[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 53 (Wednesday, March 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15486-15487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05652]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2019-0946]
Recertification of Prince William Sound Regional Citizens'
Advisory Council
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of recertification.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the recertification of the Prince
William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (PWSRCAC) as an
alternative voluntary advisory group for Prince William Sound, Alaska.
This certification allows the PWSRCAC to monitor the activities of
terminal facilities and crude oil tankers under an alternative
composition, other than prescribed, Prince William Sound Program
established by statute.
DATES: This recertification is effective for the period from March 2,
2020, through February 28, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document,
call or email LT Ian McPhillips, Seventeenth Coast Guard District
(dpi), by phone at (907) 463-2809 or email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Purpose
The Coast Guard published guidelines on December 31, 1992 (57 FR
62600), to assist groups seeking recertification under the Oil Terminal
and Oil Tanker Environmental Oversight and Monitoring Act of 1990 (33
U.S.C. 2732) (the Act). The Coast Guard issued a policy statement on
July 7, 1993 (58 FR 36504), to clarify the factors that the Coast Guard
would be considering in making its determination as to whether advisory
groups should be certified in accordance with the Act, and the
procedures which the Coast Guard would follow in meeting its
certification responsibilities under the Act. Most recently, on
September 16, 2002 (67 FR 58440), the Coast Guard changed its policy on
recertification procedures for regional citizen's advisory council by
requiring applicants to provide comprehensive information every three
years. For the two years in between, applicants only submit information
describing substantive changes to the information provided at the last
triennial recertification. This is the year in the triennial cycle in
which PWSRCAC provided comprehensive information on its application for
recertification. The Coast Guard solicited public comments on PWSRCAC
recertification through a Notice; Request for comments published on
December 26, 2019, titled ``Application for Recertification of Prince
William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council'' (82 FR 29572).
The Alyeska Pipeline Service Company pays the PWSRCAC $3.7 million
annually in the form of a long-term contract. In return for this
funding, the PWSRCAC must annually show that it ``fosters the goals and
purposes'' of OPA 90 and is ``broadly representative of the communities
and interests in the vicinity of the terminal facilities and Prince
William Sound.'' The PWSRCAC is an independent, nonprofit organization
founded in 1989. Though it receives federal oversight like many
independent, nonprofit organizations, it is not a federal agency. The
PWSRCAC is a local organization that predates the passage of OPA 90.
The existence of the PWSRCAC was specifically recognized in OPA 90
where it is defined as an ``alternative voluntary advisory group.''
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company funds the PWSRCAC, and the Coast Guard
ensures the PWSRCAC operates in a fashion that is broadly consistent
with OPA 90.
[[Page 15487]]
Discussion of Comments
On December 26, 2019, the Coast Guard published a Notice; Request
for comments titled ``Application for Recertification of Prince William
Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council'' in the Federal Register (82
FR 29572). We received 69 comments, all in support of the PWSRCAC
recertification. No public meeting was requested. The comments
consistently cited PWSRCAC's broad representation of the respective
communities' interest, appropriate actions to keep the public informed,
improvements to both spill response preparation and spill prevention,
and oil spill industry monitoring efforts that combat complacency--as
intended by the Act.
Recertification
By letter dated February 25, 2020, the Commander, Seventeenth Coast
Guard District, certified that the PWSRCAC qualifies as an alternative
voluntary advisory group under 33 U.S.C. 2732(o). This recertification
terminates on February 28, 2021.
Dated: February 25, 2020.
Matthew T. Bell, Jr.,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard
District.
[FR Doc. 2020-05652 Filed 3-17-20; 8:45 am]
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