Coastal management program contact: Henry G. Williams Jr., Director, Division of State Planning, Dept. of State, 162 Washington Ave., Albany NY 12231. (518) 474-7210, 8834. OTHER MAJOR PARTICIPATING AGENCIES: Dept. of Environmental Conservation; Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board; St. Lawrence-Eastern Ontario Commission; various local and regional bodies. Total Plan Development Allocation (through June 1976): $2,554,500 AUTHORITY: A reorganization of certain functions of state government in 1975 resulted in the statutory designation of the Dept. of State as the agency responsible for administering the state's coastal zone manageLent program. The Division of State Planning in the Dept of State has the responsibility of carrying out the program. In addition, the Dept. of Environmental Conservation administers several programs relating to the state's coastal resources including identification and regulation of tidal and freshwater wetlands, shellfish protection, fish and wildlife management, beach erosion control and regulation of certain dredge and fill activities. These activities are being conducted in cooperation with the state's coastal program development effort. The DEC staff also is performing other program development tasks under contract with the Dept. of State. The Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board has been engaged in coastal resources planning for many years and has substantial planning and review authority. Long Island Sound was the subject of a federallyfunded study which produced certain useful information. The St. Lawrence-Eastern Ontario Commission is a state agency that has the statutory responsibility to prepare a comprehensive development plan and review projects within its service area, which includes 25 shoreline municipalities in the counties of St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Oswego and Cayuga, This plan must be submitted to the governor and the legislature by March 31, 1977. The St. LawrenceEastern Ontario Commission's activities are being conducted in a manner that is complementary and consistent with the state's coastal zone program development strategy, and the commission has a contractual relationship with the Dept. of State to perform designated tasks. The state maintains a computerized land and water related inforration system and many agencies have functions relating to the coastal zone. These activities are being coordinated through a state Interagency Planning Advisory Committee. The state also works closely with and provides financial support to such bodies as the New England River Basins Commission and the Great Lakes Basin Commission. On November 1, 1974, the first federal Section 305 program de The state anticipates that it will enter the Section 306 implementation phase early in 1978 with a segmented approach beginning with Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk counties. That effort will be followed closely by submission of a coastal management plan for the St. Lawrence-Eastern Ontario coastal segment. The remainder of the state's coastal area will be included in the third and final segmented portion of its comprehensive coastal management plan. PRIORITY ISSUES: The following priority needs are identified by New York. *To delimit the statewide coastal zone. *To establish an effective line of communication with federal agencies for the purpose of ensuring state/federal coordination on coastal matters. *To set up a statewide citizens committee that represents a cross section of coastal zone interest groups and that participates in the development of the New York coastal zone management program. *To obtain the active participation of substate agencies throughout the state coastal zone. *To identify, evaluate and describe geographical areas of particular concern. *To describe and evaluate existing land and water uses. *To determine permissible and conflicting uses of land and water in the coastal zone. *To design a methodology for equitably administering permissible uses in the coastal zone. *To increase the staff of the New York coastal management program. *To identify and evaluate the various local, state and federal laws and regulations governing the coastal areas. *To refine the various regulations and legislation in the coastal zone to eliminate overlapping authorities, to include the necessary legislation and to simplify both the citizens' use of and the administration of the coastal zone. OBJECTIVES OF COASTAL PROGRAM: New York intends to carry out the above-mentioned priority tasks and to satisfy other coastal management program development requirements by working with local governments, regional, state and federal agencies and public parties having interests in the coastal zone. CURRENT STATUS: Having regained the momentum lost during a reorganization of state government that necessitated an extension of the first year's grant, the New York coastal management program is accelerating its efforts to formulate a statewide management structure and to fulfill program requirements so it can apply for management program approval on a segmented basis. During the first year, the state completed its inventory and analysis of tidal wetlands; initiated mapping of freshwater wetlands; developed procedures to identify areas of particular concern; formulated goals and objectives; specified factors that will be used in the delineation of coastal boundaries; and began to organize public participation and intergovernmental coordination procedures. based upon the belief that the management program must be the product of a high degree of intergovernmental and citizen involvement. A significant portion of program development grants are being suballocated to local governments to aid and encourage their participation, and a statewide citizens' involvement procedure is being set up. OCS oil and gas development study With state and federal funds committed under the Coastal Zone Management Act, New York is planning for the physical, social and economic onshore changes that could occur as a result of oil and gas leasing implementation and production on the outer continental shelf. Focus will be on the areas most susceptible to offshore operations: New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland. The state will identify probable benefits of offshore production on the economy; analyze need for support services; determine nature of and best place to locate onshore support facilities; evaluate effects of offshore production on state and local revenues; survey