[Federal Register: December 18, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 244)]
[Notices]
[Page 77043-77045]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18de08-75]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2006-24163]
National Environmental Policy Act; Draft Environmental Impact
Statement on U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area Operations
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard, with the National Marine Sanctuary
Program West Coast Region as a cooperating agency, announces the
availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to
implement enhanced environmental protection measures to the Coast
Guard's operations in the areas of responsibility for Coast Guard
Districts 11 (California) and 13 (Oregon and Washington) for public
review and comment. The DEIS analyzes the environmental impacts of
routine Coast Guard vessel and air operations when engaged in the
following missions and activities: Law enforcement, national security,
search and rescue, aids to navigation, and oil pollution and vessel
grounding response. This analysis does not include live fire exercises.
Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties to
ensure that the full range and significance of issues related to this
proposed action are identified. The Coast Guard has established a Web
site at the address below to provide the public with additional
information. http://pacareaeis.uscg.e2m-inc.com.
DATES: Comments and related materials must reach the Docket Management
Facility on or before February 17, 2009.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard Docket
Number USCG-2006-24163 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S.
Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use only one
of the following methods:
(1) Online: http://www.regulations.gov.
(2) By mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
(3) Fax: 202-493-2251.
(4) Delivery: Room W12-140 on the Ground Floor of the West
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 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,
the proposed project, or the associated draft Environmental Impact
Statement, contact LT Jeff Bray, Coast Guard Commandant, CG-0942,
JEFF.R.BRAY@USCG.MIL or telephone 202-372-3752. If you have questions
on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright,
Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to submit comments and related material on the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Publication of this notice
begins the official 45-day public comment period that will help refine
the alternatives being considered. The Coast Guard provides this notice
to advise the public and other agencies of the Coast Guard's
intentions, to obtain suggestions and information on the issues and
alternatives included in the DEIS, and to request comments from those
parties that may be interested or affected by these proposed
alternatives.
All comments received will be posted, without change, to http://
www.regulations.gov, docket number USCG-2006-24163, and will include
any personal information you have provided.
[[Page 77044]]
If you submit a comment, please include your name and address,
identify the docket number for this notice (USCG-2006-26143), indicate
the specific section of this document to which each comment applies,
and give 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
self-addressed, stamped postcard or envelope. We will consider all
comments received during the comment period.
Proposed Action
The Coast Guard proposes to develop and implement enhanced
protective measures, as necessary, for marine protected species and
marine protected areas that occur in the Eleventh Coast Guard District
(California) (CGD11) and Thirteenth Coast Guard District (Washington
and Oregon) (CGD13) areas of responsibility. The Coast Guard proposes
this action to aid in the fulfillment of its missions, including
protection of the environment, while fulfilling Coast Guard obligations
to protect living marine resources. The Coast Guard published a notice
of intent to prepare this EIS in the Federal Register (71 FR 14233,
March 21, 2006).
The Proposed Action will be accomplished by (1) establishing a
baseline (i.e., analyzing the No Action Alternative) of the
significance of the environmental impact of current routine Coast Guard
vessel and aircraft operations on the coastal and marine environment
within the CGD11 and CGD13 areas of responsibility, with particular
focus paid to impacts on marine protected species and marine protected
areas; and (2) identifying and analyzing alternative measures which
could be implemented to avoid or minimize adverse impacts on marine
protected species and marine protected areas. Specifically, the
Proposed Action is intended to incorporate measures that will help
reduce the environmental impact of Coast Guard vessel and aircraft
operations on marine protected species and marine protected areas when
engaged in the following routine missions and activities: Law
enforcement, national security, search and rescue, aids to navigation,
and oil pollution and vessel grounding response. Live fire exercises
were not included within this analysis. Budget and legal limitations
dictate that any proposed measures be cost effective. Therefore, to be
viable, proposed measures would have to further the Coast Guard's
natural resource protection mission without compromising its ability to
perform other missions.
The Coast Guard is committed to conducting operations in a manner
that supports conservation and recovery of marine protected species and
marine protected areas. The Proposed Action will further the Coast
Guard's environmental protection mission while recognizing and
supporting accomplishment of the Coast Guard's full mission portfolio.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
The DEIS evaluates a variety of actions, listed below as
Alternatives 1 through 6, to determine whether modification or
supplementation of current procedures is required to accomplish the
wide variety of Coast Guard missions in a manner that lessens the
probability of adverse impacts on marine protected species and marine
protected areas. Alternative 1, the No Action Alternative, documents
baseline strategies the Coast Guard currently employs to protect marine
resources in the CGD11 and CGD13 areas of responsibility. Alternatives
2 through 5 present discrete actions and are evaluated individually to
determine whether their implementation is reasonable and would serve
the purpose and need of minimizing and avoiding negative impacts on
marine protected species and marine protected areas. Alternatives 2
through 5 are designed to augment or otherwise amend all those actions
described in the No Action Alternative. Alternative 6, the Coast
Guard's Preferred Alternative, represents a combination of select
components of Alternatives 1 through 5.
