15 C.F.R. Subpart F—Consistency for Federal Assistance to State and Local Governments
Title 15 - Commerce and Foreign Trade
The provisions of this subpart are intended to ensure that federal assistance to applicant agencies for activities affecting any coastal use or resource is granted only when such activities are consistent with approved management programs. The provisions of subpart I of this part are intended to supplement the provisions of this subpart for federal assistance activities having interstate coastal effects. The term “federal assistance” means assistance provided under a federal program to an applicant agency through grant or contractual arrangements, loans, subsidies, guarantees, insurance, or other form of financial aid. The term “applicant agency” means any unit of State or local government, or any related public entity such as a special purpose district, which, following management program approval, submits an application for federal assistance. The term “intergovernmental review process” describes the procedures established by States pursuant to E.O. 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,” and implementing regulations of the review of federal financial assistance to applicant agencies. (a) States with approved management programs should review applications from applicant agencies for federal assistance in accordance with E.O. 12372 and implementing regulations. (b) The applicant agency shall submit an application for federal assistance to the State agency for consistency review, through the intergovernmental review process or by direct submission to the State agency, for any proposed federal assistance activity that is listed in the management program as a type of activity that will have a reasonably foreseeable effect on any coastal use or resource and occurring within the coastal zone (see §930.95(a)) or within a described geographic area outside of the coastal zone (see §930.95(b)). (c) Applicant agency evaluation. The applicant agency shall provide to the State agency, in addition to the federal application, a brief evaluation on the relationship of the proposed activity and any reasonably foreseeable coastal effects to the enforceable policies of the management program. (a) State agencies should include within the management program a listing of specific types of federal assistance programs subject to a consistency review. Such a listing, and any amendments, will require prior State agency consultation with affected Federal agencies and approval by the Director as a program change. (b) In the event the State agency chooses to review applications for federal assistance activities outside of the coastal zone but with reasonably foreseeable coastal effects, the State agency shall develop a federal assistance provision within the management program generally describing the geographic area (e.g., coastal floodplains) within which federal assistance activities will be subject to review. This provision, and any refinements, will require prior State agency consultation with affected Federal agencies and approval by the Director as a program change. Listed activities may have different geographic location descriptions, depending on the nature of the activity and its effects on any coastal use or resource. For example, the geographic location for activities affecting water resources or uses could be described by shared water bodies, river basins, boundaries defined under the coastal nonpoint pollution control program, or other ecologically identifiable areas. (c) The State agency shall provide copies of any federal assistance list or geographic provision, and any refinements, to Federal agencies and units of applicant agencies empowered to undertake federally assisted activities within the coastal zone or described geographic area. (d) For review of unlisted federal assistance activities, the State agency shall follow the same procedures as it would follow for review of listed federal assistance activities outside of the coastal zone or the described geographic area. (See §930.98.) (a)(1) If the State agency does not object to the proposed activity, the Federal agency may grant the federal assistance to the applicant agency. Notwithstanding State agency consistency approval for the proposed project, the Federal agency may deny assistance to the applicant agency. Federal agencies should not delay processing (so long as they do not approve) applications pending receipt of a State agency approval or objection. In the event a Federal agency determines that an application will not be approved, it shall immediately notify the applicant agency and the State agency. (2) During the period when the State agency is reviewing the activity, the applicant agency and the State agency should attempt, if necessary, to agree upon conditions which, if met by the applicant agency, would permit State agency approval. The parties shall also consult with the Federal agency responsible for providing the federal assistance to ensure that proposed conditions satisfy federal requirements as well as management program requirements. (b) If the State agency objects to the proposed project, the State agency shall notify the applicant agency, Federal agency and the Director of the objection pursuant to §930.63. Following receipt of a State agency objection, the Federal agency shall not approve assistance for the activity except as provided in subpart H of this part. State agencies should monitor proposed federal assistance activities outside of the coastal zone or the described geographic area (e.g., by use of the intergovernmental review process, review of NEPA documents, In the event of a serious disagreement between a Federal agency and the State agency regarding