[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 6, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10208-10210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5313]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7153-5]


New York State Prohibition on Marine Discharges of Vessel Sewage; 
Receipt of Petition and Tentative Determination

    Notice is hereby given that a petition was received from the State 
of New York on July 5, 2001 requesting a determination by the Regional 
Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pursuant to 
section 312(f) of Public Law 92-500, as amended by Public Law 95-217 
and Public Law 100-4 (the Clean Water Act), that adequate facilities 
for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all 
vessels are reasonably

[[Page 10209]]

available for the waters of the Peconic Estuary, County of Suffolk, 
State of New York. The Towns of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter 
Island, Southampton, and Southold, and the Villages of Dering Harbor, 
Greenport, North Haven, and Sag Harbor are seeking to establish a New 
York State Designated No-Discharge Zone for the open waters, harbors 
and creeks on the Peconic Estuary, Suffolk County, New York west of a 
line from Orient Point (41.16133, -72.23065) to Montauk Point 
(41.07312, -71.8570).
    Once the EPA has determined that the waterbody contains an adequate 
number of pumpouts, it is automatically a State designated No-Discharge 
Zone, pursuant to Section 33.e.1. of the New York State Navigation Law. 
Within the No-Discharge Zone, discharges from marine toilets are 
prohibited under Section 33.e.2 of the State Navigation Law, and marine 
sanitation devices on board vessels operated in a No-Discharge Zone 
must be secured to prevent discharges. This statute may be enforced by 
any police officer or peace officer acting pursuant to their special 
duties.
    A New York State Designated No-Discharge Zone has already been 
established in the Town of East Hampton (1998) for the enclosed harbors 
and creeks on the Peconic Estuary from the Sag Harbor Village line to 
Montauk Point, Town of East Hampton, Suffolk County, New York. The 
existing NDA includes Northwest Creek, Accabonac Harbor, Three Mile 
Harbor, Napeague Harbor, Hog Creek and Lake Montauk.
    The open waters, harbors and creeks of the Peconic Estuary support 
significant shellfisheries, fish spawning, nursery and feeding areas, 
primary contact recreation such as swimming, and are or have within 
them State designated Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitats. 
Vessel counts indicate that there are approximately 7,000 to 11,300 
boats in the area on an average summer weekend.
    These areas provide important natural and recreational resources 
that contribute significantly to the local, regional and state economy 
and the protection and enhancement of these waters is crucial to 
maintaining the natural resource values and economic viability of 
traditional maritime commercial and recreational activities.
    For many years, most of the Peconic Estuary was open for 
shellfishing. However, beginning in the mid-1980's, the creeks and 
embayments experienced partial seasonal closures due to coliform 
bacteria levels. At present, the major creeks and embayments experience 
closure on a year round or a seasonal basis due to high levels of 
coliform bacteria in the water. Although vessel waste may be a 
relatively small contributor to marine pollution in general in the 
Peconic Estuary, pollution from boats has been identified in the New 
York State Priority Waterbodies List as one of several key pollution 
sources that has led to shellfish being classified as an impaired use 
in water quality classifications within the Peconic Estuary.
    According to the State's petition, the maximum daily vessel 
population for the waters of the Peconic Estuary is 11,247 vessels 
which are docked or moored. An inventory was developed including the 
number of recreational, commercial and estimated transient vessels that 
occupy the estuary. The following table summarizes the location of 
pumpout facilities and vessel populations:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Waterbody                        Vessels  Pumpouts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orient Harbor.......................................       281        0
Greenport Harbor....................................      1026        2
Southold Bay........................................      1319        4
Hog Neck Bay........................................       251        0
Cutchogue Harbor Complex............................       699        2
Southold............................................       449        2
Flanders Bay Complex................................       572        4
Red Creek Pond......................................       187        0
Cold Springs Pond...................................       341        3
Bullhead Bay/Sebonac Complex........................        76        1
North Sea Harbor....................................       253        0
Noyack Sea Harbor...................................       300        0
Sag Harbor Complex..................................      1867        2
Three Mile Harbor...................................      1262        8
Accabonac Harbor....................................        56        0
Napeague Harbor.....................................        20        0
Lake Montauk........................................      1274        6
Dering Harbor.......................................       381        1
Coecles Harbor......................................       287        1
West Neck Harbor....................................       346        0
                                                     -------------------
    Total...........................................     11247       36
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The ratio of boats to pumpout facilities has been based on the 
total number of vessels which could be expected. With thirty shore-side 
pumpout facilities and six pumpout vessel available to boaters, the 
ratio of docked or moored boats (including transients) is approximately 
311 vessels per pumpout. Standard guidelines refer to acceptable ratios 
failing in the range of 300 to 600 vessels per pumpout.
    There are commercial vessel operators active in and around the 
Peconic Estuary. These include the Cross Sound Ferry, the Plum Island 
Ferry, the Shelter Island Ferry and the commercial fishing fleets which 
operate out of Greenport and East Hampton. Cross Sound Ferry has a 
fleet of seven vessels. Six of these accommodate autos, trucks, buses 
and passengers. Cross Sound Ferry also offers high speed ferry service 
on its passenger only vessel, Sea Jet I. The ferries run hourly from 
each location, generally between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., although the 
schedule varies with the season and at holidays. All of the Cross Sound 
Ferry fleet have holding tanks. These are pumped out at its facility in 
New London. Waste is emptied into the sewer system for treatment at the 
New London Sewage Treatment Plant. The Plum Island Ferry operates three 
vessels between Orient Point and the USDA facility on Plum Island. 
Vessel waste from the ferries is pumped out and treated at the sewage 
treatment facility at Plum Island.
    Two vehicle ferries run between Shelter Island and the mainland. 
The North Ferry Co., Inc. provides ferry service between the Village of 
Greenport and the Town of Shelter Island. The North Ferry operates four 
100-ton, 90-foot-long ferries, each capable of carrying cars, trucks, 
bicycles, and passengers. The ferry operates between 5:40 a.m. and 
11:45 p.m., running every 15 minutes between 7:15 a.m. and 10:15 p.m., 
with additional trips on holiday weekends. No restroom facilities are 
on board.
    South Ferry Inc. of Shelter Island provides ferry service between 
the Town of Shelter Island and the Village of North Haven. The South 
Ferry operates 3 ferries, each capable of carrying cars, trucks, 
bicycles, and passengers. The ferry operates between 6 a.m. and 11:45 
p.m., running every 10-12 minutes, with additional trips on holiday 
weekends. No restroom facilities are on board.
    Greenport is home to a commercial fishing fleet. Although subject 
to turnover and change, the fleet has an estimated 16 vessels. The 
Village of Greenport Harbor Management Plan (December 1998) identified 
3 bay draggers operating out of Stirling Basin and 11 trawlers and 2 
scallopers operating from facilities in Greenport Harbor, including 
Coopers, Greenport Yacht and Shipbuilding and the Village of 
Greenport's commercial fishing dock. The Greenport Seafood Dock and 
Market and the Greenport Fish factory provide facilities for the 
unloading and distribution of fish and are used by both local and 
offshore fleets. The Village's commercial fishing dock, known as the 
railroad dock, is a layover facility for commercial craft and is not a 
full service facility. Discussions with the commercial fishing fleet 
indicate that they discharge holding tanks outside the three mile 
limit.
    Commercial fishing facilities in East Hampton are concentrated in 
Three

