[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 165 (Thursday, August 26, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46627-46628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21921]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 167
[USCG-1998-3385]
Port Access Routes; Prince William Sound via Cape Hinchinbrook
Entrance and Passages Within the Sound Between Port Valdez and Cape
Hinchinbrook
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of study results.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the results of a Port Access Route
Study which evaluated the need for modifications to current vessel
routing and traffic management measures in the approaches to,
departures from, and within Prince William Sound, Alaska. The study was
completed in March of 1999. This notice summarizes the study
recommendations.
ADDRESSES: The Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT), 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001
maintains the public document for this notice. Documents and enclosures
as indicated in this preamble, will become part of the docket and will
be available for viewing electronically on the internet at http://
dms.dot.gov/. The docket is also available for inspection or copying at
room PL-401, located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at the
above address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on this notice, contact
Lieutenant Chris Holmes, Vessel Traffic Service Prince William Sound,
telephone 907-835-7209; or Mr. Ed LaRue, Coast Guard Headquarters,
Office of Waterways Services, telephone 202-267-0416. For questions on
viewing material in the Docket, contact Dorothy Walker, Chief Dockets,
telephone 202-366-5149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Definitions
The following definitions should help you review this notice.
Precautionary area means a routing measure comprising an area
within defined limits where ships must navigate with particular caution
and within which the direction of traffic flow may be recommended.
Separation Zone means a zone separating the traffic lanes in which
ships are proceeding in opposite or nearly opposite directions; or
separating a traffic lane from the adjacent sea area; or separating
traffic lanes designated for particular classes of ships proceeding in
the same direction.
Shipping Safety Fairway means a lane or corridor in which no
artificial island or fixed structure, whether temporary or permanent,
will be permitted.
Traffic lane means an area within defined limits in which one-way
traffic is established.
Traffic Separation Scheme or (TSS) means a designated routing
measure, which is aimed at the separation of opposing streams of
traffic by appropriate means and by the establishment of traffic lanes.
Background and Purpose
Why Did the Coast Guard Conduct This Port Access Route Study?
During recent years, many commercial vessel operators in the Prince
William Sound area have expressed the need to modify the existing TSS
in Prince William Sound to reduce risk and improve vessel traffic
efficiency. In late 1996, the Prince William Sound Risk Assessment
Steering Committee completed an analysis of oil shipping risk within
Prince William Sound (referred to as the Prince William Sound Risk
Assessment). While this risk assessment focused on oil transportation,
it did address all facets of maritime commerce in Prince William Sound.
The risk assessment included recommendations to improve vessel routing
measures. Based on public input and the findings of the Prince William
Sound Risk Assessment, the Coast Guard conducted this Port Access Route
Study to review and evaluate the need for modifications to current
vessel routing and traffic management measures in the Prince William
Sound area.
When Did the Coast Guard Conduct the Port Access Route Study?
The Coast Guard announced the study in a notice published in the
Federal Register on February 9, 1998 (63 FR 6502). The Coast Guard
completed the study in March, 1999.
What Are the Existing Vessel Routing Measures in the Approaches to,
Departures From, and Within Prince William Sound?
Existing vessel routing measures include the TSS in Prince William
Sound and Prince William Sound Safety Fairway.
The TSS runs from the vicinity of Cape Hinchinbrook through Prince
William Sound and into the Valdez Arm (the entrance to Port Valdez).
The TSS includes a network of traffic lanes with a separation zone in
between the lanes. The traffic lanes are 1,371.6 meters (1,500 yards)
wide from Hinchinbrook Entrance to the vicinity of Bligh Reef at the
southeast end of the Valdez Arm, then gradually decreases in width to
914.4 meters (1,000 yards) and terminate at Rocky Point. The separation
zone is 1,828.8 meters (2,000 yards) wide from Hinchinbrook Entrance to
the vicinity of Bligh Reef, then gradually decreases in width to 914.4
meters (1,000 yards) and terminates at Rocky Point. The southern
extremity of the TSS leads through the middle of Cape Hinchinbrook
Entrance.
[[Page 46628]]
The Prince William Sound Safety Fairway is described in 33 CFR
166.400. Most vessels operating in the area use the Prince William
Sound Safety Fairway. The one exception is laden tankers chartered by
British Petroleum departing from Cape Hinchinbrook. Instead of using
the Hinchinbrook to Gulf Safety Fairway, these tankers use an alternate
route to reduce the risk of an oil spill near the Copper River Flats
and Delta.
What Data Did the Coast Guard Use to Help Conduct the Port Access Route
Study?
We relied on data from a variety of sources. Two documents, the
1994 Disabled Tanker Towing Study and the 1996 Prince William Sound
Risk Assessment, provided supporting data and analysis for the Port
Access Routes Study. Copies of these studies are available from either
of the persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. They are
also available in the public docket at the address listed under the
ADDRESSES section and electronically on the DMS website at http://
dms.dot.gov. In addition, Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service Prince
William Sound collected up-to-date vessel transit data to ensure data
in the Prince William Sound Risk Assessment remained valid.
