[Federal Register: February 3, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 22)]
[Notices]
[Page 5691-5692]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03fe05-81]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[USCG-2004-19977]
Inspection of Towing Vessels
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments, and notice of public meeting;
change of location.
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SUMMARY: The location of the upcoming public meeting being held in New
Orleans, Louisiana, is changed. Instead of the Hale Boggs Federal
Building, as previously announced in the Federal Register, the meeting
will take place at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. The date of the
meeting, February 10, and the hours, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. remain the
same. In the recently enacted Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
Act of 2004, the Congress directed the Coast Guard to add towing
vessels to the list of vessels subject to inspections, and to consider
the establishment of a safety management system appropriate for towing
vessels. Through public meetings, we are seeking public and industry
involvement as we consider how to proceed.
DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Docket Management
Facility on or before March 23, 2005. A public meeting will be held on
February 10, 2005, in New Orleans, LA. Meetings in Oakland, CA, and St.
Louis, MO, remain unchanged as previously announced in the Federal
Register [69 FR 78471].
ADDRESSES: Comments. You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard
docket number USCG-2004-19977 to the Docket Management Facility at the
U.S. Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use
only one of the following methods:
(1) Web site: http://dms.dot.gov.
(2) Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
(3) Fax: 202-493-2251.
(4) 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.
(5) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Meeting. The meeting in New Orleans will be held at the following
location: Hyatt Regency New Orleans, Cabildo Room, Poydras at Loyola
Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113.
[[Page 5692]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice,
contact Thomas Scott Kuhaneck, Domestic Vessel Compliance Division (G-
MOC-1), U.S. Coast Guard, telephone 202-267-0240, or e-mail:
TKuhaneck@comdt.uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or
submitting material to the docket, call Andrea M. Jenkins, Program
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-0271.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to respond to our request for comments, 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
Department of Transportation (DOT) to use the Docket Management
Facility. Please see DOT's ``Privacy Act'' three paragraphs below.
Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your
name and address, identify docket number (USCG-2004-19977), indicate
the specific question, 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 envelope. We will consider all comments and
material received during the comment period.
Viewing comments and documents: To view comments, as well as
documents mentioned in this notice 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, etc.).
You may review the Department of Transportation's Privacy Act Statement
in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477), or
you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
Public Meeting
The meeting will be held--
February 10, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Hyatt Regency New
Orleans, Cabildo Room, Poydras at Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113.
Questions
We need the public's assistance in answering the following
questions, and any additional information provided on this topic is
welcome.
In responding to each question, please explain your reasons for
each answer as specifically as possible so that we can carefully weigh
the consequences and impacts of any future actions we may take.
(1) Towing vessels of a certain size (300 or more gross register
tons) are already inspected vessels and are subject to a variety of
existing requirements. Should the Coast Guard use any of these existing
standards (or standards for other types of inspected vessels) for
incorporation into the new regulations regarding the inspection of
towing vessels? If so, which regulations or standards should be
incorporated into these new regulations?
(2) Title 46, United States Code, specifies the items covered with
regard to inspected vessels including lifesaving, firefighting, hull,
propulsion equipment, machinery and vessel equipment. However, the
legislation that added towing vessels to the list of inspected vessels,
authorized that the Coast Guard may prescribe different standards for
towing vessels than for other types of inspected vessels. What, if any,
different standards should be considered with regard to inspected
towing vessel requirements from other inspected vessels?
(3) Towing vessels vary widely in terms of size, horsepower, areas
of operation, and type of operation. Under what circumstances, if any,
should a towing vessel be exempt from the requirements as an inspected
vessel?
(4) Should existing towing vessels be given time to implement
requirements, be ``grandfathered'' altogether from them, or should this
practice vary from requirement to requirement?
(5) Should existing towing vessels be treated differently from
towing vessels yet to be built?
(6) The same act that requires inspection of towing vessels
authorizes the Coast Guard to develop a safety management system
appropriate for the towing vessels. If such a system is developed,
should its use be required for all inspected towing vessels?
(7) Examples of existing safety management systems include the
international safety management (ISM) code and the American Waterways
Operators Responsible Carrier Program. If a safety management system is
used, what elements should be included in such a system?
Procedural
The meeting is open to the public. Attendees may make oral
presentations during the meeting. Please note that the meeting may
close early if all business is finished.
Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities
For information on facilities or services for individuals with
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact
Thomas Scott Kuhaneck at the address under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT as soon as possible.
Dated: January 31, 2005.
Howard L. Hime,
Acting Director of Standards, Marine Safety, Security, and
Environmental Protection, U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 05-2095 Filed 1-31-05; 3:37 pm]
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