Inspection of Towing Vessels, 55847-55849 [2011-23053]
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mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 175 / Friday, September 9, 2011 / Proposed Rules
www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
the RCRA Docket, EPA/DC, EPA West,
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave.,
NW., Washington, DC. The Public
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays. The telephone
number for the Public Reading Room is
(202) 566–1744, and the telephone
number for the RCRA Docket is (202)
566–0270.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lyn
Luben, Office of Resource Conservation
and Recovery (5305P), Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: 703–308–0508; fax
number: 703–308–7903; e-mail address:
luben.lyn@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
On August 8, 2011, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA
or the Agency) published a proposed
rule to revise the regulations for
hazardous waste management under the
Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA) to conditionally exclude
carbon dioxide (CO2) streams that are
hazardous from the definition of
hazardous waste, provided these
hazardous CO2 streams meet certain
conditions. 76 FR 48073. Today’s
correction notice is necessary because
EPA published incorrect burden
estimates in the preamble to the
proposed rule. See Section VII.B. of the
preamble (Paperwork Reduction Act).
76 FR at 48090–91. EPA notes, however,
that the correct burden estimates were
in the Information Collection Request
(ICR) document prepared by EPA,
submitted for approval to the Office of
Management and Budget under the
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq., and placed into the docket
for the August 8, 2011 proposed rule
(EPA–HQ–RCRA–2010–0695). The ICR
was assigned EPA ICR number 2421.01.
The statement in the preamble
referenced above, which begins with
‘‘EPA estimates * * *’’ in the first full
paragraph of the first column on page
48091, should read as follows:
‘‘EPA estimates the total annual
burden to respondents under the new
paperwork requirements to be 27 hours
and $2,287. However, EPA also
estimates an annual burden savings
under the existing RCRA subtitle C
paperwork requirements of 103 hours
and $8,497. Thus, this would result in
a net annual savings of 76 hours and
$6,210. The bottom-line burden savings
over three years is estimated to be 228
hours and $18,630.’’ The remainder of
this paragraph is unchanged.
The public is invited to comment on
this technical correction notice and/or
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the supporting ICR document (EPA ICR
number 2421.01). The public docket for
this rule (EPA–HQ–RCRA–2010–0695)
includes the full ICR document. Please
submit any comments related to this
technical correction notice and/or the
full ICR document to both EPA and
OMB. EPA is allowing for comments on
this technical correction notice and/or
the supporting ICR document to be
submitted up to 30 days after the
publication of this technical correction
notice in the Federal Register (see
DATES section above), but is not
changing the October 7, 2011 deadline
for any non-ICR related comments on
the August 8, 2011 proposed rule. The
final rule will respond to any comments
on the information collection
requirements contained in this technical
correction notice.
List of Subjects
40 CFR Part 260
Environmental protection,
Administrative practice and procedure,
Hazardous waste, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
40 CFR Part 261
Environmental protection, Hazardous
waste, Solid waste, Recycling.
Dated: September 2, 2011.
Mathy Stanislaus,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 2011–23156 Filed 9–8–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
46 CFR Parts 2, 15, 136, 137, 138, 139,
140, 141, 142, 143, and 144
[Docket No. USCG–2006–24412]
RIN 1625–AB06
Inspection of Towing Vessels
Coast Guard, DHS.
Notice of public meetings;
request for comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Coast Guard announces a
series of public meetings to receive
comments on a notice of proposed
rulemaking (NPRM) entitled ‘‘Inspection
of Towing Vessels’’ that was published
in the Federal Register on August 11,
2011. As stated in that document, the
regulations proposed in the NPRM
would establish safety regulations
governing the inspection, standards, and
safety management systems of towing
SUMMARY:
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55847
vessels. The proposal includes
provisions covering: Specific electrical
and machinery requirements for new
and existing towing vessels, the use and
approval of third-party auditors and
surveyors, and procedures for obtaining
Certificates of Inspection. Without
making a specific proposal in the NPRM
regarding potential requirements for
hours of service or crew endurance
management for mariners aboard towing
vessels, the Coast Guard also welcomes
comments on these two important
issues, which are discussed in the
NPRM.
