[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 5 (Thursday, January 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1141-1143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-451]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[CGD 97-024]


National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP)

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Request for comments on PREP triennial exercise schedule for 
1998, 1999, and 2000.

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SUMMARY: Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the 
Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) and the Minerals 
Management Service (MMS), in concert with the states, the oil industry 
and concerned citizens, developed the Preparedness for Response 
Exercise Program (PREP). This notice announces the PREP triennial 
cycle, 1998-2000, requests comments from the public, and requests 
industry participants to volunteer for scheduled PREP area exercises.

DATES: Comments are due at Coast Guard Headquarters no later than March 
1, 1998.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to: Ms. Karen Sahatjian, US Coast 
Guard, Office of Response, (G-MOR-2), 2100 2nd Street SW, Washington, 
DC 20593.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For general information regarding the PREP program and the schedule, 
contact Ms. Karen Sahatjian, Marine Safety and Environmental Protection 
Directorate, Office of Response, (G-MOR-2), (202) 267-2850.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following information describes how to 
obtain copies of documents available to the public. The PREP Area 
exercise schedule and exercise design manual are available on the 
internet at http://www.dot.gov/dotinfo/uscg/hq/g-m/gmhome.htm (see oil 
response). To obtain a hard copy of the exercise design manual, contact 
Ms. Melanie Barber at the Research and Special Programs Administration, 
Office of Pipeline Safety, at (202)366-4560. The 1994 PREP Guidelines 
and Training Elements are available at no cost by writing or faxing the 
TASC Dept Warehouse, 3341 Q 75th Avenue, Landover, MD 20785, fax: 301-
386-

[[Page 1142]]

 5394. The stock numbers of each manual are: PREP Guidelines--USCG-
X0191; the Training Reference--USCG-X0188. Please indicate the quantity 
when ordering. Quantities are limited to 10 per order.
    On August 6-7, 1997, the USCG, EPA, MMS, and OPS conducted a public 
workshop to review the PREP. The summary of the public workshop was 
mailed to all the participants, The summary is available on the 
internet at http://www/dot.gov/dotinfo/uscg/hq/g-m/gmhome/htm. Although 
numerous issues were discussed, the workshop participants suggested the 
federal agencies not revise the PREP Guidelines, August 1994. The 
workshop participants did agree that the guidelines should be reviewed 
in 12-18 months during another public workshop.

Background Information

    The Coast Guard, EPA, RSPA and MMS developed the National 
Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) to provide guidelines 
for compliance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) pollution 
response exercise requirements (33 U.S.C. 1321(j)). OPA 90 requires 
periodic unannounced drills. See 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(7). However, the 
working group (comprised of Coast Guard, EPA, RSPA, MMS, state 
representatives, and industry representatives) determined that the PREP 
Guidelines should also include announced drills. See 33 CFR 1055(a)(5) 
and 155.1060(c), and 40 CFR 112. The guiding principles for PREP 
distinguish between internal and external exercises. Internal exercises 
are conducted within the plan holder's organization. External exercises 
extend beyond the plan holder's organization to involve other members 
of the response community. External exercises are separated into two 
categories: (1) Area exercises, and (2) Government-initiated 
unannounced exercises. These exercises are designed to evaluate the 
entire response mechanism in a given area to ensure adequate pollution 
response preparedness.
    Since 1994, the USCG, EPA, MMS, and OPS have published a triennial 
schedule of Area exercises. In short, the Area exercises involve the 
entire response community (Federal, State, local, and industry 
participants) and therefore, require more extensive planning than other 
oil spill response exercises. The PREP Guidelines describe all of these 
exercises in more detail. This notice announces the next triennial 
schedule of Area Exercises. Some exercises are scheduled with industry 
participants, but where participants have not been listed, the USCG and 
DPA request volunteers.
    If a company wants to volunteer for an Area exercise, a company 
representative may call either the Coast Guard or EPA On-Scene 
Coordinator (OSC) where the exercise is scheduled. Alternatively, if a 
company is interested in participating in an exercise where Coast Guard 
is the OSC, a representative may call Ms. Karen Sahatjian and she can 
facilitate scheduling the volunteer. Although either method will 
provide the same result, contact at the local level, with the OSC, is 
preferred.
    The following is the revised PREP schedule for calendar years 1998, 
1999, and 2000.

