[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 130 (Monday, July 7, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 38352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14950]


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ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD

36 CFR Part 1195

[Docket No. 2004-1]
RIN 3014-AA11


Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines 
for Passenger Vessels; Informational Meeting

AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board 
(Access Board) will hold two informational meetings. The meetings will 
assist the Access Board in developing accessibility guidelines under 
the Americans with Disabilities Act for passenger vessels. 
Specifically, the meetings will focus on possible approaches and 
methodologies for the regulatory assessment and regulatory flexibility 
act analysis, the baselines for determining costs, the identification 
of major and minor cost impacts, estimated unit costs (where feasible), 
development of aggregate annual industry costs, and benefits generated 
by the guidelines. The first meeting will focus only on large cruise 
ships and will be held at the date and location noted below. Other 
passenger vessels subject to the guidelines will be addressed in a 
similar meeting that has not yet been scheduled.

DATES: The meeting is scheduled for August 11, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 5 
p.m. Registration by attendees is requested to be received by July 31, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Access Board's offices, 1331 
F Street, NW., Suite 1000, Washington, DC.

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: On July 7, 2006, the Architectural and 
Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) made available 
for public comment a revised draft of the accessibility guidelines for 
passenger vessels (70 FR 38563; July 7, 2006). In addition to receiving 
comment, the Board used the provisions in the revised draft to conduct 
10 passenger vessel case studies to help determine the cost impacts of 
the provisions on newly constructed passenger vessels. From comments 
received on the 2006 draft and draft case study results, changes were 
made to the 2006 draft (and the case studies were revised to reflect 
current provisions). To complete development of a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) regarding passenger vessel accessibility guidelines, 
the Board needs to complete its regulatory assessment and regulatory 
flexibility act analysis.
    Two information meetings are planned to assist the Board in 
completing these activities. The meetings will focus on possible 
approaches and methodologies for the regulatory assessment and 
regulatory flexibility act analysis, the baselines for determining 
costs, the identification of major and minor cost impacts, estimated 
unit costs (where feasible), development of aggregate annual industry 
costs, and benefits generated by the guidelines.
    The meeting on August 11, 2008, will focus on large cruise ships. 
Other passenger vessels subject to the guidelines will be addressed in 
a similar meeting that has not yet been scheduled but will be announced 
in the Federal Register. To support the August 11 meeting and future 
second meeting, the Board has placed in its docket and on its Web site 
(http://www.access-board.gov/pvaac/index.htm) a 2008 draft of the 
guidelines, current drafts of the 10 vessel case studies, a preliminary 
agenda for the August 11 meeting, and other related material.
    The August 11 meeting is open to the public. Interested persons are 
requested to register by e-mail at board.gov">pvag@access-board.gov by July 31, 
2008, for space planning purposes. The Board is not accepting comment 
on the content of the 2008 draft, and is only making it available to 
support the meetings. When the NPRM is published, the Board will then 
solicit comments on the guidelines at that time. However, comments 
which identify provisions that trigger major costs and include the 
applicable costs will be accepted.
    The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. 
Sign language interpreters, an assistive listening system, and computer 
assisted real-time transcription (CART) will be provided. Persons 
attending the meeting are requested to refrain from using perfume, 
cologne, and other fragrances for the comfort of other participants.

Lawrence W. Roffee,
Executive Director.
 [FR Doc. E8-14950 Filed 7-3-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8150-01-P