In response to a request from the public, the Coast Guard is once again reopening the public comment period on a petition from the City of Fall River, Massachusetts. Fall River’s petition asks the Coast Guard to promulgate regulations establishing thermal and vapor dispersion exclusion zones for marine spills of liquefied natural gas, similar to Department of Transportation regulations for such spills on land contained in 49 CFR 193.2057 (Thermal radiation protection) and 193.2059 (Flammable vapor-gas dispersion protection).

A report, “LNG Facilities in Urban Areas” was not released until May 9, 2005-the day the docket was scheduled to close. On May 24, 2005, the report was filed in the docket: Clark Report, Item 76 in docket USCG-2005-19615. The Coast Guard was requested to reopen the comment period again, so that the report may be reviewed and comments on it may be submitted to the docket. In response to this request, the Coast Guard is reopening the comment period. The public is invited to review the referenced report and other material contained in the docket and to submit relevant comments by August 22, 2005 [Coast Guard docket number USCG-2004-19615]. The Coast Guard will consider the City’s petition, any comments received from the public, and other information to determine whether or not to initiate the requested rulemaking.