Public meetings will be held on
the following dates to provide an
opportunity for oral comments:
• Tuesday, October 18, 2011, in
Newport News, VA, from 9 a.m. until
5 p.m.;
• Monday, October 24, 2011, in St.
Louis, MO, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.;
• Wednesday, October 26, 2011, in
New Orleans, LA, from 9 a.m. until
5 p.m.;
• Wednesday, November 16, 2011, in
Seattle, WA, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Written comments and related
material may also be submitted to Coast
Guard personnel specified at those
meetings for inclusion in the official
docket for this rulemaking. The
comment period for the NPRM closes on
December 9, 2011. All comments and
related material submitted after the
meeting must either be submitted to our
online docket via https://
www.regulations.gov on or before
December 9, 2011, or reach the Docket
Management Facility by that date.
ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be
held at the following locations:
• Tuesday, October 18, 2011—Point
Plaza Suites at City Center, 950 J. Clyde
Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601.
• Monday, October 24, 2011—
Crowne Plaza (Downtown), 200 N.
Fourth Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.
• Wednesday, October 26, 2011—
Crowne Plaza (New Orleans-Airport),
2829 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA 70062.
• Wednesday, November 16, 2011—
Hotel 1000, 1000 First Avenue, Seattle,
WA 98104.
Live Webcasts (audio and video) of the
four public meetings will also be
broadcast online. The Web site for
viewing those Webcasts can be found at
https://www.Towingvesselregs.us. The
Webcasts will only enable those using
this feature to view the proceedings—it
will not allow them to make remarks to
those participating in the meetings in
person.
As long as they are received by
December 9, 2011, you may submit
written comments identified by docket
DATES:
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55848
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 175 / Friday, September 9, 2011 / Proposed Rules
number USCG–2006–24412 before or
after the meetings using any one of the
following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments
(this is the preferred method to avoid
delays in processing).
• Fax: 202–493–2251.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility
(M–30), U.S. Department of
Transportation, West Building Ground
Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590–
0001.
• Hand delivery: Same as mail
address above, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal Holidays. The telephone
number is 202–366–9329. To avoid
duplication, please use only one of
these four methods. Our online docket
for this rulemaking is available on the
Internet at https://www.regulations.gov
under docket number USCG–2006–
2441.
If
you have questions concerning the
meeting or the proposed rule, please call
or e-mail Michael Harmon, Project
Manager, CGHQ–1210, Coast Guard,
telephone 202–372–1427, e-mail:
Michael.J.Harmon@uscg.mil. If you have
questions on viewing or submitting
material to the docket, call Ms. Renee V.
Wright, Program Manager, Docket
Operations, telephone 202–366–9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Background and Purpose
The Coast Guard published a notice of
proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the
Federal Register on August 11, 2011 (69
FR 49976; https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
pkg/FR-2011-08-11/pdf/201118989.pdf), entitled ‘‘Inspection of
Towing Vessels.’’ In it we stated our
intention to hold public meetings, and
to publish a notice announcing the
locations and dates. This document is
the notice of those meetings.
The Coast Guard and Maritime
Transportation Act of 2004 (CGMTA
2004), Public Law 108–293, 118 Stat.
1028, (Aug. 9, 2004), established new
authorities for towing vessels, including
Section 415, which added towing
vessels, as defined in section 2101 of
title 46, United States Code (U.S.C.), as
a class of vessels that are subject to
safety inspections under chapter 33 of
that title (Id. at 1047).
In the NPRM published on August 11,
2011, the Coast Guard proposes to
establish safety regulations governing
the inspection of, and standards and
safety management systems for, towing
vessels. The proposal includes
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provisions covering: Specific electrical
and machinery requirements for new
and existing towing vessels, the use and
approval of third-party auditors and
surveyors, and procedures for obtaining
Certificates of Inspection. The intent of
the proposed rulemaking is to promote
safer work practices and reduce
casualties on towing vessels by
requiring that towing vessels adhere to
prescribed safety standards and safety
management systems or to an
alternative, annual Coast Guard
inspection regime.
