[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 47 (Monday, March 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12748-12749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4755]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2007-0077]


Recreational Boating Safety Projects, Programs and Activities 
Funded Under Provisions of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 
Century; Accounting of

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: For eight fiscal years starting in 1999, the Transportation 
Equity Act for the 21st Century has made $5 million available to the 
Secretary of Transportation or the Secretary of Homeland Security for 
payment of Coast Guard expenses for personnel and activities directly 
related to coordinating and carrying out the national recreational 
boating safety program. In 2005, the law was amended and the amount was 
increased to $5.5 million. This notice satisfies a requirement of the 
Act that a detailed accounting of the projects, programs, and 
activities funded under the national recreational boating safety 
program provision of the Act be published annually in the Federal 
Register. In this notice we have specified the amount of monies the 
Coast Guard has committed, obligated or expended during fiscal year 
2007, as of September 30, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Ludwig, Regulations Development 
Manager, telephone 202-372-1062, fax 202-372-1932.
    Background and Purpose: The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 
Century became law on June 9, 1998 (Pub. L. 105-178; 112 Stat. 107). 
The Act required that of the $5 million made available to carry out the 
national recreational boating safety program each year, $2 million 
shall be available only to ensure compliance with Chapter 43 of Title 
46, U.S. Code--Recreational Vessels. On September 29, 2005, the 
Sportfishing and Recreational Boating Safety Amendments Act of 2005 was 
enacted (Pub. L. 109-74; 119 Stat. 2031). This Act increased the funds 
available to the national recreational boating safety program from $5 
million to $5.5 million annually, and stated that ``not less than'' $2 
million shall be available only to ensure compliance with Chapter 43 of 
Title 46, U.S. Code--Recreational Vessels.
    The responsibility to administer these funds was delegated to the 
Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. Subsection (c) of section 
7405 of the Act directs that no funds available to the Secretary under 
this subsection may be used to replace funding traditionally provided 
through general appropriations, nor for any purposes except those 
purposes authorized; namely, for personnel and activities directly 
related to coordinating and carrying out the national recreational 
boating safety program. Amounts made available each fiscal year from 
1999 through 2007 shall remain available until expended.
    Use of these funds requires compliance with standard Federal 
contracting rules with associated lead and processing times resulting 
in a lag time between available funds and spending. The total amount of 
funding transferred to the Coast Guard from the Sport Fish Restoration 
and Boating Trust Fund and committed, obligated, and/or expended during 
fiscal year 2007 for each activity is shown below.
    Factory Visit Program: Funding was provided to continue the 
national recreational boat factory visit program, initiated in January 
2001. The factory visit program currently allows contractor personnel, 
acting on behalf of the Coast Guard, to visit 2,000 recreational boat 
manufacturers each year to inspect for compliance with federal 
regulations, communicate with the manufacturers as to why they need to 
comply with federal regulations, and educate them, as necessary, on how 
to comply with federal regulations. ($2,156,810)
    Boat Compliance Testing: Funding was provided to continue expanded 
Boat Testing program which includes inboard/sterndrive boats and used 
boats. ($100,000)
    Associated Equipment Compliance Testing: Funding was provided to

[[Page 12749]]

