31856 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 98 / Friday, May 19, 2000 / Proposed Rules

peak located due north of the center of

section 4.

(5) Then in a straight-line southeast to

the 1410-foot peak located in the

southwest corner of section 3.

(6) From this peak in a straight-line

southeast to the border of Sections 10

and 11 where the power-line crosses

these two sections. This intersection is

northeast of the center of section 10 and

northwest of the center of section 11.

(7) From this point in a straight line

southeast to the 600-foot elevation line

where this intersections State Highway

224 southwest of the center of section

11.

(8) From this point southwest,

following the north side of State

Highway 224, through section 10,

through the southeast corner of section

9, through the northwest corner of

section 16, through section 17 to where

the 560-foot elevation level intercepts

State Highway 224 southwest of the

center of section 17 just east of Demoss

Road.

(9) From this 560-foot elevation point,

running north along this elevation line

through section 17, through section 8,

through section 5 and through section

32 until meeting the beginning point at

the aqueduct in section 32.

Signed: May 11, 2000.

Bradley A. Buckles,

Director.

[FR Doc. 00–12662 Filed 5–18–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4810–31–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 167

[USCG–1999–5198]

Port Access Route Study for

Approaches to Los Angeles/Long

Beach

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of study results.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces

the results of a Port Access Route Study

which evaluated the vessel routing and

traffic management measures for the

approaches to Los Angeles and Long

Beach. The study was necessary because

of major port improvements made to

both ports. It was completed in July,

1999. This document summarizes the

study recommendations.

ADDRESSES: Comments and material

received from the public, as well as

documents mentioned in this preamble

as being available in the docket, are part

of docket USCG–1999–5198 and are

available for inspection or copying at

the Docket Management Facility, U.S.

Department of Transportation, room PL–

401, 400 Seventh Street SW.,

Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5

p.m., Monday through Friday, except

Federal holidays. You may also find this

docket on the Internet at http://

dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

questions on this notice, contact

Lieutenant Commander Brian Tetreault,

Vessel Traffic Management Officer,

Eleventh Coast Guard District,

telephone 510–437–2951, e-mail

Btetreault@d11.uscg.mil; or Mike Van

Houten, Aids to Navigation Section

Chief, Eleventh Coast Guard District,

telephone 510–437–2968, e-mail

MVanHouten@d11.uscg.mil. For

questions on viewing the docket, call

Dorothy Walker, Chief, Dockets,

Department of Transportation,

telephone 202–366–9329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: You may

obtain a copy of the Port Access Route

Study (PARS) by contacting either

person at the Eleventh Coast Guard

District listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. A copy is also

available in the public docket at the

address listed under the ADDRESSES

section and electronically on the DMS

Web Site at http://dms.dot.gov.

Geographic coordinates. All

geographic coordinates cited in this

notice utilize the North American

Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).

Definitions

The following definitions should help

you review this document:

Precautionary area means a routing

measure comprising an area within

defined limits where ships must

navigate with particular caution and

within which the direction of traffic

flow may be recommended.

Regulated Navigation Area or RNA is

a water area within a defined boundary

for which regulations for vessels

navigating within the area have been

established under this part.

Separation Zone or line means a zone

or line separating the traffic lanes in

which ships are proceeding in opposite

or nearly opposite directions; or from

the adjacent sea area; or separating

traffic lanes designated for particular

classes of ships proceeding in the same

direction.

Traffic lane means an area within

defined limits in which one-way traffic

is established.

Traffic Separation Scheme or TSS

means a routing measure aimed at the

separation of opposing streams of traffic

by appropriate means and by the

establishment of traffic lanes.

Vessel routing system means any

system of one or more routes or routing

measures aimed at reducing the risk of

casualties; it includes traffic separation

schemes, two-way routes, recommended

tracks, areas to be avoided, inshore

traffic zones, roundabouts,

precautionary areas, and deep-water

routes.

Background and Purpose

When Did the Coast Guard Conduct

This Port Access Route Study (PARS)?

We announced the PARS in a

document published in the Federal

Register on March 11, 1999 (63 FR

12140) and completed the study in July,

1999.

Why Did the Coast Guard Conduct the

PARS?

A PARS was needed to evaluate the

effects of port improvement projects for

the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach

on navigational safety and vessel traffic

management efficiency, and to

recommend any necessary changes to

existing routing measures. This study

recommends modifications to the

existing TSS’s.

