97-34143. Safety of Marine Transportation in Puget Sound-Area Waters

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68348-68349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-34143]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary
[Docket No. OST-97-3286; Notice #13]


Safety of Marine Transportation in Puget Sound-Area Waters

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, (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 as to specific safety or pollution 
prevention measures for Puget Sound area waters that should be 
evaluated by the Department of Transportation (DOT).

DATES: The meeting will be held February 6, 1998, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 
Written statements in addition to or in lieu of oral presentations are 
welcome and should reach the Office of the Secretary on or before March 
2, 1998. Late comments will be considered to the extent possible. 
Comments that have been previously submitted to the Coast Guard under 
Dockets CGD-96-015, 96-044, and 97-003 will be considered and need not 
be resubmitted. These dockets relate to the Tug-of-Opportunity System 
Plan for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and Strait of Juan 
de Fuca, Documentation and Marine Safety for an International Private 
Sector Tug-of-Opportunity System, and the Puget Sound Additional 
Hazards Study, respectively.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Henry M. Jackson Federal 
Building, Seattle, Washington. Written materials on Docket No. OST-97-
3286, may be mailed or hand delivered to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Dockets, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590, 
Room PL-401, between the Hours of 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen M. Shapiro, Environmental 
Affairs Specialist, Office of Environment, Energy, and Safety (P-10), 
Room 9217, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. (202) 366-
4866, fax [phone].

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 Act directed the 
Coast Guard to submit a plan to Congress on the most cost-effective 
means of implementing an international private sector tug-of-
opportunity system (ITOS) 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.
    An ITOS plan was developed by a cross section of the marine 
transportation industry in the State of Washington and the Province of 
British Columbia, and is being implemented through the Marine Exchange 
of Puget Sound. DOT welcomes this private sector initiative to prevent 
marine casualties, and appreciates the substantial efforts that have 
been expended by all of the participants.
    The Coast Guard submitted its report to Congress on January 31, 
1997, and issued an addendum report to address pending ITOS issues on 
December 16, 1997. The addendum incorporates further information on the 
nature and effects of winds and currents that was provided by the 
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Copies of the 
ITOS Report and Addendum may be obtained by contacting the Office of 
Response (G-MOR-1), US Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street S.W., Washington 
DC 20593-0001, [phone].
    On April 26, 1996, the White House issued the DOT Action Plan to 
Address Vessel and Environmental Safety on Puget Sound-Area Waters. In 
addition to emphasizing the development of the ITOS report, the Action 
Plan committed DOT review the overall marine safety regime in Puget 
Sound-area waters--to determine whether any hazard scenarios

[[Page 68349]]

warrant consideration of additional prevention or response measures.
    To facilitate the Department's review, the Coast Guard commissioned 
a study by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to assess 
the relative risks of marine transportation in the waterways of 
Northwest Washington--including Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de 
Fuca, passages around and through the San Juan Islands, and the 
offshore waters of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Copies 
of the Volpe Center's report are available from the National Technical 
Information Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 
22161, telephone [phone], fax [phone]. The report may be 
ordered as document PB97-205488 and the technical appendices to the 
report as document PB97-205470. DOT appreciates the efforts of all 
participants in the Volpe study, which we believe provides a sound 
basis for the Department's review.
    During spring 1998, DOT expects to announce its determinations 
regarding further DOT actions based on the ITOS and Volpe reports. 
These determinations will include the following:
    1. Hazards that merit evaluation of additional mitigation measures.
    2. The specific measures that will be evaluated.
    3. An outline of how the evaluations will be accomplished.
    Input on all of the above determinations is solicited. While input 
on specific measures should be based on the ITOS and Volpe studies, 
input need not be limited to measures that can or should be implemented 
by the Federal government. Since the evaluation process may vary for 
different types of measures, it would helpful if input on how the 
evaluations should be accomplished were referenced to specific 
measures.
    In proceeding with these determinations and any subsequent 
evaluations, the Department is sensitive to the need to properly 
involve other governments--including affected tribes--as well as 
businesses related to marine transportation, environmental advocacy 
organizations, and the general public. DOT is also sensitive to the 
need that the evaluation process be efficient and of minimal burden to 
participants.
    The Department is holding a public meeting to provide the public 
and interested parties with an opportunity to be briefed on the ITOS 
and Volpe reports, meet with the senior Departmental officials who are 
working this issue, and provide oral input.
    DOT would appreciate notice to Mr. Shapiro (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) by January 26, 1998 by persons who intend to make 
a statement.

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, please 
contact Mr. Shapiro (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

    Dated: December 22, 1997.
John N. Lieber,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy.
[FR Doc. 97-34143 Filed 12-30-97; 8:45 am]
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