We also considered the 12 written comments we received from the
public. The comments generally support the recommendations in the
study.
Study Recommendations
The study recommends four changes to existing vessel routing and
traffic management measures.
1. Remove the southern dogleg to provide a straight traffic lane
between the Pilot Station and Cape Hinchinbrook
The study found that implementing this recommendation should reduce
risk for vessels operating in the area. Removing the dogleg decreases
the length of transit in Prince William Sound, reducing overall
exposure time for vessels. It should also result in a smoother flow of
traffic and reduce traffic congestion. In addition, if the dogleg were
removed, the minimum distance from the center of the southbound traffic
lane to Naked Island would increase from 6 nautical miles to 9 nautical
miles, reducing the risk of drift groundings.
To implement this recommendation, the following coordinates would
connect the TSS in central Prince William Sound:
Latitude Longitude
60 deg.49'29.4'' N 146 deg.58'11.6'' W
60 deg.20'35.3'' N 146 deg.48'10.5'' W
60 deg.20'36.0'' N 146 deg.54'18.7'' W
60 deg.49'06.3'' N 147 deg.04'11.5'' W
Within the TSS, the Separation Zone would be connected by the
following coordinates:
Latitude Longitude
60 deg.48'17.6'' N 146 deg.59'46.1'' W
60 deg.20'56.1'' N 146 deg.50'19.3'' W
60 deg.20'45.9'' N 146 deg.52'18.7'' W
60 deg.48'07.2'' N 147 deg.01'47.0'' W
2. Establish a Precautionary Area at Bligh Reef Pilot Station
Implementing this recommendation should reduce risk for vessels
operating in the area. Several vessels converge in this area, including
ferries, cruise ships, and tankers. Navigation can sometimes be
difficult in the area because of outflows from the Columbia Glacier. In
addition, since the area offers little protection from the weather,
vessels occasionally alter course to provide safe embarking and
disembarking for pilots.
To implement the recommended Precautionary Area, the southbound
traffic lane of the TSS within Valdez Arm would be widened to meet up
with the Precautionary Area. The TSS would be modified to the following
coordinates:
Latitude Longitude
60 deg.58'55.6'' N 146 deg.48'51.3'' W
60 deg.58'02.6'' N 146 deg.46'31.1'' W
60 deg.50'36.8'' N 147 deg.03'36.1'' W
60 deg.49'29.4'' N 146 deg.58'11.6'' W
The recommended Precautionary Area would consist of a 1.5 nautical
mile radius around the following position:
Latitude Longitude
60 deg.49'38''N 147 deg.01'20''W
3. Establish a Precautionary Area southeast of Cape Hinchinbrook
Implementing this recommendation should reduce the potential for
traffic congestion in this area. As discussed in the Background and
Purpose section of this document, laden tankers chartered by British
Petroleum departing from Cape Hinchinbrook do not follow the existing
Prince William Sound Safety Fairway. Instead, the vessels use an
alternate route to provide an extra measure of protection for the
environmentally sensitive Copper River Flats Delta area. The
recommended Precautionary Area would provide two distinct routes for
departing and returning vessels, improving vessel traffic management
and safety.
The following coordinates would bind the recommended Precautionary
Area:
Latitude Longitude
60 deg.20'35.3''N 146 deg.48'10.5''W
60 deg.12'40.1''N 146 deg.40'25.9''W
60 deg.11'00.7''N 146 deg.28'39.0''W
60 deg.05'28.2''N 146 deg.00'00.6''W
60 deg.00'48.6''N 146 deg.03'31.7''W
60 deg.05'26.1''N 146 deg.27'34.9''W
59 deg.51'47.8''N 146 deg.37'30.4''W
59 deg.53'31.1''N 146 deg.46'50.2''W
60 deg.07'45.6''N 146 deg.36'14.6''W
60 deg.11'30.7''N 146 deg.46'38.1''W
60 deg.20'36.0''N 146 deg.54'18.7''W
4. Remove the Separation Zone within the Valdez Arm
Implementing this recommendation may improve safety in the area.
Traffic in and out of the Valdez narrows is relatively light and is
monitored by the Vessel Traffic Service (VTS). Due to ice conditions,
the VTS often imposes ``custom ice routing measures'' which typically
involve one way traffic requirements. During the study, vessel
operators stated that they would like to have more access to the center
of the waterway when there are no vessels on opposing courses. This
option may reduce the risk of powered and drift groundings since
vessels could stay as far off shoal water as possible and offer the
vessel masters the flexibility to consider prevailing weather and ice
conditions to identify the safest track for their vessels.
However, there are concerns that removing the Separation Zone may
increase the risk of collisions in the area.
The Coast Guard will seek public comment on the recommended changes
to the existing routing measures before making any submission to the
International Maritime Organization.
Dated: August 6, 1999.
R.C. North,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety
and Environmental Protection.
[FR Doc. 99-21921 Filed 8-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-M
