[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 154 (Thursday, August 11, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-19638] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: August 11, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-5030-6] New York State Prohibition on Marine Discharges of Vessel Sewage; Notice of Final Determination Summary Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is noticing its final affirmative determination in response to a petition from New York State to determine whether adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably available for the coastal waters of Huntington Harbor and Lloyd Harbor, in the Town of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York. On November 9, 1993, notice was published that the State of New York had requested that the Regional Administrator of the EPA, Region II make this determination and that EPA had made a tentative affirmative determination in response to this petition (56 FR 59465). The Regional Administrator made a final affirmative determination in this matter on April 21, 1994. This decision allows the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to completely prohibit vessel sewage discharges into Huntington and Lloyd Harbors. Background This petition was filed on July 1, 1993 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) in cooperation with the Town of Huntington, pursuant to Section 312(f) of Public Law 92- 500, as amended by Public Law 95-217 and Public Law 100-4, (the ``Clean Water Act''). Section 312(f)(3) states: After the effective date of the initial standards and regulations promulgated under this section, if any State determines that the protection and enhancement of the quality of some or all of the waters within such State require greater environmental protection, such State may completely prohibit the discharge from all vessels of any sewage, whether treated or not, into such waters, except that no such prohibition shall apply until the Administrator determines that adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably available for such water to which such prohibition would apply. Based on the information submitted by the NYSDEC and the Town of Huntington, EPA has made a final affirmative determination regarding the adequacy of pump-out facilities. The Town of Huntington is located on the north shore of Long Island and includes approximately 64 miles of tidal shoreline contiguous to Long Island Sound. Huntington Harbor encompasses approximately 340 acres of tidal waters and surrounding wetlands. Lloyd Harbor consists of approximately 800 acres that has been designated as a ``Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat Area'' by New York State. The NYSDEC application proposed that discharges would be prohibited in an area including Huntington and Lloyd Harbors with the seaward boundary beginning at East Beach, extending south to Huntington Lighthouse, and then landward to the Wincoma Peninsula. Information submitted by the State of New York and the Town of Huntington states that there are seven existing pump-out facilities available to service vessels which use Huntington and Lloyd Harbors, and one additional facility proposed for construction. Five are located in the southern portion of Huntington Harbor and are open to the general public. Of these, three facilities are owned and operated by the Town of Huntington. These three facilities are open continuously from approximately April 15 until November 15 of each year and charge no fee for pump-out services. The Town of Huntington has stated that one of the Town owned pump-out facilities, at a minimum, will remain in operation through the winter months. The pump-out facilities can service vessels up to 60 feet in length with up to an 8 foot draft. The other two facilities are privately owned and charge a $10.00 fee for pump-out services. These two facilities have vessel size limitations of 65 foot length and 14 foot draft, and 40 foot length and 6 foot draft. Two additional facilities are located in nearby Northport Harbor. One is a pump-out facility operated by the Town of Huntington and the other is a portable unit at a privately owned marina which is designed to service vessels within their slips. The Town of Huntington is planning to construct and operate a pump-out facility at the Castle Cove Marina, near the mouth of Huntington Harbor and closer to Lloyd Harbor. Vessel waste generated from the pump-out facilities in Huntington Harbor is transported to the Town sewage treatment plant, which provides pretreatment and full secondary treatment. This plant operates under a State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit issued by the NYSDEC. EPA's determination that adequate pump-out facilities exist for vessels which use Huntington and Lloyd Harbors allows the NYSDEC to prohibit vessel sewage discharges in these waters. Questions in this matter may be directed to Mr. Phil DeGaetano of the NYSDEC at (518) 457-2286, Mr. Glen Hulse of the Town of Huntington Department of Environmental Control at (516) 351-3186 or Anne Reynolds, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, Water Permits and Compliance Branch, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York, 10278, (212) 264-7674. Dated: July 14, 1994. Jeanne Fox, Regional Administrator. [FR Doc. 94-19638 Filed 8-10-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-M