activities originating outside the state that could affect areas within it; identify critical natural resources that are vulnerable to spilled oil; and assess factors contributing to oil spills. Existing laws will be evaluated and legislation recommended where necessary. A portion of the funds may be allocated to interstate agencies to develop a work program for each of the proposed OCS leasing areas Georges Bank and the Baltimore Canyon. The findings of the studies will be integrated into the development of the state's coastal zone management program. - Boundary identification For planning purposes, the state has identified 28 coastal counties. Along the Great Lakes, the planning area extends from Chautauqua County on Lake Erie to Franklin County on the St. Lawrence River. The marine coastal area includes Long Island and the coastal counties along the Hudson River up to and including Albany and Rensselaer counties. Initial input on delineation of management boundaries is with local governments acting through counties or regional planning agencies according to broad state guidelines. Alternative boundaries have been suggested on maps by several sub-state agencies and boundaries may be modified based on ongoing inventory and public participation. Definition of permissible land and water uses Identification of potential development areas and possible conflicts between ecologic and economic considerations is based upon field surveys, mapping, interviews and questionnaires. The City of Rochester's Port & Estuary Plan, the Basin Water Quality Plans for the 11 water quality planning areas in New York's coastal area and studies of water supply needs and problems for regional segments of the coastal area are being used. This ongoing effort is managed by the DEC, although increased emphasis is being placed on participation of regional and local agencies under supervision of the Dept. of State. During the second year, pilot demonstration studies will be analyses of existing development and waterfront usage; categorization of segments of the shoreline as to priority of uses; analysis of land and resource capacities and potentials; and related activities such as the development of alternative strategies. Analysis of requirements for regional facilities within the state also will be conducted. Identification of geographic areas of particular concern This effort has involved extensive mapping, including mapping of a number of sample critical areas, review of existing materials and studies and preparation of draft guidelines by the state. Mapping of Long Island, Hudson River and New York City tidal wetlands is completed. Inventory mapping of significant fish and wildlife habitats for that area also is completed. Mapping of freshwater wetlands in coastal counties is continuing. A flood plain management report delineated flooding and erosion problems, with particular emphasis on the New York City-Long Island area. Ongoing efforts aimed at enabling designation of geographic areas of particular concern include development of preliminary management techniques for erosion damage reduction for the north shore of Long Island and the Great Lakes coastal area. Field studies will be expanded to cover scenic and aesthetic areas and shoreland deposits. Finally, areas will be designated and categorized in order of relative priority for preservation or restoration. Public and governmental involvement An "outreach and feedback" program will enable the state to meet with citizens, governmental advisory committees and others having interests in the coastal zone. Regional planning commissions have established citizen and technical advisory groups that work in combination or coordination with groups concerned with areawide water quality management programs or other federal planning programs. Formal public hearings will begin in the third year of program development. Various methods of public communications will be used. A statewide intergovernmental coordination and public involvement process has been set up to advise the Secretary of State on the the conduct of the program. This includes the following: state coastal zone management citizens advisory committee; state interagency planning advisory committee; local elected officials panel; federal agencies coastal zone management panel. In addition, a coastal zone management energy advisory panel is being organized. A substate coordination structure also has been worked out and provides for a citizens advisory body, substate technical advisory group and local elected officials involvement in each county or regional agency. The state has encouraged individual discussions among public officials, workshop sessions with governmental groups at all levels and intergovernmental review and comment upon completion of all major tasks within the work program. State-federal interaction and consideration of the national interest in facility siting Meetings have been held with federal agencies that have interests review of the state's work programs relating to the coastal management program. A procedure to insure proper consideration of matters of the national interest in the coastal zone is being developed. New York intends to prepare a report on federal lands within its coastal area, update and expand listings of federal and interstate programs and regulations prepared under the first year program and examine alternatives for establishing a continuing federal/state coastal zone management review process. Organizational arrangements The Dept. of State is expected to maintain the lead role in coastal zone management, and it probably will continue to assign administrative responsibilities to its Division of State Planning. The Dept. of Environmental Conservation will continue to have regulatory responsibilities, as will other state agencies. In line with New York's strong allegiance to home rule powers, local governments are expected to have major roles in any coastal management program. These considerations suggest that the state is likely to use a networking approach that endeavors to link applicable authorities in the overall coastal management program. Authorities An inventory and analysis of state and federal laws and programs affecting the coastal area has been initiated. This will form the basis for an assessment of the need for additional legislation and regulations required to implement a coastal zone management program. It is anticipated that special legislation will be needed to enable the state to satisfy requirements of the federal coastal zone management program. |