[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32090-32093]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15041]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[USCG-1999-5666]


National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP)

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Request for comments on PREP triennial exercise schedule for 
1999, 2000, and 2001 and new equipment deployment exercise.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 
the Research and Special Program 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, 1999-2001; requests comments from the public; and requests 
industry participants to volunteer for scheduled PREP Area exercises.

DATES: Comments are due by August 16, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Please submit your comments and related material by only one 
of the following methods to avoid multiple listings in the public 
docket:
    (1) By mail to the Docket Management Facility (USCG-1999-5666), 
U.S. Department of Transportation, room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (2) By hand delivery to room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The 
telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    (3) By fax to Docket Management Facility at 202-493-2251.
    (4) Electronically through the Web Site for the Docket Management 
System at htt://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on this notice and 
general information regarding the PREP program and the schedule, 
contact Ms. Karen Adams, Marine Safety and Environmental Protection, 
Office of Response, (G-MOR-2), (202) 267-2850. For questions on 
viewing, or submitting material to, the docket, contact Ms. Dorothy 
Walker, Chief, Dockets, Department of Transportation, telephone (202) 
366-9329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PREP Area exercise schedule and exercise 
design manual are available on the internet at htt://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-
m/gmhome.htm (see index, then oil

[[Page 32091]]

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 
book is available at no cost by writing or faxing the TASC Dept 
Warehouse, 3341 Q 75th Avenue, Landover, MD 20785, fax: 301-386-5394. 
The stock number of the manual is USCG-X0191. Please indicate the 
quantity when ordering. Quantities are limited to 10 per order.

