Deepwater Ports License Application Process for Offshore Export Facilities, 62242-62244 [2014-24609]
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62242
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 200 / Thursday, October 16, 2014 / Notices
Meeting notice of RTCA Special
Committee 213, Enhanced Flight Vision
Systems/Synthetic Vision Systems
(EFVS/SVS).
ACTION:
The FAA is issuing this notice
to advise the public of the twenty
seventh meeting of the RTCA Special
Committee 213, Enhanced Flight Vision
Systems/Synthetic Vision Systems
(EFVS/SVS).
DATES: The meeting will be held
November 5, 2014 from 2:30–5:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: https://rtca.webex.com/
rtca/j.php?MTID=m8c
15ab559c5c8380811759806531cae4.
Meeting number: 684 099 495
Meeting password: November 5
Join by phone
Dial: 1–888–481–3032 International:
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Passcode: 56022675
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim
Etherington, tjetheri@
rockwellcollins.com, (319) 295–5233 or
mobile at (319) 431–7154, Patrick
Krohn, pkrohn@uasc.com, telephone
(425) 602–1375 or mobile at (425) 829–
1996 and The RTCA Secretariat, 1150
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DC 20036, or by telephone at (202) 330–
0652/(202) 833–9339, fax at (202) 833–
9434, or Web site at https://www.rtca.org.
Additional contact information: RTCA
contact is Jennifer Iverson, jiverson@
rtca.org, (202) 330- 0662.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to section 10(a) (2) of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–
463, 5 U.S.C., App.), notice is hereby
given for a meeting of Special
Committee 213. The agenda will include
the following:
SUMMARY:
November 5th
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
• Introductions and administrative
items
• DO–315C FRAC Comment Review
and Disposition
• Approval of DO–315C to go to
Program Management Committee
• Administrative items (new meeting
location/dates, action items etc.)
• Adjourn
Attendance is open to the interested
public but limited to space availability.
With the approval of the chairman,
members of the public may present oral
statements at the meeting. Persons
wishing to present statements or obtain
information should contact the person
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section. Members of the public
may present a written statement to the
committee at any time.
17:19 Oct 15, 2014
[FR Doc. 2014–24537 Filed 10–15–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[Docket No. 2014–0126]
Request for Comments of a Previously
Approved Information Collection:
Procedures for Determining Vessel
Services Categories for Purposes of
the Cargo Preference Act
Notice and request for
comments.
ACTION:
In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice
announces that the Information
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted
below is being forwarded to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and comments. A Federal
Register Notice with a 60-day comment
period soliciting comments on the
following information collection was
published on July 7, 2014 (Federal
Register 38356, Vol. 79, No. 129).
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
or before November 17, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dennis Brennan, 202–366–1029, Office
of Cargo and Commercial Sealift,
Maritime Administration, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC
20590.
SUMMARY:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Plenary Discussion
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Issued in Washington, DC, on October 8th,
2014.
Mohannad Dawoud,
Management Analyst, NextGen, Business
Operations Group, Federal Aviation
Administration.
Jkt 235001
Maritime
Administration (MARAD).
Title: Procedures for Determining
Vessel Services Categories for Purposes
of the Cargo Preference Act.
OMB Control Number: 2133–0540.
Type of Request: Renewal of a
Previously Approved Information
Collection.
Abstract: The purpose is to provide
information to be used in the
designation of service categories of
individual vessels for purposes of
compliance with the Cargo Preference
Act under a Memorandum of
Understanding entered into by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency
for International Development, and the
Maritime Administration. The Maritime
Administration will use the data
submitted by vessel operators to create
a list of Vessel Self-Designations and
determine whether the Agency agrees or
PO 00000
Frm 00151
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
disagrees with a vessel owner’s
designation of a vessel.
Affected Public: Owners or operators
of U.S.-registered vessels and foreignregistered vessels.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
100.
Estimated Number of Responses: 100.
Annual Estimated Total Annual
Burden Hours: 800/8 hours per
Respondent.
ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding
the burden estimate, including
suggestions for reducing the burden, to
the Office of Management and Budget,
Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of
the Secretary of Transportation, 725
17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503.
