[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 130 (Friday, July 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 35628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16942]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7006-9]
Massachusetts Marine Sanitation Device Standard; Notice of
Determination
On May 23, 2001, notice was published that the State of
Massachusetts had petitioned the Regional Administrator, Environmental
Protection Agency, to determine that adequate facilities for the safe
and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are
reasonably available for the Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area in the
Town of Barnstable, County of Barnstable, State of Massachusetts. The
petition was filed pursuant to Section 312(f)(3) of Public Law 92-500,
as amended by Public Laws 95-217 and 100-4, for the purpose of
declaring these waters a ``No Discharge Area'' (NDA).
Section 312(f)(3) states: After the effective date of the initial
standards and regulations promulgated under this section, if any State
determines that the protection and enhancement of the quality of some
or all of the waters within such States require greater environmental
protection, such State may completely prohibit the discharge from all
vessels of any sewage, whether treated or not, into such waters, except
that no such prohibition shall apply until the Administrator determines
that adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and
treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably available for such
water to which such prohibition would apply.
The information submitted to me by the State of Massachusetts
certified that there are two public pump-out facilities located within
the proposed area to service vessels in Three Bay/Centerville Harbor
Area.
There is a self service pumpout trailer unit located at the Oyster
Harbor Marina, with a holding capacity of 250 gallons, and provides
access for vessels up to 50 feet in length and a draft of 4 feet at
mean low water. This facility is available daily from June 15 through
September 15 from approximately 0800 to 1700 (8am to 5pm). The second
pumpout facility is a pumpout boat operated by the Harbormasters
Office, and docked at the Oyster Harbor Marina when not in use. The
boat has a holding capacity of 300 gallons. The pumpout boat is
available Wednesday through Sunday from 0930 to 1630 (9:30am-4:30pm)
from Memorial Day to Thanksgiving. The pump-out boat is accessible by
VHF marine radio via Channel 9 and by calling the Oyster Harbor Marine
and Environmental Affairs Division (MEAD) in Barnstable at (508) 790-
6273.
The waste from the pump-out boat is off loaded to the trailer unit
then transported to the Barnstable Water Pollution Control Facility.
The Barnstable Board of Health issues a waste permit for this disposal.
The town of Barnstable maintains public facilities at four
locations, Loop Beach, Craigville Beach, Covells Beach and Dowse's
Beach and are seasonal. In addition, the three marinas in the area
provide on-shore toilet facilities for marina patrons and their guests.
The number of mooring permits indicate that 1,667 vessels reside
within the Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area and 1584 are identified as
recreational and 83 are commercial vessels. The Three Bay/Centerville
Harbor Area is primarily a ``parking lot'' harbor and 70% of the vessel
population is under 25 feet in length, and therefore do not have any
type of Marine Sanitation Device (MSD). There are a number of locations
in the Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area with public launching ramps,
however, the size and condition of the ramps and the depth of the water
limit use to vessels 25 feet and under. In addition to the vessels that
reside in the Complex, there is a transient population estimated at 110
vessels which have MSD's.
The resources of the Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area are
recreational and commercial. There are four public beaches, the Dead
Neck Audubon Bird/Wildlife Refuge, and town conservation lands located
within the area. The Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area is also used by
both recreational and commercial shell fishermen for the harvest of
quahogs, soft-shell clams.
Therefore, based on an examination of the petition and its
supporting information, which included a site visit by EPA New England
staff, I have determined that adequate facilities for the safe and
sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are
reasonably available for the areas covered under this petition. The
area includes Cotuit Bay, West Bay, East Bay, and Squaw Island Marsh,
north of a line drawn 500 feet south of their mouths at Nantucket
Sound. The area also includes the following sub-embayments: North Bay,
Prince Cove, Marstons Mills River South of Route 28, Scudder Bay South
of Bumps River Road, Bumps River East of Bumps River Road, Centerville
River West of Craigville Beach Road, and Halls Creek South of
Craigville Beach Road. The proposed NDA encompasses approximately 2,150
surface acres in the Southwest corner in the Town of Barnstable. The
area is roughly bounded by: 41 deg. 36' 40.0" N by 70 deg. 26' 41.1" W,
41 deg. 37' 26.9" N by 70 deg. 19' 05.4" W, 41 deg. 38' 19.8" N by
70 deg. 19' 21.9" W, and 41 deg. 39' 03.2"N-70 deg. 24' 53.8" W.
This determination is made pursuant to Section 312(f)(3) of Public
Law 92-500, as amended by Public Laws 95-217 and 100-4.
Dated: June 22, 2001.
Ira Leighton,
Acting Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-16942 Filed 7-5-01; 8:45 am]
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