Background and Purpose

A. Vessel-Owned Equipment Deployment Exercise

    The Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) has 
guidelines for equipment deployment exercises for the owners or 
operators of tank vessels. These guidelines provide recommendations for 
the deployment and operation of response equipment identified in the 
response plans. Specifically, objectives include demonstrating the 
ability of the personnel to deploy and operate equipment, and ensuring 
that equipment is being maintained in proper working order.
    The equipment deployment guidelines for vessels focus on exercising 
a plan holder's oil spill removal organizations (OSROs) and do not 
address exercising ``vessel-owned response equipment'' operated by 
vessel crews. For plan holders who employ a mixture of both vessel-
owned response equipment and OSROs, the current guidelines do not 
provide for vessel-owned equipment to be exercised and deployed in 
addition to the OSROs. As the vessel-owned equipment is likely to be 
critical to the response in such plans, it is important to exercise 
these resources.
    This notice establishes guidelines for equipment deployment 
exercises for response plans that employ vessel-owned equipment as part 
of their response arrangements. The most common occurrences of such 
arrangements are for owners or operators that provide their own 
coverage for an average most probable discharge (AMPD) or those 
involved in alternate compliance programs. Both arrangements typically 
involve company-owned equipment, either onboard the vessel, or 
strategically located at shore-based facilities, as the primary means 
for meeting some or all of their spill response requirements. At a 
minimum, the new guidelines will apply to the owners or operators of 
tank vessels that employ the following arrangements:
(1) Average Most Probable Discharge (AMPD) With ``Vessel-Owned'' 
Response Equipment
    The vessel response plan regulations [33 CFR 155.1050(d)] require 
that the owner or operator of a vessel that carries groups I through IV 
petroleum oil as a primary cargo identify in the response plan and 
ensure the availability of, through contract or other approved means, 
the response resources that will respond to a discharge up to the 
vessel's average most probable discharge [defined as a discharge of the 
lesser of 50 barrels of oil or 1 percent of the cargo from the vessel 
during cargo oil transfer operations to or from the vessel]. Since the 
requirements for AMPD coverage involve quick response times and 
typically small amounts of equipment, many tank vessel owners have 
chosen to provide their own response for such spills. This coverage 
usually involves the use of company-owned equipment, either stored in 
land-based locations near a transfer site, or stowed onboard the tank 
vessel itself (or in the case of many unmanned vessels, on the 
accompanying towing vessel).
(2) Alternate Compliance Arrangements With ``Vessel-Owned'' Response 
Equipment
    The vessel response plan regulations provide for the development of 
such alternative compliance arrangements. 33 CFR 155.1065(f) provides 
that an owner or operator of a vessel who believes that the national 
planning criteria is inappropriate to the vessel for the areas in which 
it is intended to operate, then the owner/operator may request 
acceptance of alternative planning criteria. Since the initial 
submission of vessel response plans more than five years ago, both 
primary and secondary carriers carrying non-persistent cargoes in 
remote locations such as Alaska have developed alternate compliance 
arrangements. Many of these arrangements rely heavily on the use of 
onboard spill response equipment to meet some or all of the response 
planning requirements.
Secondary Carriers
    The vessel response plan regulations, 33 CFR 155.1045, require 
secondary carriers of petroleum cargoes to prepare and submit vessel 
response plans. The term ``secondary carrier'' refers to any vessel 
that carries oil in bulk as cargo other than a vessel carrying oil in 
bulk as a primary cargo. ``Cargo'' is defined as oil that is 
transported to and offloaded at a destination by a vessel. Large 
fishing tenders (greater than 750 gross tons) and processors are 
considered secondary carriers when they transfer fuel from their vessel 
to other smaller fishing vessels in their fleet. These vessels, as 
secondary carriers, are required by regulation to consider 
approximately 25% of their total fuel capacity as ``secondary cargo'' 
for planning purposes.
    The regulations mandates secondary carriers plan for a worst case 
discharge, and identify resources, which can commence containment and 
recovery within twenty-four hours. This has been a difficult standard 
to attain in many remote locations (such as western Alaska) because of 
the lack of response resources available in these areas.
    Due to the distances between their fishing grounds and any existing 
response organizations, many secondary carriers believe that the 
services of any OSRO would arrive too late to have any appreciable 
benefit in most spill scenarios as a result of the non-persistent 
nature of their cargo. As a result, many secondary carriers have 
indicated that they would prefer to develop their own response 
capabilities.
Primary Carriers
    Like the fishing tenders, many tank barge operators in Alaska face 
similar response planning challenges for transporting their non-
persistent cargoes to remote locations throughout the state. These 
primary cargo carriers have also preferred to develop alternate 
compliance arrangements that involve the use of onboard spill response 
equipment to address some of their response planning requirements. 
Proposed addition to PREP Guidelines:
Equipment Deployment Exercises (Vessel-owned equipment)
    Applicability: Vessels using ``owned'' equipment [equipment owned 
by the vessel owner or operator] to meet their planning standards for 
response equipment.
    Frequency: Annual.
    Initiating Authority: Company policy.
    Participating Elements: Owner or operator personnel supporting or 
operating the ``owned'' response equipment.
    Scope: Deploy and operate vessel-owned response equipment 
identified in the response plan. The equipment to be deployed would be 
either (1) the minimum amount of equipment for deployment as described 
in ``Guiding Principles''; or (2) the equipment necessary to respond to 
an average most probable discharge [for plans using owned equipment to 
provide AMPD coverage].
    Equipment deployment exercises should be conducted annually for 
each

[[Page 32092]]

vessel within a plan using owned onboard response equipment. For owners 
or operators using owned shore-based equipment and personnel to meet 
their response standard, one annual deployment should be conducted for 
each location where owned equipment is located. For operators or owners 
that use owned onboard response equipment, but also use a limited 
number of vessel crews to operate a larger fleet of vessels, the number 
of vessels exercised in one annual cycle may be limited to the number 
of vessel crews employed to operate the owned equipment. For example, a 
large tank barge fleet using three crews would conduct three exercises 
annually. In another example, where the response equipment is located 
on two towing vessels instead of the tank vessels, then they would 
conduct two exercises annually. However, all vessels using owned 
onboard equipment by an owner or operator under the plan should be 
exercised within a rotation that does not exceed a three-year cycle.
    Objectives: Demonstrate ability of vessel personnel to deploy and 
operate equipment. Ensure equipment is in proper working order.
    Certification: Self certification.
    Verification: U.S. Coast Guard.
    Records:
    Retention: 3 years.
    Location: In accordance with 33 CFR 155.1060(e)(1).
    Evaluation: Self-evaluation.

B. Exercise Schedule

    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 
154.1055(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 Office of Pipeline Safety (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 EPA 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 Adams at 202-267-2850, 
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 1999, 
2000, and 2001.