The study area included the navigable

waters of Los Angeles and Long Beach

Harbors, the Los Angeles/Long Beach

TSS, and all waters bounded by the

coastline and the following coordinates:

Latitude Longitude

33°47.00′ N ............... 118°25.40′ W.

33°47.00′ N ............... 118°38.60′ W.

33°15.50′ N ............... 118°38.60′ W.

33°15.50′ N ............... 117°52.70′ W.

33°35.30′ N ............... 117°52.70′ W.

Major port improvement projects for

the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach

began in 1995 and should be completed

by June, 2000. These projects include

the following:

• Lengthening of the Los Angeles

Approach Channel to extend

approximately 3.5 nautical miles

beyond the Los Angeles breakwater.

• Deepening of the Los Angeles

Approach Channel to a project depth of

81 feet.

• Slight shift of the Long Beach

Approach to a 355 degrees True

inbound course.

• Deepening of the Long Beach

Approach Channel to a project depth of

69 feet.

Fill and construction activities within

the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbors

and development of a shallow water

habitat have constricted the amount of

room available for small commercial

and recreational traffic to maneuver

within the Outer Harbor and in the area

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 98 / Friday, May 19, 2000 / Proposed Rules 31857

immediately outside the San Pedro,

Middle, and Long Beach breakwaters.

This has the effect of concentrating

traffic flows and placing small marine

traffic more directly in competition with

deep draft traffic for use of the

Precautionary Area.

What Data Did the Coast Guard Use To

Help Conduct the PARS?

Recommendations relied heavily on

the comments received during the

PARS. While all comments on related

issues of vessel routing were welcome,

the notice of study solicited comments

on the following specific questions to

help focus the study:

1. What navigational hazards do

vessels operating in the study area face?

Will there be additional hazards once

port improvement projects are

completed?

2. Are there strains on the current

vessel routing system? Will there be

additional strains once port

improvement projects are completed?

3. Are modifications to the existing

vessel routing measures needed to

address existing or future hazards and

strains and improve traffic management

efficiency in the study area?

4. Do you have any specific

recommendations regarding aids to

navigation design for the lengthened

approach channels?

Three comment letters were received

and indicated strong overall support for

the study recommendations. We also

reviewed the results of a 1982 LA/LB

Port Access Route Study (47 FR 27430,

June 24, 1982) and a 1995 Port Access

Route Study (61 FR 55248, October 25,

1996) which focused on vessel traffic

management measures along the

California coast from San Francisco to

Los Angeles.

Study Recommendations

The study recommends three changes

to the existing vessel routing and traffic

management measures.

1. Expand the Existing LA/LB

Precautionary Area

The study found that the existing

Precautionary Area should be expanded

to provide enhanced navigational safety

in light of the pending and planned

improvements to the port facilities and

navigational channels previously

discussed. The port improvements

discussed above will allow even larger

vessels to call on Los Angeles and Long

Beach. These larger, less maneuverable

ships will be constrained to the

channels. The study also noted that the

current practice of freighters, tankers,

tugs and barges, fishing boats and

pleasure craft converging in the

Precautionary Area would continue to

present hazards for all mariners.

Expansion of the existing

Precautionary Area should result in

several positive impacts for safe

navigation. First, the expanded

Precautionary Area should give vessels

of all types, sizes, and drafts more time

and room to maneuver in their approach

to or departure from the ports. Second,

the Commander, Eleventh Coast District,

is planning modifications to the San

Pedro Bay RNA, promulgated at 33 CFR

165.1109, to geographically match the

expanded Precautionary Area. When

specified categories of vessels enter the

RNA, they are required to slow. This

allows more time for vessel traffic

management, e.g. queuing of vessels

arriving and departing during peak

periods and coordinating passing

arrangements. Finally, the expanded

Precautionary Area should be well

adapted to the lengthened Los Angeles

entrance channel. This study

recommends the new Precautionary

Area as the area enclosed by the

following geographical positions:

Latitude Longitude

33°43.40′ N ............... 118°10.80′ W.

33°37.70′ N ............... 118°06.50′ W.

33°35.50′ N ............... 118°09.00′ W.

33°35.50′ N ............... 118°17.60′ W.

33°42.30′ N ............... 118°17.60′ W.

2. Relocate the Western and Southern

TSSs

The study found that the existing

western and southern TSSs do not yield

safe or practical approaches to the

improved Long Beach and Los Angeles

entrance channels. The study

recommends a shift of the western TSS

to the south and a shift of the southern

TSS to the west.

