Commercial Fishing Vessel Engineers, 15023 [2015-06480]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 54 / Friday, March 20, 2015 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [Docket No. USCG–2015–0174] Commercial Fishing Vessel Engineers Coast Guard, DHS. Notice of availability. AGENCY: ACTION: The Coast Guard announces the availability of an updated policy letter entitled ‘‘Engineer Officer Endorsements on Uninspected Commercial Fishing Industry Vessels.’’ The letter provides guidance to Coast Guard officers with respect to the upcoming enforcement of existing requirements for the proper credentialing of engineering officers. Some accident investigations have found that engineers were not properly credentialed to serve in their assigned positions. This notice promotes the Coast Guard’s maritime safety and stewardship missions. DATES: The Coast Guard’s enforcement of existing requirements for the proper credentialing of engineer officers on uninspected commercial fishing vessels begins October 15, 2015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document call or email Mr. Jack Kemerer, Coast Guard; telephone 202–372–1249, email Jack.A.Kemerer@uscg.mil. For information about viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202–366–9826, toll free 1–800–647–5527. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: Discussion Longstanding Coast Guard regulations 1 state that an ‘‘individual engaged or employed to perform the duties of chief engineer on a mechanically propelled, uninspected, seagoing, documented vessel of 200 gross tons or over must hold an appropriately endorsed MMC [merchant mariner credential] authorizing service as a chief engineer,’’ and that, ‘‘An individual in charge of an engineering watch on a mechanically propelled, seagoing, documented vessel of 200 GRT [gross regulatory tons] or more, other than an individual described in § 15.820 of this subpart, must hold an appropriately endorsed license or MMC authorizing service as an assistant engineer.’’ In October 2011, we issued a policy letter 2 noting widespread non1 46 CFR 15.820(c) and 46 CFR 15.825(a). Letter 11–11 (CG–543 Memorandum 16700), Oct. 7, 2011, ‘‘Engineer Officer 2 Policy VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:14 Mar 19, 2015 Jkt 235001 compliance with these requirements among commercial fishing vessel engineers. Recognizing that the industry would require time to come into compliance, we set January 1, 2014, as the date we would begin strict enforcement of the regulations. In December 2013,3 upon learning that industry required still more time, we delayed that date one year to January 1, 2015. We are again delaying the date, to October 15, 2015, but we are preparing to enforce compliance beginning on that October date. We understand that strict industrywide compliance may still not be practicable as of October 15, 2015. Therefore, where an owner/operator or company has established a training program designed to bring company operations into compliance with the prescribed regulations on engineer officer endorsements, the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) may defer, for a specific vessel or fleet of vessels, on a case by case basis, strict enforcement of the provisions of the regulations beyond October 15, 2015. Persons seeking this consideration should submit a proposal to their cognizant OCMI as soon as possible but not later than October 15, 2015. This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a). Dated: March 12, 2015 J.C. Burton, Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Prevention and Compliance. [FR Doc. 2015–06480 Filed 3–19–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110–04–P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. Customs and Border Protection [1651–0137] Agency Information Collection Activities: Small Vessel Reporting System U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security. ACTION: 30-Day notice and request for comments; Extension of an existing collection of information. AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the Department of Homeland Security will be submitting the following information collection SUMMARY: Endorsements on Uninspected Commercial Fishing Industry Vessels.’’ 3 CGMS DTG 061640Z Dec 13, ‘‘Engineer Officer Endorsements on Uninspected Commercial Fishing Vessels.’’ PO 00000 Frm 00119 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 15023 request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act: Small Vessel Reporting System (SVRS). This is a proposed extension of an information collection that was previously approved. CBP is proposing that this information collection be extended with a change to the burden hours, but no changes to the information collected. This document is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. DATES: Written comments should be received on or before April 20, 2015 to be assured of consideration. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on this proposed information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be addressed to the OMB Desk Officer for Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, and sent via electronic mail to oira_submission@ omb.eop.gov or faxed to (202) 395–5806. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information should be directed to Tracey Denning, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Regulations and Rulings, Office of International Trade, 90 K Street NE., 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20229– 1177, at 202–325–0265. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register (79 FR 77020) on December 23, 2014, allowing for a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10. CBP invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/ or continuing information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13; 44 U.S.C. 3507). The comments should address: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimates of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden, including the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology; and (e) the annual costs to respondents or record keepers from the collection of information (total capital/ startup costs and operations and maintenance costs). The comments that E:\FR\FM\20MRN1.SGM 20MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 54 (Friday, March 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 15023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-06480]



[[Page 15023]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2015-0174]


Commercial Fishing Vessel Engineers

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of an updated 
policy letter entitled ``Engineer Officer Endorsements on Uninspected 
Commercial Fishing Industry Vessels.'' The letter provides guidance to 
Coast Guard officers with respect to the upcoming enforcement of 
existing requirements for the proper credentialing of engineering 
officers. Some accident investigations have found that engineers were 
not properly credentialed to serve in their assigned positions. This 
notice promotes the Coast Guard's maritime safety and stewardship 
missions.

DATES: The Coast Guard's enforcement of existing requirements for the 
proper credentialing of engineer officers on uninspected commercial 
fishing vessels begins October 15, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document 
call or email Mr. Jack Kemerer, Coast Guard; telephone 202-372-1249, 
email Jack.A.Kemerer@uscg.mil. For information about viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826, toll free 1-800-
647-5527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    Longstanding Coast Guard regulations \1\ state that an ``individual 
engaged or employed to perform the duties of chief engineer on a 
mechanically propelled, uninspected, seagoing, documented vessel of 200 
gross tons or over must hold an appropriately endorsed MMC [merchant 
mariner credential] authorizing service as a chief engineer,'' and 
that, ``An individual in charge of an engineering watch on a 
mechanically propelled, seagoing, documented vessel of 200 GRT [gross 
regulatory tons] or more, other than an individual described in Sec.  
15.820 of this subpart, must hold an appropriately endorsed license or 
MMC authorizing service as an assistant engineer.'' In October 2011, we 
issued a policy letter \2\ noting widespread non-compliance with these 
requirements among commercial fishing vessel engineers. Recognizing 
that the industry would require time to come into compliance, we set 
January 1, 2014, as the date we would begin strict enforcement of the 
regulations. In December 2013,\3\ upon learning that industry required 
still more time, we delayed that date one year to January 1, 2015. We 
are again delaying the date, to October 15, 2015, but we are preparing 
to enforce compliance beginning on that October date.
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    \1\ 46 CFR 15.820(c) and 46 CFR 15.825(a).
    \2\ Policy Letter 11-11 (CG-543 Memorandum 16700), Oct. 7, 2011, 
``Engineer Officer Endorsements on Uninspected Commercial Fishing 
Industry Vessels.''
    \3\ CGMS DTG 061640Z Dec 13, ``Engineer Officer Endorsements on 
Uninspected Commercial Fishing Vessels.''
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    We understand that strict industry-wide compliance may still not be 
practicable as of October 15, 2015. Therefore, where an owner/operator 
or company has established a training program designed to bring company 
operations into compliance with the prescribed regulations on engineer 
officer endorsements, the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) 
may defer, for a specific vessel or fleet of vessels, on a case by case 
basis, strict enforcement of the provisions of the regulations beyond 
October 15, 2015. Persons seeking this consideration should submit a 
proposal to their cognizant OCMI as soon as possible but not later than 
October 15, 2015.
    This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: March 12, 2015
J.C. Burton,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Prevention and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2015-06480 Filed 3-19-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P

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