97-30379. New York State Prohibition on Marine Discharges of Vessel Sewage; Final Affirmative Determination

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 223 (Wednesday, November 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 61820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-30379]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5924-4]


New York State Prohibition on Marine Discharges of Vessel Sewage; 
Final Affirmative Determination

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Regional Administrator, 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region II has affirmatively 
determined, pursuant to section 312(f) of Pub. L. 92-500, as amended by 
Pub. L. 95-217 and Pub. L. 100-4, (the Clean Water Act), that adequate 
facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage 
from all vessels are reasonably available for the coastal waters of 
Mamaroneck Harbor, Village of Mamaroneck, County of Westchester, State 
of New York.
    A petition was made by the New York State Department of 
Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) in cooperation with the Village of 
Mamaroneck. Upon receipt of this affirmative determination in response 
to this petition, NYSDEC will completely prohibit the discharge of 
sewage, whether treated or not, from any vessel in Mamaroneck Harbor in 
accordance with section 312(f)(3) of the Clean Water Act and 40 CFR 
140.4(a). Notice of the Receipt of Petition and Tentative Determination 
was published in the Federal Register on July 16, 1997. Comments on the 
tentative determination were accepted during a 30-day period which 
closed on August 15, 1997. No comments were received.
    The Village of Mamaroneck is located on Long Island Sound. 
Mamaroneck Harbor encompasses numerous wetlands, marshes and mud flats 
including Guion Creek, Otter Creek, Salt Creek and Van Amringe Mill 
Pond. The No-Discharge Zone includes waters not indexed lying northerly 
of a line drawn in a northeasterly direction from the southern tip of 
the sea wall at Orienta Point near the Orienta Yacht Club at the foot 
of Rushmore Avenue in Mamaroneck, to a point on the mainland 
immediately north of Spike Island at the intersection of the shoreline 
and the extension of the line to the center gable of large stone and 
stucco residence at No. 6 Shore Road in the Greenhaven section within 
the City of Rye.
    Information submitted by the State of New York and the Village of 
Mamaroneck states that there are three existing pump-out facilities 
available to service vessels which use Mamaroneck Harbor, and one 
additional facility proposed for construction. One facility is owned 
and operated by the Mamaroneck Municipal Marina. This facility is open 
continuously and charges no fee for pump-out services. It can service 
vessels up to 80 feet in length with up to a 8 foot draft based on the 
mean low water depth. A second unit is planned at this facility with 
the same operating schedule.
    The other facilities are privately owned and charge no fee for 
pump-out services to patrons. They are located at Nichols Boat Yard and 
Boston Post Road Boat Yard. Operating hours for Nichols Boat Yard pump-
out are 0900 to 1700 hours, Monday through Friday and by appointment on 
the weekend. It can service vessels up to 40 feet in length with up to 
a 6 foot draft based on the mean low water depth. The other facility is 
located at the Boston Post Road Boat Yard and operates from 0830 to 
1630 Monday through Friday. Length and draft restrictions are 50 feet 
and 5.1 feet based on mean low water depth. Within seven nautical miles 
of Mamaroneck Harbor are five other locations that provide pump-out 
facilities.
    Vessel waste generated from the pump-out facilities in Mamaroneck 
Harbor is disposed of in the Village of Mamaroneck Waste Water 
Treatment Plant. This plant operates under a State Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (SPDES) permit issued by the New York State 
Department of Environmental Conservation.
    According to the State's petition, the maximum daily vessel 
population for the waters of Mamaroneck Harbor is approximately 1160 
vessels. This estimate is based on summer weekend/holiday levels of 
usage and includes 1040 vessels berthed in marinas of Mamaroneck Harbor 
and less than 120 transient vessels in Mamaroneck Harbor.
    The EPA hereby makes a final affirmative determination that 
adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of 
sewage from all vessels are reasonably available for Mamaroneck Harbor 
in the Village of Mamaroneck, New York. A final determination on this 
matter has been made and will result in a New York State prohibition of 
any sewage discharges from vessels in Mamaroneck Harbor.

    Dated: November 4, 1997.
William J. Muszynski,
Acting Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-30379 Filed 11-18-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P