[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34500-34501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16780]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[USCG-1998-3350]


Public Workshops for Response Plan Equipment Caps: Scheduled 
Increases in Mechanical Recovery and Potential Changes to Dispersant 
Planning Requirements

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is holding three public workshops to solicit 
comments on potential changes to the equipment requirements within the 
response plan regulations (33 CFR 154 and 155) for mechanical recovery, 
dispersants, and other oil spill removal technologies. These workshops 
are intended to serve as forums for the discussion of issues relevant 
to establishing new integrated equipment requirements, which address 
all necessary spill removal technologies. The Coast Guard specifically 
wishes to solicit comments on how to cost effectively incorporate high-
rate removal technologies, such as the use of dispersants, into the 
resource requirements contained within the vessel response plan 
regulations. Federal, state, and local agencies, industry, oil spill 
removal organizations, environmental groups and the public are 
encouraged to participate and provide oral or written comments. This 
notice announces the dates, times, locations, and format for the 
workshops.

DATES: The public workshops are scheduled for the following times and 
locations. The workshops will convene at the times indicated below; 
however, they may be concluded early if their business is finished: (1) 
Friday, July 24, 1998, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Oakland Airport 
Hilton, One Hegenberger Road, Oakland, California 94621. (2) Wednesday, 
August 19, 1998, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Houston Marriott West 
Loop--by the Galleria, 1750 West Look South, Houston, Texas 77027. (3) 
Wednesday, September 16, 1998, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the U.S. 
Department of Transportation, Nassif Building, Room 2230, 400 Seventh 
Street S.W., Washington, DC 20590.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to the Docket Management Facility 
(USCG-98-3350), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), room PL-401, 
400 Seventh Street S.W., Washington, DC 20590-0001, or deliver them to 
room PL-401, located on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building at the 
same address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329. The Docket 
Management Facility maintains the public docket for this notice. 
Comments, and documents as indicated in this preamble will become part 
of this docket and will be available for inspection or copying at room 
PL-401, located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at the above 
address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for 
Federal holidays. You may also access the public docket on the internet 
at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For questions on this Federal Register notice, or persons interested in 
presenting information at the workshop, please contact Lieutenant 
Commander John Caplis, Plans and Preparedness Division, Office of 
Response, telephone 202-267-6922, fax 202-267-4065, or at e-mail 
address jcapliscomdt.uscg.mil. A conceptual document has been developed 
by the Coast Guard in order to facilitate discussion during the 
workshop. The document identifies key issues and elements relating to 
dispersant planning, and can be obtained prior to the workshops through 
the Vessel Response Plan Status-line or the Vessel Response Plan 
Program Internet site (http://www.uscg.mil/vrp). Document requests can 
be placed on the VRP Status-line (voice mail system) at 202-267-0434, 
or by accessing the VRP

[[Page 34501]]