Comments are invited on: Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the Department,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; the accuracy of
the Department’s estimate of the burden
of the proposed information collection;
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended;
and 49 CFR 1.93.
Dated: October 9, 2014.
Julie P. Agarwal,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014–24636 Filed 10–15–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[Docket Number MARAD–2014–0132]
Deepwater Ports License Application
Process for Offshore Export Facilities
Maritime Administration,
Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Notice of proposed policy.
AGENCY:
The Maritime Administration
(MARAD) is seeking public comment on
the agency’s proposed policy to accept,
evaluate and process license
applications for the construction and
operation of offshore deepwater port
facilities for the export of oil and natural
gas from the United States to foreign
markets abroad, and to use the existing
Deepwater Port License regulations,
cited at 33 CFR Parts 148, 149 and 150
for such purposes.
DATES: Written public comments
regarding this notice of proposed policy
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\16OCN1.SGM
16OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 200 / Thursday, October 16, 2014 / Notices
should be submitted on or before
December 15, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
identified by DOT Docket Number
MARAD–2014–0132 by any of the
following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Search MARAD–
2014–0132 and follow the instructions
for submitting comments.
• Email:
Rulemakings.MARAD@dot.gov. Include
MARAD–2014–0132 in the subject line
of the message.
• Fax: (202) 493–2251.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility,
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building,
Room W12–140, Washington, DC 20590.
If you would like to confirm that your
comments reached the facility, please
enclose a stamped, self-addressed
postcard or envelope.
• Hand Delivery/Courier: Docket
Management Facility, U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12–
140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket
Management Facility is open 9:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except on Federal holidays.
Note: If you fax, mail or hand deliver your
input, we recommend that you include your
name and a mailing address, an email
address, or a telephone number in the body
of your document so that you can be
contacted if there are questions regarding
your submission. If you submit your inputs
by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an
unbound format, no larger than 81⁄2 by 11
inches, suitable for copying and electronic
filing.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name and
docket number. All comments received
will be posted without change to the
docket at www.regulations.gov,
including any personal information
provided. For detailed instructions on
submitting comments and additional
information on the rulemaking process,
see the section entitled Public
Participation.
Ms.
Yvette M. Fields, Director, Office of
Deepwater Ports and Offshore
Activities, Maritime Administration,
telephone: 202–366–0926, email:
Yvette.Fields@dot.gov. If you have
questions on viewing the Docket, call
Renee V. Wright, Program Manager,
Docket Operations, telephone: 202–493–
0402.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
December 20, 2012, the Coast Guard and
Maritime Transportation Act of 2012
(Title III, Sec. 312) amended Section
3(9)(A) of the Deepwater Port Act of
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:19 Oct 15, 2014
Jkt 235001
1974 (33 U.S.C. 1502(9)(A)) to insert the
words ‘‘or from’’ before the words ‘‘any
State’’ in the definition of Deepwater
Port. This amendment grants MARAD,
as delegated by the Secretary of
Transportation, the authority to license
the construction and operation of
Deepwater Ports for the export of oil and
natural gas from domestic sources
within the United States.1 This
amendment will be implemented in
accordance with existing legislative and
regulatory requirements pertaining to
the Deepwater Port Act of 1974, as
amended (the Act). The Coast Guard
and Maritime Transportation Act of
2012 provided no other amendments to
the Act.
The amended Act defines a
Deepwater Port, in part, as ‘‘any fixed or
floating manmade structure other than a
vessel, or any group of such structures,
that are located beyond State seaward
boundaries and that are used or
intended for use as a port or terminal for
the transportation, storage, or further
handling of oil or natural gas for
transportation to or from any
State . . . .’’
The Act grants the Maritime
Administrator authority to license
Deepwater Ports (by delegation from the
Secretary of Transportation, published
on August 17, 2012 [77 FR 49964]).
Deepwater Port license applications are
jointly processed by MARAD and the
U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard) under
delegations from, and between, the
Secretary of Transportation and the
Secretary of Homeland Security. In
general, the Coast Guard is the lead
agency for compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act and is
responsible for matters related to
navigation safety, engineering and safety
standards, and facility inspections.
