[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48506-48507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23506]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number: MARAD-2001-10635]


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 Argonaut. 

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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.

[[Page 48507]]


DATES: Submit comments on or before October 22, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2001-10635. 
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 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 
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: Argonaut. Owner: John G. Edwards.
    (2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel. According to the 
applicant: ``Gross Tonnage: 23; Net Tonnage: 21; Length: 40.6 Feet; 
Breadth: 12.1 Feet; Depth: 9.5 Feet''.
    (3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of 
intended operation and trade. According to the applicant: ``Vessel will 
primarily offer day and night skippered pleasure sails in the Long 
Beach and Los Angeles area. The vessel will also be used for special 
event charters for small parties and other social gatherings. The 
vessel will be used for skippered charters to Catalina, San Diego, 
Mexico, Channel Islands, and other California coastal areas. Some 
commercial operations may require the use of one or two crew members. 
If chartered for that purpose, the vessel might also be used for whale 
watching and other excursions of varying lengths, from a few hours to 
several days.''
    (4) Date and Place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding. 
Date of construction: 1978. Place of construction: Pali Shiang Taipei 
Hsien, Taiwan, Republic of China.
    (5) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other 
commercial passenger vessel operators. According to the applicant: 
``The commercial usage of the vessel Argonaut should have no adverse 
effect on other boating operations in the area. The commercial 
passenger operations in the area consist primarily of large scale 
harbor tours, pleasure diving and pleasure fishing operations. I am not 
interested in providing any of those services but wish to fulfill a 
potential need for a specialized market involving sailing charters to 
small groups of people. Most other commercial sailing operations are 
for instructed sailing lessons on small sailing craft. There are some 
bare-boat charter businesses in the immediate area but the impact 
should be negligible. The granting of the waiver will have no effect at 
all upon sailing operations in the area in that they are large scale 
operations using inspected vessels. I might also offer blue water 
sailing instruction on a large cruising yacht, which to the best of my 
knowledge, is not currently offered locally.''
    (6) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S. 
shipyards. According to the applicant: ``The granting of a waiver for 
Argonaut should have a positive impact on the boat and shipyard 
industries in the area. The business will necessitate the use of yard 
services from time to time and will require the employment of workers 
who have the necessary skills to repair and maintain the boat. There 
should be no negative impact on the shipyards whatsoever.''

    Dated: September 13, 2001.

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-23506 Filed 9-19-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P