Source: http://govpulse.us/entries/2002/09/17/02-23621/tank-level-or-pressure-monitoring-devices
Timestamp: 2015-05-29 06:04:39
Document Index: 545456346

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 32', 'art 32', 'arts 155', 'art 32', 'art 32', 'art 32']

govpulse | Tank Level or Pressure Monitoring Devices
In December of 2000, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Coast Guard must promulgate a regulation for tank vessels to use tank level or pressure monitoring (TLPM) devices as mandated by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90). The Coast Guard is implementing regulations to include minimum standards for the performance and use of TLPM devices on single-hull tank ships and single-hull tank barges carrying oil or oil residue as cargo.
Preface to Discussion of Comments and Changes
Vessels Required To Install and Use TLPM Devices
Justification for Requiring the Installation and Use of TLPM Devices on AllSingle-Hull Tank Vessels
Safety Concerns When Responding to Alarms
Costs and Benefits Presented in the Regulatory Analysis of the NPRM
Comparison With Other OPA 90 Rulemakings
Domestic Crude Carriers
Foreign Tankers
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-2001-9046 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.
If you have questions on this rule, call Martin L. Jackson, Project Manager, Standards Evaluations and Analysis Division (G-MSR-1), Coast Guard, at 202-267-1140. For technical questions concerning the performance standards for TLPM devices call Dolores Mercier, Technical Program Manager, Engineering Systems Division (G-MSE-3), Coast Guard, telephone 202-267-0658. If you have questions on viewing the docket, call Dorothy Beard, Chief, Dockets, Department of Transportation, at 202-366-5149.
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) Public Law 101-380, directed the Coast Guard to promulgate a number of regulations, including a variety of standards for the design and operation of equipment to reduce the number and severity of tank vessel oil spill incidents. Section 4110 of OPA 90 mandates that the Coast Guard: (1) Establish standards for devices that measure oil levels in cargo tanks or devices that monitor cargo tank pressure level, and (2) issue regulations establishing requirements concerning the use of these devices on tank vessels carrying oil or oil residue as cargo. Functionally, these tank level or pressure monitoring (TLPM) devices measure changes in cargo volume, thereby detecting possible oil leaks into the marine environment.
In May of 1991, the Coast Guard published in the Federal Register an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM)(56 FR 21116) that solicited public comments relating to TLPM devices on tank vessels carrying oil. We received 20 comments.
In August of 1992, the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center completed a feasibility study (Volpe study) on TLPM devices. Then, in January of the following year, we made this study available to the public for comment by publishing a notice of availability (58 FR 7292).
As announced in a notice of public meeting (59 FR 58810), we held a public meeting at Coast Guard Headquarters in December of 1994 to discuss this rulemaking. This meeting gave the public an opportunity to provide further input into the development of the proposed regulations. As a result of the public meeting nine comments were received.
In 1995, we proposed a regulation that set minimum standards for leak detection devices (60 FR 43427). Upon review of the Volpe study and the risks of oil spills, we determined that the minimum detection threshold for such devices should be the lesser of either 0.5 percent below the quantity to which the tank was loaded or 1,000 gallons, which matched the criteria for an inland medium and coastal minor oil spill. This notice of proposed rulemaking received 10 comments.
In 1997, we published a temporary rule [62 FR 14828 (March 28, 1997)] establishing the minimum standards for TLPM devices. In the temporary rule, we requested the submission of TLPM devices that could meet the performance standard set out in the rule. The Coast Guard would have evaluated the submitted TLPM devices to ensure that they met the performance standards required by the temporary rule. We would have assessed the costs and benefits associated with any devices that met this performance standard to support decisions regarding implementing use requirements. At the time the rule expired in April 1999, no devices had been submitted to us for evaluation.
In 1999, Bluewater Network and Ocean Advocates brought suit in the U.S.Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In their suit, the petitioners asked the Court for a Writ of Mandamus ordering us to promulgate TLPM regulations. In December of 2000, the Court agreed with the petitioners on this item and directed the Coast Guard to promptly promulgate regulations setting TLPM standards and requiring use of TLPM on tank vessels.
On October 1, 2001, we published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled Tank Level or Pressure Monitoring Devices in the Federal Register(66 FR 49877). Within that notice of proposed rulemaking, we presented a minimum performance standard and eight proposed regulatory options, and corresponding regulatory text for each option, regarding the use of TLPM devices on single-hull tank ships and single-hull tank barges carrying oil as cargo. A public meeting was held on November 6, 2001, in Washington, DC. As a result of the notice and public meeting, we received 129 letters commenting on the proposal.
