[Federal Register: November 30, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 230)]
[Notices]
[Page 69213-69214]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30no06-41]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
[USCG-2006-26267]
Double Hull Standards for Vessels Carrying Oil in Bulk; U.S.
Position on International Standards for Tank Vessel Design
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice is to inform the public that on January 25, 2005,
the U.S. Embassy in London deposited a declaration with the
International Maritime Organization stating that the express approval
of the U.S. Government will be necessary before Regulations 19, 20, and
21 of the revised Annex I of the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78) would enter into
force for the U.S.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information concerning this
notice, contact Mr. David A. Du Pont, Project Manager, Office of
Standards Evaluation and Development, Project Development Division (CG-
3PSR-2), telephone 202-372-1497 or via e-mail at
David.A.DuPont@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing material to
the DOT Docket Management Facility docket, call Ms. Renee V. Wright,
Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-493-0402.
ADDRESSES: Comments and material received from the public, as well as
documents mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket,
are part of docket USCG-2006-26267 and are available for inspection or
copying at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC,
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. You may also find this docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78), implemented by the
Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships at 33 U.S.C. 1901 et seq., is the
primary international agreement aimed at reducing pollution of the
marine environment from a variety of vessel-generated sources. Annex I
to MARPOL 73/78, ``Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by
Oil,'' contains provisions intended to reduce both intentional and
accidental discharges of oil. The entire annex was revised by adoption
of Resolution MEPC.117(52) on October 15, 2004. Revised Annex I will
enter into force on January 1, 2007. Three of the revised Annex I
regulations are the focus of this notice.
Regulation 19 of revised Annex I, ``Double hull and double
bottom requirements for oil tankers delivered on or after 6 July
1996,'' establishes design requirements for double hull oil tank
vessels delivered on or after July 6, 1996.
Regulation 20 of revised Annex I, ``Double hull and double
bottom
[[Page 69214]]
requirements for oil tankers delivered before 6 July 1996,''
establishes design requirements for double hull oil tank vessels
delivered before July 6, 1996.
Regulation 21 of revised Annex I, ``Prevention of oil
pollution from oil tankers carrying heavy grade oil as cargo,'' bans
the carriage of heavy grade oil in certain single hull tank vessels.
Through its January 25, 2005 declaration, which is available in the
docket, the U.S. advised the IMO that the express approval of the U.S.
will be necessary before these amendments will be applied in place of
existing U.S. law. As a result, the U.S. has reaffirmed with the IMO
that the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) continues to be the
national governing design standard for tank vessels operating in U.S.
waters.
This January 25, 2005, declaration is fully consistent with prior
actions by the U.S. in this area. In each of the three past instances,
the U.S. deposited an instrument with IMO and published a notice in the
Federal Register. Details of these past notices are found in the table
below.
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Docket number,
federal register
Notice title cite, date of Notice summary
publication
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Double Hull Standards for CGD 90-051; 58 FR International
Vessels Carrying Oil in Bulk; 39087; July 21, standards for new
U.S. Position on 1993. and existing tank
International Standards for vessel designs were
Tank Vessel Design. developed and
adopted by the
International
Maritime
Organization (IMO)
in March 1992. The
U.S. has taken the
position with IMO
that the express
approval of the U.S.
Government would be
necessary before
these international
tank vessel design
standards will be
enforced by the U.S.
This is due to
technical
differences with the
mandated
requirements of the
Oil Pollution Act of
1990 (OPA 90) and
IMO's adopted
international tank
vessel design
standards.
Double Hull Standards for USCG-2002-10298; This notice is to
Vessels Carrying Oil in Bulk; 67 FR 7443; inform the public
U.S. Position on the February 19, that on February 12,
Amendment of International 2002. 2002, the U.S.
Standards for the Phase-Out Embassy in London
of Existing Single Hull Tank deposited a
Vessels. declaration with the
International
Maritime
Organization (IMO)
stating that the
express approval of
the U.S. Government
will be necessary
before the revised
Regulation 13G of
the International
Convention for the
Prevention of
Pollution from Ships
(MARPOL 73/78) would
enter into force for
the U.S. In this
declaration, the
U.S. cited specific
technical
differences between
the revised MARPOL
Regulation for new
and existing tankers
and OPA 90.
U.S. Position on Amendments to USCG-2004-18656; This notice is to
MARPOL 73/78 Regarding the 69 FR 46172; inform the public
Phase-Out of Existing Single August 2, 2004. that on Friday, July
Hull Tank Vessels. 2, 2004, the U.S.
Embassy in London
deposited a
declaration with the
International
Maritime
Organization stating
that the express
approval of the U.S.
Government will be
necessary before the
December 2003
revised Regulation
13G and new
Regulation 13H of
the International
Convention for the
Prevention of
Pollution from Ships
(MARPOL 73/78) would
enter into force for
the U.S. In this
declaration, the
U.S. cited specific
technical
differences between
the revised MARPOL
73/78 regulations
for new and existing
tank vessels and
provisions of the
Oil Pollution Act of
1990.
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Copies of these notices are available in the docket.
Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231, 33 U.S.C. 1321, E.O. 12777,
Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.
Dated: November 24, 2006.
P.E. Little,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Director of National and
International Standards, Assistant Commandant for Prevention.
[FR Doc. E6-20286 Filed 11-29-06; 8:45 am]
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