A. Western TSS

In order to reduce the maneuvering

difficulties for vessels needing to use

the extended Los Angeles entrance

channel, the western TSS needs to be

relocated to the south. The proposed

coordinates should allow even the

largest vessels safe transit between Los

Angeles channel and the western lane.

This study recommends shifting the

western TSS 2.25 nautical miles (NM) to

the south. The new northern edge of the

northbound coastwise lane would begin

at 33°38.70′ N, 118°17.60′ W, extend

approximately 2.5 NM at 270° True, and

turn northwest to 300° True at 33°38.70′

N, 118°20.60′ W. The new southern

edge of the southbound coastwise lane

would extend the existing lane at 120°

True for approximately 4.45 NM before

turning to 090° True at 33°35.50′ N,

118°23.43′ W. The lane will meet the

Precautionary Area at 33°35.50′ N,

118°17.60′ W. Traffic lanes will remain

1 NM wide and separated by the

Separation Zone formed by a line

connecting the following geographical

positions:

Latitude Longitude

33° 37.70′ N .............. 118° 17.60′ W.

33° 36.50′ N .............. 118° 17.60′ W.

33° 36.50′ N .............. 118° 23.10′ W.

33° 43.20′ N .............. 118° 36.90′ W.

33° 44.90′ N .............. 118° 35.70′ W.

33° 37.70′ N .............. 118° 20.90′ W.

B. Southern TSS

In order to reduce the maneuvering

difficulties for vessels needing to use

the extended Los Angeles entrance

channel and the Long Beach channel,

the southern TSS should be shifted

westward. The recommended shift

aligns the southern TSS with Long

Beach channel and should allow a more

direct approach to Los Angeles channel.

The study also noted that by shifting the

existing southern TSS, oil platforms

located in the TSS separation zone

would no longer be in the TSS, which

should increase the safety of the

platforms and transiting vessels.

This study recommends the following

changes to the southern TSS for the Los

Angeles/Long Beach approach. The

eastern edge of the northbound

coastwise lane would begin at 33°20.00′

N, 118°02.30′ W, extend in the direction

of 340° True and meet the Precautionary

Area at 33°35.50′ N, 118°09.00′ W. The

western edge of the southbound

coastwise lane would begin at the

Precautionary Area at 33°35.50′ N,

118°114.00′ W, extend in the direction

of 160° True, and end at 33°18.70′ N,

118°06.75′ W. The Separation Zone

formed by a line connecting the

following geographical positions will

separate inbound and outbound traffic

lanes:

Latitude Longitude

33°35.50′ N ............... 118°10.30′ W.

33°35.50′ N ............... 118°12.75′ W.

33°19.70′ N ............... 118°03.50′ W.

33°19.00′ N ............... 118°05.60′ W.

The new lanes will no longer be

tapered, but will have a constant width

of 1 NM wide through their entire

length.

Modifications to Aids to Navigation

The PARS solicited specific

recommendations regarding the aids to

navigation design for the lengthened

approach channels to Los Angeles and

Long Beach, CA. Specific

31858 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 98 / Friday, May 19, 2000 / Proposed Rules

recommendations included adding,

deleting, relocating and upgrading the

existing buoys in these channels. The

Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard

District will review these

recommendations and make final

decisions concerning Los Angeles-Long

Beach aids to navigation in light of the

Coast Guard’s waterways analysis

management system (WAMS). Specific

questions on WAMS should be directed

to the Eleventh Coast Guard District’s

points of contact listed in FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT.

Modifications to the RNA

The Commander, Eleventh Coast

Guard District is planning modifications

to the San Pedro Bay RNA. A notice of

proposed rulemaking (NPRM), only

dealing with the RNA, will be published

in the Federal Register. As previously

discussed, one proposed change will

make the RNA geographically the same

as the precautionary area. The RNA

rulemaking will also address vessel

operating requirements; vessel size,

speeds, draft limitations; operating

conditions; pilot boarding areas; and

restrictions under hazardous conditions.

Conclusion

We appreciate the comments we

received concerning the PARS. We will

solicit additional comments on the

recommended changes to the existing

routing measures we will propose in an

NPRM to be published in the Federal

Register before making any submission

to the International Maritime

Organization.

Dated: May 11, 2000.

R.C. North,

Rear Admiral, U. S. Coast Guard, Assistant

Commandant for Marine Safety and

Environmental Protection.

