[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3520]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 15, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Parts 151, 154, and 155

[CGD 85-026]
RIN 2115-AC11

 

Pollution Prevention; Implementation of Amendments to Annex I of 
MARPOL 73/78

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of termination.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is terminating all rulemaking under docket 
number CGD 85-026. It published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) 
that proposed to amend the oil pollution prevention regulations for 
ships in order to implement the amendments to and interpretations of 
Annex I of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution 
from Ships, 1973, as modified by the protocol of 1978 (``MARPOL 73/
78''). It is now terminating that rulemaking because of intervening 
developments, but it will continue to evaluate the need for another 
such rulemaking.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
LCDR M. McEwen, Project Manager, Marine Environmental Protection 
Division, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, (202) 267-6714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 7, 1986 (51 FR 4768), the Coast 
Guard published an NPRM concerning the oil pollution prevention 
regulations for ships. The NPRM proposed to implement the amendments to 
and interpretations of Annex I of the International Convention for the 
Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the protocol 
of 1978. The protocol was adopted at the 29th session of the Marine 
Environmental Protection Committee of the International Maritime 
Organization (IMO). The NPRM also proposed to correct the final 
rulemaking of October 6, 1983 [48 FR 45704], implementing MARPOL 73/78.
    The Coast Guard received three comments in response to the proposed 
rule. In general, all three supported the stated goals of the NPRM: to 
implement the interpretations of MARPOL 73/78, Annex I. Two comments 
felt that the Coast Guard should issue oil pollution prevention 
regulations beyond those required by MARPOL 73/78, Annex I, while one 
comment took issue with a statement made in the NPRM, that the Coast 
Guard ``strongly discourages the discharge of oil into bilges.'' (The 
comment asserted that there is no place for that type of statement in a 
rulemaking. The Coast Guard notes that it has been a long-standing 
policy of the Coast Guard to discourage the discharge of oil into 
bilges.)
    Since publishing the NPRM, the Coast Guard has issued numerous oil 
pollution prevention regulations. Of particular note are those 
implementing the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) [Pub. L. 101-380]. 
The Coast Guard has determined that, in the view of regulatory and 
statutory activity since the publication of the NPRM, it is appropriate 
to terminate the rulemaking and evaluate the need for another like it. 
Subsequent rulemakings have accomplished many of the changes called for 
by MARPOL 73/78. In addition, legislation, such as OPA 90, has required 
oil pollution prevention regulations that exceed those in the NPRM; 
these have been or are being implemented by separate rulemakings.
    The Coast Guard will continue to track changes made to all annexes 
of MARPOL 73/78 to which the United States is a party. It will initiate 
separate rulemakings, as needed, to bring domestic regulations 
implementing MARPOL 73/78 into conformance with the Convention.

    Dated: February 8, 1994.
A.E. Henn,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Chief, Office of Marine Safety, Security 
and Environmental Protection.
[FR Doc. 94-3520 Filed 2-14-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M