[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 121 (Monday, June 25, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 34653-34655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12196]


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ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD

36 CFR Part 1196

[Docket No. 2007-03]
RIN 3014-AA22


Passenger Vessel Emergency Alarms Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

ACTION: Notice of intent to establish advisory committee.

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SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board 
(Access Board or Board) proposes to establish a Passenger Vessel 
Emergency Alarms Advisory Committee (Committee) to make recommendations 
on issues related to the effectiveness of passenger vessel emergency 
alarm systems for individuals with hearing loss or deafness. The Access 
Board invites comments on the proposal to establish the committee and 
the proposed committee membership.

DATES: Comments and applications should be received by July 25, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments and applications, identified by 
Docket No. 2007-03, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

[[Page 34654]]

     E-mail: board.gov">pvag@access-board.gov. Include Docket No. 2007-03 
in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: (202) 272-0081.
     Mail or Hand Delivery: Office of Technical and Information 
Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, 
1331 F Street, NW., Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-1111.
    All submissions received must include the agency name and docket 
number for this rulemaking. Comments will be available for inspection 
at the above address from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on regular business days.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Beatty, Office of Technical and 
Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board, 1331 F Street, NW., Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-
1111. Telephone number (202) 272-0012 (Voice); (202) 272-0082 (TTY). 
These are not toll-free numbers. E-mail address: board.gov">pvag@access-board.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Architectural and Transportation 
Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board or Board) \1\ is responsible 
for developing accessibility guidelines under the Americans with 
Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that newly constructed and altered 
passenger vessels covered by the law are readily accessible to and 
usable by individuals with disabilities.
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    \1\ The Access Board is an independent Federal agency 
established by section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 792) 
whose primary mission is to promote accessibility for individuals 
with disabilities. The Access Board consists of 25 members. Thirteen 
are appointed by the President from among the public, a majority of 
whom are required to be individuals with disabilities. The other 
twelve are heads of the following Federal agencies or their 
designees whose positions are Executive Level IV or above: The 
Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, 
Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Interior, Defense, Justice, 
Veterans Affairs, and Commerce; General Services Administration; and 
United States Postal Services.
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    In July 2006, the Access Board made available for public comment 
revised draft accessibility guidelines for passenger vessels which are 
permitted to carry more than 150 passengers or more than 49 overnight 
passengers. 71 FR 38563 (July 7, 2006). The revised draft guidelines 
will also apply to all ferries and certain tenders which carry 60 or 
more passengers. The revised draft guidelines are available on the 
Board's Web site at http://www.access-board.gov/pvaac/revised-draft.htm.
    Section V215 of the revised draft guidelines requires that where 
emergency alarm systems are provided to alert passengers, the alarms in 
public areas and certain guest rooms must comply with ``principles of 
best practice.'' This is similar to a provision in the Americans with 
Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility 
Guidelines (section 702) that permits fire alarm systems in medical 
care facilities to be provided in accordance with ``industry 
practice.'' An earlier draft of the passenger vessel guidelines in 2004 
required emergency alarm systems (both audible and visible) to be 
permanently installed and to comply with NFPA 72. 69 FR 69244 (November 
26, 2004).
    Commenters on the earlier draft primarily focused on the desire to 
allow portable systems with enhanced capabilities as an alternative to 
requiring permanently installed visible alarms in public areas and in 
guest rooms required to have communication features. Aside from 
problems in interfacing visible alarm systems with public address 
systems over which audible alarms operate, these commenters noted 
benefits in using portable systems. Many commenters argued that 
portable systems would allow technological advances to be more rapidly 
adopted which could provide better information during emergencies than 
permanently installed visible alarms. Portable systems would also allow 
more guest rooms to be covered than the two percent proposed in the 
2004 draft. The same portable systems could also be used to communicate 
other information about shipboard activities more effectively to people 
who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Board is also aware of how 
employees on passenger vessels play an important role in providing 
directions and addressing passenger needs during emergencies. The Board 
pointed out that this heightened role is more analogous to how 
hospitals notify their patients and is different from most other 
facilities on land. As technology in this area is rapidly changing, the 
revised draft proposed that alarm systems comply with principles of 
best practice to alert passengers.
    Passenger vessel operators, individuals with disabilities, and 
organizations representing the various interest groups commented that 
the provision was vague and requested additional guidance. The Board 
agrees that additional guidance would be helpful and proposes to 
establish a Passenger Vessel Emergency Alarms Advisory Committee 
(Committee) to assist in this matter. The committee is expected to make 
recommendations to the Board on the following issues:
    (a) Whether current emergency alarm system designs and practices on 
passenger vessels meet the access needs of individuals with hearing 
loss or deafness.
    (b) Alternative designs or technologies for emergency alarm systems 
appropriate for use on passenger vessels that meet the access needs of 
individuals with hearing loss or deafness.
    (c) The contents of proposed accessibility guidelines for passenger 
vessels related to emergency alarm systems.
    The following interest groups are likely to be affected by 
emergency alarm systems on passenger vessels:
     Individuals with hearing loss or deafness and other 
individuals with disabilities concerned about emergency alarm systems;
     Passenger vessel operators;
     Manufacturers and designers of emergency alarm systems; 
and
     Voluntary codes and standards groups which address 
emergency alarms.
    The Board proposes to appoint the following organizations to the 
committee to represent the interests identified above:
     Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network.
     Cruise Lines International Association.
     Epilepsy Foundation.
     Gallaudet University.
     Hearing Access Program.
     Hearing Loss Association of America.
     National Association of the Deaf.
     National Fire Protection Association.
     Passenger Vessel Association.
     Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.
    Comments are invited on the proposal to establish the advisory 
committee and the proposed membership. Organizations that are affected 
by emergency alarm systems on passenger vessels and believe that their 
interests will not be adequately represented by the above organizations 
may apply for membership on the committee. Applications should include 
the following information: (1) The name of the organization and the 
interest that the organization proposes to represent; (2) the reasons 
why the organizations specified above do not adequately represent the 
interest that the organization proposes to represent; (3) evidence that 
the person submitting the application is authorized to represent the 
organization; and (4) a written commitment that the organization would 
participate on the committee in good faith. There is no specific 
application form. See ADDRESSES, above,

