High Frequency (HF) Radio Broadcasts of Marine Weather Forecasts and Warnings, 20863-20865 [E7-7945]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 80 / Thursday, April 26, 2007 / Notices NBSAC, telephone 202–372–1062, fax 202–372–1932, or e-mail: jeffrey.a.ludwig@uscg.mil. The National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) is a Federal advisory committee under 5 U.S.C. App. 2. It advises the Coast Guard regarding regulations and other major boating safety matters. NBSAC’s 21 members are drawn equally from the following three sectors of the boating community: State officials responsible for State boating safety programs, recreational boat and associated equipment manufacturers, and national recreational boating organizations and the general public. Members are appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. NBSAC normally meets twice each year at a location selected by the Coast Guard. When attending meetings of the Council, members are provided travel expenses and per diem. We will consider applications received in response to this notice for the following seven positions that expire or become vacant in December 2007: Two representatives of State officials responsible for State boating safety programs, three representatives of recreational boat and associated equipment manufacturers, and two representatives of the general public or national recreational boating organizations. Applicants are considered for membership on the basis of their particular expertise, knowledge, and experience in recreational boating safety. Prior applicants should submit an updated application to ensure consideration for the vacancies announced in this notice. Each member serves for a term of up to 3 years. Members may reapply to serve a consecutive term. In support of the policy of the U.S. Coast Guard on gender and ethnic diversity, we encourage qualified women and members of minority groups to apply. If you are selected as a member who represents the general public, we will require you to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450). We may not release the report or the information in it to the public, except under an order issued by a Federal court or as otherwise provided under the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a). rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Dated: April 18, 2007. F.J. Sturm, Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Director of Inspections and Compliance. [FR Doc. E7–7947 Filed 4–25–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–15–P VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:59 Apr 25, 2007 Jkt 211001 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [CGD08–07–009] Lower Mississippi River Waterway Safety Advisory Committee Coast Guard, DHS. Notice of meeting. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: The Lower Mississippi River Waterway Safety Advisory Committee (LMRWSAC) will meet to discuss various issues relating to navigational safety on the Lower Mississippi River and related waterways. The meeting will be open to the public. DATES: The next meeting of LMRWSAC will be held on Wednesday, May 23, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This meeting may adjourn early if all business is finished. Requests to make oral presentations or submit written materials for distribution at the meeting should reach the Coast Guard on or before May 9, 2007. Requests to have a copy of your material distributed to each member of the committee in advance of the meeting should reach the Coast Guard on or before May 9, 2007. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the World Trade Center of New Orleans, 2 Canal Street, 18th Floor, New Orleans, LA 70130. This notice is available on the Internet at https://dms.dot.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) Thao Nguyen, Assistant Committee Administrator, e-mail thao.v.nguyen@uscg.mil, telephone (504) 589–6196 extension 369. Written materials and requests to make presentations should be mailed to Commanding Officer, USCG Sector New Orleans, Attn: Waterways Management, 1615 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70112. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. Agenda of Meeting Lower Mississippi River Waterway Safety Advisory Committee (LMRWSAC). The agenda includes the following: (1) Introduction of committee members. (2) Opening Remarks. (3) Approval of the December 14, 2006 minutes. (4) Old Business: (a) Captain of the Port status report. (b) VTS update report. (c) Subcommittee / Working Group update reports. PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 20863 (5) New Business. (6) Adjournment. Procedural The meeting is open to the public. Please note that the meeting may close early if all business is finished. At the Chair’s discretion, members of the public may make oral presentations during the meeting. If you would like to make an oral presentation at the meeting, please notify the Committee Administrator no later than May 9, 2007. Written material for distribution at the meeting should reach the Coast Guard no later than May 9, 2007. If you would like a copy of your material distributed to each member of the committee in advance of the meeting, please submit 25 copies to the Committee Administrator no later than May 9, 2007. Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities For information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities, or to request special assistance at the meetings, contact the Committee Administrator at the location indicated under Addresses as soon as possible. Dated: April 13, 2007. Richard G. Sullivan, Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, Acting. [FR Doc. E7–7941 Filed 4–25–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–15–P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [USCG–2007–27656] High Frequency (HF) Radio Broadcasts of Marine Weather Forecasts and Warnings Coast Guard, DHS. Notice; request for public comments. