Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 124 / Wednesday, June 27, 2001 / Rules and Regulations 34125

(ix) The NaSH storage tank.

(3) The owner or operator of the

pulping system shall operate the

Isothermal Cooking system at the site

while pulp is being produced in the

continuous digester at any time after

April 16, 2001.

(i) The owner or operator shall

monitor the following parameters to

demonstrate that isothermal cooking is

in operation:

(A) Continuous digester dilution

factor; and

(B) The difference between the

continuous digester vapor zone

temperature and the continuous digester

extraction header temperature.

(ii) The isothermal cooking system

shall be in operation when the

continuous digester dilution factor and

the temperature difference between the

continuous digester vapor zone

temperature and the continuous digester

extraction header temperature are

maintained as set forth in Table 2:

TABLE 2 TO SUBPART S—ISOTHERMAL COOKING SYSTEM OPERATIONAL VALUES

Parameter Instrument number Limit Units

Digester Dilution Factor .................................... K1DILFAC ........................................ >0.0 .................................... None

Difference in Digester Vapor Zone Temperature and Digester.03TI0311 .......................................... <10 ..................................... Degrees F.

Extraction Header Temperature ....................... 03TI0329.

(iii) The owner or operator shall

certify annually the operational status of

the isothermal cooking system.

(4) [Reserved]

(5) Definitions. All descriptions and

references to equipment and emission

unit ID numbers refer to equipment at

the Site. All terms used in this

paragraph shall have the meaning given

them in this part and this paragraph. For

the purposes of this paragraph only the

following additional definitions apply:

Boilout tank means the tank that

provides tank storage capacity for

recovery of black liquor spills and

evaporator water washes for return to

the evaporators (emission unit ID No.

U606);

Brownstock diffusion washer means

the equipment used to wash pulp from

the surge chests to further reduce lignin

carryover in the pulp;

Continuous digester means the

digester system used to chemically and

thermally remove the lignin binding the

wood chips to produce individual pulp

fibers (emission unit ID No. P300);

Fifty percent solids black liquor

storage tank means the tank used to

store intermediate black liquor prior to

final evaporation in the 1A, 1B, and 1C

Concentrators (emission unit ID No.

U605);

First stage brownstock diffusion

washer means the equipment that

receives and stores filtrate from the first

stage of washing for return to the

pressure diffusion washer;

Isothermal cooking system means the

1995–1996 modernization of

brownstock pulping process including

conversion of the Kamyr continuous

vapor phase digester to an extended

delignification unit and changes in the

knotting, screening, and oxygen stage

systems:

NaSH storage tank means the tank

used to store sodium hydrosulfite

solution prior to use as make-up to the

liquor system

North sixty-seven percent solids black

liquor storage tank means one of two

tanks used to store black liquor prior to

burning in the Recovery Boiler for

chemical recovery (emission unit ID No.

U501);

Precipitator make down tank numbers

one, two and three mean tanks used to

mix collected particulate from

electrostatic precipitator chamber

number one with 67% black liquor for

recycle to chemical recovery in the

Recovery Boiler (emission unit ID Nos.

U504, U505 and U506);

Salt cake mix tank means the tank

used to mix collected particulate from

economizer hoppers with black liquor

for recycle to chemical recovery in the

Recovery Boiler (emission unit ID No.

U503);

South sixty-seven percent solids black

liquor storage tank means one of two

tanks used to store black liquor prior to

burning in the Recovery Boiler for

chemical recovery (emission unit ID No.

U502);

Utility tank means the tank used to

store fifty percent liquor and, during

black liquor tank inspections and

repairs, to serve as a backup liquor

storage tank (emission unit ID No.

U611);

Weak gas system means high volume,

low concentration or HVLC system as

defined in § 63.441; and

Weak liquor storage tank means the

tank that provide surge capacity for

weak black liquor from digesting prior

to feed to multiple effect evaporators

(emission unit ID No. U610).

(b) [Reserved]

[FR Doc. 01–16114 Filed 6–26–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 053101F]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Bycatch Rate

Standards for the Second Half of 2001

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Pacific halibut and red king crab

bycatch rate standards; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces Pacific

halibut and red king crab bycatch rate

standards for the second half of 2001.