                                  PREP Schedule--Government-Led Area Exercises
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Area                        Agency          Date/Qtr 1                 Participant
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LA/LB South Area (MSO LA/LB OSC)...  CG                         2/8-12  Blue Star Shipping.
Hampton Roads (MSO Hampton Rds OSC)  CG                        3/15-19  Maris Transportation.
Maine & New Hampshire Area (MSO      CG                          6/3-4  Kent Lines.
 Portland OSC).
EPA Region VI (EPA OSC)............  EPA                         8/2-6  ........................................
Providence Area (MSO Providence      CG                        9/20-24  ........................................
 OSC).
Portland, OR (MSO Portland OSC)....  CG                        12/6-10  ........................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      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).
Detroit Area (MSO Detroit OSC).....  CG                        12/8-11  ........................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      2001
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SW Louisiana/SE Texas Area (MSO      CG                        2/14-15  ........................................
 Port Arthur OSC).
New York, NY Area (COTP NY OSC)....  CG                        4/18-19  ........................................
Saulte Ste. Marie, MI Area (COTP     CG                        6/20-21  ........................................
 Saulte Ste.).
EPA Region I Area (EPA OSC)........  EPA                       8/21-22  ........................................
Chicago Area (MSO Chicago OSC).....  CG                        9/26-27  ........................................
Maryland Coastal Area (COTP          CG                         12/5-6  ........................................
 Baltimore OSC).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 32093]]


 
                                      PREP Schedule--Industry-Led Exercises
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Area                         Ind2            Date/Qtr                     Lead
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama/Mississippi Area (MSO        p
 Mobile OSC).
South Florida Area (MSO Miami OSC).  p
Boston Area (MSO Boston OSC).......  f
EPA Region VIII (EPA OSC)..........  f (nonmtr)
Hawaii/Samoa Area (MSO Honolulu      v
 OSC).
Central Coast Area (MSO San          v
 Francisco OSC).
Eastern Wisconsin Area (MSO          f (mtr)
 Milwaukee Area).
EPA Region Oceania Area (EPA OSC)..  f (nonmtr)
Buffalo, NY Area (MSO Buffalo Area)  f
EPA Region II Area (EPA Caribbean    f (nonmtr)
 OSC).
Tampa, FL Area (MSO Tampa OSC).....  v
Puget Sound (MSO Puget Sound OSC)..  v
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      2000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Caribbean Area (MSO San Juan OSC)..  v
EPA Region III Area (EPA OSC)......  f (nonmtr)
Duluth-Superior Area (MSO Duluth     f
 OSC).
Jacksonville Area (MSO Jacksonville  v
 OSC).
EPA Region IX Oceania (EPA OSC)....  f (nonmtr)
New Orleans Area (MSO New Orleans    p
 OSC).
Commonwealth of N. Mariannas         v
 Islands Area (MSO Guam OSC).
EPA Alaska Area (EPA OSC)..........  f (nonmtr)
EPA Region IV Area (EPA OSC).......  f (nonmtr)
EPA Region IX Area (EPA OSC).......  p
Southeast Alaska Area (MSO Juneau    v
 OSC).
Philadelphia Area (MSO Philadelphia  f (mtr)
 OSC).
Charleston Area (MSO Charleston      f (mtr)
 OSC).
EPA Region II (EPA OSC)............  f (nonmtr)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      2001
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guam Area (MSO Guam OSC)...........  v
San Diego, CA Area (MSO San Diego    f
 OSC).
Morgan City Area (MSO Morgan City    v
 OSC).
EPA Region VII Area (EPA OSC)......  f (nonmtr)
Long Island Sound Area (COTP Long    f
 Island Sound).
Savannah Area (MSO Savannah).......  p
Southern Coastal NC Area (MSO        v
 Wilmington OSC).
San Francisco Bay & Delta Region     f (mtr)
 Area (MSO San Francisco OSC).
Cleveland, OH Area (MSO Cleveland    f (mtr)
 OSC).
EPA Region V Area (EPA OSC)........  f
South Texas Coastal Zone Area (MSO   v
 Corpus Christi OSC).                w/OPS
LA/LB North Area (MSO LA/LB OSC)...  v
Prince William Sound (MSO Valdez     p
 OSC).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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: June 4, 1999.
R.C. North,
Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental Protection.
[FR Doc. 99-15041 Filed 6-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-M