[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 125 (Thursday, June 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34518-34519]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16307]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number: MARAD-2001-9992]


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 VENUS.

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SUMMARY: As authorized by Public Law 105-383, the Secretary of 
Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 
is

[[Page 34519]]

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 Public Law 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 July 30, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2001-9992. 
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, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 202-366-2307.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title V of Public Law 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 
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: VENUS. Owner: James A. Nations.
    (2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel. According to the 
applicant: ``Length 50.9 ft.; Breadth: 15.3 ft.; Depth 15.0 ft.; Gross: 
58 tons Net: 52 tons (measured pursuant to 46 U.S.C. 14502).''
    (3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of 
intended operation and trade. According to the applicant: ``General 
Charter and language school and corporate training facility. West Coast 
of the United States from Alaska to the Mexican Border, based in San 
Francisco Bay.''
    (4) Date and Place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding. 
Date of construction: 1981. Place of construction: Bosund Jakobstad, 
Finland.
    (5) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other 
commercial passenger vessel operators. According to the applicant: 
``The addition of one small vessel (limited to no more than 12 
passengers) to the existing fleet of larger commercial vessels will 
have no significant impact. This is particularly true in this instance 
where our focus is catering to advanced ESL (English as a Second 
Language) students and as a platform for Corporate Training. I am not 
aware of any similar service on the West Coast. We have been asked by 
several ESL educational institutions in the Bay Area to offer such a 
program to fill this void.''
    (6) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S. 
shipyards. According to the applicant: ``This waiver will have no 
adverse impact on U.S. Shipyards. This is a 20-year-old vessel. In 
recent years over $150,000 has been spent in U.S. shipyards for re-
powering, sails, rigging, painting and general maintenance. Commercial 
use of this vessel will require additional expenditures of 
approximately $35,000 per year at local U.S. boatyards and equipment 
suppliers.''

    Dated: June 25, 2001.

    By order of the Maritime Administrator.
Joel C. Richard,
 Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-16307 Filed 6-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P