Publication of these bycatch rate

standards is required by regulations

implementing the vessel incentive

program. This action is necessary to

implement the bycatch rate standards

for trawl vessel operators who

participate in the Alaska groundfish

trawl fisheries. The intent of this action

is to reduce prohibited species bycatch

rates and promote conservation of

groundfish and other fishery resources.

DATES: Effective 1201 hours, Alaska

local time (A.l.t.), July 1, 2001, through

2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2001.

Comments on this action must be

received no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t.,

July 27, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be

submitted to Sue Salveson, Assistant

Regional Administrator, Sustainable

Fisheries Division, Alaska Region,

NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK

99802–1668, Attn: Lori Gravel.

Comments also may be sent via

facsimile (fax) to 907–586–7465.

Comments will not be accepted if

34126 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 124 / Wednesday, June 27, 2001 / Rules and Regulations

submitted via e-mail or Internet. Courier

or hand delivery of comments may be

made to NMFS in the Federal Building,

Room 453, Juneau, AK 99801.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586–7228, fax 907–

586–7465, e-mail

mary.furuness@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

domestic groundfish fisheries in the

exclusive economic zone of the Bering

Sea and Aleutian Islands management

area (BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA)

are managed by NMFS according to the

Fishery Management Plan for the

Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea

and Aleutian Islands Area and the

Fishery Management Plan for

Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska

(FMPs). The FMPs were prepared by the

North Pacific Fishery Management

Council (Council) under the authority of

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act and

are implemented by regulations

governing the U.S. groundfish fisheries

at 50 CFR part 679.

Regulations at § 679.21(f) implement

a vessel incentive program to reduce

halibut and red king crab bycatch rates

in the groundfish trawl fisheries. Under

the incentive program, operators of

trawl vessels may not exceed Pacific

halibut bycatch rate standards specified

for the BSAI and GOA midwater pollock

and ‘‘other trawl’’ fisheries, and the

BSAI yellowfin sole and ‘‘bottom

pollock’’ fisheries. Vessel operators also

may not exceed red king crab bycatch

standards specified for the BSAI

yellowfin sole and ‘‘other trawl’’

fisheries in Bycatch Limitation Zone 1

(defined in § 679.2). The fisheries

included under the incentive program

are defined in regulations at

§ 679.21(f)(2).

Regulations at § 679.21(f)(3) require

that halibut and red king crab bycatch

rate standards for each fishery included

under the incentive program be

published in the Federal Register. The

standards are in effect for specified

seasons within the 6-month periods of

January 1 through June 30, and July 1

through December 31. For purposes of

calculating vessel bycatch rates under

the incentive program, 2001 fishing

months were specified in the Federal

Register on January 16, 2001 (66 FR

3501).

Halibut and red king crab bycatch rate

standards for the first half of 2001 also

were published in the Federal Register

(66 FR 3501, January 16, 2001). As

required by § 679.21(f)(3) and (4), the

Administrator of the Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

established the bycatch rate standards

for the second half of 2001 (July 1

through December 31). These standards

were endorsed by the Council at its

April 2001 meeting and are set out in

Table 1. As required by § 679.21(f)(4),

bycatch rate standards are based on the

following information:

(A) Previous years’ average observed

bycatch rates;

(B) Immediately preceding season’s

average observed bycatch rates;

(C) The bycatch allowances and

associated fishery closures specified

under § 679.21(d) and (e);

(D) Anticipated groundfish harvests;

(E) Anticipated seasonal distribution

of fishing effort for groundfish; and

(F) Other information and criteria

deemed relevant by the Regional

Administrator.

