[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 191 (Friday, October 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53055-53056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26460]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6171-4]


Draft General NPDES Permit for Dischargers Within Three Nautical 
Miles of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska General NPDES Permit No. AK-G52-
7000

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of draft General NPDES Permit, and notice of finding of 
no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: The Director, Office of Water, EPA Region 10, is proposing to 
issue a general National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) 
permit no. AK-G52-7000 for seafood processors within three nautical 
miles of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, and the city of St. Paul, 
Pribilof Islands, Alaska, pursuant to the provisions of the Clean Water 
Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq. The proposed general NPDES permit 
will authorize discharges from seafood processing facilities 
discharging through stationary outfalls on St. Paul and St. George 
Islands, from the city of St. Paul's wastewater treatment system, and 
from mobile seafood processing vessels discharging within the three 
nautical miles of the Pribilof Islands.
    The seafood processing facilities and mobile vessels are engaged in 
the processing of fresh and frozen seafoods, including crab, halibut, 
and sea snails. Discharges authorized by the proposed permit include 
processing wastes, process disinfectants, sanitary wastewater and other 
wastewaters, including cooling water, boiler water, gray water, 
freshwater pressure relief water, refrigeration condensate, water used 
to transfer seafood to a facility, and live tank water. The proposed 
permit will authorize discharges to waters of the United States in and 
contiguous to the State of Alaska.
    The proposed general NPDES permit for seafood processors 
discharging within the Pribilof Island coastal zone will not authorize 
discharges from the processing of fish mince, paste, fillets, or meal. 
The proposed permit will not authorize discharges of petroleum 
hydrocarbons, toxic pollutants, or other pollutants not specified in 
the permit.
    The city of St. Paul collects domestic and sanitary wastes and 
wastewaters which are treated in a series of septic tanks before 
discharge into one of the stationary outfalls. The discharge from the 
city's system commingles with seafood wastes when processing is being 
done.
    A draft NPDES permit, fact sheet, and other documents of the 
administrative record are available upon request.

PUBLIC NOTICE ISSUANCE DATE: October 2, 1998.

PUBLIC NOTICE EXPIRATION DATE: November 2, 1998.

PUBLIC COMMENTS: Interested persons may submit written comments on the 
draft general NPDES permit to the attention of Florence Carroll at the 
address below. All comments should include the name, address, and 
telephone number of the commenter and a concise statement of comment 
and the relevant facts upon which it is based. Comments of either 
support or concern which are directed at specific, cited permit 
requirements are appreciated. Comments must be submitted to EPA on or 
before the expiration date of the public notice.
    After the expiration date of the public notice, the Director, 
Office of Water, EPA Region 10, will make a final determination with 
respect to issuance of the general permit. The tentative requirements 
contained in the draft general permit will become final upon issuance 
if no substantive comments are received during the public comment 
period.
    Persons wishing to comment on State Certification of the proposed 
general NPDES permit should contact the State of Alaska, Alaska 
Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), Watershed Management 
Section, Attn: Robert Dolan, 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, Alaska, 
99501.
    Persons wishing to comment on the State Determination of 
Consistency with the Alaska Coastal Management Program should contact 
the State of Alaska, Southcentral Regional Office, Office of Management 
and Budget, Division of Governmental Coordination, 3601 ``C'' Street, 
Suite 370, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-2798.
    Persons wishing to comment on the EPA Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FNSI), based on the environmental assessment, should submit 
written comments within this 30 day period. All comments should include 
the name, address and telephone number of the commenter and a concise 
statement of the basis of any comment and the relevant facts upon which 
it is based. Comments should be submitted to Rick Seaborne, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, OW-136, 1200 Sixth Avenue, 
Seattle, Washington, 98101.

PUBLIC HEARING: No public hearings have been scheduled. Persons 
requesting a public hearing should submit their request to Florence 
Carroll at the address below. Notice of a public hearing will be 
published in the Federal Register. Notices will also be mailed to all 
interested persons receiving copies of the proposed permit.

ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD: The complete administrative record for the draft 
permit is available for public review at the EPA Region 10 Library, 
10th Floor, at the address listed below. Copies of the draft general 
NPDES permit, fact sheet, the environmental assessment, the biological 
assessment, and the Pribilof Ocean Discharge Criteria Evaluation are 
available upon request from the Region 10 Public Environmental Resource 
Center at 1-800-424-4EPA (4372) (within Region 10 only) or (206) 553-
1200 or by e-mail to ``[email protected]''.

