Draft Guidance for Interpreting Regulations for Marine Casualty Reporting, 2466-2467 [2014-00443]

Agencies

• Coast Guard
• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2466-2467]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00443]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2013-1047]


Draft Guidance for Interpreting Regulations for Marine Casualty 
Reporting

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of draft guidance 
in the form of a Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 
entitled ``Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 4 Marine 
Casualty Reporting Procedures Guide with Associated Standard 
Interpretations.'' The draft NVIC will assist regulated maritime 
industry stakeholders in determining if certain occurrences are 
reportable or not reportable to the Coast Guard, other than those 
related to recreational vessel casualties. This notice requests public 
comment on the impacts that the interpretations and policies contained 
in the draft NVIC would have upon vessel owners and operators or other 
affected parties. This notice promotes the Coast Guard's maritime 
safety and stewardship missions.

DATES: Comments and other related material on the draft NVIC must 
either be submitted to our online docket via https://www.regulations.gov 
on or before April 14, 2014 or reach the Docket Management Facility by 
that date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2013-1047 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) 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.
    (4) 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. 
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
email Lieutenant Commander Randy S. Waddington, Office of 
Investigations and Analysis, U.S. Coast Guard at HQS-PF-fldr-CG-INV@uscg.dhs.gov. If you have questions on viewing or submitting 
material to the docket, call Barbara Hairston, Program Manager, Docket 
Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments and related material on the 
draft NVIC. All comments received will be posted, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information 
you have provided.

A. Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (USCG-2013-1047) and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online, or by 
fax, mail or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. We 
recommend that you include your name and a mailing address, an email 
address, or a telephone number in the body of your document so that we 
can contact you if we have questions regarding your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to https://www.regulations.gov, 
and follow the instructions on that Web site. If you submit your 
comments by mail or hand 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 comments 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 and may change this proposed guidance based on your 
comments.

B. Viewing Comments and Documents

    Public comments and relevant documents mentioned in this notice 
will all be available in the public docket. To see the public docket, 
go to https://www.regulations.gov, and follow the instructions on that 
Web site. 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.

C. Privacy Act

    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).

Discussion

    Historically, the Coast Guard has relied upon the language found in 
46 CFR part 4 to assist regulated industry stakeholders in determining 
if an occurrence is a reportable marine casualty. Information and data 
collected by the Coast Guard during marine casualty investigations are 
used by a wide audience for many purposes from enforcement of laws to 
enhancement of prevention activities (i.e., safety alerts and 
standards). Therefore, it is critical that casualty information be 
consistently captured. In addition, even minor incidents provide 
valuable leading indicator and trend analysis information critical for 
an effective prevention program.
    Due to the complexity of the subject, the Coast Guard recognizes 
that additional clarification of these requirements would benefit both 
the Coast Guard and the regulated industry. Such clarification furthers 
the Coast Guard's goal of providing consistent national guidance 
regarding marine casualty reporting to all stakeholders. Because marine 
casualties occur among a wide range of vessel types and operations, a 
consistent national framework must outline expectations and alleviate 
confusion.
    The draft NVIC lays the appropriate foundation for this consistent 
capture of marine casualty data by clarifying existing regulations, 
policies, and procedures. Specifically, the draft NVIC assists 
responsible parties in the proper evaluation of occurrences that 
constitute

[[Page 2467]]

a reportable marine casualty and subsequently require action by both 
Coast Guard and maritime industry stakeholders.
    Persons reporting marine casualties should make every effort by any 
means available to immediately notify the nearest Coast Guard Command 
Center. The notification must include the information required by 46 
CFR 4.05-5. A written follow-up report meeting the requirements of 46 
CFR 4.05-10 must be submitted within 5 days. If there is any doubt 
whether an occurrence is a reportable marine casualty, we encourage you 
to contact the nearest Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection staff 
(typically via the nearest Coast Guard Command Center) to determine an 
appropriate response.
    We encourage readers to review the entire draft NVIC, available in 
the docket. We request comments from all interested parties to ensure 
that the full range and significance of issues addressed in the draft 
NVIC are identified prior to final promulgation.

Authority

    This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: December 24, 2013.
J.A. Servidio,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Prevention 
Policy.
[FR Doc. 2014-00443 Filed 1-13-14; 8:45 am]
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