[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 1770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-536]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 126

[USCG-1998-4302]
RIN 2115-AE22


Handling of Class 1 (Explosive) Materials or Other Dangerous 
Cargoes within or Contiguous to Waterfront Facilities

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period for the notice 
of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for Handling of Class 1 (Explosive) 
Materials or Other Dangerous Cargoes within or Contiguous to Waterfront 
Facilities to March 1, 1999 to allow additional time for public 
comment.

DATES: Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before March 1, 1999.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to the Docket Management Facility 
[USCG-1998-4302], U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 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 9 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 above address between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. You may 
also electronically access the public docket for this rulemaking on the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information concerning the NPRM 
provisions, contact LCDR John Farthing, Project Manager, Vessel and 
Facility Operating Standards Divisions, Coast Guard, telephone 202-267-
6451, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. For information on the public docket, contact Dorothy Walker, 
Chief, Dockets, telephone 202-366-9329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages you to participate in this rulemaking by 
submitting written data, views, or arguments. If you submit comments, 
you should include your name and address, identify this notice (USCG-
1998-4302) 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 plans no public meeting. Persons may request a 
public meeting by writing to the Docket Management Facility at the 
address under ADDRESSES. The request must identify this docket [USCG-
1998-4302] and should include the reasons why a public meeting would be 
helpful to this rulemaking. If we determine that a meeting should be 
held, we will announce the time and place in a later notice in the 
Federal Register.

Background and Purpose

    The regulations in 33 CFR part 126 prescribing requirements for 
designated waterfront facilities that handle, store, and transfer 
hazardous materials to and from vessels were written in the 1950s and 
have never been significantly updated. On October 29, 1998 (63 FR 
57964), we published a NPRM proposing to amend part 126 by updating the 
requirements to meet current industry standards for containerized 
hazardous material cargoes. The closing date for the original comment 
period was scheduled for December 28, 1998.
    During the original NPRM comment period we received several 
comments requesting an extension of the comment period. One comment 
from an industry group potentially affected by these regulations stated 
that it is meeting in mid-December and needs more time to develop 
comments. Another comment indicated difficulty meeting the December 28, 
1998 deadline because the shipping industry is typically very busy 
during the holiday season. We accept these as reasonable requests and 
we are reopening the NPRM comment period by 60 days. The new NPRM 
comment period will close March 1, 1999.

    Dated: January 5, 1999.
Joseph J. Angelo,
Acting Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 99-536 Filed 1-11-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-M