[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 54 (Friday, March 20, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13586-13587]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-7062]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 175

[CGD 97-059]


Recreational Boating Safety--Federal Requirements for Wearing 
Personal Flotation Devices

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments; reopening of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: In a document published on September 25, 1997, the Coast Guard 
requested comments from interested people, groups, and businesses about 
the need for, and alternatives to, Federal requirements or incentives 
for boaters to wear lifejackets. The Coast Guard will consider all 
comments, and consult with the National Boating Safety Advisory Council 
(NBSAC), in determining how best to reduce the number of boaters who 
drown. This document reopens the comment period.

DATES: Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before May 29, 1998.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to the Executive Secretary, Marine 
Safety Council (G-LRA, 3406) [CGD 97-059], U.S. Coast Guard 
Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW, Washington, DC 20593-0001, or 
deliver them to room 3406 at the same address between 9:30 a.m. and 2 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-267-1477.
    The Executive Secretary maintains the public docket for this 
rulemaking. Comments, and documents as indicated in this preamble, will 
become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or 
copying at room 3406, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, between 9:30 a.m. 
and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carlton Perry, Project Manager, Office of Boating Safety, Program 
Management Division, (202) 267-0979. You may obtain a copy of this 
Notice or of the original one by calling the U.S. Coast Guard Infoline 
at 1-800-368-5647, or read either on the Internet, at the Web Site for 
the Office of Boating Safety, at URL address www.uscgboating.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background and Purpose

    In a Notice published on September 25, 1997 [62 FR 50280], the 
Coast Guard set the original close of the comment period at February 2, 
1998, to allow summarizing the comments received

[[Page 13587]]

and providing the summaries to the members of NBSAC before the 
scheduled meeting on April 27, 1998. Because of reported delays in 
publication of that Notice in several recreational boating periodicals 
and the number of comments received just before and just after the 
close of the comment period, the Coast Guard is reopening the comment 
period to provide additional time for submission of public comment. All 
comments submitted in response to the original Notice are already in 
the docket. The Coast Guard will summarize all comments it receives 
during the comment period in response to this Notice and the original 
one, place a copy of the summary in the public docket, and provide 
copies to the members of NBSAC for them to consider at their meeting in 
October, 1998 (The Coast Guard will publish details of the exact time 
and place of the meeting in the Federal Register at a later date. The 
meeting will be open to the public.) It will itself consider all 
relevant comments in the formulation of any regulatory or nonregulatory 
measures that may follow from this notice.

Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages you to submit comments about the need 
for, and alternatives to, Federal requirements or incentives for 
boaters to wear lifejackets (personal flotation devices, or PFDs). In 
particular, it encourages you to answer the specific questions about 
these requirements or incentives for wearing lifejackets, which it 
developed in consultation with members of NBSAC at the meeting in April 
1997. It also solicits comments from all segments of the boating 
community, State boating safety authorities, NBSAC, the National 
Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), and other 
interested people, groups, and businesses on the economic and other 
impacts of Federal requirements or incentives for wearing PFDs.
    Please include your name and address, identify this rulemaking [CGD 
97-059] and the specific question or area of concern to which each 
comment applies, and give the reason(s) for each comment. Please submit 
two copies of all comments and attachments in an unbound format, no 
larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, to help us with copying and electronic 
filing. If you want us to acknowledge receipt of your comments, please 
enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope.

    Dated: March 12, 1998.
James D. Hull,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Assistant Commandant for 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 98-7062 Filed 3-19-98; 8:45 am]
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