continue to buy recreational boat ``associated equipment'' (e.g., 
starters, alternators, fuel pumps, and bilge pumps) and test this 
equipment for compliance with federal safety regulations. This new 
initiative complements the boat compliance testing program. ($150,000)
    New Recreational Boating Safety Associated Travel: Travel by 
employees of the Office of Boating Safety was performed to carry out 
additional recreational boating safety actions and to gather background 
and planning information for new recreational boating safety 
initiatives. ($13,489)
    Boating Accident News Clipping Service: Funding was provided to 
continue to gather daily news stories of recreational boating accidents 
nationally for more real time accident information and to identify 
accidents that may involve regulatory non-compliances or safety 
defects. ($54,900)
    Accident Investigation Tiger Team: Funding was provided to continue 
to provide on-call expert accident investigative services for any 
boating accident that appeared to involve a regulatory non-compliance 
or safety defect. ($59,278)
    Web-based Document Management System: Funding was provided to 
continue to provide a web-based document management to better enable 
the handling of thousands of recreational boating recall case and 
campaign reports. ($49,630)
    Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) Outreach Program: Funding was 
provided for this program which provides full marketing, media, public 
information, and program strategy support to the nation-wide RBS 
effort. The goal is to coordinate the RBS outreach initiatives and 
campaigns some of which include: National Boating Under the Influence 
Campaign (BUI), ``You're in Command. Boat Responsibly!'', PFD Wear, 
Vessel Safety Check Program (VSC), Boating Safety Education Courses, 
Propeller Strike Avoidance, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, and other 
recreational boating safety issues on an as needed basis. The USCG 
purchased and will distribute 10,000 inflatable lifejackets to 
volunteer groups to be worn while conducting vessel safety checks and 
during public recreational boating events such as exhibits, boat shows, 
public education courses, etc. to promote the ``Wear it'' campaign and 
to make boaters aware of the modern advances in lifejackets. 
($1,696,725)
    Boating Accident Report Database (BARD) Web System: BARD Web System 
funding enables reporting authorities in the 50 States, five U.S. 
Territories and the District of Columbia to manage their accident 
reports electronically over a secure Internet environment. The system 
also enables the user community to generate statistical reports that 
show the frequency, nature, and severity of boating accidents. FY 06 
funds supported system maintenance, technical (hotline) support and 
formal classroom instruction for the entire user community. ($310,608)
    Personnel Support: Funding was provided for personnel to support 
the development of new regulations, to support new contracting 
activities associated with the additional funding, and to monitor and 
manage the contracts awarded. ($854,706)
    National Recreational Boating Survey: A national recreational 
boating survey was conducted to obtain up-to-date statistical estimates 
on recreational boating. Over 25,000 surveys were completed with 
individuals who boated between September 2001 and September 2002. 
Survey findings were extrapolated to produce national, regional and 
State estimates of boat use as well as the characteristics of boat 
operators, passengers, boats, safety equipment, and the boating 
environment. ($2,126)
    Risk Management for Recreational Boaters: Funding was provided for 
risk-based decision training focusing on three boating groups--
families, friends and solo boaters. The course provides attendees with 
an in-depth look at proper risk management and discusses techniques for 
better decision-making processes in boating. The end result is to 
provide a potential national model to recreational boaters with 
decision-making skills that will result in safer boaters. The benefit 
will be a better understanding as to how to deal effectively with risk 
and lower mishap rates. ($25,000)
    Propeller Guard Test Protocol: Funding was provided to complete the 
recreational boat handling/performance phase of a three-phase effort to 
develop a protocol for the testing of propeller guards. The test 
protocol will be made available to propeller guard manufacturers to 
determine the feasibility of their product for use on recreational 
boats. ($230,000)
    Recreational Boat Rental Education Package: Funding was provided to 
develop a standardized educational package for recreational boat rental 
agencies to use to provide the necessary safety information to renters 
prior to renting a boat. ($73,783)
    Articulated Mannequins/Computer Simulation Model: Funding was 
provided to continue the development of flotation mannequins and a 
water forces computer simulation program to promote the rapid, 
objective evaluation of different PFD designs on various body types 
that are representative of the recreational boating population. The 
computer simulation program will be validated through the use of a 
family of anthropomorphic, articulated mannequins. The development of 
the computer simulation program will facilitate evaluation of the 
effectiveness of new and unique PFD designs. ($83,109)
    Of the $5.5 million made available to the Coast Guard in fiscal 
year 2007, $3,844,545 has been committed, obligated or expended and an 
additional $2,015,619 of prior fiscal year funds have been committed, 
obligated or expended, as of September 30, 2007. Approximately $7.8 
million has not been committed, obligated or expended from previous 
years, and is being reserved for a multi-year national boating survey.

    Dated: December 3, 2007.
James A. Watson,
Rear Admiral (Lower Half), U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Prevention 
Policy.

    Editorial Note: This document was received at the Office of the 
Federal Register on March 6, 2008.

 [FR Doc. E8-4755 Filed 3-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P