[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 4 (Thursday, January 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 800-801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-249]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[CGD17-99-013]


Application for Recertification of Prince William Sound Regional 
Citizens' Advisory Council

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of the application 
for recertification submitted by the Prince William Sound Regional 
Citizens' Advisory Council (PWSRCAC). A recertification would be valid 
for a year. Under the Oil Terminal and Oil Tanker Environmental 
Oversight and Monitoring Act of 1990, the Coast Guard also may certify, 
on an annual basis, an alternative voluntary advisory group instead of 
the Regional Citizens' Advisory Council for Prince William Sound.

DATES: Comments must reach the Seventeenth Coast Guard District on or 
before February 7, 2000.

ADDRESSES: You may mail your comments to the Seventeenth Coast Guard 
District (mor), P.O. Box 25517, Juneau, AK 99802. You may also deliver 
them to the Juneau Federal Building, room 753, 709 W 9th Juneau, AK 
between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.
    The Seventeenth Coast Guard District maintains the public docket 
for this recertification process. Comments regarding recertification 
will become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or 
copying at the Juneau Federal Building, room 753, 709 W 9th Juneau, AK, 
between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. You may also access this docket via the ARRT web site: 
www.akrrt.org.
    A copy of the application is also available for inspection at the 
Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council's Offices, at 
3709 Spenard Rd., Anchorage, Alaska, 99503 or 154 Fairbanks Dr., P.O. 
Box 3089, Valdez, Alaska, 99686, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. 
Monday through Friday. The telephone number is (907) 277-7222 in 
Anchorage, Alaska and (907) 835-5957 in Valdez, Alaska.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information regarding the 
PWSRCAC, see their web site: www.pwsrcac.org. For questions on viewing, 
or submitting material to the docket contact LCDR Larry Musarra, 
Seventeenth Coast Guard District (mor), (907) 463-2211.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages interested persons to submit written 
data, views, or arguments. It solicits comments from interested groups 
including oil terminal facility owners and operators, owners and 
operators of crude oil tankers calling at terminal facilities, and 
fishing, aquacultural, recreational and environmental citizens groups, 
concerning the recertification application of PWSRCAC. Persons 
submitting comments should include their names and addresses, identify 
this rulemaking (CGD17-99-013) and the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and give the reason for each 
comment. Please submit two copies of all comments and attachments in an 
unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for 
copying and electronic filing. Persons wanting acknowledgment of 
receipt of comments should enclose stamped, self-addressed postcards or 
envelopes.
    The Coast Guard plans no public hearing. Persons may request a 
public hearing by writing to Commander (m), 17th Coast Guard District, 
P.O. Box 25517, Juneau, AK 99802. The request should include the 
reasons why a hearing would be beneficial. If there is sufficient 
evidence to determine that oral presentations will aid this 
recertification process, the Coast Guard will hold a public hearing at 
a time and place announced by a later notice in the Federal Register.

Background and Purpose

    The Coast Guard published guidelines on December 31, 1992 (57 FR 
626000), to assist groups seeking recertification

[[Page 801]]

under the Oil Terminal and Oil Tanker Environmental Oversight and 
Monitoring Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2732) (the Act). The Coast Guard 
issued a policy statement on July 7, 1993 (58 FR 36505), to clarify the 
factors that the Coast Guard would be considering in making its 
determination as to whether advisory groups should be certified in 
accordance with the Act; and the procedures which the Coast Guard would 
follow in meeting its certification responsibilities under the Act.
    The Coast Guard has received an application for recertification of 
PWSRCAC, the currently certified advisory group for the Prince William 
Sound region. In accordance with the review and certification process 
contained in the policy statement, the Coast Guard announces the 
availability of that application.
    At the conclusion of the comment period, the Coast Guard will 
review all application materials and comments received and will take 
one of the following actions:
    (a) Recertify the advisory group under 33 U.S.C. 2732(o).
    (b) Issue a conditional recertification for a period of 90 days, 
with a statement of any discrepancies, which must be corrected to 
qualify for recertification for the remainder of the year.
    (c) Deny recertification of the advisory group if the Coast Guard 
finds that the group is not broadly representative of the interests and 
communities in the area or is not adequately fostering the goals and 
purposes of 33 U.S.C. 2732.
    The Coast Guard will notify PWSRCAC by letter of the action taken 
on its application. A notice will be published in the Federal Register 
to advise the public of the Coast Guard's determination.

    Dated: December 28, 1999.
T.J. Barrett,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard 
District.
[FR Doc. 00-249 Filed 1-5-00; 8:45 am]
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