[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68348-68349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-34143]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
[Docket No. OST-97-3286; Notice #13]
Safety of Marine Transportation in Puget Sound-Area Waters
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of meeting; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This notice provides notice of a public meeting to obtain
views and comments from the public as to specific safety or pollution
prevention measures for Puget Sound area waters that should be
evaluated by the Department of Transportation (DOT).
DATES: The meeting will be held February 6, 1998, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Written statements in addition to or in lieu of oral presentations are
welcome and should reach the Office of the Secretary on or before March
2, 1998. Late comments will be considered to the extent possible.
Comments that have been previously submitted to the Coast Guard under
Dockets CGD-96-015, 96-044, and 97-003 will be considered and need not
be resubmitted. These dockets relate to the Tug-of-Opportunity System
Plan for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and Strait of Juan
de Fuca, Documentation and Marine Safety for an International Private
Sector Tug-of-Opportunity System, and the Puget Sound Additional
Hazards Study, respectively.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Henry M. Jackson Federal
Building, Seattle, Washington. Written materials on Docket No. OST-97-
3286, may be mailed or hand delivered to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Dockets, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590,
Room PL-401, between the Hours of 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen M. Shapiro, Environmental
Affairs Specialist, Office of Environment, Energy, and Safety (P-10),
Room 9217, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. (202) 366-
4866, fax (202) 366-7618.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background Information
On November 28, 1995, the President signed the Alaska Power
Administration Asset Sale and Termination Act (Pub. L. 104-58),
authorizing exports of Alaskan North Slope (ANS) crude oil when
transported in U.S. flag tankers. Section 401 of the Act directed the
Coast Guard to submit a plan to Congress on the most cost-effective
means of implementing an international private sector tug-of-
opportunity system (ITOS) to provide timely emergency response to a
vessel in distress transiting the waters within the boundaries of the
Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary or the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
An ITOS plan was developed by a cross section of the marine
transportation industry in the State of Washington and the Province of
British Columbia, and is being implemented through the Marine Exchange
of Puget Sound. DOT welcomes this private sector initiative to prevent
marine casualties, and appreciates the substantial efforts that have
been expended by all of the participants.
The Coast Guard submitted its report to Congress on January 31,
1997, and issued an addendum report to address pending ITOS issues on
December 16, 1997. The addendum incorporates further information on the
nature and effects of winds and currents that was provided by the
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Copies of the
ITOS Report and Addendum may be obtained by contacting the Office of
Response (G-MOR-1), US Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street S.W., Washington
DC 20593-0001, (202) 267-0426.
On April 26, 1996, the White House issued the DOT Action Plan to
Address Vessel and Environmental Safety on Puget Sound-Area Waters. In
addition to emphasizing the development of the ITOS report, the Action
Plan committed DOT review the overall marine safety regime in Puget
Sound-area waters--to determine whether any hazard scenarios
[[Page 68349]]
warrant consideration of additional prevention or response measures.
To facilitate the Department's review, the Coast Guard commissioned
a study by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to assess
the relative risks of marine transportation in the waterways of
Northwest Washington--including Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de
Fuca, passages around and through the San Juan Islands, and the
offshore waters of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Copies
of the Volpe Center's report are available from the National Technical
Information Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA
22161, telephone (800) 553-6847, fax (703) 321-8547. The report may be
ordered as document PB97-205488 and the technical appendices to the
report as document PB97-205470. DOT appreciates the efforts of all
participants in the Volpe study, which we believe provides a sound
basis for the Department's review.
During spring 1998, DOT expects to announce its determinations
regarding further DOT actions based on the ITOS and Volpe reports.
These determinations will include the following:
1. Hazards that merit evaluation of additional mitigation measures.
2. The specific measures that will be evaluated.
3. An outline of how the evaluations will be accomplished.
Input on all of the above determinations is solicited. While input
on specific measures should be based on the ITOS and Volpe studies,
input need not be limited to measures that can or should be implemented
by the Federal government. Since the evaluation process may vary for
different types of measures, it would helpful if input on how the
evaluations should be accomplished were referenced to specific
measures.
In proceeding with these determinations and any subsequent
evaluations, the Department is sensitive to the need to properly
involve other governments--including affected tribes--as well as
businesses related to marine transportation, environmental advocacy
organizations, and the general public. DOT is also sensitive to the
need that the evaluation process be efficient and of minimal burden to
participants.
The Department is holding a public meeting to provide the public
and interested parties with an opportunity to be briefed on the ITOS
and Volpe reports, meet with the senior Departmental officials who are
working this issue, and provide oral input.
DOT would appreciate notice to Mr. Shapiro (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT) by January 26, 1998 by persons who intend to make
a statement.
Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities
For information on facilities or services for individuals with
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, please
contact Mr. Shapiro (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Dated: December 22, 1997.
John N. Lieber,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy.
[FR Doc. 97-34143 Filed 12-30-97; 8:45 am]
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