[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 241 (Thursday, December 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78722-78724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-31639]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2010-1104]


Intent To Prepare Programmatic Environmental Assessment Statement 
for the Nationwide Implementation of the Interagency Operations Centers

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of intent and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces its intent to prepare a Programmatic 
Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the proposed nationwide 
implementation of the Interagency Operations Centers (IOC) Project and 
requests public comments on the scope of the PEA.

DATES: Comments and related material must either be submitted to our 
online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before January 18, 
2011 or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2010-1104 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-366-9329.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
please contact CAPT Alan Arsenault, Coast Guard, telephone 202-475-3717 
or e-mail [email protected]. If you have questions on viewing 
or submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments and related material on the 
scope of this PEA. Specifically, the Coast Guard requests input on any 
environmental concerns that the public may have related to the 
development of IOCs throughout the United States, sources of relevant 
data or information, and any suggested analysis methods for inclusion 
in the PEA. All comments received will be posted, without change, to 
http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information 
you have provided.
    Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include the 
docket number for this notice (USCG-2010-1104) and provide a reason for 
each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and 
material online, or by fax, mail or hand delivery, but please use only 
one of these means. We recommend that you include your name and a 
mailing address, an e-mail address, or a telephone number in the body 
of your document so that we can contact you if we have questions 
regarding your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
click on the ``submit a comment'' box, which will then become 
highlighted in blue. In the ``Document Type'' drop down menu select 
``Notices'' and insert ``USCG-2010-1104'' in the ``Keyword'' box. Click 
``Search'' then click on the balloon shape in the ``Actions'' column. 
If you submit your comments by mail or hand 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 and 
material received during the comment period.
    Viewing the comments: To view the comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov, click on the ``read comments'' box, which will 
then become highlighted in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box insert ``USCG-
2010-1104'' and click ``Search.'' Click the ``Open Docket Folder'' in 
the ``Actions'' column. If you do not have access to the Internet, you 
may view the docket online by visiting the Docket Management Facility 
in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation 
West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. We have an agreement with the Department of Transportation to 
use the Docket Management Facility.
    Privacy Act: Anyone can search the electronic form of 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 a 
Privacy Act system of records notice regarding our public dockets in 
the January 17, 2008, issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Background and Purpose

SAFE Port Act and the IOC Project

    The Security and Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006 (SAFE 
Port Act), Public Law 109-347, 120 Stat. 1884, was enacted to improve 
maritime and United States port security through enhanced layered 
defenses. Section 108 of the SAFE Port Act directs the establishment of 
IOCs at all high priority ports that ``utilize, as appropriate, the 
compositional and operations characteristics of existing centers'' and 
are ``organized to fit the security needs, requirements, and resources 
of the individual port area at which each is operating.''
    The Coast Guard IOC Project will satisfy this mandate through the 
development and transformation of approximately 35 existing Coast Guard 
Sector Command Centers (SCCs) over the next 12 years into coordinated 
planning and operations centers.

Purpose of the IOC Project

    The purpose of the proposed nationwide implementation of the IOC 
Project is to improve unity of effort among Federal, State, tribal, and 
local port partners with shared port security responsibilities by 
providing interagency command and control

[[Page 78723]]

facilities to monitor approaching water-borne traffic at high priority 
ports in the United States and United States territories. The IOC's 
information systems, facilities, and sensor networks will provide the 
partner organizations with the ability to coordinate planning and 
operational activities to gain a proactive posture in preventing, 
protecting, responding, and recovering from emergency and illicit 
activities in the ports. In addition, the IOC Project will facilitate 
collaboration to gain efficiencies in operations execution, reduce 
redundant activities (e.g., multiple boardings of a vessel by different 
agencies), and share resources. The IOCs will improve tactical 
decision-making, situational awareness, operations monitoring/
interoperability, rules-based processing, and joint planning in a 
coordinated interagency environment.

IOC Implementation

    The Coast Guard plans to implement the development of the IOCs 
through upgrades or reconfiguration of current facilities, and through 
leasing or building new facilities to increase the capacity and space 
provided for security operations and interagency partners. Each IOC 
will be tailored to the individual needs of the ports, and will be 
operated in coordination with multiple partner agencies and 
organizations including Federal agencies, State, tribal, and local law 
enforcement, and port authorities.
    The following table lists existing SCC locations being considered 
for reconfiguration to IOCs.

