[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31487-31488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10972]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard


Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Vessel and 
Facility Response Plans for Oil: 2003 Removal Equipment Requirements 
and Alternative Technology Revisions

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of the Draft 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for the rulemaking 
on Vessel and Facility Response Plans for Oil; 2003 Removal Equipment 
Requirements and Alternative Technology Revisions. The DPEIS addresses 
the increase of the oil removal capacity (caps) requirements for tank 
vessels and marine transportation-related (MTR) facilities and added 
requirements for new response technologies. We are requesting public 
comments on this DPEIS. The Environmental Protection Agency published a 
notice of receipt of this DPEIS on May 27, 2005 (70 FR 30719).

DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Docket Management 
Facility on or before August 1, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket 
number USCG-2000-7833 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S. 
Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use only one 
of the following methods:
    (1) Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov.
    (2) Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (3) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (4) Delivery: 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
call Bradley McKitrick, Coast Guard, telephone 202-267-0995, or email 
[email protected]. If you have questions on viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Andrea M. Jenkins, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-0271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    All comments received will be posted, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov and will include any personal information you have 
provided. We have an agreement with the Department of Transportation 
(DOT) to use the Docket Management Facility. Please see DOT's ``Privacy 
Act'' paragraph below.
    Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your 
name and address, identify the docket number for this notice (USCG-
2000-7833) and give

[[Page 31488]]

the reason for each comment. You may submit your comments by electronic 
means, mail, fax, or delivery to the Docket Management Facility at the 
address under ADDRESSES; but please submit your comments by only one 
means. If you submit them by mail or delivery, submit them in an 
unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for 
copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would 
like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments 
received during the comment period.
    We are requesting your comments on environmental concerns you may 
have related to the DPEIS. We will publish comments received during the 
DPEIS review period in the final PEIS. We will publish a notice of 
availability of the final PEIS in the Federal Register. Comments on the 
proposed regulations will not be accepted as the comment period is 
closed (67 FR 63331).
    Viewing comments and documents: To view comments or the DPEIS, go 
to http://dms.dot.gov at any time and conduct a simple search using the 
docket number. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in 
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. An electronic copy of the DPEIS may be 
viewed or downloaded from the Coast Guard Web site at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/regs/PEIS/peisindex.html. If you would like to 
obtain a copy of the DPEIS on CD-ROM, contact Brad McKitrick at the 
telephone number or email listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Privacy Act: Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the 
Department of Transportation's Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 
Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477), or you may visit 
http://dms.dot.gov.

Public Meetings

    The Coast Guard plans to hold public meetings which will be 
announced in a later notice to the Federal Register.

Background and Purpose

    The Coast Guard proposes changes to its requirements for oil-spill 
removal equipment under tank vessel response plans and MTR facility 
response plans (33 CFR 154 and 33 CFR 155). These changes would 
increase the available spill removal equipment required for tank 
vessels and MTR facilities, add requirements for new response 
technologies, and clarify methods and procedures for responding to oil 
spills in coastal waters. The Coast Guard examined and assessed the 
environmental impact of the proposed regulatory change of five 
alternatives considered in the DPEIS. The first alternative was no 
action, whereby no changes would be implemented in response plan 
regulations. The second alternative was an increase of on-water 
mechanical recovery capability. The third alternative was an increase 
of on-water mechanical recovery capability, which would establish on-
water dispersant application capability (Option A), and establish in 
situ burn credit. The fourth alternative was to increase on-water 
mechanical recovery capability, establish on-water dispersant 
application capability (Option B), and establish in situ burn credit. 
The fifth alternative was to maintain on-water mechanical recovery 
capability at current levels, establish on-water dispersant application 
capability (Option B), and establish in situ burn credit.
    To gain additional information regarding the criteria that was 
utilized for the environmental analysis in the DPEIS, the Coast Guard 
published a Notice of Intent and Request for Public Comments on 
November 9, 2000 (65 FR 67441). That notice can be viewed in the Docket 
Management System under Docket Number USCG-2000-7833.

    Dated: May 19, 2005.
B.R. Emond,
Acting Director of Standards, Marine Safety, Security, and 
Environmental Protection, , U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 05-10972 Filed 5-27-05; 1:06 pm]
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