[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 250 (Thursday, December 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78471-78472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-28614]



[[Page 78471]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[USCG-2004-19977]


Inspection of Towing Vessels

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments, and notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: In the recently enacted Coast Guard and Maritime 
Transportation Act of 2004, the Congress directed the Coast Guard to 
add towing vessels to the list of vessels subject to inspections, and 
to consider the establishment of a safety management system appropriate 
for towing vessels. With this notice, we are seeking public and 
industry involvement as we consider how to proceed. The rulemaking 
process and its associated opportunity for public input will provide us 
with information on the extent of items to be considered for inclusion 
in any towing vessel inspection/safety management program(s).

DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Docket Management 
Facility on or before March 23, 2005. Public meetings will be held on 
the following dates in the following cities:
    January 26, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon), in Washington, DC; and
    February 2, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon), in Oakland, CA;
    February 10, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon), in New Orleans, LA;
    February 17, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon), in St. Louis, MO.

ADDRESSES: Comments. You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard 
docket number USCG-2004-19977 to the Docket Management Facility at the 
U.S. Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use 
only one of the following methods:
    (1) Web site: http://dms.dot.gov.
    (2) Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (3) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (4) Delivery: Room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif 
Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-366-9329.
    (5) Federal eRulemaking Portal:  http://www.regulations.gov.
    Meetings. The meetings will be held at the following locations:
    Washington, DC--DOT/Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Room 
2230, Washington, DC 20590.
    Oakland, CA--Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building, 1301 Clay Street, 
Third-Floor North-Tower Auditorium, Oakland, CA 94612.
    New Orleans, LA--8th Coast Guard District, Hale Boggs Federal 
Building, 500 Poydras Street, Basement Conference Room, New Orleans, LA 
70130.
    St. Louis, MO--Robert A. Young Building, 1222 Spruce Street, Room 
2.308 (Auditorium), St. Louis, MO 63103.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
contact Thomas Scott Kuhaneck, Domestic Vessel Compliance Division (G-
MOC-1), U.S. Coast Guard, telephone 202-267-0240, or e-mail: 
[email protected]. If you have questions on viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Andrea M. Jenkins, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-0271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to respond to our request for comments, by 
submitting comments and related materials. All comments received will 
be posted, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. We have an agreement with the 
Department of Transportation (DOT) to use the Docket Management 
Facility. Please see DOT's ``Privacy Act'' three paragraphs below.
    Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your 
name and address, identify docket number (USCG-2004-19977), indicate 
the specific question, and give the reason for each comment. You may 
submit your comments and material by electronic means, mail, fax, or 
delivery to the Docket Management Facility at the address under 
ADDRESSES; but please submit your comments and material by only one 
means. If you submit them by mail or delivery, submit them in an 
unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for 
copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would 
like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and 
material received during the comment period.
    Viewing comments and documents: To view comments, as well as 
documents mentioned in this notice as being available in the docket, go 
to http://dms.dot.gov at any time and conduct a simple search using the 
docket number. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in 
room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh 
Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Privacy Act: Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the 
Department of Transportation's Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 
Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477), or you may visit 
http://dms.dot.gov.

Public Meetings

    We are intending to hold at least four public meetings regarding 
this notice on the inspection of towing vessels. The four scheduled 
meetings will be held--
     January 26, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Nassif Building, 
400 Seventh Street SW., Room 2230, Washington, DC 20590.
     February 2, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Ronald V. Dellums 
Federal Building, 1301 Clay Street, Third Floor, North Tower 
Auditorium, Oakland, CA 94612.
     February 10, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at 8th Coast Guard 
District, Hale Boggs Federal Building, 500 Poydras Street, Basement 
Conference Room, New Orleans, LA 70130.
     February 17, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Robert A. Young 
Building, 1222 Spruce Street, Room 2.308 (and 2.206--Auditorium), St. 
Louis, MO 63103.
    To facilitate entry at a meeting site, provide the names of persons 
planning to attend the meeting and the company or organizations they 
represent to Thomas Scott Kuhaneck at the address under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT at least two days before the meeting.

Questions

    We need the public's assistance in answering the following 
questions, and any additional information provided on this topic is 
welcome.
    In responding to each question, please explain your reasons for 
each answer as specifically as possible so that we can carefully weigh 
the consequences and impacts of any future actions we may take.
    (1) Towing vessels of a certain size (300 or more gross register 
tons) are already inspected vessels and are subject to a variety of 
existing requirements. Should the Coast Guard use any of these existing 
standards (or standards for other types of inspected

[[Page 78472]]

vessels) for incorporation into the new regulations regarding the 
inspection of towing vessels? If so, which regulations or standards 
should be incorporated into these new regulations?
    (2) Title 46, United States Code, specifies the items covered with 
regard to inspected vessels including lifesaving, firefighting, hull, 
propulsion equipment, machinery and vessel equipment. However, the 
legislation that added towing vessels to the list of inspected vessels, 
authorized that the Coast Guard may prescribe different standards for 
towing vessels than for other types of inspected vessels. What, if any, 
different standards should be considered with regard to inspected 
towing vessel requirements from other inspected vessels?
    (3) Towing vessels vary widely in terms of size, horsepower, areas 
of operation, and type of operation. Under what circumstances, if any, 
should a towing vessel be exempt from the requirements as an inspected 
vessel?
    (4) Should existing towing vessels be given time to implement 
requirements, be ``grandfathered'' altogether from them, or should this 
practice vary from requirement to requirement?
    (5) Should existing towing vessels be treated differently from 
towing vessels yet to be built?
    (6) The same act that requires inspection of towing vessels 
authorizes the Coast Guard to develop a safety management system 
appropriate for the towing vessels. If such a system is developed, 
should its use be required for all inspected towing vessels?
    (7) Examples of existing safety management systems include the 
international safety management (ISM) code and the American Waterways 
Operators Responsible Carrier Program. If a safety management system is 
used, what elements should be included in such a system?

Procedural

    The meetings are open to the public. Security staff will compare 
the visitor's photo identification card with the names on the list of 
meeting attendees. Visitors will be escorted to and from the meeting 
rooms. Attendees may make oral presentations during the meeting. Please 
note that the meeting may close early if all business is finished.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
Thomas Scott Kuhaneck at the address under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT as soon as possible.

    Dated: December 27, 2004.
Joseph J. Angelo,
Director of Standards, Marine Safety, Security, and Environmental 
Protection, U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 04-28614 Filed 12-29-04; 8:45 am]
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