                                   Prep Schedule Government-Led Area Exercises                                  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Area                                Agency               Date/Qtr\1\         Participant       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      1998                                                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guam Area (MSO Guam OSC)..............  CG..............................      2/10-12  Shell                    
San Diego, CA Area (MSO San Diego OSC)  CG..............................      4/14-16  J&S                      
Morgan City Area (MSO Morgan City OSC)  CG w/MMS........................        6/3-5  .........................
EPA Region VII Area (EPA OSC).........  EPA.............................      8/18-20  .........................
Long Island Sound Area (COTP Long       CG..............................      9/23-24  .........................
 Island Sound).                                                                                                 
Savannah Area (MSO Savannah)..........  CG..............................     12/15-17  .........................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      1999                                                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LA/LB North Area, (MSO LA/LB OSC).....  CG w/OPS........................       2/8-12  .........................
Boston Area (MSO Boston OSC)..........  CG..............................        4/5-9  .........................
Providence Area (MSO Providence OSC)..  CG..............................       6/7-11  .........................
EPA Region VI (EPA OSC)...............  EPA.............................        8/2-6  .........................
Buffalo, NY Area (MSO Buffalo OSC)....  CG..............................      9/20-24  .........................
Virginia Coastal Area (MSO Hampton Rds  CG..............................      12/6-10  .........................
 OSC).                                                                                                          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      2000                                                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Coast Area (MSO San Francisco     CG..............................       2/7-11  .........................
 OSC).                                                                                                          
Florida Panhandle Area (MSO Mobile      CG..............................      4/10-14  .........................
 OSC).                                                                                                          
Houston/Galveston Area (MSO Houston     CG..............................      6/12-16  .........................
 OSC).                                                                                                          
EPA Region IX (EPA OSC)...............  EPA.............................      8/14-18  .........................
Western Lake Erie Area (MSO Toledo      CG..............................      9/18-22  .........................
 OSC).                                                                                                          
NE North Carolina Area (MSO Hampton     CG..............................      12/8-11  .........................
 Roads OSC).                                                                                                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                      Prep Schedule--Industry-Led Exercises                                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Area                                  Ind                  Date/Qtr              Lead          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New York, NY Area (COTP NY OSC).......  v...............................  ...........  OMI Corp                 
Southern Coastal NC Area (MSO           v...............................  ...........  .........................
 Wilmington OSC).                                                                                               
San Francisco Bay & Delta Region Area   f(mtr)..........................  ...........                           
 (MSO San Francisco OSC).                                                                                       
Cleveland, OH Area (MSO Cleveland OSC)  f(mtr)..........................  ...........  .........................
EPA Region V Area (EPA OSC)...........  p...............................  ...........  .........................
Saulte Ste. Marie, MI Area (COTP        f(mtr)..........................  ...........  .........................
 Saulte Ste. Marie OSC).                                                                                        
South Texas Coastal Zone Area (MSO      f(mtr)..........................  ...........  .........................
 Corpus Christi OSC).                                                                                           

[[Page 1143]]

                                                                                                                
Maryland Coastal Area (COTP Baltimore   v...............................  ...........  .........................
 OSC).                                                                                                          
SW Louisiana/SE Texas Area (MSO Port    v...............................  ...........  .........................
 Arthur OSC).                                                                                                   
Puget Sound Area (MSO Puget Sound)....  f...............................  ...........  .........................
EPA Region I Area (EPA OSC)...........  p...............................  ...........  .........................
LA/LB South Area (MSO LA/LB OSC)......  v...............................  ...........  .........................
Chicago Area (MSO Chicago OSC)........  f(mtr)..........................  ...........  .........................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      1999                                                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama/Mississippi Area (MSO Mobile    p...............................                                        
 OSC).                                                                                                          
South Florida Area (MSO Miami OSC)....  p...............................                                        
Portland, OR Area (MSO Portland OSC)..  v...............................                                        
EPA Region VIII (EPA OSC).............  f(nonmtr).......................                                        
Hawaii/Samoa Area (MSO Honolulu OSC)..  v...............................  ...........  .........................
Central Coast Area (MSO San Francisco   v...............................                                        
 OSC).                                                                                                          
Eastern Wisconsin Area (MSO Milwaukee   f(mtr)..........................                                        
 Area).                                                                                                         
EPA Region Oceania Area (EPA OSC).....  f(nonmtr).......................                                        
Maine & New Hampshire Area (MSO         v...............................                                        
 Portland OSC).                                                                                                 
EPA Region II Area (EPA Caribbean OSC)  f(nonmtr).......................  ...........                           
Prince William Sound Area (MSO Valdez   f...............................  ...........  .........................
 OSC).                                                                                                          
Western Alaska Area (MSO Anchorage      v...............................  ...........  .........................
 OSC).                                                                                                          
Tampa, FL Area (MSO Tampa OSC)........  v...............................  ...........  .........................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      2000                                                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Caribbean Area (MSO San Juan OSC).....  v...............................  ...........  .........................
EPA Region III Area (EPA OSC).........  f(nonmtr).......................  ...........  .........................
Duluth-Superior Area (MSO Duluth OSC).  f...............................  ...........  .........................
Jacksonville Area (MSO Jacksonville     v...............................  ...........  .........................
 OSC).                                                                                                          
EPA Region IX Oceania (EPA OSC).......  f(nonmtr).......................  ...........  .........................
New Orleans Area (MSO New Orleans OSC)  p...............................  ...........  .........................
Commonwealth of N. Mariannas Islands    v...............................  ...........  .........................
 Area (MSO Guam OSC).                                                                                           
EPA Alaska Area (EPA OSC).............  f(nonmtr).......................  ...........  .........................
EPA Region IV Area (EPA OSC)..........  f(nonmtr).......................  ...........  .........................
Detroit Area (MSO Detroit OSC)........  f(mtr)..........................  ...........  .........................
EPA Region IX Area (EPA OSC)..........  p...............................  ...........  .........................
Southeast Alaska Area (MSO Juneau OSC)  v...............................  ...........  .........................
Philadelphia Area (MSO Philadelphia     f(mtr)..........................  ...........  .........................
 OSC).                                                                                                          
Charleston Area (MSO Charleston OSC)..  f(mtr)..........................  ...........  .........................
EPA Region II (EPA OSC)...............  f(nonmtr).......................  ...........  .........................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Quarters: 1 (Jan-March); 2 (April-June); 3 (July-Sept); 4 (Oct-Dec).                                        
\2\ Industry: v-vessel; f(mtr)-marine transportation-related facility; f(nonmtr)-nonmarine transportation-      
  related facility; p-pipeline.                                                                                 

    Dated: December 23, 1997.
Joseph J. Angelo,
Acting Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 98-451 Filed 1-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M