[[Page 10210]]

Mile Harbor and Lake Montauk. Data from the Town of East Hampton Draft 
LWRP (Feb 1999) indicate that the Town's Commercial Dock at the end of 
Gann Road on Three Mile Harbor serves 5-6 bay trawlers, 3-5 lobster 
boats and three or more trap fishermen. Lake Montauk is an important 
commercial fishing center and has an extensive and varied fleet. 
Although subject to turnover and change, the fleet has at times 
comprised as many as 44 ground fish trawlers, 12 inshore and 7 offshore 
lobster boats, and 53 long-liners, including as many as 30 transient 
boats from other areas of the East Coast. (A. T. Kearney, Development 
of a Commercial Fisheries Industry Strategy for the State of New York, 
1989). Commercial dock space is available at two municipal and four 
private docks on Star Island and on West Lake Drive, two facilities on 
East Lake Drive and two facilities on the west side of the Inlet. 
Discussions with the commercial fishing fleet indicate that they 
discharge holding tanks outside the three mile limit.
    There is one recreational party fishing boat that operates out of 
Greenport, the Peconic Star II. It docks at the Mitchell site and has a 
capacity for up to 150 persons. This vessel has two 60 gallon holding 
tanks and these are pumped out by a septic truck. The Peconic Queen 
operates out of the Peconic River in Riverhead and tours the estuary. 
This vessel has a holding tank and pumps out at the Town of Riverhead 
pumpout in downtown Riverhead. Montauk is also home to charter boats 
for offshore sport fishing and the Viking passenger ferry fleet. 
Interviews indicate that these vessels discharge holding tanks outside 
the three mile limit.
    The EPA hereby makes a tentative affirmative determination that 
adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of 
sewage from all vessels are reasonably available for the Peconic 
Estuary in the County of Suffolk, New York. A final determination on 
this matter will be made following the 30-day period for public comment 
and will result in a New York State prohibition of any sewage 
discharges from vessels in the Peconic Estuary.
    Comments and views regarding this petition and EPA's tentative 
determination may be filed on or before April 5, 2002. Comments or 
requests for information or copies of the applicant's petition should 
be addressed to Walter E. Andrews, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Region II, Water Programs Branch, 290 Broadway, 24th Floor, New 
York, New York, 10007-1866. Telephone: (212) 637-3880.

    Dated: February 20, 2002.
Jane M. Kenny,
Regional Administrator, Region II.
[FR Doc. 02-5313 Filed 3-5-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P