MARAD is responsible for determining
citizenship and financial capability of
the potential licensees, and for
preparing the project Record of Decision
and issuing or denying the license. The
various other responsibilities under the
Act, including the duty of consultation,
are shared by the Coast Guard and
MARAD. Statutory and regulatory
requirements for Deepwater Port
licensing appear in 33 U.S.C. 1501 et
seq. and in 33 CFR Parts 148, 149 and
150.
1 With regard to exports from a State that are
intended for non-United States markets, the
Department of Energy is responsible for approving
applications to export natural gas to Free Trade
Agreement and Non-Free Trade Agreement nations.
As a general proposition, the export of oil from the
United States is restricted (see e.g., the Energy
Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 or the Export
Administration Act of 1979).
PO 00000
Frm 00152
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
62243
The Coast Guard has previously
developed comprehensive regulatory
guidance for Deepwater Port license
applications and remains the Federal
agency responsible for the promulgation
of rules relating to the Deepwater Port
license application process. Regulations
detailing the requirements of the
Deepwater Port license application
process; design, construction and
equipment; and port operations can be
found in 33 CFR Parts 148, 149 and 150.
These regulations pertain to the
application review process, planning,
environmental review, design,
construction and operation of deepwater
port facilities without specific regard to
whether the facility imports or exports
oil and/or natural gas products. With
the addition of oil and natural gas
exportation under the amendment to the
Act, MARAD does not foresee any
reason to alter the Deepwater Port
licensing application process. As such,
this notice is provided to inform the
public that MARAD, with the
concurrence of the Coast Guard’s
Deepwater Ports Standards Division,
intends to use the existing Deepwater
Port regulations for the review,
evaluation and processing of any
Deepwater Port license application
involving the export of oil or natural gas
from domestic sources within the
United States as provided for in 33 CFR
Part 148, 149 and 150.
Any proposed Deepwater Port
involving the export of oil or natural gas
from domestic sources within the
United States will require the
submission of an export-specific
comprehensive license application
conforming to all established and
applicable Deepwater Port licensing
requirements and regulations. The
considerable technical, operational and
environmental differences between
import and export operations for oil or
natural gas projects are such that any
licensed Deepwater Port facility, or any
proponent of a deepwater port that has
an application in process, that proposes
to convert from import to export
operations will be required to submit a
new license application (including
application fee) and conform to all
licensing requirements and regulations
in effect at such time of application. For
licensed deepwater ports, an application
to convert from import operations to
export operations will require, at a
minimum: (1) Approval from the
Department of Energy or other approval
authority to export oil or natural gas to
free trade and/or non-free trade
agreement countries; (2) a new or
supplemental environmental impact
analysis (Environmental Impact
E:\FR\FM\16OCN1.SGM
16OCN1
62244
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 200 / Thursday, October 16, 2014 / Notices
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Statement or Environmental
Assessment—Finding of No Significant
Impact) pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act that assesses
the significance of the environmental
impact of the proposed change in
operations; and (3) a revised operations
manual that fully describes the
proposed change in port operations.
Only after all required application
processes are completed, and after
consideration of the nine factors
specified in the Act (33 U.S.C. 1503(c)),
may the Maritime Administrator
approve (or disapprove) an application
to export oil or natural gas through a
deepwater port. In the event the
Maritime Administrator approves the
application to convert to export
operations, the applicant’s existing
license shall be surrendered and the
Maritime Administrator will issue a
new license with conditions appropriate
to all intended activities, including, if
applicable, authority to engage in
bidirectional oil or natural gas import
and export operations. In all other cases,
the Maritime Administrator will issue a
new license with conditions appropriate
to the applied for activity.
This proposed policy will take effect
upon the date of the final Federal
Register Notice of Policy and will
remain in effect until such time that
additional or other related regulations
are promulgated. As previously stated,
all statutory provisions of the Deepwater
Port Act of 1974, as amended, shall
apply to the final authorization and
licensure of export oil and natural gas
Deepwater Ports.