Without making a specific proposal in
the NPRM, the Coast Guard also seeks
additional data, information and public
comment on potential requirements for
hours of service or crew endurance
management for mariners aboard towing
vessels. The Coast Guard would later
request public comment on specific
hours of service or crew endurance
management regulatory text if it seeks to
implement such requirements.
You may view the NPRM in our
online docket (document number
USCG–2006–24412–0001), in addition
to supporting documents prepared by
the Coast Guard (including the
Preliminary Regulatory Analysis and
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis,
document number USCG–2006–24412–
0002), other supplemental material, and
comments submitted thus far by going
to https://www.regulations.gov. Once
there, insert USCG–2006–24412 or the
document number in the Keyword ID
box, press Enter, and then click on the
item you are interested in viewing. If
you do not have access to the Internet,
you may view the docket online by
visiting the Docket Management Facility
in Room W12–140 on the ground floor
of the Department of Transportation
West Building, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590,
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
We have an agreement with the
Department of Transportation to use the
Docket Management Facility.
We encourage you to participate in
this rulemaking by submitting
comments either orally at the meeting or
in writing. If you bring written
comments to the meeting, you may
submit them to Coast Guard personnel
specified at the meeting to receive
written comments. These comments
will be submitted to our online public
docket. All comments received will be
posted without change to https://
www.regulations.gov and will include
any personal information you have
provided.
Anyone can search the electronic
form of comments received into any of
our dockets by the name of the
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individual submitting the comment (or
signing the comment, if submitted on
behalf of an association, business, labor
union, etc.). You may review a Privacy
Act notice regarding our public dockets
in the January 17, 2008 issue of the
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).
Information on Services for Individuals
With Disabilities
For information on facilities or
services for individuals with disabilities
or to request special assistance at the
public meetings, contact Michael
Harmon at the telephone number or
e-mail address indicated under the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this notice.
Public Meetings
As stated in the ADDRESSES section,
the Coast Guard will hold public
meetings regarding its Inspection of
Towing Vessels proposed rule on the
following dates at the stated locations:
• Tuesday, October 18, 2011—Point
Plaza Suites at City Center, 950 J. Clyde
Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601.
• Monday, October 24, 2011—
Crowne Plaza (Downtown), 200 N.
Fourth Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.
• Wednesday, October 26, 2011—
Crowne Plaza (New Orleans-Airport),
2829 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA 70062.
• Wednesday, November 16, 2011—
Hotel 1000, 1000 First Avenue, Seattle,
WA 98104.
Each meeting will be conducted from 9
a.m. until 5 p.m., with a planned lunch
break for approximately 60 to 90
minutes at a convenient point during
the commenting period. The Coast
Guard may conclude a meeting early if
at any time after 1 p.m. all persons
present at a meeting who wish to submit
oral comments have done so.
Live Webcasts (audio and video) of
the four public meetings will also be
broadcast online. The Web site for
viewing those Webcasts can be found at
https://www.Towingvesselregs.us. The
Webcasts will only enable those using
this feature to view the proceedings—it
will not allow Webcast viewers to make
remarks to those participating in the
meetings in person.
We plan to make an audio recording
of the meetings available through a link
in our online docket. We also plan to
provide a written summary of oral
comments presented at the meetings
and will place those summaries in the
docket.
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 175 / Friday, September 9, 2011 / Proposed Rules
Dated: September 2, 2011.
R.C. Proctor,
Acting Director of Commercial Regulations
and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2011–23053 Filed 9–8–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–04–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
SPACE ADMINISTRATION
48 CFR Parts 1, 2, 4, 12, 14, 15, 19, 22,
26, 52, and 53
[FAR Case 2009–016; Docket 2011–0090;
Sequence 1]
I. Background
RIN 9000–AM05
Federal Acquisition Regulation;
Constitutionality of Federal
Contracting Programs for MinorityOwned and Other Small Businesses
Department of Defense (DoD),
General Services Administration (GSA),
and National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
DoD, GSA, and NASA are
proposing to amend the Federal
Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to address
the impact of the decision in Rothe
Development Corporation vs. the DoD
and the U.S. Department of the Air
Force (USAF) on small disadvantaged
business concerns and certain
institutions of higher education.
