
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 246 (Thursday, December 23, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80833-80834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-32193]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2010-1110]


Shipboard Air Emission Reduction Technology Report

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In Section 305 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010, 
Congress directs the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast 
Guard is operating to conduct a study, in conjunction with the 
Environmental Protection Agency, on Ship Emission Reduction Technology 
for cargo and passenger vessels that operate in United States waters 
and ports. For this study, the Coast Guard and the Environmental 
Protection Agency will survey new technology and new applications of 
existing technology for reducing air emissions from cargo and passenger 
vessels regulated under the Clean Air Act and the Act to Prevent 
Pollution from Ships, and identify the impediments, including any laws 
or regulations, to the implementation of this technology. Through this 
notice, the Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency invite 
the public to provide information on the state of current and future 
air emission reduction technology, including specific comments on any 
impediments to this technology.

DATES: Comments and related material must either be submitted to our 
online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before January 18, 
2011 or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2010-1110 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-372-1925.
    (3) 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 20590-0001.
    (4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-366-9329.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
call or e-mail LT Nicholas Woessner, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 202-
372-1307, e-mail Nicholas.A.Woessner@uscg.mil. If you have questions on 
viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, 
Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments and related material to be 
incorporated into the Shipboard Air Emission Reduction Technology 
report to Congress. All comments received will be posted, without 
change, to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal 
information you have provided.
    Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include the 
docket number for this notice (USCG-2010-1110) and provide a reason for 
each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and 
material online, or by fax, mail or hand delivery, but please use only 
one of these means. We recommend that you include your name and a 
mailing address, an e-mail address, or a telephone number in the body 
of your document so that we can contact you if we have questions 
regarding your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
click on the ``submit a comment'' box, which will then become 
highlighted in blue. In the ``Document Type'' drop down menu select 
``Notices'' and insert ``USCG-2010-1110'' in the ``Keyword'' box. Click 
``Search'' then click on the balloon shape in the ``Actions'' column. 
If you submit your comments 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. If you submit them by mail and would 
like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and 
material received during the comment period.
    Viewing the comments: To view the comments for the report to 
Congress on Ship Emission Reduction Technology, go to http://www.regulations.gov, click on the ``read comments'' box, which will 
then become highlighted in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box insert ``USCG-
2010-1110'' and click ``Search.'' Click the

[[Page 80834]]

``Open Docket Folder'' in the ``Actions'' column. If you do not have 
access to the internet, you may view the docket online by visiting the 
Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the 
Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. We have an agreement with the Department of 
Transportation to use the Docket Management Facility.
    Privacy Act: Anyone can search the electronic form of 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 a 
Privacy Act, system of records notice regarding our public dockets in 
the January 17, 2008, issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Background and Purpose

    The U.S. implemented the Clean Air Act, Title 42 of the U.S. Code, 
Chapter 85, and the Act to Prevent Pollution from ships, 33 U.S.C. 
1905-1915, by promulgating regulations for ship air emissions in Title 
40, Protection of Environment, sections 50-99 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations and ratifying the International Convention for the 
Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol 
of 1978 (MARPOL) Annex VI. These regulations require the reduction of 
nitrous oxides (NOX), sulfur oxides (SOX), and 
particulate matter (PM) emissions from ships. Additionally, the U.S. 
has established an emission control area (ECA) for the U.S. under 
MARPOL Annex VI that further limits NOX and SOX 
emissions from ships. Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations and 
MARPOL Annex VI apply to both new and existing ships and will require 
the commercial maritime industry to implement new technology that will 
reduce NOX, SOX and PM emissions from all ships.
    In developing the ship air emission regulations, the Coast Guard 
and the Environmental Protection Agency worked with industry and other 
stakeholders to identify and evaluate emission control technology for 
ships.\1\ At this time, the Coast Guard and the Environmental 
Protection Agency seek additional information about new and existing 
technology for reducing these air emissions from cargo or passenger 
vessels subject to Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations and/or 
MARPOL Annex VI. It also seeks to identify impediments, including any 
laws or regulations, to implementing this technology.
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    \1\ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ``Regulatory Impact 
Analysis: Control of Air Pollution from Category 3 Marine Diesel 
Engines, EPA-420-R-09-019, December 2009.
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    We are particularly interested in information that includes details 
about:
    --Data and analysis from the maritime community concerning the 
state of their air emission reduction technologies;
    --The technology relating to after-treatment systems, alternative 
fuels, advanced engine design, auxiliary equipment, and other pertinent 
processes;
    --The projected or measured percent reduction of air emissions 
achieved from specific equipment;
    --Any adverse impacts, safety implications, or any system 
integration effects with other shipboard equipment;
    --Potential capital and operating costs or savings of the 
equipment's implementation.
    Please consider the following questions when responding to this 
notice:
    (A) What new technology exists for reducing air emissions from 
cargo or passenger ships?
    (B) What is the availability of such technology?
    (C) What methods or equipment are currently under development that 
may be able to meet the MARPOL Annex VI requirements?
    (D) Are methods or equipment being applied for similar purposes in 
other transportation modes or industries (e.g., military, rail, over-
the-road truck industries, manufacturing, power) that merit 
investigation for use aboard vessels?

Authority

    This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 14 
U.S.C. 93(a)(4).

    Dated: December 17, 2010.
J. G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 2010-32193 Filed 12-22-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P


