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Massachusetts Marine Sanitation Device Standard; Receipt of Petition

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 [Federal Register: May 23, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 100)]
[Notices]
[Page 28487-28488]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23my01-77]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6982-8]
 
Massachusetts Marine Sanitation Device Standard; Receipt of 
Petition

    Notice is hereby given that a petition has been received from the 
State of Massachusetts requesting a determination of the Regional 
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, pursuant to 
section 312(f)(3) of Public Law 92-500 as amended by Public Law 95-217 
and Public Law 100-4, that adequate facilities for the safe and 
sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are 
reasonably available for the Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area in the 
Town of Barnstable, County of Barnstable, State of Massachusetts, to 
qualify as a ``No Discharge Area'' (NDA). The areas covered under this 
petition include Cotuit Bay, West Bay, East Bay, and Squaw Island 
Marsh, north of a line drawn 500 feet south of their mouths at 
Nantucket Sound. The area also includes the following sub-embayments: 
North Bay, Prince Cove, Marstons Mills River South of Route 28, Scudder 
Bay South of Bumps River Road, Bumps River East of Bumps River Road, 
Centerville River West of Craigville Beach Road, and Halls Creek South 
of

[[Page 28488]]

Craigville Beach Road. The proposed NDA encompasses approximately 2,150 
surface acres in the Southwest corner in the Town of Barnstable. The 
area is roughly bounded by: 41 deg.36'40.0" N by 70 deg.26'41.1" W, 
41 deg.37'26.9" N by 70 deg.19'05.4" W, 41 deg.38'19.8" N by 
70 deg.19'21.9" W, and 41 deg. 39'03.2" N--70 deg.24'53.8" W.
    The State of Massachusetts has certified that there will be two 
pump-out facilities located within the proposed area to service vessels 
in the Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area. The first, is a pump-out boat 
operated by the Harbormasters Office, and docked at the Oyster Harbor 
Marine when not in use. The boat has a holding capacity of 300 gallons. 
The pump-out boat is available Wednesday through Sunday from 0930 to 
1630 (9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) from Memorial Day to Thanksgiving. The pump-
out boat is accessible by VHF marine radio via Channel 9 and by calling 
the Marine and Environmental Affairs Division (MEAD) in Barnstable at 
(508) 790-6273. The second pump-out facility is a self service trailer 
unit and located at the Oyster Harbor Marine, with a holding capacity 
of 250 gallons, and provides access for vessels up to 50 feet in length 
and a draft of 4 feet at mean low water. This facility is available 
daily from June 15 through September 15 from approximately 0800 to 1700 
(8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). During the early spring and late fall this facility 
is available by contacting the Harbormaster Office by phone at (508) 
790-6273.
    The town of Barnstable maintains public facilities at four 
locations, Loops Beach, Craigville Beach, Covells Beach and Dowse's 
Beach, and are seasonal. In addition the three marinas located within 
the proposed NDA provide on-shore toilet facilities for marina patrons 
and their guests.
    The waste from the pump-out boat is off loaded to the trailer unit 
and then transported to the Barnstable Water Pollution Control 
Facility. The Barnstable Board of Health issues a waste permit for this 
disposal.
    The number of mooring permits indicate that 1,667 vessels reside 
within the Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area and 1584 are identified as 
recreational and 83 are commercial vessels. The Three Bay/Centerville 
Harbor Area is primarily a ``parking lot'' harbor and 70% of the vessel 
population is under 25 feet in length, and therefore do not have any 
type of Marine Sanitation Device (MSD). There are a number of locations 
in the Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area with public launching ramps, 
however, the size and condition of the ramps and the depth of the water 
generally limit use to vessels 25 feet and under. In addition to the 
vessels that reside in the Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area, there is 
a transient population estimated at 110 vessels which have MSDs.
    The resources of the Three Bay/Centerville Harbor Area are 
recreational and commercial. There are four public beaches, the Dead 
Neck Audubon Bird/Wildlife Refuge, and town conservation lands located 
within the proposed No Discharge Area. The area is also used by both 
recreational and commercial shell fishermen for the harvest of quahogs, 
and soft-shell clams.
    Comments and reviews regarding this request for action may be filed 
on or before June 22, 2001. Such communications, or requests for 
information or a copy of the applicant's petition, should be addressed 
to Ann Rodney, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency--New England 
Region, 1 Congress Street, Suite 1100, CWQ, Boston, MA 02114-2023. 
Telephone: (617) 918-1538.

Ira Leighton,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 01-12890 Filed 5-22-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

 
 

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