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Addresses of SCC
 Locations
 Considered for
 Transformation
 to IOC
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Hampton Roads,     San Francisco, 1   Boston, 427       Charleston, 196
 4000 Coast         Yerba Buena        Commercial        Tradd St.,
 Guard,             Island, San        Street, Boston,   Charleston, SC
 Boulevard,         Francisco, CA      MA 02109-1027     29401-1817
 Portsmouth, VA     94130-9309
 23703-2199
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Tampa-St.          San Diego, 2710    New York, 212     Sault Ste.
 Petersburg, 600    Harbor Drive, N.   Coast Guard       Marie, 337
 8th Avenue SE,     San Diego, CA      Drive, Staten     Water St.,
 St. Petersburg,    92101-1028         Island, NY        Sault Ste.,
 FL 33701-5099                         10305             Marie, MI 49783-
                                                         9501
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Los Angeles/Long   Puget Sound, 1519  Baltimore, 2401   Long Island, 120
 Beach, 1001 S.     Alaskan Way        Hawkins Point     Woodward Ave.,
 Seaside Ave.,      South, Seattle,    Rd., Baltimore,   New Haven, CT
 Bldg. 20, San      WA 98134-1192      MD 21226-1797     06512-3698
 Pedro, CA 90731-
 0208
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Ohio Valley, 600   Columbia River,    Delaware Bay, 1   Mobile, South
 Martin Luther      2185 SE Airport    Washington        Broad St.,
 King Jr.,          Rd., Warrenton,    Avenue,           Mobile, AL
 Mazzoli Federal    OR 97146-9693      Philadelphia,     36615
 Bldg., Rm 421,                        PA 19147-4395
 Louisville, KY
 40202-2251
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Northern New       Corpus Christi,    Buffalo, 1        Jacksonville,
 England, 259       8930 Ocean Dr.,    Fuhrmann          4200 Ocean St.,
 High St., South    Corpus Christi,    Boulevard,        Atlantic Beach,
 Portland, ME       TX 78419-5220      Buffalo, NY       FL 2233-2416
 04106-0007                            14203-3189
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Southern New       Houston-           Detroit, 110 Mt.  Juneau, 2760
 England, Little    Galveston, 9640    Elliot Ave.,      Sherwood Lane,
 Harbor Rd.,        Clinton Dr.,       Detroit, MI       Suite 2A,
 Woods Hole, MA     Houston, TX        48207-4380        Juneau, AK
 02543-1099         77029-4328                           99801-8545
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lower              Key West, 100      New Orleans, 201  Anchorage, 510 L
 Mississippi, 2 A   Trumbo Rd., Key    Old Hammond       Street, Suite
 W Wills Ave.,      West, FL 33040-    Hwy., Metairie,   100, Anchorage,
 Memphis, TN        0005               LA 70005          AK 99501-1946
 38105-1502
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Lake Michigan,     Miami, 100         Guam, PSC 455,    San Juan, 5
 2420 S. Lincoln    MacArthur          Box 176, FPO,     Calle La
 Memorial Dr.,      Causeway, Rm.      AP 96540-1056     Puntilla Final,
 Milwaukee, WI      201, Miami                           San Juan, PR
 53207-1997         Beach, FL 33139-                     00901-1800
                    5101
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upper              Honolulu, 400      North Carolina,   ................
 Mississippi,       Sand Island        2301 East Fort
 1222 Spruce St.,   Parkway,           Macon Rd.,
 Suite 7.103, St.   Honolulu, HI       Atlantic Beach,
 Louis, MO 63103-   96819-4398         NC 28512-5633
 2832
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The IOC Project will complement the maritime component of the 
Secure Border Initiative, a comprehensive, multi-year plan to help 
secure America's borders and will link capabilities across Federal, 
State, local, tribal, and private organizations.
    IOCs will provide information systems, facilities, and sensors 
needed to conduct daily, 24/7 tactical coordination of port-level 
activities. They will deliver capabilities to automate and increase 
throughput of information for achieving Maritime Domain Awareness 
(MDA). Improving MDA will boost interagency communications and 
decision-makers' level of knowledge, and will help the Coast Guard make 
informed command and control decisions. Information throughput 
improvements will be achieved by networking Coast Guard and interagency 
partner sensors and then expanding these sensor networks to monitor 
vessel activities and detect anomalies from a distance. The Coast Guard 
will use an information management toolset, called WatchKeeper, to 
compile, organize, and apply data and knowledge collected by the 
expanded sensor network.

Preparation of the PEA

    In accordance with Section 102(2)(c) of NEPA as implemented by the 
Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), 
Department of Homeland Security Management Directive 023.1 
(Environmental

[[Page 78724]]

Planning Program), and Coast Guard National Environmental Policy Act 
Implementing Procedures and Policy for Considering Environmental 
Impacts, (COMDTINST M16475.1D), the Coast Guard intends to prepare a 
PEA for the implementation of the IOC Project.
    The PEA will provide a general level of analysis of the Proposed 
Action and No Action alternative and the potential environmental 
impacts of implementation. Upon completion and acceptance of the PEA, 
the Coast Guard will conduct a site-specific Environmental Assessment 
(EA) or Categorical Exclusion (CATEX) at individual IOC locations that 
may warrant additional examination due to unique environmental 
characteristics.

