[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 84 (Monday, May 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25414-25416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10834]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

[USCG-1998-3553]


Marine Transportation System: Waterways, Ports, and Their 
Intermodal Connections

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard, Maritime Administration, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and the

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Environmental Protection Agency are hosting seven Regional Dialog 
Sessions (RDS) in port cities around the country to report on progress 
in addressing the MTS Report recommendations and to more actively 
engage local and regional stakeholders in MTS issues. This notice 
announces the dates and locations of the seven Regional Dialog 
Sessions. These dialog sessions are the second round of outreach in 
developing a customer-based strategy to ensure the marine 
transportation system meets user and public expectations for the 21st 
century.

DATES: The public meetings will be held on the following dates:
    Chicago, IL, May 31 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and continuing on June 1, 
2000 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
    Memphis, TN, June 6, 2000 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Philadelphia, PA, June 12, 2000 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Jacksonville, FL, June 20 from noon to 4 p.m. and continuing on 
June 21, 2000 from 8 a.m. to noon.
    Seattle, WA, June 27, 2000 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Los Angeles, CA, July 11, 2000 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Houston, TX, July 17 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and continuing on July 
18, 2000 from 8 a.m. to noon.
    Comments must be received by the Docket Management Facility by 
August 18, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held at the following locations:
    Chicago, IL--Federal Aviation Administration Conference Center, 
2300 E. Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60018.
    Memphis, TN--Cargill Inc., 1877 Channel Avenue, President's Island, 
TN 38113.
    Philadelphia, PA--U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3 
Auditorium, 1650 Arch Street, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
    Jacksonville, FL--Sea Turtle Inn, 1 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach, FL 
32233.
    Seattle, WA--NOAA's Auditorium in Building 9, 7600 Sand Point Way, 
Seattle, WA 98115-6349.
    Los Angeles, CA--Port Plaza, 100 W. 5th Street, San Pedro, CA 
90731.
    Houston, TX--JW Marriott-Galleria, 5150 Westheimer Road, Houston, 
TX 7056.
    To make sure your written comments and related material are not 
entered more than once in the docket, please submit them by only one of 
the following means:
    (1) By mail to the Docket Management Facility, (USCG-1998-3553), 
U.S. Department of Transportation, room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (2) By hand delivery to room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001, 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. The 
telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    (3) By fax to the Docket Management Facility at 202-493-2251.
    (4) Electronically through the Web Site for the Docket Management 
System at http://dms.dot.gov.
    The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this 
notice. 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 electronically 
access the public docket for this notice on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on the public docket, 
contact Dorothy Walker, Chief, Dockets, Department of Transportation, 
telephone 202-366-9329; for questions on this notice, contact LTJG 
Patrick Barelli, U.S. Coast Guard (G-MWP-1), telephone 202-267-2384.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    We encourage interested persons to participate in this dialog by 
submitting written data, views, or other relevant documents. Persons 
submitting comments should include their names and addresses, identify 
this notice (USCG-1998-3553), and the reasons for each comment. Please 
submit all comments and attachments in an unbound format, no larger 
than 8\1/2\ x 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, enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed post card or envelope. We will consider all comments 
presented at the regional dialog sessions and submitted in writing to 
the docket during the comment period.

Background

    The Marine Transportation System (MTS) includes waterways, ports, 
and their intermodal connections with highways, railways, and 
pipelines. The MTS links the United States to overseas markets and is 
important to national security interests. Excluding Mexico and Canada, 
over 95% of the U.S. foreign trade by tonnage is shipped by sea, and 
14% of U.S. inter-city freight is transported by water. Forecasts show 
that U.S. foreign ocean-borne trade is expected to more than double by 
the year 2020; and commuter ferries, recreational boating, and other 
recreational uses of the waterway are expected to increase, placing 
even greater demands on the marine transportation system. In turn, an 
expanding marine transportation system will pose greater challenges for 
protecting and enhancing the environment.
    Many federal agencies, state and local governments, port 
authorities, and the private sector share responsibility for the marine 
transportation system. Recognizing that the economic, safety, and 
environmental implications of aging infrastructure, inadequate 
channels, and congested intermodal connections will become more 
critical as marine traffic volume increases, the Secretary of 
Transportation began a multi-agency MTS initiative in March 1998.
    The MTS initiative began in the spring of 1998 with seven Regional 
Listening Sessions to gather stakeholder input on the current state and 
future needs of the MTS. The input received at the listening sessions 
became the basis for a National MTS Conference in November of 1998. 
After the conference, the Secretary established the Congressionally 
mandated MTS Task Force to conduct an assessment of the U.S. Marine 
Transportation System. The September 1999 MTS Task Force Report to 
Congress, An Assessment of the Marine Transportation System, 
recommended action in seven strategic areas. The docket (USCG-1998-
3553) contains the Report to Congress, summaries of the Regional 
Listening Sessions, and the Proceedings of the National MTS Conference. 
You may access it electronically on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. 
Implementation of the recommendations contained in Chapter 6 of the 
Report to Congress will be the focus of the Regional Dialog Sessions.

Format of Regional Dialog Sessions

    The regional dialog sessions are open to the public and will 
consist of briefings and facilitated breakout sessions. Public 
attendees are welcome to participate in all sessions.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

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


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    Dated: April 25, 2000.
R.C. North,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety 
and Environmental Protection.
[FR Doc. 00-10834 Filed 4-26-00; 4:50 pm]
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