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is soliciting public comment on the need to continue providing high frequency (HF) radio broadcasts of weather forecasts and warnings. Public comment is necessary in order to assess the demand for the HF radio broadcasts of weather forecasts in each of three forms: (1) Radiofacsimile; (2) voice; and, (3) Simplex Teletype Over Radio (SITOR), also known as Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP). The infrastructure necessary to provide these services has exceeded its life expectancy; the equipment is no longer manufactured, repairs are difficult to E:\FR\FM\26APN1.SGM 26APN1 20864 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 80 / Thursday, April 26, 2007 / Notices rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES accomplish, and spare parts generally are not available. Because of the very significant costs involved to continue these specific HF radio services, the Coast Guard requires information on the extent to which these services are used by the public and what alternative services are being used or are available to obtain weather forecasts and warnings. DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Docket Management Facility on or before August 24, 2007. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket number USCG–2007–27656 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: https://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. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, please contact Mr. Russell S. Levin, Spectrum Management Division (CG– 622), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, telephone: 202–475–3555, fax: 202– 475–3927, or e-mail: Russell.S.Levin@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202–493–0402. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Request for Comments We encourage you to participate by submitting comments. All comments received will be posted, without change, to https://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’’ paragraph below. Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your name and address, identify the docket number for this notice (USCG–2007–27656) and give the reason for each comment. You may submit your comments by electronic means, mail, fax, or delivery to the Docket Management Facility at the address under ADDRESSES; but please submit your comments by only VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:59 Apr 25, 2007 Jkt 211001 one means. If you submit them by mail or delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 81⁄2 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 received during the comment period. Viewing comments and documents: To view comments, go to https:// dms.dot.gov at any time, click on ‘‘Simple Search,’’ enter the last five digits of the docket number for this notice, and click on ‘‘Search.’’ 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 https://dms.dot.gov. Background and Purpose The Coast Guard broadcasts the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) weather forecasts and warnings using 24 high frequency (HF) radio transmitters (transmitting on frequencies between 3 and 30 MHz) located at seven Coast Guard communications stations in the United States and Guam. The range of these HF radio transmissions is dependent upon operating frequency, time of day and atmospheric conditions, and can vary from only short distances to several thousand miles. There are three types of HF radio broadcasts currently provided: (1) Voice broadcasts that transmit a synthesized voice to announce the forecasts); (2) radiofacsimile, also known as ‘‘radiofax’’ or ‘‘HF Fax’’ broadcasts, that transmit graphic weather maps and other graphic images over HF radio (maps are received using a dedicated radiofax receiver or a single sideband shortwave receiver connected to an external facsimile recorder or a personal computer equipped with a radiofax interface and application software); and, (3) Simplex Teletype Over Radio (SITOR) broadcasts also known as Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP). PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 The 24 HF transmitters employed to transmit weather forecasts and warnings are not, because of their age, providing the reliability the Coast Guard expects from its radio transmitters. These particular transmitters are no longer manufactured and replacement parts generally are not available, making it difficult, if not impossible, to repair them. If the HF weather broadcasts are to continue, the infrastructure necessary for the broadcasts must be replaced. Significant costs will be incurred to replace the requisite transmitters and associated infrastructure. Before seeking funds for this undertaking, the Coast Guard must gather evidence relating to how frequently, and under what circumstances, the maritime community uses the various types of HF radio weather broadcasts. In addition, it would be helpful to learn about current and future needs of the maritime community with regard to receiving weather forecasts and warnings over HF radio, and what alternatives are being used or might become available. Questions: The following are questions related to Coast Guard HF radio broadcasts on which we seek your comments. It would be helpful if commenters would answer the question as specifically as possible, and then provide explanations, if any, for the responses. (1) What is your position in the maritime community? (Please be as specific as possible, e.g., captain of 600′ oil tanker, 1st mate on 500 unit containership, owner/operator of 45′ cruising sailboat, fleet manager of a 27 vessel shipping company, yacht delivery captain, etc.) (2) What are your primary sources for obtaining marine weather forecasts? (For example, Inmarsat-C/SafetyNet, USCG HF radio broadcasts, USCG medium frequency (MF) Radio Broadcasts, USCG very high frequency (VHF) radio broadcasts, NOAA Weather Radio, NAVTEX, shoreside Internet, radio/ television, commercial service/system, etc.) (3) Do you use Coast Guard HF radio voice broadcasts to receive marine weather forecasts? (Yes or No) If yes, how often do you use Coast Guard HF voice broadcasts and how critical are they to your safety and operation as compared to the other sources you listed in your response to Question 2? (4) Do you use Coast Guard HF radiofax broadcasts to receive marine weather forecasts? (Yes or No) If yes, how often do you use Coast Guard HF radiofax broadcasts and how critical are they to your safety and operation as compared to the other sources you listed in your response to Question 2? E:\FR\FM\26APN1.SGM 26APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 80 / Thursday, April 26, 2007 / Notices (5) Do you use Coast Guard HF radio Simplex Teletype over Radio (SITOR) (also known as Narrow Band Direct printing (NBDP)) to receive marine weather forecasts? (Yes or No) If yes, how often do you use Coast Guard SITOR radio