[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 22 (Thursday, February 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5691-5692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2095]


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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 meeting; 
change of location.

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SUMMARY: The location of the upcoming public meeting being held in New 
Orleans, Louisiana, is changed. Instead of the Hale Boggs Federal 
Building, as previously announced in the Federal Register, the meeting 
will take place at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. The date of the 
meeting, February 10, and the hours, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. remain the 
same. 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. Through public meetings, we are seeking public and industry 
involvement as we consider how to proceed.

DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Docket Management 
Facility on or before March 23, 2005. A public meeting will be held on 
February 10, 2005, in New Orleans, LA. Meetings in Oakland, CA, and St. 
Louis, MO, remain unchanged as previously announced in the Federal 
Register [69 FR 78471].

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.
    Meeting. The meeting in New Orleans will be held at the following 
location: Hyatt Regency New Orleans, Cabildo Room, Poydras at Loyola 
Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113.

[[Page 5692]]


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 Meeting

    The meeting will be held--
     February 10, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Hyatt Regency New 
Orleans, Cabildo Room, Poydras at Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113.

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 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 meeting is open to the public. 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: January 31, 2005.
Howard L. Hime,
Acting Director of Standards, Marine Safety, Security, and 
Environmental Protection, U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 05-2095 Filed 1-31-05; 3:37 pm]
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