[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 139 (Thursday, July 20, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 37443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-17882]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5261-3]
Massachusetts Marine Sanitation Device Standard; Notice of
Determination
On June 9, 1995, 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 all the coastal waters of Wellfleet Harbor, in
the Town of Wellfleet, County of Barnstable, State of Massachusetts.
The petition was filed pursuant to Section 312(f)(3) of Public Law 92-
500, as amended by Public Laws 95-217 and 100-4, for the purpose of
declaring these waters a ``No Discharge Area.''
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 three disposal facilities available to service
vessels in Wellfleet Harbor. The facilities will be operated by the
Town of Wellfleet through the Office of the Harbormaster. These
facilities are available between the hours of 6:00 am and 8:00 pm,
seven days a week, from mid-May to mid-November. Outside of these hours
appointments can be made by calling the Harbormaster's office at (508)
349-0320 or by radio on Channel 9. There is no fee for pump-out
services.
Two of the disposal services are rolling pump-out facilities
located on the town dock. Each pump is capable of evacuating and
discharging to head differences of 15 feet. One rolling facility has a
capacity of 25 gallons and the other has a capacity of 40 gallons. The
third pump-out facility is a 22-foot pump-out boat with a holding
capacity of 300 gallons. In addition, there is a wash down facility,
directly connected to the 3,500 gallon tight tank storage facility, and
located on the Town dock that will be used for emptying of portable
toilet devices.
All sanitary wastes removed from boats are transferred to a 3500
gallon tight tank storage facility located near the Harbormaster's
office. These tanks are fitted with alarms that activate in time to
ensure waste removal long before the capacity is reached. The Town of
Wellfleet has an annual agreement with a septage pumper to service the
holding tanks at the town marina. The septage is transported to the
Tri-Town Septage Treatment Facility in Orleans, and occasionally, to
the Upper Blackstone Septage Treatment Facility. Trucks used by the
septage pumpers are inspected annually by the town to ensure tightness.
There are an estimated 640 boats that use the harbor per season.
The harbor has 200 slips, 250 moorings in the primary mooring basin, 12
transient moorings, and approximately 100 moorings in scattered
satellite areas throughout the harbor. At present these moorings and
slips accommodate the seasonal boat traffic.
Therefore, based on an examination of the petition and its
supporting information, which included a site visit by EPA New England
staff, I have determined that adequate facilities for the safe and
sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are
reasonably available and that areas covered under this determination
include all the waters and tributaries of Wellfleet Harbor enclosed by
a line drawn between Jeremy Point (latitude 41 deg. 52' 40'' Longitude
70 deg. 04' 00'') eastward to the Wellfleet-Eastham town line at the
mouth of Hatches Creek. This determination is made pursuant to Section
312(f)(3) of Public Law 92-500, as amended by Public Laws 95-217 and
100-4.
Dated: July 12, 1995.
John P. DeVillars,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 95-17882 Filed 7-19-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