broadcasts and how critical are they to your safety and operation as compared to the other sources you listed in your response to Question 2? (6) What alternative source(s) for obtaining marine weather forecasts would you pursue if Coast Guard HF broadcasts were no longer available? How would you rate the alternative source(s) in terms of (a) user cost and (b) usefulness of the information as compared to the Coast Guard HF broadcast it replaces? (7) Would the loss of Coast Guard HF marine weather broadcasts affect you? Please explain. (8) How far seaward does your vessel primarily operate? (For example, coastal (0–25 nautical miles (nm) seaward); offshore (25–200 nm seaward); or, high seas (more than 200 nm seaward.) In what geographic area(s) do you generally operate your vessel? (For example, mid-Atlantic, New England, North Central Pacific, Hawaii, Gulf of Mexico, etc.) As noted previously, comments regarding these questions, and any other pertinent matters brought to our attention during the comment period, will be taken into account in our future actions regarding the issues raised by these questions. Dated: April 18, 2007. C.S. Johnson, JR., Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Assistant Commandant for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Information Technology. [FR Doc. E7–7945 Filed 4–25–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–15–P FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Magda Ruiz, Disaster Assistance Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC 20472, (202) 646–2705. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of an emergency declaration for the State of Indiana is hereby amended to include the following areas among those areas determined to have been adversely affected by the catastrophe declared an emergency by the President in his declaration of March 12, 2007: Porter, Steuben, and Wells Counties for emergency protective measures (Category B), including snow removal, under the Public Assistance program for any continuous 48hour period during or proximate to the incident period. (The following Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers (CFDA) are to be used for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030, Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora Brown Fund Program; 97.032, Crisis Counseling; 97.033, Disaster Legal Services Program; 97.034, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA); 97.046, Fire Management Assistance; 97.048, Individuals and Households Housing; 97.049, Individuals and Households Disaster Housing Operations; 97.050, Individuals and Households Program-Other Needs, 97.036, Public Assistance Grants; 97.039, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program). R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency. [FR Doc. E7–7972 Filed 4–25–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110–10–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Draft Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment. AGENCY: DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA–3274–EM] Indiana; Amendment No. 2 to Notice of an Emergency Declaration Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the State of Indiana (FEMA–3274–EM), dated March 12, 2007, and related determinations. EFFECTIVE DATE: April 17, 2007. VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:59 Apr 25, 2007 Jkt 211001 SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) (northern spotted owl) for public review and comment. DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or before June 25, 2007. We will also conduct four public meetings in order to receive oral comments about this plan. For dates, times, and locations, please refer to the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. ADDRESSES: Comments on the plan can be sent electronically to PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 20865 NSOplan@fws.gov, or mailed to NSO Recovery Plan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 911 NE., 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232. Copies of the draft recovery plan will be available by request from the same Portland address (telephone: 503–231– 2194). An electronic copy of the draft recovery plan is also available at: https://www.fws.gov/pacific/ecoservices/ endangered/recovery/plans.html. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Phifer, Northern Spotted Owl Recovery Plan Project Manager, at the Portland address identified above (telephone 503–724–1886, fax 503–231–2050). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their ecosystems is a primary goal of our endangered species program. The Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (ESA) requires the development of recovery plans for listed species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a particular species. Recovery plans help guide the recovery effort by describing actions considered necessary for the conservation of the species, establishing criteria for downlisting or delisting listed species, and estimating time and cost for implementing the measures needed for recovery. Section 4(f) of the ESA requires that public notice, and an opportunity for public review and comment, be provided during recovery plan development. We will consider all information presented during the public comment period. Substantive comments on the recovery needs of the species or other aspects of recovery plan development may result in changes to the recovery plan. Substantive comments regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in changes to the recovery plan, but will be forwarded to appropriate Federal agencies or other entities so that they can take these comments into account during the course of implementing recovery actions. Individual responses to comments will not be provided. The northern spotted owl inhabits structurally complex forests from southwest British Columbia through the Cascade Mountains and coastal ranges in Washington, Oregon, and California, as far south as Marin County. When the northern spotted owl was listed under the ESA as a threatened species on June 26, 1990, the major threats were identified as widespread loss and E:\FR\FM\26APN1.SGM 26APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 80 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20863-20865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7945]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[USCG-2007-27656]