Public Participation
Your comments must be written and
provided in English. To ensure that your
comments are correctly filed in the
Docket, please include the docket
number in your comments. MARAD
encourages you to provide concise
comments. However, you may attach
necessary additional documents to your
comments. There is no limit on the
length of the attachments. Please submit
your comments, including the
attachments, following the instructions
provided under the above heading
entitled ADDRESSES.
If you wish to submit any information
under a claim of confidentiality, you
should submit three copies of your
complete submission, including the
information you claim to be confidential
business information, to the Department
of Transportation, Maritime
Administration, Office of Legislation
and Regulations, MAR–225, W24–220,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590. When you send
comments containing information
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:19 Oct 15, 2014
Jkt 235001
claimed to be confidential information,
you should include a cover letter setting
forth with specificity the basis for any
such claim.
MARAD will consider all comments
received before the close of business on
the comment closing date indicated
above under DATES. To the extent
possible, MARAD will also consider
comments received after that date. If a
comment is received too late for
MARAD to consider in developing a
final policy (assuming one is issued),
MARAD will consider that comment as
an informal suggestion for future policy
action.
For access to the docket to read
background documents, including those
referenced in this document, or to
submit or read comments received, go to
the Docket Management Facility, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building,
Room W12–140, Washington, DC 20590.
The Docket Management Facility is
open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except on Federal
holidays. To review documents, read
comments or to submit comments, the
docket is also available online at
https://www.regulations.gov., keyword
search MARAD–2014–0132.
Please note that even after the
comment period has closed, MARAD
will continue to file relevant
information in the Docket as it becomes
available. Further, some people may
submit late comments. Accordingly,
MARAD recommends that you
periodically check the Docket for new
material.
Privacy Act
Anyone is able to search the
electronic form of all comments
received into any of our dockets by the
name of the individual submitting the
comment (or signing the comment, if
submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may
review the DOT Privacy Act system of
records notice for the Federal Docket
Management System (FDMS) in the
Federal Register published on January
17, 2008, (73 FR 3316) at https://
edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8785.pdf.
Authority: 49 CFR 1.93.
Dated: October 10, 2014.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator
Thomas M. Hudson,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014–24609 Filed 10–15–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P
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Frm 00153
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[Docket No. MARAD–2014–0129]
Requested Administrative Waiver of
the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel
SEACLUSION; Invitation for Public
Comments
Maritime Administration,
Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
As authorized by 46 U.S.C.
12121, the Secretary of Transportation,
as represented by the Maritime
Administration (MARAD), is authorized
to grant waivers of the U.S.-build
requirement of the coastwise laws under
certain circumstances. A request for
such a waiver has been received by
MARAD. The vessel, and a brief
description of the proposed service, is
listed below.
DATES: Submit comments on or before
November 17, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to
docket number MARAD–2014–0129.
Written comments may be submitted by
hand or by mail to the Docket Clerk,
U.S. Department of Transportation,
Docket Operations, M–30, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590. You may also
send comments electronically via the
Internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
All comments will become part of this
docket and will be available for
inspection and copying at the above
address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
E.T., Monday through Friday, except
federal holidays. An electronic version
of this document and all documents
entered into this docket is available on
the World Wide Web at https://
www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Linda Williams, U.S. Department of
Transportation, Maritime
Administration, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., Room W23–453,
Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 202–
366–0903, Email Linda.Williams@
dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As
described by the applicant the intended
service of the vessel SEACLUSION is:
Intended Commercial Use of Vessel:
This small motor vessel will primarily
be used for 6 or fewer passengers in the
immediate vicinity of New Orleans on
Lake Pontchartrain. The vessel will be
used for sunset cruises, small group
parties, and other miscellaneous charter
work, as well as some limited
recreational fishing.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\16OCN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 200 (Thursday, October 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62242-62244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24609]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[Docket Number MARAD-2014-0132]
Deepwater Ports License Application Process for Offshore Export
Facilities
AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Notice of proposed policy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration (MARAD) is seeking public comment
on the agency's proposed policy to accept, evaluate and process license
applications for the construction and operation of offshore deepwater
port facilities for the export of oil and natural gas from the United
States to foreign markets abroad, and to use the existing Deepwater
Port License regulations, cited at 33 CFR Parts 148, 149 and 150 for
such purposes.
