Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 86 / Thursday, May 2, 1996 / Presidential Documents 19507

Memorandum of April 28, 1996

Exports of Alaskan North Slope (ANS) Crude Oil

Memorandum for the Secretary of Commerce [and] the Secretary of

Energy

Pursuant to section 28(s) of the Mineral Leasing Act, as amended, 30 U.S.C.

185, I hereby determine that exports of crude oil transported over rightof-way granted pursuant to section 203 of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act are in the national interest. In making this determination, I

have taken into account the conclusions of an interagency working group,

which found that such oil exports:

—will not diminish the total quantity or quality of petroleum available

to the United States; and

—are not likely to cause sustained material oil supply shortages or sustained oil price increases significantly above world market levels that would

cause sustained material adverse employment effects in the United States

or that would cause substantial harm to consumers, including those located

in noncontiguous States and Pacific Territories.

I have also considered the interagency group’s conclusions regarding potential

environmental impacts of lifting the ban. Based on their findings and recommendations, I have concluded that exports of such crude oil will not

pose significant risks to the environment if certain terms and conditions

are met.

Therefore, pursuant to section 28(s) of the Mineral Leasing Act I direct

the Secretary of Commerce to promulgate immediately a general license,

or a license exception, authorizing exports of such crude oil, subject to

appropriate documentation requirements, and consistent with the following

conditions:

—tankers exporting ANS exports must use the same route that they do

for shipments to Hawaii until they reach a point 300 miles due south

of Cape Hinchinbrook Light and then turn toward Asian destinations. After

reaching that point, tankers in the ANS oil trade must remain outside

of the 200 nautical-miles Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States

as defined in the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C.

1811). This condition also applies to tankers returning from foreign ports

to Valdez, Alaska. Exceptions can be made at the discretion of the vessel

master only to ensure the safety of the vessel;

—that export tankers be equipped with satellite-based communications

systems that will enable the Coast Guard independently to determine their

location. The Coast Guard will conduct appropriate monitoring of the tankers,

a measure that will ensure compliance with the 200-mile condition, and

help the Coast Guard respond quickly to any emergencies;

—the owner or operator of an Alaskan North Slope crude oil export

tankship shall maintain a Critical Area Inspection Plan for each tankship

in the trade in accordance with the U.S. Coast Guard’s Navigation and

Inspection Circular No. 15–91 as amended, which shall include an annual

internal survey of the vessel’s cargo block tanks; and

—the owner or operator of an Alaskan North Slope crude oil export

tankship shall adopt a mandatory program of deep water ballast exchange
19508 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 86 / Thursday, May 2, 1996 / Presidential Documents

(i.e., in 2,000 meters water depth). Exceptions can be made at the discretion

of the captain only in order to ensure the safety of the vessel. Recordkeeping

subject to Coast Guard audit will be required as part of this regime.

The Secretary of Commerce is authorized and directed to inform the appropriate committees of the Congress of this determination and to publish

it in the Federal Register

œ–.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, April 28, 1996. [FR Doc. 96–11097

Filed 5–1–96; 8:45 am]

Billing code 3501–BP–M