High Frequency (HF) Radio Broadcasts of Marine Weather Forecasts 
and Warnings

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice; request for public comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is soliciting public comment on the need to 
continue providing high frequency (HF) radio broadcasts of weather 
forecasts and warnings. Public comment is necessary in order to assess 
the demand for the HF radio broadcasts of weather forecasts in each of 
three forms: (1) Radiofacsimile; (2) voice; and, (3) Simplex Teletype 
Over Radio (SITOR), also known as Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP). 
The infrastructure necessary to provide these services has exceeded its 
life expectancy; the equipment is no longer manufactured, repairs are 
difficult to

[[Page 20864]]

accomplish, and spare parts generally are not available. Because of the 
very significant costs involved to continue these specific HF radio 
services, the Coast Guard requires information on the extent to which 
these services are used by the public and what alternative services are 
being used or are available to obtain weather forecasts and warnings.

DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Docket Management 
Facility on or before August 24, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket 
number USCG-2007-27656 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: https://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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
please contact Mr. Russell S. Levin, Spectrum Management Division (CG-
622), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, telephone: 202-475-3555, fax: 202-
475-3927, or e-mail: Russell.S.Levin@uscg.mil. If you have questions on 
viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, 
Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-493-0402.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    We encourage you to participate by submitting comments. All 
comments received will be posted, without change, to https://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'' paragraph below.
    Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your 
name and address, identify the docket number for this notice (USCG-
2007-27656) and give the reason for each comment. You may submit your 
comments by electronic means, mail, fax, or delivery to the Docket 
Management Facility at the address under ADDRESSES; but please submit 
your comments 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 received during the comment period.
    Viewing comments and documents: To view comments, go to https://
dms.dot.gov at any time, click on ``Simple Search,'' enter the last 
five digits of the docket number for this notice, and click on 
``Search.'' 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 
https://dms.dot.gov.