ADDRESSES: Public comments should be sent to: Environmental Protection 
Agency Region 10, NPDES Compliance Unit (OW-133), 1200 Sixth Avenue, 
Seattle, Washington, 98101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Florence Carroll, of EPA Region 10, at 
the address listed above or telephone (206) 553-1760 or e-mail 
``[email protected]''.

REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ACT: Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), 
5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., a Federal agency must prepare an initial 
regulatory flexibility analysis ``for any proposed rule'' for which the 
agency ``is required by section 553 of (the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA)), or any other law, to publish general notice of proposed 
rulemaking.'' The RFA exempts from this requirement any rule that the 
issuing agency certifies ``will not, if promulgated, have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.'' EPA has 
concluded that NPDES general permits are permits under the APA and thus 
not subject to APA rulemaking requirements or the RFA. Notwithstanding 
that general permits are not subject to the RFA, EPA has determined 
that this general permit, if issued, will not have

[[Page 53056]]

a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.

    Authority: Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.

    Dated: September 24, 1998.
Philip G. Millam,
Director, Office of Water.

Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI)

    To All Interested Government Agencies, Public Groups, and 
Individuals:
    In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
procedures for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act, 40 
CFR part 6, EPA has conducted an environmental review of the following 
proposed action:
    Reissuance of general National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System (NPDES) Permit No. AK-G52-7000, to authorize discharge of 
seafood processing wastes by owners and operators of facilities, both 
mobile and shore-based, engaged in the processing of seafood within 
three nautical miles of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, and to authorize 
discharge from the City of St. Paul, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 
Wastewater Treatment System.
    The general NPDES permit would authorize, subject to the stated 
limitations, conditions, and requirements, seafood processing 
discharges from moored floating or mobile barges and other vessels 
discharging through stationary outfalls on St. Paul and St. George 
Islands, and discharges from mobile vessels operating within 3 nmi of 
St. Paul, St George, or Otter Island, except in the vicinity of 
critical habitat, as specified. The general NPDES permit would also 
authorize a discharge from the City of St. Paul wastewater treatment 
system through a stationary outfall. The permit Fact Sheet describes 
the basis for the permit provisions.
    EPA previously issued, in 1996, the interim Pribilof Islands 
Seafood Processors General NPDES Permit (the ``interim general 
permit''). Prior to issuance of the interim general permit, EPA 
prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA), Biological Assessment (BA), 
and Ocean Discharge Criteria Evaluation (ODCE). Based on these 
evaluations, EPA determined that collection of additional information 
was warranted, but that the permit could be issued on an interim basis 
without the permitted activities resulting in irreparable harm to the 
marine environment. The interim general permit was issued for a period 
of two years to allow time to collect additional field data.
    The 1996 interim general permit expired in February 1998, but has 
been administratively extended. EPA proposes to reissue the general 
permit based on the new information. As a result of the new 
information, EPA has prepared a new EA, BA, and ODCE. The EA (and 
supporting BA and ODCE documentation), and the proposed permit 
conditions, provide the basis for this FNSI.
    In accordance with the guidelines for determining the significance 
of federal actions (40 CFR 1508.27) and EPA criteria for initiating an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) (40 CFR 6.605), EPA has concluded 
that reissuance of this general NPDES permit will not result in a 
significant effect on the human environment. This action will not 
significantly affect land use patterns or population, wetlands or 
floodplains, threatened or endangered species, farmlands, ecologically 
critical areas, historic resources, air quality, water quality, noise 
levels, fish and wildlife resources, nor will it conflict with approved 
local, regional, or state land use plans or policies. For the above 
reasons EPA has determined that an EIS will not be prepared.
    Comments supporting or disagreeing with this FNSI may be submitted 
to the following address for consideration: Rick Seaborne, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, OW-136, 
Seattle, Washington 98101.
    A copy of the EA may also be obtained by writing to the above 
address, or calling (206) 553-8510.
    After evaluating the comments received, EPA will make a final 
decision. No administrative action will be taken on the proposed permit 
for at least 30 days after the release date (indicated above) of this 
FNSI. EPA will fully consider all comments received during this public 
notice period before taking final action.

    Dated: September 24, 1998.
Philip G. Millam,
Director, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 98-26460 Filed 10-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P