[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 20, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58286-58288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24052]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2010-1104]


Notice of Availability of Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment for the Nationwide Implementation of the Interagency 
Operations Centers

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of a Draft 
Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the proposed nationwide 
implementation of the Interagency Operations Centers (IOC) Project.

DATES: Comments and related material must either be submitted to our 
online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before December 19, 
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 Rulemaking 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 the 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 Robert Wilbur, Coast Guard, telephone 202-475-3039 
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 
Draft 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, 
insert ``USCG-2010-1104'' in the ``Keyword'' box. If you submit your 
comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no 
larger than 8[frac12] 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, PEA, and associated documents: To view the 
comments, PEA, and associated documents, go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the ``Keyword'' box, insert ``USCG-2010-1104'' 
and click ``Search.'' 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

[[Page 58287]]

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).

Basis and Purpose

    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 will satisfy this mandate through the development 
and transformation of approximately 35 existing Coast Guard Sector 
Command Centers (Sectors) into coordinated planning and operations 
centers.
    The primary mission of this action is to enhance maritime security 
and interoperability, bringing together, federal, state, and local 
stakeholders in high-priority ports. Establishing IOCs will improve 
inter-agency information sharing and tactical coordination, which will 
aid the Coast Guard in preventing, deterring, and responding to threats 
within the nation's critical ports and waterways. The following table 
lists existing Sectors being considered for reconfiguration to IOCs.

                       Addresses of Sector Locations Considered for Transformation to IOC
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Hampton Roads, 4000 Coast Guard    San Francisco, 1 Yerba     Boston, 427 Commercial    Charleston, 196 Tradd
 Boulevard, Portsmouth, VA 23703-   Buena Island, San          Street, Boston, MA        St., Charleston, SC
 2199.                              Francisco, CA 94130-9309.  02109-1027.               29401-1817.
Tampa-St. Petersburg, 600 8th      San Diego, 2710 Harbor     New York, 212 Coast       Sault Ste. Marie, 337
 Avenue, SE, St. Petersburg, FL     Drive N., San Diego, CA    Guard Drive, Staten       Water St., Sault Ste
 33701-5099.                        92101-1028.                Island, NY 10305.         Marie, MI 49783-9501.
Los Angeles/Long Beach, 1001 S.    Puget Sound, 1519 Alaskan  Baltimore, 2401 Hawkins   Long Island, 120
 Seaside Ave., Bldg. 20 San         Way, South Seattle, WA     Point Rd., Baltimore,     Woodward Ave. New
 Pedro, CA 90731-0208.              98134-1192.                MD 21226-1797.            Haven, CT 06512-3698.
Ohio Valley, 600 Martin Luther     Columbia River, 2185 SE    Delaware Bay, 1           Mobile, South Broad St.,
 King Jr., Mazzoli Federal Bldg.,   Airport Rd, Warrenton,     Washington Avenue,        Mobile, AL 36615.
 Rm 421 Louisville, KY 40202-2251.  OR 97146-9693.             Philadelphia, PA 19147-
                                                               4395.
Northern New England, 259 High     Corpus Christi, 8930       Buffalo, 1 Fuhrmann       Jacksonville, 4200 Ocean
 St., South Portland, ME 04106-     Ocean Dr., Corpus          Boulevard, Buffalo, NY    St., Atlantic Beach, FL
 0007.                              Christi, TX 78419-5220.    14203-3189.               2233-2416.
Southern New England, Little       Houston-Galveston, 9640    Detroit, 110 Mt. Elliot   Juneau, 2760 Sherwood
 Harbor Rd., Woods Hole, MA 02543-  Clinton Dr., Houston, TX   Ave., Detroit, MI 48207-  Lane, Suite 2A, Juneau,
 1099.                              77029-4328.                4380.                     AK 99801-8545.
Lower Mississippi, 2 A W Wills     Key West, 100 Trumbo Rd.,  New Orleans, 201 Old      Anchorage, 510 L Street,
 Ave., Memphis, TN 38105-1502.      Key West, FL 33040-0005.   Hammond Hwy, Metairie,    Suite 100, Anchorage,
                                                               LA 70005.                 AK 99501-1946.
Lake Michigan, 2420 S. Lincoln     Miami, 100 MacArthur       Guam, PSC 455 Box 176     San Juan, 5 Calle La
 Memorial Dr., Milwaukee, WI        Causeway, Rm. 201, Miami   FPO, AP 96540-1056.       Puntilla Final, San
 53207-1997.                        Beach, FL 33139-5101.                                Juan, PR 00901-1800.
Upper Mississippi, 1222 Spruce     Honolulu, 400 Sand Island  North Carolina, 2301      ........................
 St., Suite 7.103, St. Louis, MO    Parkway, Honolulu, HI      East Fort Macon Rd.,
 63103-2832.                        96819-4398.                Atlantic Beach, NC
                                                               28512-5633.
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    The Coast Guard has prepared a Draft PEA in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its implementing 
regulations. The Coast Guard published a notice of intent to prepare 
this PEA in the Federal Register (75 FR 78722, Dec. 16, 2010).

Proposed Action

    The Proposed Action consists of fully transforming 35 existing 
Sectors to function as IOCs over the next 12 years. This transformation 
is proposed to occur through upgrades in information management systems 
and sensor capability, and possibly by improving facilities at selected 
locations through renovation, leasing, or new construction. The Coast 
Guard plans to implement the IOC project, nationwide, in a series of 
four discrete segments. Segment 1 will provide each IOC location with 
an information management solution called WatchKeeper to integrate 
vessel targeting, operations, monitoring, and planning. Segment 2 will 
establish an integrated sensor management system by installing hardware 
and software at each IOC location. Segment 3 will be implemented 
through adding 1-15 new sensor systems at each IOC location to expand 
the existing sensor network. Segment 4 will involve upgrading the 
existing Sector facilities through renovation, leasing, or new 
construction at selected locations to IOC facilities. 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 Coast Guard has prepared this Draft PEA in accordance with 
Section 102(2)(c) of NEPA as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), Department 
of Homeland Security Management Directive 023.1 (Environmental Planning 
Program), and Coast Guard National Environmental Policy Act 
Implementing Procedures and Policy for Considering Environmental 
Impacts, (COMDTINST M16475.1D). The PEA addresses 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.

[[Page 58288]]

    Two Alternatives to the Proposed Action were eliminated from 
further consideration in the PEA because they do not fully support the 
purpose or need of the IOC project. These Alternatives were to 
implement only Segments 1 and 2; and to implement only Segments 1, 2, 
and 3.
    The PEA analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated 
with implementing Segments 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Proposed Action, and 
fully transforming existing Sector locations into IOCs. The broad 
analysis of the PEA does not address the potential site-specific 
environmental impacts of the Proposed Action. If the analysis in the 
PEA does not adequately cover the site-specific actions required to 
construct, lease, or relocate IOC facilities, then the Coast Guard will 
tier follow-on Environmental Assessments and Categorical Exclusions as 
appropriate on a case-by-case basis.
    We request comments from all interested parties to ensure that the 
full range and significance of issues related to the Proposed Action 
are identified.
    This notice is issued under authority of 42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq., 
and 40 CFR 1508.22

    Dated: September 13, 2011.
Robert Wilbur,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Project Manager, Interagency Operation 
Centers Project.
[FR Doc. 2011-24052 Filed 9-19-11; 8:45 am]
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