[[Page 34655]]

for information on where and how to submit applications.
    To be effective, the size of the committee will be limited. Each 
organization affected by emergency alarm systems on passenger vessels 
need not have its own representative on the committee. Rather, each 
interest must be adequately represented and the membership must be 
fairly balanced.
    After reviewing the comments received in response to this notice 
and any applications for membership, the Board will issue a notice in 
the Federal Register announcing the establishment of the committee and 
the committee membership, unless it is determined based on comments 
that the establishment of the committee would be inappropriate. The 
first committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for August 15 and 16, 
2007 at the Access Board offices in Washington, DC.
    The Board expects the committee to hold no more than three meetings 
and all meetings will be in the Washington, DC area. The meetings will 
be open to the public. Future committee meetings will be announced in 
the Federal Register.
    The Board will provide staff support to the committee. Members of 
the committee will not be compensated for their service. The Board may 
pay travel expenses for a limited number of persons who would otherwise 
be unable to serve on the committee. Members will not be considered 
special government employees since they will serve as representatives 
of their organizations and will not be required to file confidential 
financial disclosure reports.

Availability of Copies and Electronic Access

    Single copies of this publication may be obtained at no cost by 
calling the Access Board's automated publications order line (202) 272-
0080, by pressing 2 on the telephone keypad and then please record your 
name, address, city, State, zip code, telephone number and request the 
emergency alarms advisory committee notice. Persons using a TTY should 
call (202) 272-0082. This document is available in alternate formats 
upon request. Persons who want this publication in an alternate format 
should specify the type of format (cassette tape, Braille, large print, 
or ASCII disk). This document is also available on the Board's Web site 
(http://www.access-board.gov).

Tricia Mason,
Chair, Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.
[FR Doc. E7-12196 Filed 6-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8150-01-P