[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 74 (Monday, April 19, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 19039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-9759]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR part 187

[CGD 98-050]

RIN 2115-AD35


Vessel Identification System; Effective Date Change

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Interim final rule; change in effective date.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard extends the delay of the effective date of 
part of its regulations establishing the vessel identification system. 
Subpart D of these regulations addressing guidelines for State vessel 
titling systems was to become effective on April 24, 1999. The Coast 
Guard needs more time to study the costs and benefits of other possible 
regulatory alternatives. By extending the delay in the effective date 
until October 24, 1999, the Coast Guard will have more time to develop 
a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking. The remainder of the 
regulation is unaffected by this notice.

EFFECTIVE DATES: Effective April 23, 1999, the effective date of 
subpart D of 33 CFR part 187 is delayed until October 24, 1999. All 
other provisions of the interim final rule that became effective on 
April 24, 1996, will remain in effect.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions regarding this change of 
effective date, call Ensign Brian Ly, Office of Information Resources, 
telephone 202-267-6989. This telephone is equipped to record messages 
on a 24-hour basis.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    46 U.S.C. 12501 requires the Secretary of Transportation to 
establish a Vessel Identification System (VIS). On April 25, 1995 the 
Coast Guard published an interim final rule (60 FR 20310) which 
prescribed the manner and form for participating states to make 
information available for VIS, to establish vessel titling system 
guidelines, and to establish procedures for certifying compliance. The 
interim final rule was to go into full effect on April 24, 1996.

Reason for Delay

    One subpart of the interim final rule prescribes the procedures for 
obtaining certification of compliance with guidelines for State vessel 
titling systems (33 CFR part 187, subpart D). The effective date of 
that subpart was delayed through April 23, 1999 (63 FR 19657) to allow 
the States and the Coast Guard more time to review the complexities of 
State titling systems. Since publishing the interim final rule, the 
Coast Guard has determined that changes resulting from the comments 
received over the course of this project would be so substantive that 
moving to a final rule without allowing another opportunity to comment 
would not be in the best interest of the public. The Coast Guard is 
currently drafting a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) 
which will allow for further comment. However, this process will take 
time to adequately research the costs and benefits of the proposed 
regulatory changes. Therefore, the Coast Guard is delaying the 
effective date of subpart D until October 24, 1999, before which time 
we expect to publish a SNPRM. All other provisions of the interim final 
rule will remain in effect.
    Accordingly, under the authority of 46 U.S.C. 2103 and 49 CFR 1.46, 
the effective date of 33 CFR part 187, subpart D, is changed to October 
24, 1999.

    Dated: April 13, 1999.
R. C. North,
Assistant Commander for Marine Safety and Environmental Protection.
[FR Doc. 99-9759 Filed 4-16-99; 8:45 am]
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