98-29660. New York Marine Sanitation Device Standard; Receipt of Petition and Tentative Determination  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 214 (Thursday, November 5, 1998)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 59791-59792]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-29660]
    
    
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    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    
    [FRL-6185-6]
    
    
    New York Marine Sanitation Device Standard; Receipt of Petition 
    and Tentative Determination
    
        Notice is hereby given that a petition was received from the State 
    of New York on June 2, 1998 requesting a determination by the Regional 
    Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pursuant to 
    Section 312(f) of Public Law 92-500, as amended by Public Law 95-217 
    and Public Law 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 harbors and creeks of the 
    Peconic Estuary from the Sag Harbor Village Line to Montauk Point, East 
    Hampton, New York. The harbors and creeks included in this tentative 
    determination are Northwest Creek, Three Mile Harbor, Hog Creek, 
    Accabonac Harbor, Napeague Harbor and Lake Montauk.
        This petition was made by the New York State Department of 
    Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) in cooperation with the New York 
    State Department of State and the Town of East Hampton. The State of 
    New York has certified that greater protection of the surface water in 
    the harbors and creeks of the Peconic Estuary in the Town of East 
    Hampton is required than the applicable federal standards provide. Upon 
    receipt of an affirmative determination in response to this petition, 
    NYSDEC would completely prohibit the discharge of sewage, whether 
    treated or not, from any vessel in Northwest Creek, Three Mile Harbor, 
    Hog Creek, Accabonac Harbor, Napeague Harbor and Lake Montauk in 
    accordance with Section 312(f)(3) of the Clean Water Act and 40 CFR 
    140.4(a). This prohibition would be part of a comprehensive approach to 
    water quality management aimed at preventing water quality impairments 
    and improving overall water quality in the harbors and creeks. This 
    designation is part of a wider effort at controlling non-point source 
    pollution including problems associated with stormwater runoff and 
    residential septic systems.
        The proposed No Discharge Area (NDA) lies within the Town of East 
    Hampton, Suffolk County, New York. The boundaries of the Proposed NDAs 
    will be the mouth of each individual creek or harbor and all the waters 
    within the following harbors and creeks:
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Name of harbor or creek           Latitude            Longitude
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Northwest Creek................  N 41 deg. 00.8'...  W 72 deg. 15.3'
    Three Mile Harbor..............  N 41 deg. 031''...  W 72 deg. 11.3'
    Hog Creek......................  N 41 deg. 03.1'...  W 72 deg. 08.2'
    Accabonac Harbor...............  N 41 deg. 01.5'...  W 72 deg. 18.2'
    Napeague Harbor--west..........  N 41 deg. 00.8'...  W 72 deg. 03.7'
    Napeague Harbor--east..........  N 41 deg. 01.1'...  W 72 deg. 03.3'
    Lake Montauk...................  N 41 deg. 04.7'...  W 72 deg. 56.4'
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Information submitted by the State of New York and the Town East 
    Hampton shows that there are ten existing pump-out facilities available 
    and that three pumpout boats service vessels in the proposed NDA. 
    Harbor Marina, located in Three Mile Harbor, operates a portable 
    pumpout. The pumpouts are available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily 
    and the fee is $25. Town Dock--Gann Road, located in Three Mile Harbor, 
    operates a stationary pumpout and a portable pumpout. The pumpouts, 
    which are free to use, are available self-service 24 hours a day and 
    from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with an attendant on duty. Maidstone Harbor 
    Marina, located in Three Mile Harbor, operates a stationary pumpout. 
    The pumpout is available on weekends from May 1 through October 31 from 
    9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m and the fee is $20. East Hampton Point Marina, 
    located in Three Mile Harbor, operates a portable pumpout. The pumpout 
    is available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from May through October. The 
    fee is $5. Shagwong Marina, located in Three Mile Harbor, operates a 
    portable pumpout. The pumpout is available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
    daily and the fee is $5. Town Dock--Star Island, located in Montauk 
    Harbor, operates two stationary pumpout facilities. These facilities 
    are available on a self-service basis 24 hours a day and operated by an 
    attendant from 8:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. Montauk Sportsman's Dock, 
    located in Montauk, operates a portable pumpout. The pumpout is 
    available from 9:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. daily. Gone Fishing Marina, 
    located in Montauk Harbor, operates a portable pumpout unit. The unit 
    is available from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. and the fee is $5. 
    Darenberg Marine operates two pumpout boats in Three Mile Harbor and 
    Lake Montauk, and will serve any harbor on an as-needed basis. 
    Darenberg Marine can be reached at 329-2739 or VHF channel 73. The boat 
    located on Three Mile Harbor operates from 8:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. 
    on Tuesday and Wednesday, and from 7:00 a.m. through 12:00 p.m. Friday, 
    Saturday and Sunday. The boat located on Lake Montauk operates from 
    2:30 p.m. through 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, and from 12:30 
    p.m. through 7:00 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Darenberg Marine 
    charges a fee of $10 per boat. The Town of East Hampton operates a 
    pumpout boat in Three Mile Harbor and does not charge for the service. 
    East Hampton operates the boat 40 hours per week and can be contacted 
    at 267-8688 or VHF Channel 73.
    
