80 FR 8335 - Cook Inlet Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (CIRCAC) Charter Renewal

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 31 (February 17, 2015)

The purpose of this notice is to inform the public that the Coast Guard has recertified the Cook Inlet Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (CIRCAC) as an alternative voluntary advisory group for Cook Inlet, Alaska. This certification allows the CIRCAC to monitor the activities of terminal facilities and crude oil tankers under the Cook Inlet Program established by statute.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8335-8336]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03187]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[USCG-2014-0414]


Cook Inlet Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (CIRCAC) Charter 
Renewal

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of recertification.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform the public that the 
Coast Guard has recertified the Cook Inlet Regional Citizens' Advisory 
Council (CIRCAC) as an alternative voluntary advisory group for Cook 
Inlet, Alaska. This certification allows the CIRCAC to monitor the 
activities of terminal facilities and crude oil tankers under the Cook 
Inlet Program established by statute.

DATES: This recertification is effective for the period from September 
1st, 2014 through August 31, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LT Thomas Pauser Seventeenth Coast 
Guard District (dpi); Telephone (907) 463-2812, email 
[email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

    As part of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, Congress passed the Oil 
Terminal and Oil Tanker Environmental Oversight and Monitoring Act of 
1990 (the Act), 33 U.S.C. 2732, to foster a long-term partnership among 
industry, government, and local communities in overseeing compliance 
with environmental concerns in the operation of crude oil terminals and 
oil tankers.

[[Page 8336]]

    On October 18, 1991, the President delegated his authority under 33 
U.S.C. 2732(o) to the Secretary of Transportation in Executive Order 
12777, section 8(g) (see 56 FR 54757; October 22, 1991) for purposes of 
certifying advisory councils, or groups, subject to the Act. On March 
3, 1992, the Secretary redelegated that authority to the Commandant of 
the USCG (see 57 FR 8582; March 11, 1992). The Commandant redelegated 
that authority to the Chief, Office of Marine Safety, Security and 
Environmental Protection (G-M) on March 19, 1992 (letter #5402).
    On July 7, 1993, the USCG published a policy statement, 58 FR 
36504, to clarify the factors that shall be considered in making the 
determination as to whether advisory councils, or groups, should be 
certified in accordance with the Act.
    The Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental 
Protection (CG-5), redelegated recertification authority for advisory 
councils, or groups, to the Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard District 
on February 26, 1999 (letter #16450).
    On September 16, 2002, the USCG published a policy statement, 67 FR 
58440, that changed the recertification procedures such that applicants 
are required to provide the USCG with comprehensive information every 
three years (triennially). For each of the two years between the 
triennial application procedure, applicants submit a letter requesting 
recertification that includes a description of any substantive changes 
to the information provided at the previous triennial recertification. 
Further, public comment is not solicited prior to recertification 
during streamlined years, only during the triennial comprehensive 
review.

Discussion of Comments

    On May 23, 2014 the USCG published a Notice of Availability; 
request for comments for recertification of Cook Inlet Regional 
Citizens' Advisory Council in the Federal Register (76 FR 1187). We 
received 54 comments from the public commenting on the proposed action. 
No public meeting was requested, and none was held. All 54 comments 
were positive and in support of recertification. These letters in 
support of the recertification consistently cited CIRCAC's broad 
representation of the respective community's interests, appropriate 
actions to keep the public informed, improvements to both spill 
response preparation and spill prevention, and oil spill industry 
monitoring efforts that combat complacency--as intended by the Act. The 
information provided with the 2014 application package, follow up 
consultation with CIRCAC and public support through positive comments 
displayed ample representation of the communities and interests of Cook 
Inlet and promotion of environmentally safe marine transportation and 
oil facility operations.

Recertification

    By letter dated August 27, 2014, the Commander, Seventeenth Coast 
Guard certified that the CIRCAC qualifies as an alternative voluntary 
advisory group under 33 U.S.C. 2732(o). This recertification terminates 
on August 31, 2015.

    Dated: 27 Aug. 2014.
Charles L. Cashin,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard District, 
Acting.
[FR Doc. 2015-03187 Filed 2-13-15; 8:45 am]
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