[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 212 (Thursday, October 31, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56258-56259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27985]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[CGD 96-044]
International, Private-Sector, Tug of Opportunity System Plan
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of meeting; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This notice provides notice of a public meeting to obtain
views and comments from the public on the International Tug-of-
Opportunity System (ITOS) plan for the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the
Waters of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary to be held on
November 26, 1996. This plan was prepared voluntarily by a cross
section of the marine operating community in the State of Washington
and British Columbia, Canada.
DATES: The meeting will be held November 26, 1996, from 9 a.m. to 12
p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Written statements and requests to make oral
presentations should reach the Coast Guard on or before November 19,
1996. Other comments should reach the Coast Guard on or before November
30, 1996.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration Western Region Conference Center, Building
Nine Auditorium, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, Washington. Written
materials may be mailed to the Executive Secretary, Marine Safety
Council (G-LRA), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street SW., Washington,
DC 20593-0001, or may be delivered to room 3406 at the same address
between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
[[Page 56259]]
Lieutenant W. M. Pittman, Office of Response (G-MOR-1), telephone (202)
267-0426, fax (202) 267-4085. The telephone number is equipped to
record messages on a 24-hour basis.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background Information
On November 28, 1995, the President signed the Alaska Power
Administration Asset Sale and Termination Act (Pub. L. 104-58),
authorizing exports of Alaskan North Slope (ANS) crude oil when
transported in U.S. flag tankers. Section 401 of the statute directs
the Coast Guard to submit, within 15 months of enactment of the Act, a
plan to Congress on the most cost-effective means of implementing an
international private sector tug of opportunity system. The plan is to
include a coordinated system of communication, using exiting towing
vessels to provide timely emergency response to a vessel in distress
transiting the waters within the boundaries of the Olympic Coast Marine
Sanctuary or the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
In order to implement this action, the Department of Transportation
has required that the Coast Guard establish marine safety requirements
concerning crew qualification, tug performance capabilities, and
response times which any proposed international tug-of-opportunity
system (ITOS) must meet to ensure marine environmental safety. In
addition, the Coast Guard has proposed to establish specific ITOS
documentation requirements needed to properly describe the operation of
any proposed ITOS so that it may be fully evaluated as required by
Public Law 104-58.
These marine safety requirements and documentation requirements are
contained in the Interim Report on the International, Private-Sector
Tug-of-Opportunity System for the Waters of the Olympic National Marine
Sanctuary and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and will be revised based upon
public comments received in a prior public meeting held on October 17,
1996. The comments from the October 17, 1996 meeting will be addressed
in a future notice.
The present meeting provides the public an opportunity to comment
directly on the ITOS plan submitted by the marine operating community
which the Coast Guard is currently reviewing. Initial copies of the
interim report were provided to interested parties, distributed by
Federal Register notice, and distributed at the October 17, 1996 public
meeting. Additional copies of the interim report and copies of the ITOS
plan may be obtained by contacting the Office of Response (G-MOR-1),
Directorate of Field Operations, US Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street
SW., Washington DC 20593-0001 or by contacting the person listed under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Procedural
Attendance is open to the public. Persons wishing to make oral
presentations at the meeting should notify the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. no later than November 19, 1996.
Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities
For information on facilities or services for individuals with
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Dated: October 25, 1996.
J.C. Card,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Marine Safety and Environmental
Protection.
[FR Doc. 96-27985 Filed 10-30-96; 8:45 am]
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