Alternative 1--No Action Alternative: Under the No Action
Alternative, the Coast Guard would continue current operations, without
augmentation or modification. Existing strategic plans, directives,
guidance, and permits would continue to guide Coast Guard vessel and
aircraft operations in a manner intended to minimize, to the maximum
extent possible, adverse impacts on marine protected species and marine
protected areas. The level of protected living marine resource efforts
would continue to be balanced with other Coast Guard missions and
requirements, and would remain constantly in flux due to other mission
responsibilities and operational tempo.
Alternative 2--Implement Improved Local Operating Procedures;
Revise Coast Guard Speed and Approach Guidance; and Enhance Law
Enforcement Operations To Include ``Pulse Operations'': This
alternative would amend, append, eliminate portions of, or wholly
incorporate the No Action Alternative and would build upon the existing
Protected Living Marine Resources Program (PLMRP) at each District by
formalizing localized operational mitigation procedures and protection
efforts, strengthening and expanding Coast Guard speed and approach
guidance, and better unifying inter-District and intra-District law
enforcement strategies, including engaging in ``pulse operations.''
Alternative 3--Enhance Marine Protected Species and Marine
Protected Area Awareness Training for Coast Guard Personnel: This
alternative would amend, append, eliminate portions of, or wholly
incorporate the No Action Alternative and would build upon the existing
PLMRP at each District by requiring the Coast Guard to review, and if
necessary, enhance, training for Officer of the Deck (OOD), coxswain,
vessel lookouts and Air Station personnel.
Alternative 4--Implement a Web-based Whale Reporting Program: This
alternative would amend, append, eliminate portions of, or wholly
incorporate the No Action Alternative and would build upon the existing
PLMRP at each District by implementing a Whale Reporting Program for
CGD11 and CGD13 surface and aviation units. This reporting program
would establish a real-time, Web-based whale reporting protocol within
the ROI. This program would be maintained centrally by Coast Guard
Pacific Area (PACAREA) personnel and would collect vital information on
real-time locations of live, dead, injured, or entangled whales. The
following information would be collected each time a whale is sighted:
Time and location of sighting; distinctive features of the animal;
estimated length; signs of injury or entanglement; description of
behavior; description of any injuries; condition of carcass for dead
whales; and contact information of reporter. The Web site would allow
for regional sorting so that units could prepare for a patrol by
logging on to the Web site and receiving vital real-time sighting
information for the area they would be transiting or patrolling.
Alternative 5--Strengthen Partnerships To Facilitate Marine
Protected Species and Marine Protected Area Public Outreach Programs:
This alternative would amend, append,
[[Page 77045]]
eliminate portions of, or wholly incorporate the No Action Alternative
and would build upon the existing PLMRP at each District by
strengthening joint partnerships and efforts to support the
conservation and recovery of marine protected species and marine
protected areas.
Alternative 6--Preferred Alternative: Under the Preferred
Alternative, the Coast Guard would further minimize or avoid impacts to
marine protected species and marine protected areas by strengthening
its current operations (No Action Alternative) by incorporating some of
the various additional components described in Alternatives 2, 3 and 5.
Specifically, this would entail:
A. Implementing Improved Local Operating Procedures, Revised Guidance,
and Enhanced Law Enforcement Operations
Annually review and update formal Protected Living Marine
Resource Programs (PLMRPs) for the Districts.
Require all Sectors, Air Stations and major Cutters to
designate a Marine Protected Species (MPS) Point of Contact (POC).
Update and amend speed and approach guidance (e.g.,
Guidance on Vessel Speed and Approach Around Whales message) to include
both vessels and aircraft and continue to update regularly.
Require each District to plan, execute, and document one
collaborative marine protected species-driven pulse operation per year,
thereby utilizing resources and the subject matter expertise of our
partners.
B. Enhancing In-House Marine Protected Species and Marine Protected
Area Training
Enhance regional lookout, coxswain, and deck watch officer
skills by providing CGD11 and CGD13 units a standardized regionally-
focused marine protected species awareness training module. Module will
include methods for detecting, identifying, and avoiding marine
protected species and marine protected areas. Require personnel to
demonstrate proof of knowledge of marine protected species sections of
unit SOPs and knowledge of Speed and Approach Guidance.
C. Enhancing Partnerships To Facilitate Marine Protected Species and
Marine Protected Area Outreach and Conservation
Require each District to participate in one collaborative
marine protected species public outreach campaign per year.
Broadcast Notice to Mariners (NTMs) advising caution in
known areas of high marine protected species concentration in bays.
Include National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) and U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) educational resources on PACAREA's Internet
public domain.
Utilize the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Sea Partners Program
as main vehicles for public outreach; provide educational materials to
the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Sea Partners.
We request comments from all interested parties to ensure that the
full range and significance of issues related to this proposed action
are identified. The Coast Guard requests that comments be as specific
as possible with regard to the issues associated with the proposed
action, alternatives, and analysis.
Dated: November 24, 2008.
David P. Pekoske,
Vice Admiral, United Stated Coast Guard, Pacific Area Commander.
[FR Doc. E8-30104 Filed 12-17-08; 8:45 am]
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