DATES: Written public comments regarding this notice of proposed policy
[[Page 62243]]
should be submitted on or before December 15, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Number
MARAD-2014-0132 by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Search MARAD-2014-0132 and follow the instructions for submitting
comments.
Email: Rulemakings.MARAD@dot.gov. Include MARAD-2014-0132
in the subject line of the message.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590. If you would like to confirm that your
comments reached the facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed
postcard or envelope.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Docket Management Facility, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West
Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Management
Facility is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
on Federal holidays.
Note: If you fax, mail or hand deliver your input, we recommend
that you include your name and a mailing address, an email address,
or a telephone number in the body of your document so that you can
be contacted if there are questions regarding your submission. If
you submit your inputs by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an
unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for
copying and electronic filing.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and docket number. All comments received will be posted without change
to the docket at www.regulations.gov, including any personal
information provided. For detailed instructions on submitting comments
and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the section
entitled Public Participation.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Yvette M. Fields, Director, Office
of Deepwater Ports and Offshore Activities, Maritime Administration,
telephone: 202-366-0926, email: Yvette.Fields@dot.gov. If you have
questions on viewing the Docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager,
Docket Operations, telephone: 202-493-0402.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 20, 2012, the Coast Guard and
Maritime Transportation Act of 2012 (Title III, Sec. 312) amended
Section 3(9)(A) of the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 (33 U.S.C.
1502(9)(A)) to insert the words ``or from'' before the words ``any
State'' in the definition of Deepwater Port. This amendment grants
MARAD, as delegated by the Secretary of Transportation, the authority
to license the construction and operation of Deepwater Ports for the
export of oil and natural gas from domestic sources within the United
States.\1\ This amendment will be implemented in accordance with
existing legislative and regulatory requirements pertaining to the
Deepwater Port Act of 1974, as amended (the Act). The Coast Guard and
Maritime Transportation Act of 2012 provided no other amendments to the
Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ With regard to exports from a State that are intended for
non-United States markets, the Department of Energy is responsible
for approving applications to export natural gas to Free Trade
Agreement and Non-Free Trade Agreement nations. As a general
proposition, the export of oil from the United States is restricted
(see e.g., the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 or the
Export Administration Act of 1979).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The amended Act defines a Deepwater Port, in part, as ``any fixed
or floating manmade structure other than a vessel, or any group of such
structures, that are located beyond State seaward boundaries and that
are used or intended for use as a port or terminal for the
transportation, storage, or further handling of oil or natural gas for
transportation to or from any State . . . .''
The Act grants the Maritime Administrator authority to license
Deepwater Ports (by delegation from the Secretary of Transportation,
published on August 17, 2012 [77 FR 49964]). Deepwater Port license
applications are jointly processed by MARAD and the U.S. Coast Guard
(Coast Guard) under delegations from, and between, the Secretary of
Transportation and the Secretary of Homeland Security. In general, the
Coast Guard is the lead agency for compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act and is responsible for matters related to
navigation safety, engineering and safety standards, and facility
inspections. MARAD is responsible for determining citizenship and
financial capability of the potential licensees, and for preparing the
project Record of Decision and issuing or denying the license. The
various other responsibilities under the Act, including the duty of
consultation, are shared by the Coast Guard and MARAD. Statutory and
regulatory requirements for Deepwater Port licensing appear in 33
U.S.C. 1501 et seq. and in 33 CFR Parts 148, 149 and 150.
The Coast Guard has previously developed comprehensive regulatory
guidance for Deepwater Port license applications and remains the
Federal agency responsible for the promulgation of rules relating to
the Deepwater Port license application process. Regulations detailing
the requirements of the Deepwater Port license application process;
design, construction and equipment; and port operations can be found in
33 CFR Parts 148, 149 and 150. These regulations pertain to the
application review process, planning, environmental review, design,
construction and operation of deepwater port facilities without
specific regard to whether the facility imports or exports oil and/or
natural gas products. With the addition of oil and natural gas
exportation under the amendment to the Act, MARAD does not foresee any
reason to alter the Deepwater Port licensing application process. As
such, this notice is provided to inform the public that MARAD, with the
concurrence of the Coast Guard's Deepwater Ports Standards Division,
intends to use the existing Deepwater Port regulations for the review,
evaluation and processing of any Deepwater Port license application
involving the export of oil or natural gas from domestic sources within
the United States as provided for in 33 CFR Part 148, 149 and 150.