    [[Page 59792]]
    
        Draft restrictions at three of the marinas would exclude a certain 
    number of the larger vessels from accessing the pumpouts at these three 
    marinas. Montauk Sportsman's Dock has a water depth of 6 feet; it is 
    estimated that 5% of the vessels would be excluded. Captain's Cove 
    Marina has a water depth of 5 feet; it is estimated that 10% of the 
    vessels would be excluded. Gone Fishing Marina has a water depth of 6 
    feet; it is estimated that 5% of the vessels would be excluded. For 
    these excluded vessels, there are seven other pumpouts and three 
    pumpout boats available for their use.
        Vessel waste generated from the pump-out facilities operated by the 
    Town of East Hampton is conveyed to a storage tank at the municipal 
    scavenger waste treatment plant. The waste is hauled from the scavenger 
    plant to the Bergen Point Wastewater Treatment Plant. With two 
    exceptions, the other marinas empty their pumpouts into large storage 
    tanks ranging in size from 500 gallons to 2,376 gallons. A certified 
    hauler collects, transports and disposes of the sewage in accordance 
    with all Federal, State and local laws. The two exceptions are Harbor 
    Marina, which uses an on-site Bio-Robi septic system, and Captain's 
    Cove Marina, which does not have a pumpout facility and instead uses a 
    certified waste hauler to pumpout a vessel on request.
        According to the petition, the slip and mooring capacity for each 
    harbor or creek is as follows:
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Number of slips/
                   Name of harbor or creek                   moorings/docks
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Northwest Creek......................................                 21
    Three Mile Harbor....................................               1067
    Accabonac Harbor.....................................                 56
    Hog Creek............................................                195
    Napeague Harbor......................................                 20
    Lake Montauk.........................................               1274
                                                          ------------------
        Total............................................               2577
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        The New York State Department of State conducted a survey of 
    recreational vessels using aerial photography during August 1995 for 
    the New York State Clean Vessel Act Plan. Analysis of the photographs 
    provided information on the total numbers of vessels by water body. 
    Data indicates the following peak season vessel population in the 
    proposed NDAs in East Hampton:
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Name of harbor or creek                 Number of vessels
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Northwest Creek....................................    No data available
    Three Mile Harbor..................................                  734
    Accabonac Harbor...................................                   38
    Hog Creek..........................................    No data available
    Napeague Harbor....................................                   56
    Lake Montauk.......................................                  883
                                                        --------------------
        Total..........................................                 1711
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Information regarding vessel population based on length shows that 
    63% of the boats are less than 40 feet and 37% of the vessels are 40 
    feet or greater in length. These percentages are based on a survey of 
    overnight and long term occupancy and omitted marinas with recreational 
    small crafts. Based on the number and size of boats, and using various 
    methods to estimate the number of holding tanks, it is estimated that 5 
    to 8 pumpouts are needed to service the vessel population in the 
    proposed NDAs. Currently, ten pumpouts and three pumpout boats exist in 
    the proposed NDAs.
        The EPA hereby makes a tentative affirmative determination that 
    adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of 
    sewage from all vessels are reasonably available for Northwest Creek, 
    Three Mile Harbor, Hog Creek, Accabonac Harbor, Napeague Harbor and 
    Lake Montauk in the Town of East Hampton, New York. A final 
    determination on this matter will be made following the 30 day period 
    for public comment. A final affirmative determination would result in a 
    New York State prohibition of any sewage discharges from vessels in 
    Northwest Creek, Three Mile Harbor, Hog Creek, Accabonac Harbor, 
    Napeague Harbor and Lake Montauk.
        Comments and views regarding this petition and EPA's tentative 
    determination may be filed on or before December 7, 1998. Comments or 
    requests for information or copies of the applicant's petition should 
    be addressed to Walter E. Andrews, U.S. Environmental Protection 
    Agency, Region II, Water Programs Branch, 290 Broadway, 24th Floor, New 
    York, New York, 10007-1866. Telephone: (212) 637-3880.
    
        Dated: October 21, 1998.
    Jeanne Fox,
    Regional Administrator, Region II.
    [FR Doc. 98-29660 Filed 11-4-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
11/05/1998
Department:
Environmental Protection Agency
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
98-29660
Pages:
59791-59792 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
FRL-6185-6
PDF File:
98-29660.pdf