[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 239 (Thursday, December 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 68009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26789]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket No. MARAD-2019-0147]


Deepwater Port Pre-Application Meeting Guidance

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the United States 
Coast Guard (USCG) encourage parties planning to submit an application 
for a license to own, construct, and operate a deepwater port under the 
Deepwater Port Act of 1974 (DWPA) to meet with MARAD and USCG staff at 
least six months in advance of submitting an application in order to 
provide an overview of their proposed project, to discuss the details 
of the federal and state application and licensing process, and to 
introduce key personnel. As the application is developed, additional 
status meetings/work sessions prior to submittal are also encouraged to 
review progress and to address questions. At least two weeks prior to 
application submittal, the applicant and the USCG selected third party 
environmental contractor should meet with MARAD and USCG in a final 
pre-application project kick-off meeting to ensure all parties 
understand the project, review process, and roles and responsibilities, 
and are prepared for the application distribution for completeness 
review and scoping preparation. The contents of this policy notice do 
not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the 
public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to 
the public regarding agency policy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Yvette M. Fields, Director, Office 
of Deepwater Port Licensing and Port Conveyance, Maritime 
Administration, Telephone: 202-366-0926, Email: [email protected], 
Fax: 202-366-6988.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The contents of this policy notice do not 
have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public 
in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the 
public regarding agency policy. The purpose of pre-application meetings 
is to give potential deepwater port license applicants an opportunity 
to meet with MARAD and USCG to discuss the details of their proposed 
project prior to filing a license application. During pre-application 
meetings, applicants will have the opportunity to present an overview 
of their proposed projects, learn about the application review process, 
and ask questions about any aspect of the approval process. Pre-
application meetings are voluntary. Participation in pre-application 
meetings will not affect the decision on whether a license application 
is ultimately approved or denied.
    MARAD and USCG encourage potential applicants to meet with the 
agencies at least six months in advance of submitting a deepwater port 
license application. Pre-application meetings are helpful in 
identifying potential deficiencies in proposed applications, enabling 
applicants to ultimately submit complete applications and minimize 
potential delays in processing. Multiple pre-application meetings/work 
sessions are encouraged leading up to the application submittal to 
review progress and address questions. MARAD and USCG further recommend 
that prospective applicants intending to use the USCG's third party 
environmental contract mechanism complete the third party environmental 
consultant contract process in advance of a final pre-application kick-
off meeting at least two weeks prior to submittal of the application, 
so that the selected third party contractor may attend the pre-
application meeting to become familiar with the project. This final 
pre-application project kickoff meeting is to ensure all parties 
understand their roles and responsibilities and are ready to initiate 
application distribution for completeness review and then subsequent 
full distribution for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping. 
At a minimum, the pre-application project kickoff meeting should 
include a review and discussion of:
     The prospective applicant's proposed final project 
description, including the offshore and onshore components, pipeline 
connections, and other related components of the proposed project;
     The statutorily required Federal application review 
process, NEPA evaluation, and risk assessment process;
     The Federal, state and local agency contacts, elected 
officials, Non-Governmental Organizations, and affected public;
     The points of contact for communications between the 
applicant, MARAD, USCG, the third party environmental consultant and 
other relevant entities;
     The Federal Docket Management System that will serve as a 
repository of records for the proposed project application, including 
Federal Register notices, public comments, environmental documents, and 
other project related data and information;
     The prospective applicant's plans for application 
submittal and distribution to agencies; and
     Preliminary scoping plans for purposes of NEPA and other 
related laws.
    Additional information on the third party environmental contractor 
process is available at https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/5ps/Operating%20and%20Environmental%20Standards/OES-2/DWP/Third%20Party%20Contracting%20Handbook%20-%20Final_February%202015.pdf?ver=2017-07-26-102701-850. Additional 
information on the licensing process, including project milestones and 
timelines, is available at https://www.maritime.dot.gov/ports/deepwater-ports-and-licensing/licensing-process. To schedule a pre-
application meeting with MARAD and USCG, please see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT, above.

(Authority: 33 U.S.C. Chapter 29; 49 CFR 1.93(h).)

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    Dated: December 9, 2019.

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-26789 Filed 12-11-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-81-P