[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 209 (Friday, October 27, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 64388]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27665]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

46 CFR Parts 10 and 15

[USCG 1999-6224]
RIN 2115-AF23


Licensing and Manning for Officers of Towing Vessels

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Interim rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is delaying the effective date of an interim 
rule with request for comments, published in the Federal Register on 
November 19, 1999 [64 FR 63213]. An extension of the effective date 
from November 20, 2000, to May 21, 2001, is necessary so we can make 
clarifications and issue guidelines for implementation of the new 
licenses and revised training criteria established in that interim 
rule, and carry on outreach.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This interim rule delays the effective date of the 
interim rule of November 19, 1999, from November 20, 2000, to May 21, 
2001; it leaves unchanged all other requirements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lieutenant Commander Luke Harden, 
Office of Operating and Environmental Standards (G-MSO), U.S. Coast 
Guard, 202-267-0229. The Department of Transportation maintains the 
docket for this rulemaking on the web site for its Document Management 
System at http://dms.dot.gov. The docket number is USCG 1999-6224.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 19, 1999, the Coast Guard 
published an interim rule and request for comments entitled ``Licensing 
and Manning for Officers of Towing Vessels'' in the Federal Register 
[64 FR 63213]. The interim rule that was to become effective on 
November 20, 2000, established new licenses and revised training for 
officers of towing vessels.
    Since promulgation of the interim rule, the Coast Guard has become 
aware that certain provisions in the rule may require clarification. 
The Coast Guard plans to publish clarification in a separate interim 
rule. To ensure that it makes clear all options, and that it gives all 
affected parties enough time to comply with the new and revised 
requirements, the Coast Guard is postponing the effective date of the 
interim rule of November 19, 1999, for six months. The Coast Guard 
considers a postponement of six months to be adequate for better 
implementation of the new requirements, the revised standards for 
training set forth in that interim rule, and outreach.

    Accordingly, the effective date for the interim rule of November 
19, 1999 [64 FR 63213] is changed from November 20, 2000, to May 21, 
2001.

    Dated: October 23, 2000.
Joseph J. Angelo,
Acting Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 00-27665 Filed 10-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-U