[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57691-57692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27935]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[ALJ 99-OOO5-CIV]


In the Matter of D-O-R Production Management, LLC

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed penalty; opportunity to participate.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard gives notice of and provides an opportunity to 
participate or file comments on the proposed assessment of a Class II 
administrative penalty against D-O-R Production Management, LLC, (D-O-
R), for violations of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA). 
The alleged violations involve three oil spills that occurred at D-O-
R's offshore XPLOR Energy Production facility and wells at Main Pass 
Block Thirty-five and occurred over the period starting on or about 
June 10, 1999 and continued through and including June 12, 1999. 
Interested persons may participate or file comments in this proceeding.

DATES: Comments must reach the Coast Guard no later than November 26, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to the Hearing Docket Clerk, 
Administrative Law Judge Docketing Center, United States Coast Guard, 
40 South Gay Street, Room 412, Baltimore, Maryland 21202-4022. Comments 
may also be personally delivered to Room 412 at the same address 
between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The telephone number is (410) 962-7434. You may also fax your 
comments to (410) 962-1742.
    The Administrative Law Judge Docketing Center maintains the public 
docket for this matter. Comments will become part of this docket and 
will be available for inspection or copying in Room 412 at the address 
listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. George J. Jordan, Director of 
Judicial Administration, Office of the Chief Administrative Law Judge, 
Commandant (G-CJ), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20593-0001. The telephone number is (202) 267-2940.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages interested persons to submit written 
comments. Persons submitting comments should include their name, 
address, identify this document (ALJ 99-0005-CIV), and state the reason 
for each specific comment. Please submit all comments and attachments 
in an unbound format on white paper no longer than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, 
suitable for copying and electronic filing. Persons wanting 
acknowledgment or receipt of comments should enclose self-addressed, 
stamped postcards or envelopes.

Discussion

    This is a Class II civil penalty proceeding brought under section 
311(b) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et 
seq.)(FWPCA), as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 
1321). The FWPCA requires the Coast Guard to publish notice of the 
proposed issuance of an order assessing a Class II civil penalty in the 
Federal Register.
    If you wish to be an interested person, you must file written 
comments on the proceeding or written notice of intent to present 
evidence at any hearing held in this Class II civil penalty proceeding 
with the Hearing Docket Clerk.
    The following table explains how interested persons may participate 
in a Class II civil penalty proceeding.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  If--                                Then--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
a hearing is scheduled.................  You will be given
                                          Notice of any hearing;
                                          A reasonable
                                          opportunity to be heard and to
                                          present evidence during any
                                          hearing; and
                                          Notice and a copy of
                                          the decision 33 CFR 20.404
the proceeding is concluded without a    You may petition the Commandant
 hearing..                                of the Coast Guard to set
                                          aside the order and to provide
                                          a hearing.
                                         You must file the petition
                                          within 30 days after issuance
                                          of the administrative law
                                          judge's order. 33 CFR 20.1102
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    You can find the regulations concerning Class II civil penalty 
proceedings in 33 CFR part 20.
    This proceeding (ALJ 99-0005-CIV) results from three separate oil 
spill incidents that occurred at the XPLOR Energy Production facility 
and wells operated by D-O-R located at Main Pass Block Thirty-five, 
over the period starting on or about June 10, 1999 and continuing 
through and including June 12, 1999. The Coast Guard alleges the 
offshore production facility located at Main Pass Block Thirty-five 
overflowed two oil storage tanks and spilled or discharged five gallons 
of oil into the contiguous waters of the United States on or about 
1600, June 10,1999.
    The Coast Guard further alleges that a ruptured flow line located 
near the well head on well number seventy-two at Main Pass Block 
Thirty-five spilled or discharged an unknown quantity of oil into the 
contiguous waters of the United States beginning on or about 1500, June 
11, 1999 and continuing to and including June 12, 1999.
    The Coast Guard further alleges that a ruptured hydraulic oil line 
located on a crane at the offshore facility at Main Pass Block Thirty-
five spilled or discharged five gallons of oil into the contiguous 
waters of the United States on or about 1600, June 11, 1999.
    The Coast Guard further alleges that unapproved chemical agents 
were used to clean up the hydraulic oil spilled from the ruptured 
hydraulic line on the

[[Page 57692]]

crane at the offshore facility and that the Respondent improperly 
disposed of the recovered oil and oil contaminated materials.
    The Coast Guard further alleges that D-O-R failed to immediately 
notify the National Response Center for the three oil spills that 
occurred over the period starting on or about 10 June, 1999 and 
continued to and including June 12,1999.
    The Coast Guard filed the complaint on October 4, 1999 at New 
Orleans, LA.
    The Respondent is D-O-R Production Management, LLC. 106 Oil Center 
Drive, Suite 214, Post Office Drawer 53829, Lafayette, LA 70505.
    The Coast Guard seeks a civil penalty of $88,000.

    Dated: October 20, 1999.
George J. Jordan,
Director of Judicial Administration, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Law Judge, United States Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 99-27935 Filed 10-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-U