[Federal Register: June 1, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 104)]
[Notices]
[Page 31487-31488]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01jn05-94]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Vessel and
Facility Response Plans for Oil: 2003 Removal Equipment Requirements
and Alternative Technology Revisions
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of the Draft
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for the rulemaking
on Vessel and Facility Response Plans for Oil; 2003 Removal Equipment
Requirements and Alternative Technology Revisions. The DPEIS addresses
the increase of the oil removal capacity (caps) requirements for tank
vessels and marine transportation-related (MTR) facilities and added
requirements for new response technologies. We are requesting public
comments on this DPEIS. The Environmental Protection Agency published a
notice of receipt of this DPEIS on May 27, 2005 (70 FR 30719).
DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Docket Management
Facility on or before August 1, 2005.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket
number USCG-2000-7833 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S.
Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use only one
of the following methods:
(1) Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov.
(2) Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
(3) Fax: 202-493-2251.
(4) Delivery: Room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif
Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone
number is 202-366-9329.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice,
call Bradley McKitrick, Coast Guard, telephone 202-267-0995, or email
bmckitrick@comdt.uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or
submitting material to the docket, call Andrea M. Jenkins, Program
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-0271.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Request for Comments
All comments received will be posted, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov
and will include any personal information you have
provided. We have an agreement with the Department of Transportation
(DOT) to use the Docket Management Facility. Please see DOT's ``Privacy
Act'' paragraph below.
Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your
name and address, identify the docket number for this notice (USCG-
2000-7833) and give
[[Page 31488]]
the reason for each comment. You may submit your comments by electronic
means, mail, fax, or delivery to the Docket Management Facility at the
address under ADDRESSES; but please submit your comments by only one
means. If you submit them by mail or delivery, submit them in an
unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for
copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would
like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped,
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments
received during the comment period.
We are requesting your comments on environmental concerns you may
have related to the DPEIS. We will publish comments received during the
DPEIS review period in the final PEIS. We will publish a notice of
availability of the final PEIS in the Federal Register. Comments on the
proposed regulations will not be accepted as the comment period is
closed (67 FR 63331).
Viewing comments and documents: To view comments or the DPEIS, go
to http://dms.dot.gov at any time and conduct a simple search using the
docket number. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in
room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh
Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. An electronic copy of the DPEIS may be
viewed or downloaded from the Coast Guard Web site at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/regs/PEIS/peisindex.html.
If you would like to
obtain a copy of the DPEIS on CD-ROM, contact Brad McKitrick at the
telephone number or email listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Privacy Act: Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the
Department of Transportation's Privacy Act Statement in the Federal
Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477), or you may visit
http://dms.dot.gov.
Public Meetings
The Coast Guard plans to hold public meetings which will be
announced in a later notice to the Federal Register.
Background and Purpose
The Coast Guard proposes changes to its requirements for oil-spill
removal equipment under tank vessel response plans and MTR facility
response plans (33 CFR 154 and 33 CFR 155). These changes would
increase the available spill removal equipment required for tank
vessels and MTR facilities, add requirements for new response
technologies, and clarify methods and procedures for responding to oil
spills in coastal waters. The Coast Guard examined and assessed the
environmental impact of the proposed regulatory change of five
alternatives considered in the DPEIS. The first alternative was no
action, whereby no changes would be implemented in response plan
regulations. The second alternative was an increase of on-water
mechanical recovery capability. The third alternative was an increase
of on-water mechanical recovery capability, which would establish on-
water dispersant application capability (Option A), and establish in
situ burn credit. The fourth alternative was to increase on-water
mechanical recovery capability, establish on-water dispersant
application capability (Option B), and establish in situ burn credit.
The fifth alternative was to maintain on-water mechanical recovery
capability at current levels, establish on-water dispersant application
capability (Option B), and establish in situ burn credit.
To gain additional information regarding the criteria that was
utilized for the environmental analysis in the DPEIS, the Coast Guard
published a Notice of Intent and Request for Public Comments on
November 9, 2000 (65 FR 67441). That notice can be viewed in the Docket
Management System under Docket Number USCG-2000-7833.
Dated: May 19, 2005.
B.R. Emond,
Acting Director of Standards, Marine Safety, Security, and
Environmental Protection, , U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 05-10972 Filed 5-27-05; 1:06 pm]
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