[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 154 (Monday, August 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46866-46867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18867]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2014-0602]


Notice of Review and Update of the New York/New Jersey Area 
Contingency Plan

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice; Request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard Captain of the Port, New York, as Chair of the 
New York/New Jersey Area Committee, announces the review of the New 
York/New Jersey Area Contingency Plan (NY/NJ ACP) and is seeking public 
comment on the NY/NJ ACP. The NY/NJ ACP is a plan prepared by the New 
York/New Jersey Area Committee to define roles, responsibilities, 
resources and procedures necessary to respond to a myriad of spill 
response evolutions. The New York/New Jersey Area Committee is composed 
of experienced environmental/response representatives from federal, 
state and local government agencies with definitive responsibilities 
for the area's environmental integrity. Other interested stakeholders, 
such as industry and environmental groups, also compose the NY/NJ Area 
Committee. The NY/NJ Area Committee is responsible for developing the 
NY/NJ ACP. This notice solicits comments and suggestions for updating 
the NY/NJ ACP.

DATES: Comments and related material must either be submitted to our 
online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before October 10, 
2014 or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.

ADDRESSES: The current NY/NJ ACP is the ``Port of NY/NJ ACP 2011 
Revision'' and is available at http://homeport.uscg.mil/newyork in the 
``Safety and Security'' block on the lower right of the page. Submit 
comments using one of the listed methods, and see SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for more information on public comments.
     Online--http://www.regulations.gov following Web site 
instructions.
     Fax--202-493-2251.

[[Page 46867]]

     Mail or hand deliver--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. Hours 
for hand delivery are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays (telephone 202-366-9329).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document 
call or email LT Jeffrey J. Brooks, telephone 718-354-4070, email 
[email protected]. For information about viewing or submitting 
material to the docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program Manager, Docket 
Operations, telephone 202-366-9826, toll free 1-800-647-5527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We encourage you to submit comments (or 
related material) on the NY/NJ ACP. We will consider all submissions 
and may revise the NY/NJ ACP based on the NY/NJ Area Committee's 
direction and your comments. Comments should be marked with docket 
number USCG-2014-0602 and should provide a reason for each suggestion 
or recommendation. You should provide personal contact information so 
that we can contact you if we have questions regarding your comments; 
but please note that all comments will be posted to the online docket 
without change and that any personal information you include can be 
searchable online (see the Federal Register Privacy Act notice 
regarding our public dockets, 73 FR 3316, Jan. 17, 2008).
    Mailed or hand-delivered comments should be in an unbound 8\1/2\ x 
11 inch format suitable for reproduction. The Docket Management 
Facility will acknowledge receipt of mailed comments if you enclose a 
stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope with your submission.
    Documents mentioned in this notice, and all public comments, are in 
our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by 
following the Web site's instructions. You can also view the docket at 
the Docket Management Facility (see the mailing address under 
ADDRESSES) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

Basis and Purpose

    This ACP is required by Title IV, Section 4202 of the Oil Pollution 
Act of 1990, which amends Subsection (j) of Section 311 of the Federal 
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1321 (j)), as amended by the 
Clean Water Act of 1977 (33 U.S.C. 1251 et. seq.) to address the 
development of a National Planning and Response System. This ACP is 
also written in conjunction with the National Oil and Hazardous 
Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) (40 CFR 300) and the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 
1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601) as amended by the Superfund Amendments and 
Reauthorization Act of 1986.
    Under the National Contingency Plan (NCP) (40 CFR 300), the Coast 
Guard and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provide the leadership 
of the National Response Team (NRT), the Regional Response Teams (RRT) 
and local Area Committees to engage the National Response System to 
verify threats (spill potential), risks (resources that might be harmed 
in a spill), and establish the strategies necessary to prepare for and 
respond to a pollution incident or event. Pursuant to Executive Order 
12777 of October 22, 1991, the EPA is responsible for the inland zone 
and the Coast Guard is responsible for the coastal zone. The Coast 
Guard and EPA are responsible for organizing and overseeing the NY/NJ 
Area Committee and the NY/NJ Area Committee is responsible for 
developing the NY/NJ ACP. ACPs are periodically reviewed and revised. 
The NY/NJ ACP is currently under review.
    The coastal zone addressed by the NY/NJ ACP is situated within the 
boundaries of the RRT for Region 2 (RRT-II). At a meeting on April 9-
10, 2014, in Albany, New York, a meeting of the RRT-II discussed 
response preparations for potential crude oil spills on the Hudson 
River with members from the NY/NJ Area Committee, numerous federal and 
state agencies, as well as attendees from private industry, 
nongovernmental organizations, the media and private citizens. The 
discussions that occurred at the RRT-II's April 9-10, 2014 meeting will 
be used in updating the NY/NJ ACP, as well as the results and lessons 
learned from the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program 
(PREP) exercises of the ACP. The most recent full-scale PREP exercise 
was held on September 17, 2013 and was based upon a spill scenario in 
western Long Island Sound that impacted both New York and Connecticut.

Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard is aware of reports of increased oil transport in 
the coastal zone covered by the NY/NJ ACP. We are also aware of an 
increased national trend to move oil via rail through the Coastal Zone. 
The Coast Guard is, therefore, particularly interested in receiving 
public comment regarding the transport of oil via rail through the 
coastal zone covered by the NY/NJ ACP. Public input will be used to 
assist the Coast Guard in determining response resource needs in 
updating the NY/NJ ACP.
    The Coast Guard and EPA are working with representatives from the 
State of New York and other federal agencies of the NY/NJ Area 
Committee to schedule additional public engagement opportunities to 
obtain public input on the NY/NJ ACP. We will announce the time and 
place of any meetings by a later notice in the Federal Register. In 
accordance with 40 CFR 1506.6(b)(1), the Coast Guard will inform those 
persons who may be interested in participating in the NY/NJ Area 
Committee's update of the NY/NJ ACP. Individual contact information for 
updates on the NY/NJ ACP or an opportunity to participate in the NY/NJ 
Area Committee process should be provided to the person listed in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT paragraph by October 10, 2014.
    This notice is issued under authority of 33 U.S.C. 1321(j) and, 5 
U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: July 17, 2014.
G.A. Loebl,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, New York.
[FR Doc. 2014-18867 Filed 8-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P