[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 92 (Friday, May 13, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-11696]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: May 13, 1994]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-4884-5]
Massachusetts Marine Sanitation Device Standard for Coastal
Waters of Falmouth and Mashpee
Notice of Determination
On March 10, 1994, notice was published that the State of
Massachusetts had petitioned the Regional Administrator, Environmental
Protection Agency, to determine that adequate facilities for the safe
and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are
reasonably available for the coastal waters of Waquoit Bay, that border
the Towns of Falmouth and Mashpee, within the State of Massachusetts
(56 FR 57891). The petition was filed pursuant to section 312(f)(3) of
Pub. L. 92-500 as amended by Pub. L. 95-217 and Pub. L. 100-4.
Section 312(f)(3) states:
After the effective date of the initial standards and
regulations promulgated under this section, if any State determines
that the protection and enhancement of the quality of some or all of
the waters within such States require greater environmental
protection, such State may completely prohibit the discharge from
all vessels of any sewage, whether treated or not, into such waters,
except that no such prohibition shall apply until the Administrator
determines that adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary
removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably
available for such water to which such prohibition would apply.
The information submitted to me by the State of Massachusetts
certified that there are two pump-out facilities available to service
vessels in Waquoit Bay that border the coastal waters of Falmouth and
Mashpee.
Pump-out facility No. 1 is located at the Edwards Boat Yard, on the
Childs River in Falmouth. This facility will provide stationary pump-
out service and will be available seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. Memorial Day through Columbus Day. During the rest of the
year, the pumpout facility will operate Monday through Friday from 8:00
a.m. until 4:30 p.m., and half days on Saturdays several weeks before
Memorial Day and after Columbus Day. There will be a $5.00 fee per
pump-out.
Pump-out facility No. 2 is located at the Little River Boat Yard,
on Seconsett Island in Mashpee. This facility will provide stationary/
mobile pump-out service seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Memorial Day through Columbus Day. Business hours at other times of the
year will be Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. During the
summer season, the mobile service will make a scheduled round of
Waquoit Bay to provide service to moored boats throughout the bay,
including transient boats located along the shores of Washburn Island.
Mariners will be able to contact the operator by marine radio (Channel
09 VHF-FM) or visible signal to request a pump-out. The remainder of
the time, the facility will be docked so that pump-out service will be
available for any boats wishing to use it. There will be a $5.00 fee
per pump-out.
All pump-out waste will be stored in a 2000 gallon licensed tight
tank at the Edward's Boat Yard. A licensed hauler will remove the waste
and dispose of it in the Falmouth Sewage Treatment Plant which is
approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to
receive boat waste.
Marinas are found along the Childs and Little River and docks line
the bay's tributaries and salt ponds. Currently, there are an estimated
2610 boats in Waquoit Bay and its tributaries and salt ponds with
approximately 570 boats having some type of Marine Sanitation Device
(MSD) based on their size classification. Waquoit Bay is 931 acres in
size with a watershed of approximately 20 square miles.
There were no comments received by the Agency on the merits of the
petition prior to the deadline for receipt of comments as stated in the
March 10, 1994 Federal Register ``Receipt of Petition'' notice.
Based on an examination of the petition, and its supporting
information which included a site visit by EPA Region I staff, and the
fact that the Agency received no comments concerning the petition, I
have determined that adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary
removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably
available for Waquoit Bay and its tributaries and salt ponds that
border the Towns of Falmouth and Mashpee, within the State of
Massachusetts, to qualify as a ``No Discharge Area''.
This determination is made pursuant to Section 312(f)(3) of Pub. L.
92-500, as amended by Pub. L. 95-217 and Pub. L. 100-4.
Dated: May 2, 1994.
John P. DeVillars,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-11696 Filed 5-12-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
