[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17997-17998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8291]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number: MARAD-2001-9307]


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 CHARDONNAY.

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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

[[Page 17998]]

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 May 4, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2001-9307. 
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: Kathleen Dunn, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Maritime Administration, MAR-832 Room 7201, 400 Seventh 
Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 202-366-2307.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title V of Pub. L. 105-383 provides 
authority to the Secretary of Transportation to administratively waive 
the U.S.-build 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 
Sec. 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: CHARDONNAY. Owner: Captain Christopher Riedel.
    (2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel. According to the 
applicant: ``50', 20 net tons, 22 gross tons.''
    (3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of 
intended operation and trade. According to the applicant: ``Taking 6 or 
less people on day sails and sight seeing tours. This will have 
virtually no impact on other vessels operating in and around the South 
Florida, the Bahamas and Caribbean.''
    (4) Date and Place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding. 
Date of construction: 1971. Place of construction: Taiwan.
    (5) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other 
commercial passenger vessel operators. According to the applicant: 
``This will have virtually no impact on other operators. There is a 
demand for it that the other operators can not provide currently. The 
few operators that are working South Florida welcome my boat and my 
services. We will be exchanging groups of people when we have more than 
we can handle. I look forward to working with the other operators in my 
area.''
    (6) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S. 
shipyards. According to the applicant: ``This will have absolutely no 
negative impact on U.S. shipyards. In fact since the boat will have 
coastwise privileges, U.S. shipyards will benefit from repair work.''

    Dated: March 30, 2001.

    By order of the Maritime Administrator.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-8291 Filed 4-3-01; 8:45 am]
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