TABLE 1—BYCATCH RATE

STANDARDS BY FISHERY FOR

THE SECOND HALF OF 2001

FOR PURPOSES OF THE VESSEL INCENTIVE PROGRAM IN

THE BSAI AND GOA

Fishery

2001 Bycatch

Rate Standard

Halibut bycatch rate standards (kilogram (kg)

of halibut/metric ton (mt) of groundfish catch)

BSAI Midwater pollock 1.0

BSAI Bottom pollock 5.0

BSAI Yellowfin sole 5.0

BSAI Other trawl 30.0

GOA Midwater pollock 1.0

GOA Other trawl 40.0

Zone 1 red king crab bycatch rate standards

(number of crab/mt of groundfish catch)

BSAI yellowfin sole 2.5

BSAI Other trawl 2.5

Bycatch Rate Standards for Pacific

Halibut

The halibut bycatch rate standards for

the second half of 2001 trawl fisheries

are unchanged from those implemented

for the second half of 2000. The

Regional Administrator based standards

for the second half of 2001 on

anticipated seasonal fishing effort for

groundfish species and on 1997-2000

halibut bycatch rates observed in the

trawl fisheries included under the

incentive program. Along with bycatch

rate standards, the industry is exploring

opportunities under fishery

cooperatives and other voluntarily

arrangements to control bycatch and

optimize the amount of groundfish

harvested under halibut and crab

bycatch limits. Under § 679.50(k),

vessel-specific prohibited species

bycatch rates from observer data are

published weekly on the NMFS, Alaska

Region website (www.fakr.noaa.gov).

In determining these bycatch rate

standards, the Regional Administrator

considered the annual and seasonal

bycatch specifications for the BSAI and

the GOA trawl fisheries (66 FR 7276,

January 22, 2001). He further recognized

that the Council had requested NMFS to

implement by emergency interim rule a

delay in the second season opening date

for the GOA inshore and offshore Pacific

cod fisheries from June 10 to September

1. This rulemaking was published in the

Federal Register on June 13, 2001 (66

FR 31845). The GOA shallow-water and

deep-water trawl fishery species

complexes are closed until July 1, 2001.

In the BSAI, the rockfish, yellowfin sole,

and rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish

fishery categories will open or reopen

on July 1 when seasonal apportionments

of halibut bycatch allowances specified

for these fisheries become available. The

BSAI Pacific cod trawl fishery is open

for catcher vessels and catcher

processors. The Regional Administrator

also considered the June 10 opening

date of the 2001 Bering Sea pollock ‘‘C/

D’’ season (§ 679.23(e)(2)) and the Gulf

of Alaska ‘‘C’’ and ‘‘D’’ season pollock

fisheries on August 20 and October 1,

respectively (§ 679.23(d)(2)). The

Regional Administrator acknowledged

that the 2001 BSAI and GOA trawl

fisheries for pollock and Pacific cod are

closed November 1 for the remainder of

the year as a protection measure for the

endangered Western population of

Steller sea lions.

The halibut bycatch rate standards for

the BSAI yellowfin sole and ‘‘bottom

pollock’’ trawl fisheries are each set at

5 kilograms (kg) of halibut per metric

ton (mt) of groundfish. The BSAI

yellowfin sole fishery has experienced

undesirably high bycatch rates that

NMFS and the Council wish to reduce

through existing incentives. The

American Fisheries Act (AFA)

cooperatives should help participating

vessels maintain overall bycatch rates of

halibut in the yellowfin sole fishery to

a minimal level so that the amount of

groundfish harvested may be optimized

under the AFA prohibited species catch

sideboard provisions. The average

halibut bycatch rate for the 2000 third

and fourth calendar quarter fisheries

was equal to 13 and 11 kg halibut/mt

groundfish, respectively. These rates are

lower than those in 1999. The

prohibition on the use of nonpelagic

trawl gear has reduced the number of

hauls assigned to the BSAI ‘‘bottom

pollock’’ fishery and the bycatch rates

are lower. Assignment to a fishery for

purposes of the vessel incentive

program is based on catch composition

instead of gear type; this allows a vessel

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 124 / Wednesday, June 27, 2001 / Rules and Regulations 34127

using pelagic trawl gear to be assigned

to the BSAI bottom pollock fishery

defined at 50 CFR 679.21(f)(2). The

average halibut bycatch rate for the 2000

third and fourth calendar quarter

pollock fisheries was equal to 0.68 and

1.95 kg halibut/mt groundfish,

respectively.

