Decommissioning and Disposition of the National Historic Landmark Nuclear Ship Savannah; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY:

Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) announces a public meeting of the Peer Review Group (PRG) which will be held online or by phone only. The PRG was established pursuant to the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its implementing regulations to plan for the decommissioning and disposition of the Nuclear Ship Savannah (NSS). PRG membership is comprised of officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation, MARAD, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), and the Maryland State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and other consulting parties. The public meeting affords the public an opportunity to participate in PRG activities, including reviewing and providing comments on draft deliverables. MARAD encourages public participation and provides the PRG meeting information below.

DATES:

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Requests to attend the meeting virtually must be received by 5 p.m. EST, Tuesday, November 14, 2023, to receive instructions to participate online. Requests for accommodations for a disability must also be received by Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held online or by phone.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Erhard W. Koehler, (202) 680–2066 or via email at marad.history@dot.gov. You may send mail to N.S. Savannah/Savannah Technical Staff, Pier 13 Canton Marine Terminal, 4601 Newgate Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224, ATTN: Erhard Koehler.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The decommissioning and disposition of the NSS is an Undertaking under Section 106 of the NHPA. Section 106 requires that Federal agencies consider views of the public regarding their Undertakings; therefore, in 2020, MARAD established a Federal docket at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/MARAD-2020-0133 to provide public notice about the NSS Undertaking. The Federal docket was also used in 2021 to solicit public comments on the future uses of the NSS. MARAD is continuing to use this same docket to take in public comment, share information, and post agency actions.

The NHPA Programmatic Agreement (PA) for the Decommissioning and Disposition of the NSS is available on the MARAD docket located at www.regulations.gov under docket id “MARAD–2020–0133.” The PA stipulates a deliberative process by which MARAD will consider the disposition of the NSS. This process requires MARAD to make an affirmative, good-faith effort to preserve the NSS. The PA also establishes the PRG in Stipulation II. The PRG is the mechanism for continuing consultation during the effective period of the PA and its members consist of the signatories and concurring parties to the PA, as well as other consulting parties. The PRG members will provide individual input and guidance to MARAD regarding the implementation of stipulations in the PA. PRG members and members of the public are invited to provide input by attending bi-monthly meetings and reviewing and commenting on deliverables developed as part of the PA.

II. Agenda

The agenda will include (1) welcome and introductions; (2) program update; (3) status of PA stipulations; (4) other business; and (5) date of next meeting. The agenda topic titled PA stipulations involves deliverables identified in the PA. MARAD will provide status updates for the following items: the Disposition Alternatives Study; the Notice of Availability/Request for Information; the License Termination Plan; the Collections Management Plan, and the Historic Context. The agenda will also be posted on MARAD's website at https://www.maritime.dot.gov/outreach/history/maritime-administration-history-program and on the MARAD docket located at www.regulations.gov under docket id “MARAD–2020–0133.”

III. Public Participation

The meeting will be open to the public. Members of the public who wish to attend online must RSVP to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section with your name and affiliation. Members of the public may also call-in using the following number: 312–600–3163 and conference ID: 930 866 814#.

Special services. The U.S. Department of Transportation is committed to providing all participants equal access to this meeting. If you need alternative formats or services such as sign language, interpretation, or other ancillary aids, please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

(Authority: 49 CFR 1.81 and 1.93; 36 CFR part 800; 5 U.S.C. 552b.)