[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 170 (Friday, September 2, 1994)]
[Notices]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-21588]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: September 2, 1994]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5063-4]
Massachusetts Marine Sanitation Device Standard for Coastal
Waters of Westport; Notice of Determination
On July 19, 1994, notice was published that the State of
Massachusetts had petitioned the Regional Administrator, Environmental
Protection Agency, to determine that adequate facilities for the safe
and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are
reasonably available for the coastal waters of Westport Harbor and the
East and West Branches of the Westport River that border the Town of
Westport, within the State of Massachusetts (56 FR 36758). The petition
was filed pursuant to Section 312(f)(3) of Pub. L. 92-500 as amended by
Pub. L. 95-217 and Pub. L. 100-4.
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 States 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.
The State of Massachusetts has certified that there are two pump-
out facilities available to service vessels in the Westport Harbor and
the Westport River.
Pump-out facility No. 1, which is mobile, is located at the Town
Pier on the north side of the Westport Harbor. This facility has a
holding capacity of 650 gallons and it is marked with a yellow and
maroon U.S.EPA issued boat pump-out sign. The hours of operation will
be upon request during the summer season from Memorial Day through
Columbus Day seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. by calling the
Harbormaster's office at (508) 636-1105 or by radio on Channel 9 VHF.
The mobile boat pump-out has a draft requirement of 2 feet. Vessels
located in waters with depths of less than 2 feet may need to move to
deeper water to be pumped out. The cost is free and will be absorbed
through boating licenses for the season.
Pump-out facility No. 2 will be established at Tripps Marina. The
hours of operation during the summer season from Memorial Day through
Columbus Day are seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through
Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There is no fee
to use the pump-out facility. Tripps is the largest marina in Westport
with 250 slips and 150 moorings. There are fuel facilities, on-shore
toilet and shower facilities, and a waste oil receptacle available to
boaters.
The Town operates and maintains a 1000 gallon above ground holding
tank for septage with secondary containment on the south side of
Westport Harbor. The tank is located adjacent to the State Boat Ramp
and may be accessed from the water.
Septage is collected by Ocean Arks, Inc., a research facility
located in Marion, MA. In the event that Ocean Arks, Inc. ceases to
accept the boat septage, the Town of Westport has a renewable contract
with New England Sanitation, a licensed septic hauler, located in
Westport, MA. Septage that is removed by New England Sanitation will be
treated at the Fall River Wastewater Treatment Facility in Fall River,
MA.
There are an estimated 350 moored boats in the East Branch of the
Westport River, 100 moored boats in the West Branch, 770 moored boats
in the Westport Harbor, and approximately 20 transient vessels which
enter the harbor each day through the mouth of the harbor during the
boating season. Westport is approximately 14 miles long, 5.2 miles
wide, with a total area of 57 square miles.
There were no comments received by the Agency on the merits of the
petition prior to the deadline for receipt of comments as stated in the
July 19, 1994 Federal Register ``Receipt of Petition'' notice.
Based on an examination of the petition, and its supporting
information which included a site visit by EPA Region I staff, and the
fact that the Agency received no comments concerning the petition, I
have determined that adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary
removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably
available for the Westport Harbor and the East and West Branches of the
Westport River that border the Town of Westport, within the State of
Massachusetts, to qualify as a ``No Discharge Area''.
This determination is made pursuant to Section 312(f)(3) of Pub. L.
92-500, as amended by Pub. L. 95-217 and Pub. L. 100-4.
Dated: August 23, 1994.
John P. DeVillars,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-21588 Filed 9-1-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6530-50-P