[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 86 (Thursday, May 2, 1996)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 19507-19508]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11097]



 
 
                         Presidential Documents 
 
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 86 / Thursday, May 2, 1996 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 19507]]


                Memorandum of April 28, 1996

                
Exports of Alaskan North Slope (ANS) Crude Oil

                Memorandum for the Secretary of Commerce [and] the 
                Secretary of
                Energy

                Pursuant to section 28(s) of the Mineral Leasing Act, 
                as amended, 30 U.S.C. 185, I hereby determine that 
                exports of crude oil transported over right-of-way 
                granted pursuant to section 203 of the Trans-Alaska 
                Pipeline Authorization Act are in the national 
                interest. In making this determination, I have taken 
                into account the conclusions of an interagency working 
                group, which found that such oil exports:

                    --will not diminish the total quantity or quality 
                of petroleum available to the United States; and
                    --are not likely to cause sustained material oil 
                supply shortages or sustained oil price increases 
                significantly above world market levels that would 
                cause sustained material adverse employment effects in 
                the United States or that would cause substantial harm 
                to consumers, including those located in noncontiguous 
                States and Pacific Territories.

                I have also considered the interagency group's 
                conclusions regarding potential environmental impacts 
                of lifting the ban. Based on their findings and 
                recommendations, I have concluded that exports of such 
                crude oil will not pose significant risks to the 
                environment if certain terms and conditions are met.

                Therefore, pursuant to section 28(s) of the Mineral 
                Leasing Act I direct the Secretary of Commerce to 
                promulgate immediately a general license, or a license 
                exception, authorizing exports of such crude oil, 
                subject to appropriate documentation requirements, and 
                consistent with the following conditions:

                    --tankers exporting ANS exports must use the same 
                route that they do for shipments to Hawaii until they 
                reach a point 300 miles due south of Cape Hinchinbrook 
                Light and then turn toward Asian destinations. After 
                reaching that point, tankers in the ANS oil trade must 
                remain outside of the 200 nautical-miles Exclusive 
                Economic Zone of the United States as defined in the 
                Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
                1811). This condition also applies to tankers returning 
                from foreign ports to Valdez, Alaska. Exceptions can be 
                made at the discretion of the vessel master only to 
                ensure the safety of the vessel;
                    --that export tankers be equipped with satellite-
                based communications systems that will enable the Coast 
                Guard independently to determine their location. The 
                Coast Guard will conduct appropriate monitoring of the 
                tankers, a measure that will ensure compliance with the 
                200-mile condition, and help the Coast Guard respond 
                quickly to any emergencies;
                    --the owner or operator of an Alaskan North Slope 
                crude oil export tankship shall maintain a Critical 
                Area Inspection Plan for each tankship in the trade in 
                accordance with the U.S. Coast Guard's Navigation and 
                Inspection Circular No. 15-91 as amended, which shall 
                include an annual internal survey of the vessel's cargo 
                block tanks; and
                    --the owner or operator of an Alaskan North Slope 
                crude oil export tankship shall adopt a mandatory 
                program of deep water ballast exchange

[[Page 19508]]

                (i.e., in 2,000 meters water depth). Exceptions can be 
                made at the discretion of the captain only in order to 
                ensure the safety of the vessel. Recordkeeping subject 
                to Coast Guard audit will be required as part of this 
                regime.

                The Secretary of Commerce is authorized and directed to 
                inform the appropriate committees of the Congress of 
                this determination and to publish it in the Federal 
                Register.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, April 28, 1996.

[FR Doc. 96-11097
Filed 5-1-96; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3501-BP-M