DATES: Interested parties should submit
written comments to the Regulatory
Secretariat at one of the addresses
shown below on or before November 8,
2011 to be considered in the formation
of the final rule.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in
response to FAR Case 2009–016 by any
of the following methods:
• Regulations.gov: https://
www.regulations.gov. Submit comments
via the Federal eRulemaking portal by
inputting ‘‘FAR Case 2009–016’’ under
the heading ‘‘Enter Keyword or ID’’ and
selecting ‘‘Search.’’ Select the link
‘‘Submit a Comment’’ that corresponds
with ‘‘FAR Case 2009–016.’’ Follow the
instructions provided at the ‘‘Submit a
Comment’’ screen. Please include your
name, company name (if any), and
‘‘FAR Case 2009–016’’ on your attached
document.
• Fax: (202) 501–4067.
• Mail: General Services
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat
(MVCB), Attn: Hada Flowers, 1275 First
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SUMMARY:
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Street, NE., 7th Floor, Washington, DC
20417.
Instructions: Please submit comments
only and cite FAR Case 2009–016, in all
correspondence related to this case. All
comments received will be posted
without change to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal and/or business confidential
information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Karlos Morgan, Procurement Analyst, at
(202) 501–2364, for clarification of
content. For information pertaining to
status or publication schedules, contact
the Regulatory Secretariat at (202) 501–
4755. Please cite FAR Case 2009–016.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
In November 1998, Rothe
Development Corporation (RDC) filed
suit against DoD and the USAF (Rothe),
in the U.S. District Court for the
Western District of Texas. In its
complaint, RDC challenged the
constitutionality of section 1207 of the
National Defense Authorization Act of
1987, Public Law 99–661 (10 U.S.C.
2323), alleging that it violated the right
to equal protection under the Due
Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment
to the United States Constitution. RDC’s
initial complaint against the DoD/USAF
focused on the reauthorization of
section 1207 in 1992. On September 25,
2007, the U.S. District Court for the
Western District of Texas entered a
judgment in favor of DoD. However,
RDC appealed the court’s ruling and on
November 4, 2008, the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Federal Circuit decided
in its favor (Rothe Dev. Corp. v. DoD,
545 F.3d 1023 (Fed. Cir. November 4,
2008)). The U.S. Court of Appeals for
the Federal Circuit found 10 U.S.C. 2323
unconstitutional. A District court
decision mandated by the U.S. Court of
Appeals was issued on February 27,
2009, enjoining all application of 10
U.S.C. 2323 (Rothe Dev. Corp. v. DoD,
606 F. Supp. 2d 648 (W.D. Tex. 2009)).
Section 1207 of the National Defense
Authorization Act of 1987, Public Law
99–661, codified at 10 U.S.C. 2323,
established the DoD, NASA, and the
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Small
Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
Participation Program. The purpose of
the program was to ensure that SDBs
could fully participate in the Federal
contracting process. Section 1207
provided the authority for DoD, NASA,
and USCG contracting officers to apply
a price adjustment of up to 10 percent
to afford SDBs a competitive price
advantage when competing in a full and
open competition and assist in
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55849
achieving a 5 percent SDB goal. Section
1207 serves as the statutory
underpinning for FAR subpart 19.11,
Price Evaluation Adjustment for Small
Disadvantaged Business Concerns, as
well as some of FAR subpart 19.12,
Small Disadvantaged Business
Participation Program, and certain
associated FAR clauses.
A. FAR Revisions
DOD, GSA, and NASA are proposing
to amend the FAR to remove coverage
at FAR subpart 19.11, FAR subpart
19.12, corresponding clauses at FAR
52.219–22, Small Disadvantaged
Business Status, FAR 52.219–23, Notice
of Price Evaluation Adjustment for
Small Disadvantaged Business
Concerns, FAR 52.219–24, Small
Disadvantaged Business Participation
Program—Targets, FAR 52.219–25,
Small Disadvantaged Business
Participation Program—Disadvantaged
Status and Reporting, and FAR 52.219–
26, Small Disadvantaged Business
Participation Program—Incentive
Subcontracting, and to remove
references to FAR subpart 19.11, 19.12,
and corresponding clauses in FAR parts
1, 2, 4, 12, 14, 15, 19, 22, 26, 52, and
53.
