in an open and public manner, and provide full opportunity for public participation, including holding public meetings in the State being evaluated and providing opportunities for the submission of written and oral comments by the public. The Secretary shall provide the public with at least 45 days' notice of such public meetings by placing a notice in the Federal Register, by publication of timely notices in newspapers of general circulation within the State being evaluated, and by communications with persons and organizations known to be interested in the evaluation. Each evaluation shall be prepared in report form and shall include written responses to the written comments received during the evaluation process. The final report of the evaluation shall be completed within 120 days after the last public meeting held in the State being evaluated. Copies of the evaluation shall be immediately provided to all persons and organizations participating in the evaluation process.
(c) Suspension of financial assistance for noncompliance; notification of Governor; length of suspension
(1) The Secretary may suspend payment of any portion of financial assistance extended to any coastal state under this chapter, and may withdraw any unexpended portion of such assistance, if the Secretary determines that the coastal state is failing to adhere to (A) the management program or a State plan developed to manage a national estuarine reserve established under section 1461 of this title, or a portion of the program or plan approved by the Secretary, or (B) the terms of any grant or cooperative agreement funded under this chapter.
(2) Financial assistance may not be suspended under paragraph (1) unless the Secretary provides the Governor of the coastal state with—
(A) written specifications and a schedule for the actions that should be taken by the State in order that such suspension of financial assistance may be withdrawn; and
(B) written specifications stating how those funds from the suspended financial assistance shall be expended by the coastal state to take the actions referred to in subparagraph (A).
(3) The suspension of financial assistance may not last for less than 6 months or more than 36 months after the date of suspension.
(d) Withdrawal of approval of program
The Secretary shall withdraw approval of the management program of any coastal state and shall withdraw financial assistance available to that State under this chapter as well as any unexpended portion of such assistance, if the Secretary determines that the coastal state has failed to take the actions referred to in subsection (c)(2)(A).
(e) Notice and hearing
Management program approval and financial assistance may not be withdrawn under subsection (d), unless the Secretary gives the coastal state notice of the proposed withdrawal and an opportunity for a public hearing on the proposed action. Upon the withdrawal of management program approval under this subsection (d), the Secretary shall provide the coastal state with written specifications of the actions that should be taken, or not engaged in, by the state in order that such withdrawal may be canceled by the Secretary.
Amendments
1992—Subsecs. (b), (c)(1). Pub. L. 102–587 substituted "coastal state's" for "coastal State's" in subsec. (b) and "coastal state" for "coastal State" after "any" in subsec. (c)(1).
1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–508, §6216(b), substituted "through (K)" for "through (I)".
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–508, §6212(a), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: "For the purpose of making the evaluation of a coastal state's performance, the Secretary shall conduct public meetings and provide opportunity for oral and written comments by the public. Each such evaluation shall be prepared in report form and the Secretary shall make copies thereof available to the public."
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–508, §6212(b), amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: "The Secretary shall reduce any financial assistance extended to any coastal state under section 1455 of this title (but not below 70 per centum of the amount that would otherwise be available to the coastal state under such section for any year), and withdraw any unexpended portion of such reduction, if the Secretary determines that the coastal state—
"(1) is failing to make significant improvement in achieving the coastal management objectives specified in section 1452(2)(A) through (I) of this title; or
"(2) is failing to make satisfactory progress in providing in its management program for the matters referred to in section 1455(i)(A) and (B) of this title."
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–508, §6212(c), amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: "The Secretary shall withdraw approval of the management program of any coastal state, and shall withdraw any financial assistance available to that state under this chapter as well as any unexpended portion of such assistance, if the Secretary determines that the coastal state is failing to adhere to, is not justified in deviating from (1) the management program approved by the Secretary, or (2) the terms of any grant or cooperative agreement funded under section 1455 of this title, and refuses to remedy the deviation."
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101–508, §6212(d), struck out subsec. (f) which read as follows: "The Secretary shall carry out research on, and offer technical assistance of the coastal states with respect to, those activities, projects, and other relevant matters evaluated under this section that the Secretary considers to offer promise toward improving coastal zone management."
1986—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–272 designated existing provisions relating to failure to achieve objectives specified in section 1452(2)(A) through (I) as par. (1), and added par. (2).
1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–464 substituted provisions relating to continuing review of coastal states performance with respect to coastal management for provisions relating to continuing review of management programs of coastal states, the performance of such states with respect to coastal zone management, and coastal energy impact program.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–464 substituted provisions relating to public meeting and comments for provisions relating to termination of financial assistance.
Subsecs. (c) to (f). Pub. L. 96–464 added subsecs. (c) to (f).
1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–370, §10, designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted "such states with respect to coastal zone management; and" for "each state.", and added par. (2).
Regulations
Pub. L. 96–464, §9(b), Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2066, provided that: "Within two hundred and seventy days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 17, 1980], the Secretary of Commerce shall issue such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to administer section 312 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (as amended by subsection (a) of this section) [this section]."
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