[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7069-7071]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3564]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 155

[USCG 98-3417]
RIN 2115-AF60


Salvage and Firefighting Equipment; Vessel Response Plans

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; partial suspension of regulation.

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[[Page 7070]]

SUMMARY: Current vessel response plan regulations require that the 
owners or operators of vessels carrying groups I through V petroleum 
oil as a primary cargo identify in their response plans a salvage 
company with expertise and equipment, and a company with firefighting 
capability that can be deployed to a port nearest to the vessel's 
operating area within 24 hours of notification (Groups I-IV) or a 
discovery of a discharge (Group V). Numerous requests for clarification 
revealed widespread misunderstanding and confusion regarding the 
regulatory language, which will make the implementation of this 
requirement difficult. Based on comments received after the vessel 
response plan final rule publication (61 FR 1052; January 12, 1996) and 
during a Coast Guard hosted workshop, the Coast Guard intends to better 
define expertise and equipment requirements and will reconsider the 24-
hour deployment requirement scheduled to take effect on February 18, 
1998. The Coast Guard has determined that there is not adequate time to 
address these issues before February, 1998. Therefore, the Coast Guard 
is suspending the effective dates of the deployment requirements as 
published in the final rule.

DATES: This suspension is effective as of February 12, 1998. 
Termination of the suspension will be on February 12, 2001.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to the Docket Management Facility, 
(USCG-98-3417), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), room PL-401, 
400 Seventh Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590-0001, or deliver them 
to room PL-401, located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at 
the same address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this 
rulemaking. Comments, and documents as indicated in this preamble, will 
become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or 
copying at room PL-401, located at the Plaza Level of the Nassif 
Building at the above address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal Holidays. You may electronically access 
the public docket for this rulemaking on the internet at http://
dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For information on the public docket, contact Carol Kelley, Coast Guard 
Dockets Team Leader, or Paulette Twine, Chief, Documentary Services 
Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, telephone 202-366-9329. 
For information concerning the final rule partial suspension of 
regulation, contact LCDR John Caplis, Project Manager, Office of 
Response (G-MOR), at 202-267-6922; e-mail: [email protected]. This 
telephone is equipped to record messages on a 24-hour basis.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulatory History

    The regulatory history for this rulemaking is recounted in the 
preamble of the final rule entitled ``Vessel Response Plans'' (61 FR 
1052, January 12, 1996).

Reason for Suspension

    Regulations found in 33 CFR 155 require vessel owners and operators 
to identify salvage and firefighting resources in their response plans. 
No specific response times were mandated for these resources due to 
concerns over the capacity of these resources that existed in the 
United States in 1993. However, under the final rule, vessel response 
plans submitted (or resubmitted) for approval after February 18, 1998, 
must identify salvage and firefighting resources capable of being 
deployed to the port nearest to the vessel's operating area within 24 
hours of notification.
    The regulations allow vessel owners and operators to determine 
their salvage and firefighting response needs, and to arrange for the 
appropriate level of resources. To promote planning consistency 
throughout the United States regarding the adequacy of salvage and 
firefighting resources, the Coast Guard hosted a public workshop in 
August 1997 with the Maritime Association of the Port of New York/New 
Jersey. This workshop solicited comments from the public regarding the 
current requirements for salvage and firefighting resources. 
Considerable differences in opinion and requests for clarification were 
voiced by vessel owners and/or operators, salvage and firefighting 
contractors, maritime associations, and governmental agencies with 
respect to the proper interpretation of these requirements. The 
numerous requests for clarification revealed widespread 
misunderstanding and confusion regarding the regulatory language, which 
will make the implementation of the requirement difficult.
    Based on comments received during the workshop, the Coast Guard has 
determined that it should better define the key elements within the 
requirements. Regulatory language such as ``a salvage company with 
expertise and equipment'' or ``firefighting capability'' must be 
further specified before the Coast Guard will implement or expect 
vessel owners or operators to comply with any related time 
requirements. Therefore, the Coast Guard is suspending its February 18, 
1998, requirement that ``identified salvage and firefighting resources 
must be capable of being deployed to the port nearest to the area in 
which the vessel operates within 24 hours of notification'' for plans 
that are submitted (or resubmitted) for approval after that time. As 
follow-on to the August 1997 workshop and other efforts, the Coast 
Guard is continuing to review the salvage and marine firefighting 
capabilities within the United States and its territories. The Coast 
Guard intends to conduct a regulatory initiative in 1998 to further 
define the salvage and firefighting requirements and address the issues 
raised at the August 1997 workshop. Any additional requirements will be 
published in the Federal Register and will not become effective until 
90 days after publication of a notice reporting the determinations of 
the Coast Guard.

Regulatory Process Considerations

    Although the final rule published in 1996 was a significant 
regulatory action under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) does not consider this partial 
suspension of the final rule as a significant action. This action will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
and 1996 amendments (enacted as Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code) 
because the original requirements did not have a significant effect on 
a substantial number of small entities, and this suspension does not 
change those requirements. Any future regulatory action on this issue 
will address any economic impacts, including impacts on small business. 
This action does not affect any requirements under section 3504(h) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This action is 
not an unfunded mandate under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (Pub. L. 
104-4).
    Numerous requests for clarification revealed widespread 
misunderstanding and confusion regarding the regulatory language, which 
will make the implementation of the requirement difficult. The partial 
suspension will relieve the affected industry from complying until 
regulations can be drafted more thoroughly addressing this requirement. 
The Coast Guard finds good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(b) that

[[Page 7071]]

notice and comment on the suspension are impracticable and contrary to 
the public interest. Because the section otherwise becomes effective on 
February 18, 1998, there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) for the 
final rule to be effective on the date of publication in the Federal 
Register.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 155

    Hazardous substances, Incorporation by reference, oil pollution, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard amends 
33 CFR part 155 as follows:

PART 155--OIL OR HAZARDOUS MATERIAL POLLUTION PREVENTION 
REGULATIONS FOR VESSELS

    1. The authority citation for part 155 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231, 1321(j); 46 U.S.C. 3715; sec. 2, E.O. 
12777, 56 FR 54757, 3 CFR, 1991 Comp., p. 351; 49 CFR 1.46.
    Secs. 155.100-155.130, 155.350-155.400, 155.430, 155.440, 
155.470, 155.1030 (j) and (k), and 155.1065(g) also issued under 33 
U.S.C. 1903(b); and Secs. 155.110-155.1150 also issued 33 U.S.C. 
2735.


Sec. 155.1050  [Amended]

    2. In Sec. 155.1050, paragraph (k)(3) is suspended from February 
12, 1998, until February 12, 2001.


Sec. 155.1052  [Amended]

    3. In Sec. 155.1052, the last sentence in paragraph (f) is 
suspended from February 12, 1998, until February 12, 2001.

    Dated: February 6, 1998.
Joseph J. Angelo,
Acting Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 98-3564 Filed 2-11-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M