Background and Purpose

    The Coast Guard broadcasts the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) weather 
forecasts and warnings using 24 high frequency (HF) radio transmitters 
(transmitting on frequencies between 3 and 30 MHz) located at seven 
Coast Guard communications stations in the United States and Guam. The 
range of these HF radio transmissions is dependent upon operating 
frequency, time of day and atmospheric conditions, and can vary from 
only short distances to several thousand miles. There are three types 
of HF radio broadcasts currently provided: (1) Voice broadcasts that 
transmit a synthesized voice to announce the forecasts); (2) 
radiofacsimile, also known as ``radiofax'' or ``HF Fax'' broadcasts, 
that transmit graphic weather maps and other graphic images over HF 
radio (maps are received using a dedicated radiofax receiver or a 
single sideband shortwave receiver connected to an external facsimile 
recorder or a personal computer equipped with a radiofax interface and 
application software); and, (3) Simplex Teletype Over Radio (SITOR) 
broadcasts also known as Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP).
    The 24 HF transmitters employed to transmit weather forecasts and 
warnings are not, because of their age, providing the reliability the 
Coast Guard expects from its radio transmitters. These particular 
transmitters are no longer manufactured and replacement parts generally 
are not available, making it difficult, if not impossible, to repair 
them. If the HF weather broadcasts are to continue, the infrastructure 
necessary for the broadcasts must be replaced. Significant costs will 
be incurred to replace the requisite transmitters and associated 
infrastructure. Before seeking funds for this undertaking, the Coast 
Guard must gather evidence relating to how frequently, and under what 
circumstances, the maritime community uses the various types of HF 
radio weather broadcasts. In addition, it would be helpful to learn 
about current and future needs of the maritime community with regard to 
receiving weather forecasts and warnings over HF radio, and what 
alternatives are being used or might become available.
    Questions: The following are questions related to Coast Guard HF 
radio broadcasts on which we seek your comments. It would be helpful if 
commenters would answer the question as specifically as possible, and 
then provide explanations, if any, for the responses.
    (1) What is your position in the maritime community? (Please be as 
specific as possible, e.g., captain of 600[min] oil tanker, 1st mate on 
500 unit containership, owner/operator of 45[min] cruising sailboat, 
fleet manager of a 27 vessel shipping company, yacht delivery captain, 
etc.)
    (2) What are your primary sources for obtaining marine weather 
forecasts? (For example, Inmarsat-C/SafetyNet, USCG HF radio 
broadcasts, USCG medium frequency (MF) Radio Broadcasts, USCG very high 
frequency (VHF) radio broadcasts, NOAA Weather Radio, NAVTEX, shoreside 
Internet, radio/television, commercial service/system, etc.)
    (3) Do you use Coast Guard HF radio voice broadcasts to receive 
marine weather forecasts? (Yes or No) If yes, how often do you use 
Coast Guard HF voice broadcasts and how critical are they to your 
safety and operation as compared to the other sources you listed in 
your response to Question 2?
    (4) Do you use Coast Guard HF radiofax broadcasts to receive marine 
weather forecasts? (Yes or No) If yes, how often do you use Coast Guard 
HF radiofax broadcasts and how critical are they to your safety and 
operation as compared to the other sources you listed in your response 
to Question 2?

[[Page 20865]]

    (5) Do you use Coast Guard HF radio Simplex Teletype over Radio 
(SITOR) (also known as Narrow Band Direct printing (NBDP)) to receive 
marine weather forecasts? (Yes or No) If yes, how often do you use 
Coast Guard SITOR radio broadcasts and how critical are they to your 
safety and operation as compared to the other sources you listed in 
your response to Question 2?
    (6) What alternative source(s) for obtaining marine weather 
forecasts would you pursue if Coast Guard HF broadcasts were no longer 
available? How would you rate the alternative source(s) in terms of (a) 
user cost and (b) usefulness of the information as compared to the 
Coast Guard HF broadcast it replaces?
    (7) Would the loss of Coast Guard HF marine weather broadcasts 
affect you? Please explain.
    (8) How far seaward does your vessel primarily operate? (For 
example, coastal (0-25 nautical miles (nm) seaward); offshore (25-200 
nm seaward); or, high seas (more than 200 nm seaward.) In what 
geographic area(s) do you generally operate your vessel? (For example, 
mid-Atlantic, New England, North Central Pacific, Hawaii, Gulf of 
Mexico, etc.)
    As noted previously, comments regarding these questions, and any 
other pertinent matters brought to our attention during the comment 
period, will be taken into account in our future actions regarding the 
issues raised by these questions.

    Dated: April 18, 2007.
C.S. Johnson, JR.,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Assistant Commandant for Command, 
Control, Communications, Computers and Information Technology.
 [FR Doc. E7-7945 Filed 4-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P
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