Federal Register: September 25, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 185)
DOCID: fr25se09-28 FR Doc E9-23161
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
CFR Citation: 33 CFR Parts 151, 155, and 160
RIN ID: RIN 1625-AB27
USC ID: [USCG-2008-1070]
NOTICE: PROPOSED RULES
DOCID: fr25se09-28
ACTION: Drawbridge Operation Regulations:
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice of public meetings; request for comments.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Nontank Vessel Response Plans and Other Vessel Response Plan Requirements
DATES: The public meetings will be held at the following locations:
Written comments and related material may also be submitted to Coast Guard personnel specified at that meeting. The comment period for the proposed rule closes November 30, 2009. All comments and related material submitted after the meeting must either be submitted to our online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before November 30, 2009, or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The Coast Guard announces three public meetings to receive comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking that would require owners or operators of nontank vessels to prepare and submit oil spill response plans. The meetings will be held to allow for greater public involvement.
SUMMARY:
Nontank Vessel Response Plans and Other Vessel Response Plan Requirements; Public Meetings
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Background and Purpose
We published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register on August 31, 2009 (74 FR 44970), entitled ``Nontank Vessel Response Plans and Other Vessel Response Plan Requirements.'' In it, we stated our intention to hold one or more public meetings, and to publish a notice to announce the location and date of the public meetings. In this notice, we announce those public meetings to receive comments on this proposed rule.
In the NPRM, we proposed requiring owners or operators of nontank
vessels to prepare and submit oil spill response plans. The Federal
Water Pollution Control Act defines nontank vessels as selfpropelled
vessels of 400 gross tons or greater that operate on the navigable
waters of the United States, carry oil of any kind as fuel for main propulsion,
[[Page 48892]]
and are not tank vessels. The proposed rule would specify the content
of a response plan, and among other issues, address the requirement to
plan for responding to a worst case discharge and a substantial threat
of such a discharge. Additionally, the proposed rule would update the
international Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP)
requirements that apply to nontank vessels and certain tank vessels.
Finally, the proposed rule would require vessel owners and operators to
submit their vessel response plan control number as part of already required notice of arrival information.
You may view the NPRM in our online docket, in addition to supporting documents prepared by the Coast Guard (Regulatory Analysis & Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis), and comments submitted thus far by going to http://www.regulations.gov. Once there, select the Advanced Docket Search option on the right side of the screen, insert USCG20081070 in the Docket ID box, press Enter, and then click on the item in the Docket ID column. If you do not have access to the Internet, you may view the docket by visiting the Docket Management Facility in Room W12140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. We have an agreement with the Department of Transportation to use the Docket Management Facility.
We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting comments either orally at a meeting or in writing. If you bring written comments to a meeting, you may submit them to Coast Guard personnel specified at the meeting to receive written comments. These comments will be submitted to our online public docket. All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have provided.
Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008 issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).
Information on Service for Individuals With Disabilities
For information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities or to request special assistance at the public meeting, contact Lieutenant Jarrod DeWitz at the telephone number indicated under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice. Public Meeting
The Coast Guard will hold three public meetings regarding this
proposed rulemaking on the following dates and at the following locations:
Members of the public may attend these meetings up to the seating capacity of the rooms. The meetings may conclude before the allotted time if all matters of concern have been addressed.
We plan to record each meeting using an audiodigital recorder and
to make that audio recording available through a link in our online
docket. A written summary of comments made and a list of attendees will be placed in the docket after each meeting concludes.
Dated: September 21, 2009.
J.G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, U.S. Coast Guard. [FR Doc. E923161 Filed 92409; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 491015P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
If you have questions about this
proposed rulemaking, contact Lieutenant Jarrod DeWitz, U.S. Coast
Guard, Office of Vessel Activities, Vessel Response Plan Review Team, telephone (202) 3721219. You may also email questions to
Jarrod.M.DeWitz@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or
submitting material to the docket, call Ms. Renee V. Wright, Program
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 2023669826.