Federal agencies shall determine which of their activities affect any coastal use or resource of States with approved management programs.

Effects are determined by looking at reasonably foreseeable direct and indirect effects on any coastal use or resource. An action which has minimal or no environmental effects may still have effects on a coastal use (e.g., effects on public access and recreational opportunities, protection of historic property) or a coastal resource, if the activity initiates an event or series of events where coastal effects are reasonably foreseeable. Therefore, Federal agencies shall, in making a determination of effects, review relevant management program enforceable policies as part of determining effects on any coastal use or resource.

If the Federal agency determines that a Federal agency activity has no effects on any coastal use or resource, and a negative determination under § 930.35 is not required, then the Federal agency is not required to coordinate with State agencies under section 307 of the Act.

De minimis Federal agency activities. Federal agencies are encouraged to review their activities, other than development projects within the coastal zone, to identify de minimis activities, and request State agency concurrence that these de minimis activities should not be subject to further State agency review. De minimis activities shall only be excluded from State agency review if a Federal agency and State agency have agreed. The State agency shall provide for public participation under section 306(d)(14) of the Act when reviewing the Federal agency's de minimis activity request. If the State agency objects to the Federal agency's de minimis finding then the Federal agency must provide the State agency with either a negative determination or a consistency determination pursuant to this subpart. OCRM is available to facilitate a Federal agency's request.

De minimis activities are activities that are expected to have insignificant direct or indirect (cumulative and secondary) coastal effects and which the State agency concurs are de minimis.

Environmentally beneficial activities. The State agency and Federal agencies may agree to exclude environmentally beneficial Federal agency activities (either on a case-by-case basis or for a category of activities) from further State agency consistency review. Environmentally beneficial activity means an activity that protects, preserves, or restores the natural resources of the coastal zone. The State agency shall provide for public participation under section 306(d)(14) of the Act for the State agency's consideration of whether to exclude environmentally beneficial activities.

General consistency determinations, phased consistency determinations, and national or regional consistency determinations under § 930.36 are also available to facilitate federal-State coordination.

Federal agencies shall consider all development projects within the coastal zone to be activities affecting any coastal use or resource. All other types of activities within the coastal zone are subject to Federal agency review to determine whether they affect any coastal use or resource.

Federal agency activities and development projects outside of the coastal zone, are subject to Federal agency review to determine whether they affect any coastal use or resource.

Federal agencies shall broadly construe the effects test to provide State agencies with a consistency determination under § 930.34 and not a negative determination under § 930.35 or other determinations of no effects. Early coordination and cooperation between a Federal agency and the State agency can enable the parties to focus their efforts on particular Federal agency activities of concern to the State agency.