[Federal Register: October 21, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 203)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 60073-60074]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21oc03-24]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
46 CFR Part 4
[USCG-2001-8773]
RIN 1625-AA27 (formerly 2115-AG07)
Marine Casualties and Investigations; Chemical Testing Following
Serious Marine Incidents
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; reopening of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period on the notice
of proposed rulemaking for ``Marine Casualties and Investigation;
Chemical Testing Following Serious Marine Incidents'' published in the
Federal Register on February 28, 2003. Hurricane Isabel forced the
closure of all Federal Government offices in the Washington, DC,
metropolitan area and the public meeting scheduled for September 19,
2003, was not held. As a result of the limited number of participants
who registered to attend that meeting, the Coast Guard has decided not
to reschedule the meeting and is instead reopening the comment period
to allow submission of additional comments to the docket.
DATES: Comments must reach the docket on or before November 20, 2003.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket
number USCG-2001-8773 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT). To avoid duplication, please use
only one of the following methods:
(1) Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov (2) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
(3) Mail: Docket Management Facility, DOT, 400 Seventh Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
(4) Fax: (202) 493-2251.
(5) Delivery: Room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif
Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone
number is (202) 366-9329.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on the proposed rule,
call Mr. Robert C. Schoening, Drug and Alcohol Program Manager, telephone (202) 267-0684; or e-mail him at Rschoening@comdt.uscg.mil.
For questions on viewing material in the docket, call Andrea M.
Jenkins, Program Manager, Docket Operations, DOT, telephone (202) 366-
0271.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Request for Comments
We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting
comments and related materials. All comments received will be posted,
without change, to http://dms.dot.gov and will include any personal
information you have provided. We have an agreement with the DOT to use
the Docket Management Facility even though the Coast Guard has recently
transferred to DHS. Please see the DOT's statement on the Privacy Act
three paragraphs below.
Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your
name and address, identify the docket number for this rulemaking [USCG-
2001-8773], indicate the specific section of this document to which
each comment applies, and give the reason for each comment. You may
submit your comments and material by electronic means, mail, fax, or
delivery to the Docket Management Facility at the address under
ADDRESSES; but please submit your comments and material by only one
means. If you submit them by mail or 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
[[Page 60074]]
envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during
the comment period in developing the final rule.
Viewing comments and documents: To view comments, as well as
documents mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket,
go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time and conduct a simple search using
the docket number. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in
room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh
Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
Privacy Act: Anyone can 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, or the like). You may review
the DOT's statement on the Privacy Act in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 [65 FR 19477], or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov
.
Regulatory History
On February 28, 2003, the Coast Guard published a notice of
proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register [68 FR 9622]
proposing changes to the alcohol testing requirements for commercial
vessels following a serious marine incident.
On August 28, 2003, the Coast Guard published a notice in the
Federal Register [68 FR 50992], announcing a public meeting and
reopening the NPRM comment period.
Background Information
The 1998 Coast Guard Authorization Act requires the Coast Guard to
establish procedures ensuring alcohol testing is conducted within two
hours of a serious marine casualty. The Coast Guard proposes to
establish requirements for testing within the statutory time limits, to
expand the existing requirements for commercial vessels to have alcohol
testing devices on board, and to authorize the use of a wider variety
of testing devices.
For further information, the public should review the NPRM
published in the Federal Register [68 FR 9622], and for questions
concerning that document contact Mr. Robert C. Schoening who is listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Additional Comment Period
In response to seven comments to the NPRM requesting a public
meeting, the Coast Guard had scheduled a public meeting for September
19, 2003. As a result of Hurricane Isabel forcing the closure of all
Federal Government offices in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area,
the public meeting was not held. In its notice, the Coast Guard had
asked those planning to speak at the meeting to register by September
17, 2003.
By the close of business on September 17, 2003, nine persons had
registered to attend the public meeting, with seven requesting to
speak. Of the seven persons who originally submitted comments
requesting a meeting, only two had registered to attend and to make a
presentation.
As a result of the limited number of participants who registered to
attend the meeting, the Coast Guard has decided not to reschedule the
meeting and is, instead, reopening the comment period for an additional
30 days from the date of this notice.
This additional 30-day comment period should be adequate time for
those who had planned to attend the public meeting to submit further
comments to the docket.
Dated: October 14, 2003.
Joseph J. Angelo,
Director of Standards, Marine Safety, Security & Environmental
Protection.
[FR Doc. 03-26512 Filed 10-20-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P