SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

On December 31, 1992, the Coast Guard published Guidelines for Recertification of Alternative Voluntary Groups In Lieu of a Council (57 FR 62600) to assist groups seeking recertification under the Oil Terminal and Oil Tanker Environmental Oversight and Monitoring Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2732) (the OPA 90 Act). On July 7, 1993, the Coast Guard published a notice (58 FR 36504) identifying the factors that the Coast Guard would consider in making its determination as to whether advisory groups should be certified in accordance with the OPA 90 Act, and the procedures which the Coast Guard would follow in meeting its recertification responsibilities under the OPA 90 Act. On September 16, 2002, the Coast Guard published revised recertification procedure for alternative voluntary advisory groups established in lieu of councils (67 FR 58440). According to the revised procedures, an applicant alternative group requesting recertification is required to provide the Coast Guard with a comprehensive application once every 3 years (triennially). For each of the two years between the triennial application procedures, the applicant utilizes a streamlined process and submits a recertification application describing any substantive changes to the information provided at the previous triennial recertification. Public comment is only solicited during the triennial comprehensive review. 2025 is the year for the streamlined process.

Since the last triennial recertification application submitted by CIRCAC on June 20, 2023 (88 FR 39857), there have been no substantive changes to the CIRCAC's plans and activities and CIRCAC can be recertified based on the information previously presented to the Coast Guard. We published the last recertification announcement on August 31, 2023 (88 FR 60221).

Recertification

By letter to CIRCAC dated September 1, 2025, the Commander, Coast Guard Arctic District, recertified that the CIRCAC qualifies as an alternative voluntary advisory group under 33 U.S.C. 2732(o). This recertification terminates on August 31, 2026.

90 FR 52082