[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51500-51501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25267]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number: MARAD-2001-10765]


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 WANDERLUST.

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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 November 8, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2001-10765. 
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 
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: WANDERLUST. Owner: Karen and Matt Seekatz.
    (2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel. According to the 
applicant: ``LOA-41ft; Beam-13.7; Gross Tons-20; Net Tons-16.''
    (3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of 
intended operation and trade. According to the applicant:
    We intend to provide cruising charters for no more than 12 
passengers.

[[Page 51501]]

Our geographic region of intended operation and trade will be our home 
port of Valdez, Alaska and Prince William Sound. Our primary focus will 
be cruising, whale watching, kayak tours, and hunting party transports 
and/or overnight accommodations.''
    (4) Date and Place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding. 
Date of construction: 1979. Place of construction: Taiwan by ROCS 
Marine, Koehsiung.
    (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 vessels operating in and 
around Valdez as they are commercial fishing vessels and sport fishing 
charters. By the very nature of ``WanderLust's'' construction, we 
couldn't possibly jeopardize either of these industries. The distance 
to good fishing grounds prevents us from entering into competition with 
the local sport fishing charters. It is 90 miles to the Gulf of Alaska. 
It takes them 3 hours to get there and it takes us over 8. We would not 
draw the same level of interest as their clientele for the purpose of 
sport fishing.''
    (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. Once granted coastwise privileges, 
U.S. shipyards will benefit from repair work.
    Additionally, to build a 41 foot vessel for the purposes we request 
would be too expensive in relation to return on investment. Only an 
existing, older and less expensive vessel can be justified in this type 
of endeavor.''

    Dated: October 3, 2001.

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-25267 Filed 10-5-01; 8:45 am]
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