The halibut bycatch rate standard for

the BSAI and GOA midwater pollock

fisheries (1 kg of halibut/mt of

groundfish) is higher than the bycatch

rates normally experienced by vessels

participating in these fisheries, except

for the third quarter of 2000 in the GOA.

This standard is intended to encourage

vessel operators to maintain off-bottom

trawl operations and limit further

bycatch of halibut in the pollock fishery.

One factor that may have contributed to

the 1.91 kg halibut/mt groundfish rate

for the third quarter of 2000 in the GOA

was the change in the spatial

distribution of the pollock fishery

because of the court-ordered injunction

on fishing for groundfish with trawl gear

in Steller sea lion critical habitat.

The considerations that support the

bycatch rate standards for the ‘‘other

trawl’’ fisheries are unchanged from

previous years and are discussed in the

Federal Register publications of 1995

bycatch rate standards (60 FR 2905,

January 12, 1995, and 60 FR 27425, May

24, 1995). A bycatch rate standard of 30

kg halibut/mt of groundfish is

established for the BSAI ‘‘other trawl’’

fishery. This standard has remained

unchanged since 1992. Observer data

from the 2000 BSAI ‘‘other trawl’’

fishery show third and fourth quarter

halibut bycatch rates of 10 and 5 kg of

halibut/mt of groundfish. The first

quarter rate from the 2001 BSAI ‘‘other

trawl’’ fishery was 11 kg of halibut/mt

of groundfish. A bycatch rate standard

of 40 kg of halibut/mt of groundfish is

established for the GOA ‘‘other trawl’’

fishery, which is unchanged since 1994.

At times, quarterly bycatch rates have

exceeded the bycatch rate standards, but

these situations usually represent

limited fishing effort in the second and

fourth quarters. Observer data collected

from the 2000 GOA ‘‘other trawl’’

fishery show average third and fourth

quarter halibut bycatch rates of 23 and

46 kg of halibut/mt of groundfish,

respectively. The first quarter rate from

2001 was 14 kg of halibut/mt of

groundfish.

Bycatch Rate Standards for Red King

Crab

The red king crab bycatch rate

standard for the yellowfin sole and

‘‘other trawl’’ fisheries in Zone 1 of the

Bering Sea subarea is 2.5 crab/mt of

groundfish during the second half of

2001. This standard has remained

unchanged since 1992. Through April

14, 2001, the rock sole/flathead sole/

other flatfish fishery category have taken

34 percent of its annual red king crab

bycatch allowance including the Red

King Crab Savings Subarea bycatch

limit. The Pacific cod and yellowfin sole

fisheries have taken 13 percent and 33

percent, respectively, of their bycatch

allowances. The Regional Administrator

anticipates that the non-pelagic trawl

gear closure of the Red King Crab

Savings Area in Zone 1 will continue to

result in low red king crab bycatch rates

for the remainder of the year and is

maintaining the 2.5 red king crab/mt of

groundfish bycatch rate standard.

The Regional Administrator has

determined that the bycatch rate

standards set forth in Table 1 for the

second half of 2001 are appropriately

based on the information and

considerations necessary for such

determinations under § 679.21(f). These

bycatch rate standards may be revised

and published in the Federal Register

when deemed appropriate by the

Regional Administrator, pending his

consideration of the information set

forth at § 679.21(f)(4).

Classification

NMFS finds that the prevention of

excessive prohibited species bycatch

rates constitutes good cause to waive the

requirement for prior notice and

comment period pursuant to 5 U.S.C.

553(b)(B) as such procedures are

contrary to the public interest. Because

the halibut and red king crab bycatch

rate standards for the second half of

2001 must be effective by July 1, 2001,

when the bycatch rate standards for the

first half of 2001 expire, NMFS finds for

good cause that the implementation of

this action cannot be delayed for 30

days. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C.

553(d), a delay in the effective date is

hereby waived.

This action is taken under 50 CFR

679.21(f) and is exempt from OMB

review under Executive Order 12866.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et

seq. and 3631 et seq.

Dated: June 21, 2001.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–16173 Filed 6–26–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S