Document ID: USCG-2016-0437-0043
Agency: uscg
Document Type: Notice
Title: Update to Alternative Planning Criteria (APC) National Guidelines
Posted Date: 2017-01-10T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 3016]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00319]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2016-0437]

Update to Alternative Planning Criteria (APC) National Guidelines

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period on the draft 
Alternative Planning Criteria (APC) National Guidelines. The available 
draft is the same as that which was made available for comment in May 
2016. The APC Guidelines would provide the maritime industry with 
updated information on the development and submission of an APC request 
made pursuant to existing regulations. In addition to providing 
guidance to vessel owners and operators on developing APC requests, the 
APC Guidelines would also facilitate consistency in the review of APC 
requests by Coast Guard personnel. Comments previously submitted do not 
need to be submitted again.

DATES: Comments must reach the USCG by April 10, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2016-0437 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation and Request for 
Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further 
instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document 
call or email CDR Scott Stoermer, USCG Headquarters, 2703 Martin Luther 
King Jr. Ave. SE., Stop 7516, Washington DC, 20593, 
scott.a.stoermer@uscg.mil, (202) 372-2234.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments (or related material) on the 
draft APC Guidelines. We will consider all submissions and may adjust 
our final action based on your comments. If you submit a comment, 
please include the docket number for this notice, indicate the specific 
section of this document to which each comment applies, and provide a 
reason for each suggestion or recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions. Documents mentioned in this notice and all public 
comments, are in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and 
can be viewed by following that Web site's instructions. Additionally, 
if you go to the online docket and sign up for email alerts, you will 
be notified when comments are posted or a final rule is published.
    We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the 
docket, you may review a Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal 
Docket Management System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal 
Register (70 FR 15086).

Discussion

    The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Marine Environmental Response Policy 
is continuing to refine its national-level policy to clarify APC 
submissions and processes pursuant to 33 CFR 155.1065 and 155.5067. We 
made a draft policy available for public comment on May 27, 2016 (81 FR 
33685), and held a public meeting on September 21, 2016, during the 
public comment period (81 FR 54584). The Coast Guard is aware of APC's 
critical role in tank and non-tank vessel response preparedness, and 
therefore desires to thoroughly consider all facets of the policy's 
implementation. Although open to any comments, the Coast Guard is 
specifically interested in comments related to the economic impact of 
the policy, especially in remote areas. Additionally, the Coast Guard 
is interested in public comment regarding the exercise and verification 
aspects of the policy.
    The Coast Guard will consider all of the information received from 
public comments, including the comments received at the public meeting 
held on September 21, 2016, as well as written comments submitted 
during the open comment periods.
    This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552.

    Dated: January 4, 2017.
Joseph B. Loring,
Office of Marine Environmental Response Policy.
[FR Doc. 2017-00319 Filed 1-9-17; 8:45 am]
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