Background and Purpose ↑
The purpose of TLPM devices is to reduce the size and impact of oil spills by alerting the tank vessel operator that an accidental discharge of cargo oil is occurring. In the NPRM [October 1, 2001 (66 FR 49877)], the Coast Guardproposed removing the temporary regulations of Subpart 32.22T-Tank Level or Pressure Monitoring Devices found in 46 CFR part 32. We proposed removing this subpart because the effective period of the standard has passed. We also proposed adding new, permanent performance and use standards for tank level or pressure monitoring devices in 33 CFR parts 155 and 156. The new standards we proposed included regulating the installation and operation of TLPM devices on cargo tanks on U.S. and foreign-flag single-hull tank ships and tank barges carrying oil or oil residue as cargo. Section 4110(b) of OPA 90 (Pub. L. 101-380) authorizes the Coast Guard to require the use of TLPM devices on U.S. and foreign-flag vessels constructed or adapted to carry oil in bulk as cargo or cargo residue on the United States navigable waters or exclusive economic zone.
We did not propose requiring the use of TLPM devices on double-hull vessels. These TLPM devices are intended to warn the operators of possible loss of cargo oil into the water due to leaks they might otherwise not notice from cargo tanks. As stated in previous notices, double-hull vessels are intrinsically designed to prevent this type of discharge, having a redundant tank boundary. Therefore, the proposal exempted double-hull tank vessels.
During the development of the proposal, we examined the impact of this rule on single-hull tank ships and single-hull tank barges. The regulatory analysis for this rule showed that of all single-hull tank vessels, barges caused most of the oil spills where TLPM devices would have been effective on single-hull tank vessels. In fact, out of the 27 oil spill incident cases, 20 incidents were from tank barges, with only seven from tank ships. In these 27 cases tank barges contributed 75 percent of the amount of actual oil spilled. Additionally, a majority of current tank barges will be in existence for much longer than will tank ships. Approximately 91 percent of the single-hull tank barges will be allowed to operate after 2010, compared to 54 percent of the tank ships. (All single-hull tank vessels will be phased-out by 2015.) Furthermore, section 4110 of OPA 90, which requires the installation and use of TLPM devices, was added in part as a result of an oil spill from a barge resulting in the spill of 4,000 barrels of oil during a night transit in the Chesapeake Bay.
Even though the 27 oil spill incident cases revealed that tank barges spilled more oil than tank ships, tank ships, on the other hand, present a greater potential for leaking great quantities should a leak occur. A one percent leak from a typical tank ship translates to approximately 36,078 gallons (859 barrels). In comparison, a one percent leak from an average tank barge is 4,536 gallons (108 barrels).
To allow for the maximum flexibility to meet the regulatory and statutory intent, we proposed in the NPRM eight regulatory options that reflect all the reasonable approaches we have examined in developing this proposed regulation. The eight options were designed to be performance based. In developing them, we assumed that this rulemaking will apply only to single-hull tank vessels with a TLPM device that will detect a one percent change in cargo volume.
Each of the eight options was categorized under one of four alternatives (two options per alternative). The alternatives indicated the possible affected vessels. The options indicated either a three-year or a five-year phase-in period for the affected vessels. Any earlier period would place undue financial and logistical burden on industry. Any period beyond five years would reduce benefits in protecting the environment from oil spills before the single-hull tank vessels are phased out. Therefore, the options were characterized by the affected single-hull tank vessel type and the installation phase-in of TLPM devices with the one percent performance standard.
The following table outlines the eight proposed options.
What type of single-hull tank vessel isaffected by this rule?
How long do the affected vessels have to comply with TLPMregulations?
Note: Alternatives indicate the possible affected vessels. Options indicate the possible phase-in dates for the affected vessels
.The one percent performance standard required TLPM devices to alarm when the quantity of the cargo oil increases or decreases by one percent. With this standard in place, we would be able to detect oil spills of approximately 859 barrels and 108 barrels from a typical tank ship and tank barge, respectively.
As previously stated in this final rule, the Coast Guard received several comment letters addressing our prior NPRM. None of the comments received address our proposal to remove the temporary regulations of Subpart 32.22T—Tank Level or Pressure Monitoring Devices found in 46 CFR part 32. We are removing the temporary regulations of Subpart 32.22T. After consideration of all the comments received, we have elected to implementAlternative Three, Option Two (all single-hull tank vessels, 5-year implementation).
Preface to Discussion of Comments and Changes ↑
From the comments we received from the NPRM and the lack of the response from the manufacturers during the affective period of the temporary rule, the Coast Guard acknowledges that there are no TLPM devices being marketed. However, as discussed in the regulatory analysis, devices capable of measuring cargo levels are being manufactured. Properly modified, these devices would be able to meet the requirements established by this rulemaking. The actual type of system designed and installed is dependent on the manufacturer of the system and the vessel operator.
Discussion of Comments and Changes ↑
The Coast Guard received 129 letters commenting on the NPRM[October 1, 2001 (66 FR 49877)]. Seventy-two of