[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 175 (Friday, September 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54598-54599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23118]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket No. MARAD-2000-7894]


Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Invitation for public comments on a requested administrative 
waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws for the vessel Ambience.

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SUMMARY: As authorized by Pub. L. 105-383, the Secretary of 
Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 
is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the 
coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver 
has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a description of the 
proposed service, is listed below. Interested parties may comment on 
the effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses 
in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD determines that in 
accordance with Pub. L. 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 
388 (65 FR 6905, February 11, 2000) that the issuance of the waiver 
will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a 
business that uses U.S.-flag vessels, a waiver will not be granted.

DATES: Submit comments on or before October 10, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2000-7894. 
Written comments may be submitted by hand or by mail to the Docket 
Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, Department of Transportation, 400 
7th St., SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. You may also send comments 
electronically via the Internet at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit/. All 
comments will become part of this docket and will be available for 
inspection and copying at the above address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
E.T., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. An electronic 
version of this document and all documents entered into this docket is 
available on the World Wide Web at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gordon Angell, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Maritime Administration, MAR-832 Room 7201, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 202-366-5129.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title V of Pub. L. 105-383 provides 
authority to the Secretary of Transportation to administratively waive 
the U.S.-build

[[Page 54599]]

requirements of the Jones Act, and other statutes, for small commercial 
passenger vessels (no more than 12 passengers). This authority has been 
delegated to the Maritime Administration per 49 CFR 1.66, Delegations 
to the Maritime Administrator, as amended. By this notice, MARAD is 
publishing information on a vessel for which a request for a U.S.-build 
waiver has been received, and for which MARAD requests comments from 
interested parties. Comments should refer to the docket number of this 
notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the 
comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the 
waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in Sec. 388.4 
of MARAD'S regulations at 46 CFR part 388.

Vessel Proposed for Waiver of the U.S.-Build Requirement

    (1) Name of vessel and owner for which waiver is requested. Name of 
vessel: Ambience. Owner: Eric Harrison.
    (2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel. According to the 
Applicant: ``35 ft/12 passenger 8 tons.''
    (3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of 
intended operation and trade. According to the applicant: ``Coastwise 
charters. Small breakfast, lunch, and dinner cruises within harbor. May 
include sunset cruising. The region can include any port from Santa 
Barbara, California to San Diego, California.''
    (4) Date and Place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding. 
Date of construction: 1962. Place of construction: Hong Kong, China.
    (5) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other 
commercial passenger vessel operators. According to the applicant: 
``There will be no impact on current owners. To my knowledge, there are 
no other businesses doing this type of dinner cruise. The only other 
cruises I know of is on a much larger scale (i.e. 50 to 300 passenger 
vessels) in this region.''
    (6) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S. 
shipyards. According to the applicant: ``The only impact on shipyards 
may be an increase of business. I will need services from time to time 
for maintenance and purchasing parts. All impact will be of a positive 
nature.''

    Dated: September 5, 2000.

    By order of the Maritime Administrator.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-23118 Filed 9-7-00; 8:45 am]
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