Proposed Action

    The IOC Project is currently not fully funded. However, as funding 
allows, the Coast Guard plans to implement the IOC Project in four 
phases or segments:
    Segment 1 will establish processes and systems to link operations 
and data information between interagency partners and the Coast Guard. 
The Coast Guard will implement the WatchKeeper tool in Segment 1 to 
integrate vessel targeting, operations, monitoring, and operational 
planning. The Coast Guard Operations System Center will host 
WatchKeeper, with a minimal increase in computer infrastructure 
installed at the Operations System Center. Interagency partners will be 
allowed access to the information technology network to establish 
initial improved coordination efforts.
    Segment 2 will establish an integrated interagency sensor network 
to link and enhance the Coast Guard's information management capability 
with that of its interagency partners. The Coast Guard plans to install 
hardware and software at each IOC location throughout Segment 2 to 
establish this interagency sensor network. The Coast Guard plans to 
survey existing remote sensors, currently mounted on short platforms, 
towers, rooftops, and poles for inclusion in the sensor network upgrade 
as part of Segment 2 implementation.
    Segment 3 will expand the interagency sensor network and provide 
extended sensor network and components to fill critical situational 
awareness gaps and increase knowledge and data collected by the Coast 
Guard. The Coast Guard plans to acquire and install new sensors and the 
required network infrastructure to support the sensors, including 
wireless and wired hardware. The Coast Guard plans to install between 1 
and 15 new sensors at each IOC location. New sensors will be mounted on 
existing short platforms, towers, rooftops, and poles similar to the 
installation of existing sensors. If the broad activities analyzed in 
the PEA do not adequately cover the site-specific actions required to 
install and mount new sensors or hardware, then the Coast Guard will 
tier follow-on EAs and CATEXs as appropriate on a case-by-case basis.
    Segment 4 will expand existing facilities through upgrades to 
existing SCCs and lease or build new facilities to allocate additional 
work space capacity to the Coast Guard and its interagency partners, 
and through enhancing the existing information technology and 
electronics infrastructure at these locations. Segment 4 will require 4 
new leases, 3 relocations, and 28 construction projects at existing 
SCCs to accommodate the space, infrastructure, and security 
requirements of the Coast Guard and its interagency partners. 
Facilities modifications to transform SCCs into IOCs will include 
increasing the capacity of the spaces used by Coast Guard personnel 
operating the IOC equipment, ensuring the co-location of the Sector 
Commander and the Command Center, and providing space to support Coast 
Guard surge-operations staff and interagency partner staff.
    If the broad activities analyzed in the PEA do not adequately cover 
the site-specific actions required to construct, lease, or relocate IOC 
facilities, then the Coast Guard will tier follow-on EAs and CATEXs as 
appropriate on a case-by-case basis. The Coast Guards plans to 
implement Segment 4 in a parallel effort with Segments 1, 2, and 3, as 
funding allows.
    The PEA will address the general environmental impacts of the 
Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. The No Action 
Alternative will serve as a baseline against which to compare the 
potential impacts of the Proposed Action. The Coast Guard defines the 
No Action Alternative as not implementing the IOC Project, not 
complying with the mandate of the SAFE Port Act, and preventing the 
existing approximately 35 SSC facilities from being upgraded. The 
Proposed Action is the full implementation of Segments 1 through 4 
described above.
    The broad analysis of the PEA will not cover site-specific actions. 
The Coast Guard will address site-specific actions on a case-by-case 
basis as actions during the implementation of the four Segments and 
across the approximately 35 various SCC locations. The Coast Guard will 
conduct site-specific NEPA analyses and produce subsequent NEPA 
documentation coincident with project implementation during any Segment 
and in any SCC location to address environmental or human health 
impacts from any sensor mounting, installation, or facility 
construction project if necessary. Although the Coast Guard does not 
foresee major site-specific impacts at this time, the Coast Guard 
expects that the PEA will serve to facilitate and expedite the 
preparation of follow-on, project-specific NEPA documents, if 
applicable, at the SCC locations.
    The Coast Guard does not expect that the Proposed Action will 
result in significant environmental or human health impacts. The Coast 
Guard plans to establish the IOC facilities and install the required 
sensors in previously developed sites within Coast Guard installations 
or other similar Federal or private locations. Any major infrastructure 
changes will be addressed in future site-specific NEPA documents. Any 
potentially significant impacts to any aspect of the affected 
environment including cultural resources, biological resources, water 
and marine resources, air quality, and public safety will be addressed 
and analyzed by the Coast Guard on a case-by-case basis in future site-
specific NEPA documents.

Scoping Process

    The Coast Guard encourages public participation in the PEA process. 
The scoping period will start with publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. Please see the section on Public Participation and 
Request for Comments above for instructions on how to submit comments.
    Following the scoping process, the Coast Guard will prepare the 
draft PEA and will publish a Notice of Availability in the Federal 
Register to make it available to the public and solicit comments on the 
draft PEA.

Authority

    This notice is issued under authority of 42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq., 
and 40 CFR 1508.22.

    Dated: December 9, 2010.
Alan Arsenault,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Project Manager, Interagency Operation 
Centers Project.
[FR Doc. 2010-31639 Filed 12-15-10; 8:45 am]
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