Certain authorities in FAR subpart
19.12 and supporting clauses addressing
the award of subcontracts to SDBs that
are rooted in the Small Business Act,
rather than in section 1207, were not at
issue in the Rothe decision, and
therefore retain their legal status. These
include the authority to (1) provide
monetary incentives to prime
contractors to encourage subcontracting
opportunities to SDBs and (2) use an
evaluation factor or subfactor to
evaluate the participation of small
businesses as subcontractors. Because
these authorities are not affected by the
Rothe decision, the coverage in FAR
subpart 19.12 addressing subcontracting
(with the exception of the coverage at
FAR 19.1202 on the use of factors or
subfactors to evaluate SDB subcontract
participation) has been retained but
moved to FAR subpart 19.7, which
already addresses subcontracting issues
generally, including the use of monetary
incentives to encourage subcontracting
opportunities. As a result, this
realignment consolidates coverage on
subcontracting with small business
programs in one place.
With respect to FAR 19.1202,
Evaluation factor or subfactor, FAR
subpart 19.7 is currently silent on its
use. Nothing in this rulemaking
precludes an agency from using
evaluation factors and subfactors for
subcontracting during source selections.
The Small Business Administration’s
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 175 (Friday, September 9, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55847-55849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23053]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
46 CFR Parts 2, 15, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, and 144
[Docket No. USCG-2006-24412]
RIN 1625-AB06
Inspection of Towing Vessels
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces a series of public meetings to
receive comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled
``Inspection of Towing Vessels'' that was published in the Federal
Register on August 11, 2011. As stated in that document, the
regulations proposed in the NPRM would establish safety regulations
governing the inspection, standards, and safety management systems of
towing vessels. The proposal includes provisions covering: Specific
electrical and machinery requirements for new and existing towing
vessels, the use and approval of third-party auditors and surveyors,
and procedures for obtaining Certificates of Inspection. Without making
a specific proposal in the NPRM regarding potential requirements for
hours of service or crew endurance management for mariners aboard
towing vessels, the Coast Guard also welcomes comments on these two
important issues, which are discussed in the NPRM.
DATES: Public meetings will be held on the following dates to provide
an opportunity for oral comments:
Tuesday, October 18, 2011, in Newport News, VA, from 9
a.m. until 5 p.m.;
Monday, October 24, 2011, in St. Louis, MO, from 9 a.m.
until 5 p.m.;
Wednesday, October 26, 2011, in New Orleans, LA, from 9
a.m. until 5 p.m.;
Wednesday, November 16, 2011, in Seattle, WA, from 9 a.m.
until 5 p.m.
Written comments and related material may also be submitted to
Coast Guard personnel specified at those meetings for inclusion in the
official docket for this rulemaking. The comment period for the NPRM
closes on December 9, 2011. All comments and related material submitted
after the meeting must either be submitted to our online docket via
https://www.regulations.gov on or before December 9, 2011, or reach the
Docket Management Facility by that date.
ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held at the following locations:
Tuesday, October 18, 2011--Point Plaza Suites at City
Center, 950 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601.
Monday, October 24, 2011--Crowne Plaza (Downtown), 200 N.
Fourth Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011--Crowne Plaza (New Orleans-
Airport), 2829 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA 70062.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011--Hotel 1000, 1000 First
Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.
Live Webcasts (audio and video) of the four public meetings will also
be broadcast online. The Web site for viewing those Webcasts can be
found at https://www.Towingvesselregs.us. The Webcasts will only enable
those using this feature to view the proceedings--it will not allow
them to make remarks to those participating in the meetings in person.
As long as they are received by December 9, 2011, you may submit
written comments identified by docket
[[Page 55848]]
number USCG-2006-24412 before or after the meetings using any one of
the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments (this is the preferred
method to avoid delays in processing).