Internet site, which will have the document posted.
    Summaries will be prepared at the conclusion of each workshop by 
the Coast Guard which will be made available to interested parties upon 
their request. Summaries may be obtained by calling VRP Status-line at 
202-267-0434 or may be accessed through the Vessel Response Plan 
Program Internet site (http://www.uscg.mil/vrp).
    For questions on this docket, contact Carol Kelly, Coast Guard 
Dockets Team Leader, or Paulette Twine, Chief, Documentary Services 
Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, 202-366-9329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) 
contained provisions that were intended to increase the preparedness of 
tank vessel owners or operators to respond to a spill, as well as 
increase the oil spill response capability in the United States. To 
achieve these goals, minimum on-water oil-removal capability 
requirements (often referred to as ``caps'') were set out in 33 CFR 
154.1045(m) and 33 CFR 155.1050(o). These equipment caps were 
established in 1993 based on available equipment and technology levels.
    These caps were scheduled to increase by 25% in 1998 as a planning 
target for increasing response capabilities within the United States. 
33 CFR 154.1045(n) and 33 CFR 155.1050(p) requires the Coast Guard to 
review the proposed increases to determine if they are practicable 
prior to implementing any new requirements. The Coast Guard is charged 
with evaluating other spill removal technologies as part of that 
review. The Coast Guard intends to review the proposed increases with a 
holistic approach to oil spill removal, evaluating our national 
response capability in light of all available technologies.
    The Coast Guard published a ``Request for Comment'' with regard to 
the cap review in the Federal Register on January 27, 1998. The Coast 
Guard received 21 written comments which were entered into the public 
docket, as well as numerous verbal comments from interested 
stakeholders at various public forums.
    Raising the equipment requirements for mechanical recovery systems 
appears to be a controversial item, with numerous comments received 
both for and against such as increase. Many comments suggested that the 
increase was not necessary because the equipment already exists. Other 
comments agreed that the equipment already exists, but argued that it 
was obtained in anticipation of the scheduled increase, and that a 
failure to implement the new requirements will result in equipment 
being sold off or put out of service.
    In order to ascertain whether existing equipment stocks are able to 
meet the scheduled 25% increase, the Coast Guard National Strike Force 
Coordination Center (NSFCC) reviewed the availability of mechanical 
recovery systems throughout the United States. The NSFCC looked at the 
private sector resources available to respond to a spill in each 
Captain of the Port (COTP) zone using the data compiled in the Regional 
Response Inventory (RRI). The NSFCC review indicates that mechanical 
recovery systems are available in quantities sufficient to meet the 
proposed increase. The Coast Guard will present a summary of this 
report at the public workshops. While the NSFCC report establishes that 
mechanical recovery equipment is available to meet the scheduled 
increases, the Coast Guard must still determine whether implementing 
such as increase is practicable, which must include an examination of 
the expected benefits in comparison to the associated costs.
    Most of the comments received strongly supported developing new 
requirements for other removal technologies as part of any cap 
increase. Many comments suggested that high-rate removal technologies 
are a more cost-effective or capacity-enhancing method of increasing 
overall response preparedness than mechanical recovery. Other comments 
suggested that the use of these technologies offers positive net 
environmental benefits for many response situations, and are a 
necessary tool for today's response infrastructure. The use of 
dispersants was the most widely supported means for increasing the 
existing requirements, and was generally preferred to increases in 
mechanical recovery [in the comments that were received].
    The Coast Guard is reviewing dispersants and other oil spill 
removal technologies with regard to their potential for inclusion in a 
proposed cap increase. The Coast Guard is evaluating a range of 
alternatives, including mandatory requirements /and/ or credits for 
dispersants, in situ burning, and oil spill tracking resources. The 
Coast Guard will present these alternatives for discussion and comment 
during these workshops. The Coast Guard solicits public comment 
regarding appropriate performance dimensions for these technologies, 
including: areas of applicability, response times, ensured levels of 
capability, application equipment, application rates, monitoring, 
anticipated costs and other applicable planning requirements. 
Interested persons are encouraged to submit any pertinent written 
views, data, or arguments, either prior to or during the workshops, to 
the Coast Guard.

Agenda for the Workshops

Equipment Cap and Dispersant Planning Public Workshop

    The agenda includes the following short information presentations, 
each followed by an open discussion period:
    (1) Introduction and presentation on concept of Integrated 
Equipment Cap Review.
    (2) Presentation of National Strike Force Coordination Center 
Report on OSRO Resource Information.
    (3) Presentation of summary of comments received in response to 
Request for Comment, Review of Cap Increases, 63 FR 3861, January 27, 
1998.
    (4) Presentation and discussion of potential changes to regulations 
as part of integrated cap increase:
    (a) Increases to Mechanical Recovery
    (b) Required Dispersant Capabilities

    Note: The Coast Guard will present a concept position to 
facilitate discussion during the workshop. The document identifies 
key elements and issues for dispersant planning. The concepts 
contained within are mainly for discussion purposes and are likely 
to change as a result of public involvement and further regulatory 
analysis to be performed at a later date. Participants may obtain a 
copy of this document prior to the workshop [see for further 
information].

Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meetings, contact 
LCDR John Caplis at the address or phone number listed under for 
further information contact as soon as possible.

    Dated: June 17, 1998.
Robert North,
Rear Admiral, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 98-16780 Filed 6-23-98; 8:45 am]
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