[FR Doc. 00–12572 Filed 5–18–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–15–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Part 51

[AD–FRL–6701–1; Docket No. A–99–05]

RIN 2060–AF01

Requirements for Preparation,

Adoption, and Submittal of State

Implementation Plans (Guideline on Air

Quality Models); Conference on Air

Quality Modeling

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule; conference.

SUMMARY: We announce the Seventh

Conference on Air Quality Modeling.

Such a conference is required by

Section 320 of the Clean Air Act (CAA)

to be held every 3 years. The purpose

of the Seventh Conference is to provide

a forum for public review and comment

on proposed revisions to the Guideline

on Air Quality Models—‘‘Guideline’’

published on April 21, 2000. The

proposed revisions are based on our

review and analyses of comments

received at the Sixth Conference on Air

Quality Modeling, held in August 1995.

DATES: The seventh conference will be

held on June 28, 2000 from 9 a.m. to

5:30 p.m. and on June 29, 2000 from

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Requests to speak at

the conference should be submitted to

the individual listed below by June 15,

2000. All written comments must be

submitted by close of business August

21, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Conference: The conference

will be held in the EPA Auditorium, 401

M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.

Comments: Written statements or

comments not presented at the

conference should be submitted (in

duplicate if possible) to: OAR

Regulatory Docket (6102), Room M–

1500, Waterside Mall, Attention: OAR

Regulatory Docket A–99–05, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.

We invite you to submit adverse or

critical comments pertinent to the

proposal to that docket. The docket is

available for public inspection and

copying between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30

p.m., Monday through Friday, at the

address above. Please furnish duplicate

comments to Tom Coulter, Air Quality

Modeling Group (MD–14), U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. You

may send electronic versions of

comments pertinent to the proposal to:

A-AND-R-DOCKET@epamail.epa.gov.

Alternatively, comments are acceptable

in WordPerfect 6.1 (or higher),

preferably zipped (e.g., WinZip) as an

attachment to the e-mail message. You

must include the docket identification

(A–99–05) with all electronic

submittals. You may file electronic

comments on this proposal online at

many Federal Depository Libraries.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: C.

Thomas Coulter, Air Quality Modeling

Group (MD–14), Office of Air Quality

Planning and Standards, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Research Triangle Park, NC 27711;

telephone (919) 541–0832.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Guideline (appendix W to 40 CFR

part 51) is used by EPA, States, and

industry to prepare and review new

source permits and State

Implementation Plan revisions. The

Guideline serves as a means by which

consistency is maintained in air quality

analyses. We originally published the

Guideline in April 1978 and it was

incorporated by reference in the

regulations for the Prevention of

Significant Deterioration (PSD) of Air

Quality in June 1978. We revised the

Guideline in 1986, and updated it with

supplement A in 1987, supplement B in

July 1993, and supplement C in August

1995. We published the Guideline as

appendix W to 40 CFR part 51 when we

issued supplement B. We republished

the Guideline in August 1996 (61 FR

41838) to adopt the CFR system for

labeling paragraphs.

To support the process of developing

and revising the Guideline during the

period 1977–1988, we held the First,

Second and Third Conferences on Air

Quality Modeling as required by Section

320 of the Clean Air Act to help

standardize modeling procedures. These

modeling conferences provided us with

comments on the Guideline and

associated revisions, thereby helping us

introduce improved modeling

techniques into the regulatory process.

In October 1988, we held the Fourth

Conference on Air Quality Modeling. Its

purpose was to advise the public on

new modeling techniques and to solicit

comments to guide our consideration of

any rulemaking needed to further revise

the Guideline. The new models

provided techniques for situations

where specific procedures had not

previously been available, and also

improved several previously adopted

techniques.

We held the Fifth Conference on Air

Quality Modeling in March 1991, which

served as a public hearing for the

proposed supplement B revisions to the

Guideline (op. cit.). Since the Fifth

Conference and the adoption of

supplement C, we believed it was time

to consider a wide range of modeling

issues in order to update our available

modeling tools with state-of-the-science

techniques. We thus held the sixth

conference as an ideal forum for airing

these issues and for the public to offer

new ideas. We reviewed and analyzed

the public feedback from the sixth

conference, and placed a summary in

the docket (II–G–01). This information

served as a foundation for the proposed

Guideline revision we announced on

April 21, 2000 (65 FR 21506).