[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 236 (Friday, December 6, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64743-64744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30870]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5659-1]
Massachusetts Marine Sanitation Device Standard; Receipt of
Petition
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been received from the
State of Massachusetts requesting a determination of the Regional
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, pursuant to
section 312(f)(3) of Public Law 92-500 as amended by Public Law 95-217
and Public Law 100-4, that adequate facilities for the safe and
sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are
reasonably available for the Stage Harbor Complex in the Town of
Chatham, County of Barnstable, State of Massachusetts, to qualify as a
``No Discharge Area'' (NDA). The areas covered under this petition
include Stage Harbor, north of a line drawn across its mouth at
Nantucket Sound, and the following tributaries: Little Mill Pond, Mill
Pond, Mitchell River, Oyster Pond River, and Oyster Pond. The proposed
area encompasses approximately 620 acres of water-sheet in the
southeast corner of the town of Chatham. The latitude and longitude
defining the boundaries of the Stage Harbor Complex are--Oyster Pond
41 deg. 40' 84''-069 deg. 57' 84'', Little Mill Pond 41 deg. 40' 6''-
069 deg. 57' 3'', and at the mouth of Stage Harbor 41 deg. 39' 4''-
069 deg. 59' 0''.
The State of Massachusetts has certified that there will be two
public pump-out facilities located within the proposed area to service
vessels in Stage Harbor Complex. The facilities will be self-service
with oversight provided by personnel from the Chatham Harbormaster's
office.
The pump-out located at the town owned Old Mill Boatyard (OMBY)
facility is a shore based facility and has a 60 gallon per cycle
capacity with discharge to a 2,000 gallon tight tank. The facility
provides access for vessels up to 50 feet in length and a draft of 5
feet at mean low water. This facility is available daily from June 20
through Labor Day from approximately 0900 to 1700 (9:00 a.m.-5:00
p.m.). During the spring and fall the pump-out facility is available by
contacting the Harbormaster's office by phone (508) 945-5185 or VHF
radio channel 16.
The portable pump-out located at Stage Harbor Marine (SHM) has a
225 gallon capacity and is discharged directly to the Chatham Water
Pollution Control Facility for treatment. This unit is accessible via
the fuel dock which provides services to vessels of up to 40 feet and
draft of 6 feet at mean low water. The facility is available daily from
Memorial Day to Thanksgiving from 0800 to 1630 (8:00 am--4:30 pm). The
pump-out may also be available from Thanksgiving to mid-December and
mid-April to Memorial Day, Monday to Friday from 0800 to 1630 (8:00
am--4:30 pm). These dates are variable due to winter weather. Stage
Harbor Marine can be contacted at (508) 945-1860 or VHF radio channel
9.
In addition to these pump-out facilities, the Stage Harbor Complex
area has six on shore toilet facilities. Four are available to the
public and two are private and restricted to marina patrons and their
guests. The four on shore facilities available to the public are
located at the Stage Harbor Road bathing beach, Barn Hill Road Town
Landing, and the Old Mill Boatyard, and are open form June 21 to
September 1 between the hours of 0800 and 1600 (8:00 am--4:00 pm). The
fourth facility at the Stage Harbor Marina is open to the public but
privately maintained and is open approximately from May 1 until
November.
[[Page 64744]]
The waste from the Old Mill Boatyard facility is collected and
stored in the existing, Department of Environmental Protection
approved, 2,000 gallon tigh tank. This tank is fitted with alarms that
activate in time to ensure waste removal long before the capacity is
reached. The town of Chatham has an annual agreement with a licensed
waste hauler and septage is transported to the Chatham Water Pollution
Control Facility for treatment.
The number of mooring permits indicate that 1,161 vessels reside
within the Stage Harbor Complex and 972 are identified as recreational
and 189 are commercial vessels. Stage Harbor Complex is primarily a
``parking lot'' harbor and 90% of the total vessel population is under
25 feet in length, and therefore do not have any type of marine
sanitation device. There are a number of locations in the Complex 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 marine
sanitation devices.
The resources of the Stage Harbor Complex are recreational and
commercial. One of the Towns most used public bathing beach is located
on Stage Harbor Road at the head of Oyster Pond. The northern tip of
the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge abuts the proposed No Discharge
Area and provides recreational opportunities in addition to its
wildlife role. The Stage Harbor Complex is also used by both
recreational and commercial shell fishermen for the harvest of quahogs,
soft-shell clams, mussels, oysters, and bay scallops and is the site of
the Town's only commercial aquaculture operations.
Comments and reviews regarding this request for action may be filed
on or before January 21, 1997. Such communications, or requests for
information or a copy of the applicant's petition, should be addressed
to Ann Rodney, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency--New England
Region, Strategic Planning Office (CSP), JFK Federal Building, Boston,
MA 02203. Telephone: 617-565-4885.
Dated: November 24, 1996.
John P. DeVillars,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-30870 Filed 12-5-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M
