[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 6 (Monday, January 11, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1585-1586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-126]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

46 CFR Part 401

[USCG-1998-4921]


Great Lakes Pilotage Regulations

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard's Office of Great Lakes Pilotage is holding a 
public meeting to discuss options for improving the safety, 
reliability, and efficiency of the Great Lakes Pilotage System. This 
meeting is sponsored by both the Coast Guard and the St. Lawrence 
Seaway Development Corporation as part of the Secretary of 
Transportation's ONE DOT management strategy for optimizing 
transportation efficiency and effectiveness. The Coast Guard encourages 
interested parties to attend the meeting and submit comments for 
discussion during the meeting. In addition, the Coast Guard seeks 
written comments from any party who is unable to attend the meeting.

DATES: The meeting will be held on January 28, 1999, from 9 a.m. to 4 
p.m. Comments must reach the Docket Management Facility on or before 
February 12, 1999. This meeting may close early if all business is 
finished.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Sheraton Airport 
Hotel at Cleveland Hopkins, Airport, 5300 Riverside Dr., Cleveland, OH 
44135. The telephone number is (800) 362-2244. You may mail your 
comments to the Docket Management Facility [USCG-1998-4921], U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT), room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, 
S.W., Washington, DC 20590-0001, or deliver them to room PL-401 on the 
Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at the same address, between the 
hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for Federal 
holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329
    The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this 
notice. Comments, and documents as indicated in this notice, will 
become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or 
copying at room PL-401, on the Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at 
the same address, between 9 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 on this notice, contact 
John Bennett, Deputy Director, Office of Great Lakes Pilotage, 400 7th 
Street SW., Suite 5424, Washington, DC 20590, phone (202) 366-8986. For 
questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket contact Ms. 
Dorothy Walker, Chief, Dockets, Department of Transportation, telephone 
202-366-9329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Requests for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages interested persons to submit written 
data, views, or arguments concerning this meeting. Persons submitting 
comments should include their names and addresses, identify this notice 
[USCG-1998-4921] 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 
Docket Management Facility at the address under ADDRESSES. Persons 
wanting acknowledgement of receipt of comments should enclose stamped, 
self-addressed postcards or envelopes. The Coast Guard will consider 
all comments received during the comment period.

Information on Service for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
Mr. John Bennett at the address or phone number under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT as soon as possible.

Background Information

    Under the ONE DOT management strategy, two modal administrations of 
the Department of Transportation, the Coast Guard and the Saint 
Lawrence

[[Page 1586]]

Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC), are working together to design 
a safer, more reliable and efficient pilotage system for the Great 
Lakes.
    On September 25, 1996, the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development 
Corporation (SLSDC) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in 
the Federal Register (61 FR 50258) which proposed to increase Great 
Lakes pilotage rates. In response to the NPRM and subsequent public 
meeting, the SLSDC received many comments that were beyond the scope of 
that rulemaking. Many comments recommended changes to the entire system 
of pilotage on the Great Lakes. These comments are available for public 
viewing as part of this docket [USCG-1998-4921] at the address listed 
under ADDRESSES.
    The current system of pilotage on the Great Lakes was established 
by the Great Lakes Pilotage Act of 1960 (46 U.S.C. Chapter 93), and is 
implemented by regulations in 46 CFR parts 401-404. In the 38 years 
since the Great Lakes pilotage system was established, the pilotage 
system has remained virtually unchanged, despite the ever-changing 
Great Lakes maritime industry. Many commenters to the NPRM raised 
questions concerning the current pilotage system's safety, reliability, 
and efficiency. These commenters, representing all facets of the 
maritime industry on the Great Lakes, requested a comprehensive review 
of this issue.
    On March 11, 1997, the SLSDC hosted a public meeting in Cleveland, 
Ohio to provide a forum for the public to discuss with the SLSDC, and 
with each other, ideas for improving the safety, reliability, and 
efficiency of the Great Lakes Pilotage System. The meeting was well 
attended by the maritime industry and many different views were 
discussed.
    On March 5, 1998, the Secretary of Transportation published a final 
rule in the Federal Register (63 FR 10781) that transferred Great Lakes 
Pilotage functions from the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development 
Corporation (SLSDC) to the Coast Guard.
    The Coast Guard will continue the outreach process that began at 
the 1997 public meeting in Cleveland, Ohio. To help create an agenda 
for the meeting, we request that interested parties send items that 
they would like discussed during the meeting as soon as possible, 
preferably by January 14, 1999. Written items can be sent to the 
address listed under ADDRESSES. These items will become part of the 
public docket available for inspection and copying.
    The purpose of the public meeting on January 28, 1999 is to provide 
a forum for members of the public to discuss options or any other ideas 
that would contribute to improving the safety, reliability and 
efficiency of the Great Lakes Pilotage System.

Public Meeting

    The meeting will be an informal workshop open to the public. It is 
intended to bring together people who are knowledgeable about the 
issues addressed in this notice to assist the Coast Guard and SLSDC in 
enhancing the safety, reliability and efficiency of Great Lakes 
Pilotage.

    Dated: December 22, 1998.
R.C. North,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety 
and Environmental Protection.
[FR Doc. 99-126 Filed 1-8-99; 8:45 am]
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