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department
of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. The
telephone number is 202-366-9329. To avoid duplication, please use only
one of these four methods. Our online docket for this rulemaking is
available on the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov under docket
number USCG-2006-2441.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions concerning the
meeting or the proposed rule, please call or e-mail Michael Harmon,
Project Manager, CGHQ-1210, Coast Guard, telephone 202-372-1427, e-
mail: Michael.J.Harmon@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or
submitting material to the docket, call Ms. Renee V. Wright, Program
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Purpose
The Coast Guard published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in
the Federal Register on August 11, 2011 (69 FR 49976; https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-08-11/pdf/2011-18989.pdf), entitled
``Inspection of Towing Vessels.'' In it we stated our intention to hold
public meetings, and to publish a notice announcing the locations and
dates. This document is the notice of those meetings.
The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004 (CGMTA
2004), Public Law 108-293, 118 Stat. 1028, (Aug. 9, 2004), established
new authorities for towing vessels, including Section 415, which added
towing vessels, as defined in section 2101 of title 46, United States
Code (U.S.C.), as a class of vessels that are subject to safety
inspections under chapter 33 of that title (Id. at 1047).
In the NPRM published on August 11, 2011, the Coast Guard proposes
to establish safety regulations governing the inspection of, and
standards and safety management systems for, towing vessels. The
proposal includes provisions covering: Specific electrical and
machinery requirements for new and existing towing vessels, the use and
approval of third-party auditors and surveyors, and procedures for
obtaining Certificates of Inspection. The intent of the proposed
rulemaking is to promote safer work practices and reduce casualties on
towing vessels by requiring that towing vessels adhere to prescribed
safety standards and safety management systems or to an alternative,
annual Coast Guard inspection regime.
Without making a specific proposal in the NPRM, the Coast Guard
also seeks additional data, information and public comment on potential
requirements for hours of service or crew endurance management for
mariners aboard towing vessels. The Coast Guard would later request
public comment on specific hours of service or crew endurance
management regulatory text if it seeks to implement such requirements.
You may view the NPRM in our online docket (document number USCG-
2006-24412-0001), in addition to supporting documents prepared by the
Coast Guard (including the Preliminary Regulatory Analysis and Initial
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, document number USCG-2006-24412-0002),
other supplemental material, and comments submitted thus far by going
to https://www.regulations.gov. Once there, insert USCG-2006-24412 or
the document number in the Keyword ID box, press Enter, and then click
on the item you are interested in viewing. If you do not have access to
the Internet, you may view the docket online by visiting the Docket
Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the
Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue,
SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. We have an agreement with the
Department of Transportation to use the Docket Management Facility.
We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting
comments either orally at the meeting or in writing. If you bring
written comments to the meeting, you may submit them to Coast Guard
personnel specified at the meeting to receive written comments. These
comments will be submitted to our online public docket. All comments
received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov
and will include any personal information you have provided.
Anyone can search the electronic form of 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 a Privacy Act notice
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008 issue of the
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).
Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities
For information on facilities or services for individuals with
disabilities or to request special assistance at the public meetings,
contact Michael Harmon at the telephone number or e-mail address
indicated under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
notice.
Public Meetings
As stated in the ADDRESSES section, the Coast Guard will hold
public meetings regarding its Inspection of Towing Vessels proposed
rule on the following dates at the stated locations:
Tuesday, October 18, 2011--Point Plaza Suites at City
Center, 950 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601.
Monday, October 24, 2011--Crowne Plaza (Downtown), 200 N.
Fourth Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011--Crowne Plaza (New Orleans-
Airport), 2829 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA 70062.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011--Hotel 1000, 1000 First
Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.
Each meeting will be conducted from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., with a planned
lunch break for approximately 60 to 90 minutes at a convenient point
during the commenting period. The Coast Guard may conclude a meeting
early if at any time after 1 p.m. all persons present at a meeting who
wish to submit oral comments have done so.
Live Webcasts (audio and video) of the four public meetings will
also be broadcast online. The Web site for viewing those Webcasts can
be found at https://www.Towingvesselregs.us. The Webcasts will only
enable those using this feature to view the proceedings--it will not
allow Webcast viewers to make remarks to those participating in the
meetings in person.
We plan to make an audio recording of the meetings available
through a link in our online docket. We also plan to provide a written
summary of oral comments presented at the meetings and will place those
summaries in the docket.
[[Page 55849]]
Dated: September 2, 2011.
R.C. Proctor,
Acting Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2011-23053 Filed 9-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