whether a federal assistance activity is subject to the consistency requirement either party may request the OCRM mediation or Secretarial mediation services provided for in subpart G of this part. The existence of a serious disagreement will not relieve the Federal agency from the responsibility for withholding federal assistance for the activity pending satisfaction of the requirements of this subpart, except in cases where the Director has disapproved a State agency decision to review an activity. (a) Federal and State agencies shall cooperate in their efforts to monitor federal assistance activities in order to make certain that such activities continue to conform to both federal and State requirements. (b) The State agency shall notify the relevant Federal agency representative for the area involved of any federal assistance activity which the State agency claims was: (1) Previously determined to be consistent with the management program, but which the State agency later maintains is being conducted or is having an effect on any coastal use or resource substantially different than originally described and, as a result, is no longer consistent with the management program, or (2) Previously determined not to be a project affecting any coastal use or resource, but which the State agency later maintains is being conducted or is having an effect on any coastal use or resource substantially different than originally described and, as a result the project affects a coastal use or resource in a manner inconsistent with the management program. (c) The State agency notification shall include: (1) A description of the activity involved and the alleged lack of compliance with the management program; (2) supporting information; and (3) a request for appropriate remedial action. A copy of the request shall be sent to the applicant agency and the Director. (d) If, after 30 days following a request for remedial action, the State agency still maintains that the applicant agency is failing to comply substantially with the management program, the State agency may file a written objection with the Director. If the Director finds that the applicant agency is conducting an activity that is substantially different from the approved activity, the State agency may reinitiate its review of the activity, or the applicant agency may conduct the activity as it was originally approved. (e) An applicant agency shall be found to be conducting an activity substantially different from the approved activity if the State agency claims and the Director finds that the activity affects any coastal use or resource substantially different than originally determined by the State agency and, as a result, the activity is no longer being conducted in a manner consistent with the management program. The Director may make a finding that an applicant agency is conducting an activity substantially different from the approved activity only after providing a reasonable opportunity for the applicant agency and the Federal agency to review the State agency's objection and to submit comments for the Director's consideration. (a) For federal assistance activities that were previously determined by the State agency to be consistent with the management program, but which have not yet begun, the applicant agency shall further coordinate with the State agency if the proposed activity will affect any coastal use or resource substantially different than originally described. Substantially different coastal effects are reasonably foreseeable if: (1) The applicant agency makes substantial changes in the proposed activity that are relevant to management program enforceable policies; or (2) There are significant new circumstances or information relevant to the proposed activity and the proposed activity's effect on any coastal use or resource. (3) Substantial changes were made to the activity during the period of the State agency's initial review and the State agency did not receive notice of the substantial changes during its review period, and these changes are relevant to management program enforceable policies and/or affect coastal uses or resources. (b) The State agency may notify the applicant agency, the Federal agency and the Director of proposed activities which the State agency believes should be subject to supplemental coordination. The State agency's notification shall include information supporting a finding of substantially different coastal effects than originally described and the relevant enforceable policies, and may recommend modifications to the proposed activity (if any) that would allow the applicant agency to implement the proposed activity consistent with the management program. State agency notification under paragraph (b) of this section does not remove the requirement under paragraph (a) of this section for applicant agencies to notify State agencies. [65 FR 77154, Dec. 8, 2000, as amended at 71 FR 829, Jan. 5, 2006]
Title 15: Commerce and Foreign Trade
PART 930—FEDERAL CONSISTENCY WITH APPROVED COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
Subpart F—Consistency for Federal Assistance to State and Local Governments
§ 930.90 Objectives.
§ 930.91 Federal assistance.
§ 930.92 Applicant agency.
§ 930.93 Intergovernmental review process.
§ 930.94 State review process for consistency.
§ 930.95 Guidance provided by the State agency.
§ 930.96 Consistency review.
§ 930.97 Federal assisting agency responsibility.
§ 930.98 Federally assisted activities outside of the coastal zone or the described geographic area.
§ 930.99 Availability of mediation for federal assistance disputes.
§ 930.100 Remedial action for previously reviewed activities.
§ 930.101 Supplemental coordination for proposed activities.
