[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 93 (Thursday, May 14, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 26756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12847]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Ch. I

46 CFR Ch. I

[USCG-1997-3198]


Alternate Convention Tonnage

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is extending the comment period on its notice 
requesting comments on the potential implementation of alternate 
convention tonnage thresholds to October 15, 1998, to allow additional 
time for public comment.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 15, 1998.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to the Docket Management Facility, 
[USCG-1997-3198], U.S. Department of Transportation, room PL-401, 400 
Seventh Street SW., Washington DC 20590-0001, or deliver them to room 
PL-401, located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at the same 
address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this 
rulemaking. Comments will become part of this docket and will be 
available for inspection or copying at room PL-401, located on the 
Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at the same address between 10 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. You may 
also access this docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the notice, call 
Lieutenant John G. White, Office of Standards Evaluation and 
Development (G-MSR-2), Coast Guard, telephone 202-267-6885. For 
information on the public docket, call Carol Kelley, Coast Guard 
Dockets Team Leader, or Paulette Twine, Chief, Documentary Services 
Division, Department of Transportation, telephone 202-366-9329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages you to participate in this request by 
submitting written data, views, or arguments. If you submit comments, 
you should include your name and address, identify this notice (USCG-
1997-3198) and the specific section or question in this document to 
which your comments apply, and give the reason for each comment. Please 
submit all comments and attachments in an unbound format, no larger 
than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing to 
the DOT Docket Management Facility at the address under ADDRESSES. If 
you want acknowledgment of receipt of your comments, you should enclose 
a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope.
    The Coast Guard will consider all comments received during the 
comment period.
    The Coast Guard may schedule a public meeting depending on input 
received in response to this notice. You may request a public meeting 
by submitting a request to the address under ADDRESSES. The request 
should include the reasons why a meeting would be beneficial. If the 
Coast Guard determines that a public meeting should be held, it will 
hold the meeting at a time and place announced by a later notice in the 
Federal Register.

Background and Purpose

    On February 4, 1998, the Coast Guard published a notice requesting 
comments in the Federal Register (63 FR 5767) to announce it was 
considering development of alternate tonnage thresholds for certain 
vessels based on the measurement system established under the 
International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969. 
Existing tonnage thresholds in domestic laws and regulations are based 
on the U.S. regulatory measurement system. Establishing alternate 
convention tonnages as an option for the application of domestic 
regulations may result in the building of safer, more efficient vessels 
and may enable designers and operators of U.S. vessels to be more 
competitive in the international market. The Coast Guard asked for 
comments on the issues and questions listed in the notice. Due to the 
special need for public comment on this issue and requests for a 
comment period extension from the public, the Coast Guard is extending 
the comment period to October 15, 1998.

    Dated: May 8, 1998.
Joseph J. Angelo,
Acting Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environment 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 98-12847 Filed 5-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-M