[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 136 (Wednesday, July 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 41592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16696]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)

[Docket ID: BSEE-2014-0003; 14XE8370SD ED1OS0000.JAE000 EEGG000000]


Notice of Further Revisions to the National Preparedness for 
Response Exercise Program (PREP) Guidelines

AGENCY: Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the National Scheduling 
Coordination Committee (NSCC), which is comprised of representatives 
from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
and BSEE, is making additional changes to the National Preparedness for 
Response Exercise Program (PREP) Guidelines. The NSCC will announce the 
availability of an updated draft of the revised PREP Guidelines and 
invite public comment at a future date. The future invitation to 
comment will be published in the Federal Register by the USCG, on 
behalf of the NSCC, and will use docket USCG-2011-1178.

ADDRESSES: The public docket for any materials submitted during the 
previous comment period that ended April 24, 2014 (79 FR 16363), is 
available online at http://www.regulations.gov. Type BSEE-2014-0003 
into the search field and click ``Search.'' Follow the instructions at 
that Web site to view materials and public comments that are available 
in the docket.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For BSEE: Mr. John Caplis, Oil Spill Response Division, 703-787-1364.
For USCG: LCDR Wes James, Office of Marine Environmental Response 
Policy, 202-372-2136.
For EPA: Mr. Troy Swackhammer, Office of Emergency Management, 
Regulation and Policy Development Division, 202-564-1966.
For PHMSA: Mr. Ed Murphy, Office of Pipeline Safety, 202-366-4595.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 22, 2012, the USCG published, on 
behalf of the NSCC, a notice and request for public comments in the 
Federal Register (77 FR 10542, docket USCG-2011-1178), which provided 
advance notice that the NSCC agencies planned to update the 2002 PREP 
Guidelines. During the 60-day comment period, the USCG, on behalf of 
the NSCC, received 214 comments in the docket. The NSCC agencies 
subsequently revised the 2002 PREP Guidelines to reflect the comments 
received in the docket, as well as NSCC member agency organizational 
changes, lessons learned from past incidents, and the addition of new 
regulatory requirements, including the addition of the USCG's Salvage 
and Marine Firefighting (SMFF) regulations.
    On March 25, 2014, BSEE published a notice in the Federal Register 
(79 FR 16363), on the behalf of the NSCC, announcing the availability 
of an updated draft of the PREP Guidelines document and requesting 
public comments. The NSCC is currently amending the updated draft of 
the PREP Guidelines to address the comments received in response to the 
notice in 79 FR 16363, and will also be incorporating additional 
guidance pertaining to the new regulatory requirements for nontank 
vessel response plans. The NSCC will solicit public comment on the 
entirety of the updated PREP Guidelines at a future date when the 
aforementioned changes have been incorporated, and the revised draft of 
the updated Guidelines is ready for public viewing. The future 
invitation to comment will be published by the USCG, on behalf of the 
NSCC, in the Federal Register and will use a different docket ID number 
(USCG-2011-1178).

    Dated: July 2, 2014.
David M. Moore,
Chief, Oil Spill Response Division, Bureau of Safety and Environmental 
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2014-16696 Filed 7-15-14; 8:45 am]
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