Applications; Review for Inclusion in the Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program; Draft Environmental Assessment: Integrated Tug and Barge MOKU PAHU

Federal Register: April 4, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 66)

Notices

Page 18545-18546

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr04ap08-72

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

USCG-2007-0041

Application for the Integrated Tug and Barge MOKU PAHU, Review for Inclusion in the Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program; Draft

Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comments.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of the Draft

Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the integrated tug and barge MOKU

PAHU. The DEA describes the MOKU PAHU's application for the Shipboard

Technology Evaluation Program (STEP) Ballast Water Treatment System demonstration initiative. The DEA for the MOKU PAHU also addresses effects on the human and natural environments from installing, testing, and using the Ecochlor Inc. ballast water treatment system as the vessel operates in U.S. waters.

DATES: Comments and related materials must reach the Docket Management

Facility on or before June 3, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket number USCG-2007-0041 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S.

Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use only one of the following methods:

(1) Online: http://www.regulations.gov.

(2) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of

Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New

Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.

(3) Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the Ground Floor of the West

Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.

(4) Fax: 202-493-2251.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on the Draft

Environmental Assessment (DEA) or would like a copy of the DEA, please contact LCDR Brian Moore, telephone 202-372-1434 or e-mail: brian.e.moore@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, please call Ms. Renee V. Wright, Program

Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

We encourage you to submit comments and related materials about the

Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) described in this notice. Persons submitting comments should include their names and addresses, the docket number for this notice (USCG-2007-0041), and the reasons for each comment. You may submit your comments and materials by mail, hand delivery, fax, or electronic means to the Docket Management Facility listed under ADDRESSES. If you choose to submit them by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no longer than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, and suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would like to know if they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and materials received during the comment period.

Public Meetings

We do not intend to hold any public meetings in association with this DEA.

Legislative and Regulatory History

In the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990, as reauthorized, and as amended by the National Invasive Species

Act of 1996, Public Law 101-646 and Public Law 104-332, respectively,

Congress directed the Coast Guard to prevent introduction of aquatic nonindigenous species (NIS) from ballast water discharged by ships. 16

U.S.C. 4711. To achieve this objective, the Coast Guard wrote new regulations in 33 CFR 151, subparts C and D. 58 FR 18330, April 8, 1993, and 69 FR 44952, July 28, 2004, respectively.

On December 8, 2004, the Coast Guard published a notice in the

Federal Register announcing its Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program

(STEP) for experimental shipboard ballast water treatment systems. 69

FR 1802. The

Page 18546

program goal is to promote development of alternatives to ballast water exchange as a means of preventing invasive species entering U.S. waters through ships' ballast water. The comments we received support testing prototype treatment equipment and developing effective and practicable standards for approving this equipment.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(Section 102(2)(c)), as implemented by the Council of Environment

Quality regulations in 40 CFR parts 1500-1508 and Coast Guard

Commandant Instruction M16475.1D, ``National Environmental Policy Act

Implementing Procedures and Policy for Considering Environmental

Impacts'', the Coast Guard prepared a Programmatic Environmental

Assessment (PEA) for the STEP to evaluate the environmental impacts from installing and operating a limited number of prototype ballast water treatment systems. 69 FR 71068. The PEA can be found in docket

USCG-2001-9267. That PEA addresses potential effects to the natural and human environments including fish, marine mammals, invertebrates, microorganisms and plankton, submerged and emergent species, threatened and endangered species, and essential fish habitat. It also requires each system to be evaluated for localized affects on the ports and waterways where a vessel involved in the program operates.We request your comments on the potential impacts of installing, using, and testing the Echoclor, Inc. ballast water treatment system on the cruise ship MOKU PAHU, as analyzed in the DEA. We also request your comments on sources of data, reference material, or other information not included in the DEA. Your comments will be considered in preparing a

Final Environmental Assessment for the MOKU PAHU.

Dated: March 25, 2008.

J.G. Lantz,

U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.

FR Doc. E8-6986 Filed 4-3-08; 8:45 am

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