Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP) correspondence that may be of interest to our network partners or the interested public are listed below. These letters include important responses to federal agencies and contain federal consistency decisions or comments on proposed actions that have been published in the Federal Register. The Federal Register is the federal government's public notice platform for upcoming actions it's planning to take. The OCMP monitors the Federal Register and responds when actions impact important coastal uses or resources.
The letters posted here are exclusively from the OCMP Program Manager, the DLCD's Director's office, letters written jointly with other state agencies, and in some instances the Governor's office.
Letters
Governor Brown Response to Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, March 2018
In early 2018, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) provided an opportunity for states to comment on the development of the U.S. Department of Interior's five-year National Draft Proposed Program for Oil and Gas Leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf for 2019-2024. In February 2018, the State or Oregon provided a short letter stating a detailed set of comments was forthcoming. In March, a comprehensive 35-page letter was provided to BOEM that contained comments from each affected state agency, including DLCD.
Federal Consistency Decision for EPA Proposed NPDES GP (WAG520000), September 2017
In early 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency draft a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System General Permit for point-source seafood waste discharge for the offshore seafood whiting (hake) industry. The proposed General Permit went through federal consistency review during the summer of 2017 and the decision, a concurrence with conditions, was issued in September 2017. See also the comments that DLCD, ODFW, and DEQ submitted for consideration during the federal public comment period: EPA Proposed Draft NPDES General Permit (WAG520000), August 2017.
Governor Brown Response to Oil and Gas Leasing Letter, August 2017
In late, 2017, the federal government announced new areas for potential leasing for oil and gas exploration and drilling off the coast of Oregon. Oregon has a statute of prohibition for oil and gas leasing within the Territorial Sea, however oil and gas leasing could occur outside of the Territorial Sea. With OCMP's input, the Governor's office, responded to the federal public comment period.
Tri-state West Coast Governors Comment to Federal Consistency Proposed Rulemaking April 2019
Attorney Generals Comments to Federal Consistency Proposed Rulemaking April 2019
Oregon Coastal Management Program Comment to Federal Consistency Rulemaking April 2019
In March 2019, NOAA published an Advance Notice for Proposed Rulemaking that stated the agency's intention to open the federal regulation governing the federal consistency review process to increase efficiency and predictability for the regulated community and industry. In April 2019, three comment letters were submitted to NOAA from the Coastal Program, Oregon's Attorney General, and Governor Kate Brown relaying concerns about the proposed rulemaking.