Any proposed Deepwater Port involving the export of oil or natural
gas from domestic sources within the United States will require the
submission of an export-specific comprehensive license application
conforming to all established and applicable Deepwater Port licensing
requirements and regulations. The considerable technical, operational
and environmental differences between import and export operations for
oil or natural gas projects are such that any licensed Deepwater Port
facility, or any proponent of a deepwater port that has an application
in process, that proposes to convert from import to export operations
will be required to submit a new license application (including
application fee) and conform to all licensing requirements and
regulations in effect at such time of application. For licensed
deepwater ports, an application to convert from import operations to
export operations will require, at a minimum: (1) Approval from the
Department of Energy or other approval authority to export oil or
natural gas to free trade and/or non-free trade agreement countries;
(2) a new or supplemental environmental impact analysis (Environmental
Impact
[[Page 62244]]
Statement or Environmental Assessment--Finding of No Significant
Impact) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act that assesses
the significance of the environmental impact of the proposed change in
operations; and (3) a revised operations manual that fully describes
the proposed change in port operations. Only after all required
application processes are completed, and after consideration of the
nine factors specified in the Act (33 U.S.C. 1503(c)), may the Maritime
Administrator approve (or disapprove) an application to export oil or
natural gas through a deepwater port. In the event the Maritime
Administrator approves the application to convert to export operations,
the applicant's existing license shall be surrendered and the Maritime
Administrator will issue a new license with conditions appropriate to
all intended activities, including, if applicable, authority to engage
in bidirectional oil or natural gas import and export operations. In
all other cases, the Maritime Administrator will issue a new license
with conditions appropriate to the applied for activity.
This proposed policy will take effect upon the date of the final
Federal Register Notice of Policy and will remain in effect until such
time that additional or other related regulations are promulgated. As
previously stated, all statutory provisions of the Deepwater Port Act
of 1974, as amended, shall apply to the final authorization and
licensure of export oil and natural gas Deepwater Ports.
Public Participation
Your comments must be written and provided in English. To ensure
that your comments are correctly filed in the Docket, please include
the docket number in your comments. MARAD encourages you to provide
concise comments. However, you may attach necessary additional
documents to your comments. There is no limit on the length of the
attachments. Please submit your comments, including the attachments,
following the instructions provided under the above heading entitled
ADDRESSES.
If you wish to submit any information under a claim of
confidentiality, you should submit three copies of your complete
submission, including the information you claim to be confidential
business information, to the Department of Transportation, Maritime
Administration, Office of Legislation and Regulations, MAR-225, W24-
220, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. When you send
comments containing information claimed to be confidential information,
you should include a cover letter setting forth with specificity the
basis for any such claim.
MARAD will consider all comments received before the close of
business on the comment closing date indicated above under DATES. To
the extent possible, MARAD will also consider comments received after
that date. If a comment is received too late for MARAD to consider in
developing a final policy (assuming one is issued), MARAD will consider
that comment as an informal suggestion for future policy action.
For access to the docket to read background documents, including
those referenced in this document, or to submit or read comments
received, go to the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Management Facility is open 9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.
To review documents, read comments or to submit comments, the docket is
also available online at https://www.regulations.gov., keyword search
MARAD-2014-0132.
Please note that even after the comment period has closed, MARAD
will continue to file relevant information in the Docket as it becomes
available. Further, some people may submit late comments. Accordingly,
MARAD recommends that you periodically check the Docket for new
material.
Privacy Act
Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the DOT
Privacy Act system of records notice for the Federal Docket Management
System (FDMS) in the Federal Register published on January 17, 2008,
(73 FR 3316) at https://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-785.pdf.
Authority: 49 CFR 1.93.
Dated: October 10, 2014.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator
Thomas M. Hudson,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-24609 Filed 10-15-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P
