[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 247 (Monday, December 23, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67476-67477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32542]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

49 CFR Part 1

[OST Docket No. 1; Amdt. 1-280]


Organization and Delegation of Powers and Duties Delegation to 
the Commandant, United States Coast Guard

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Transportation is delegating to the 
Commandant, United States Coast Guard, the authority contained in 46 
U.S.C. 14104 to prescribe, by regulation, an alternate tonnage for 
vessels whenever a statute specifies that an alternate tonnage may be 
prescribed under that section. In order that the Code of Federal 
Regulations reflects this delegation, a change is necessary.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 23, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Peter Eareckson, Marine Safety 
Center (MSC), (202) 366-6502, U.S. Coast Guard, 400 Seventh Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20590, or Mr. Ron Gordon, Office of the Executive 
Secretariat, S-10, (202) 366-9761, Department of Transportation, 400 
Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 702 of the Coast Guard Authorization 
Act of 1996 (the Act) (Public Law 104-324; October 19, 1996) amends 46 
U.S.C. 14104 to authorize the Secretary of Transportation, as the head 
of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, to prescribe 
by regulation an alternate tonnage for a vessel, if a statute allows 
for an alternate tonnage to be prescribed under 46 U.S.C. 14104. 
Sections 703 through 744 of the Act amend various statutes that specify 
vessel tonnage parameters based on regulatory measurement under 46 
U.S.C. 14502. Each statute is amended to authorize an alternate tonnage 
to be prescribed based on convention measurement under 46 U.S.C. 14302, 
rather than regulatory measurement. The use of convention measurement 
may result in the building of safer, more efficient vessels and may 
enable vessel builders and operators to be competitive in the 
international market.
    This rule amends 49 CFR 1.46 by adding a new paragraph to reflect 
the delegation of the Secretary's authority under 46 U.S.C. 14104 to 
the Commandant of the Coast Guard.
    This rule is being published as a final rule and is being made 
effective on the

[[Page 67477]]

date of publication. It relates to departmental management, 
organization, procedure, and practice. For this reason, the Secretary 
for good cause finds, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and (d)(3), that notice, 
and public procedure on the notice, before the effective date of this 
rule are unnecessary and that this rule should be made effective in 
less than 30 days after publication.

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 1

    Authority delegations (Government agencies), Organization and 
functions (Government agencies).

    In consideration of the foregoing, part 1 of title 49, Code of 
Federal Regulations, is amended to read as follows:

PART 1--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322; Pub. L. 101-552, 28 U.S.C. 2672, 31 
U.S.C. 3711(a)(2).


Sec. 1.46  [Amended]

    2. In Sec. 1.46, paragraph (eee) is added to read as follows:


Sec. 1.46  Delegations to Commandant of the Coast Guard.

* * * * *
    (eee) Carry out the functions vested in the Secretary by 46 U.S.C. 
14104 to prescribe alternate tonnages for vessels.

    Issued in Washington, DC this 12th day of December, 1996.
Federico Pena,
Secretary of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 96-32542 Filed 12-20-96; 8:45 am]
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