[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 207 (Friday, October 24, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63376-63377]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25450]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 105

[Docket Nos. TSA-2006-24191; USCG-2006-24196]


Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) 
Implementation in the Maritime Sector; Hazardous Materials Endorsement 
for a Commercial Driver's License

AGENCY: United States Coast Guard; DHS.

ACTION: Notice of extension of compliance date, Captain of the Port 
Zone Port Arthur.

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SUMMARY: This document informs owners and operators of facilities 
located within Captain of the Port Zone Port Arthur that the date by 
which they must implement access control procedures utilizing TWIC has 
been extended to no later than April 14, 2009. This extension is due to 
the disruption in enrollment capacity caused by Hurricane Ike.

DATES: The new compliance date for the TWIC regulations found in 33 CFR 
part

[[Page 63377]]

105 for Captain of the Port Zone Port Arthur is April 14, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments and material received from the public, as well as 
documents mentioned in this document as being available in the docket, 
are part of dockets TSA-2006-24191 and USCG-2006-24196, and are 
available for inspection or copying at the Docket Management Facility, 
U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC. 20590, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. You 
may also find this docket on the Internet at www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this 
document, call LCDR Jonathan Maiorine, telephone 1-877-687-2243. If you 
have questions on viewing the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-493-0402.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Regulatory History

    On May 22, 2006, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through 
the United States Coast Guard (Coast Guard) and the Transportation 
Security Administration (TSA) published a joint notice of proposed 
rulemaking entitled ``Transportation Worker Identification Credential 
(TWIC) Implementation in the Maritime Sector; Hazardous Materials 
Endorsement for a Commercial Driver's License'' in the Federal Register 
(71 FR 29396). This was followed by a 45-day comment period and four 
public meetings. The Coast Guard and TSA issued a joint final rule, 
under the same title, on January 25, 2007 (72 FR 3492) (hereinafter 
referred to as the original TWIC final rule). The preamble to that 
final rule contains a discussion of all the comments received on the 
NPRM, as well as a discussion of the provisions found in the original 
TWIC final rule, which became effective on March 26, 2007.
    On May 7, 2008, the Coast Guard and TSA issued a final rule to 
realign the compliance date for implementation of the Transportation 
Worker Identification Credential. 73 FR 25562. The date by which 
mariners need to obtain a TWIC, and by which owners and operators of 
vessels and outer continental shelf facilities must implement access 
control procedures utilizing TWIC, is now April 15, 2009 instead of 
September 25, 2008. Owners and operators of facilities that must comply 
with 33 CFR part 105 will still be subject to earlier, rolling 
compliance dates, as set forth in 33 CFR 105.115(e). The Coast Guard 
announced the rolling compliance dates, as provided in 33 CFR 
105.115(e), at least 90 days in advance via notices published in the 
Federal Register. The final compliance date for all COTP Zones will not 
be later than April 15, 2009.
    On July 16, 2008, we announced the compliance date for COTP Zone 
Port Arthur would be November 28, 2008. 73 FR 40739.

II. Notice of Facility Compliance Date--COTP Zone Port Arthur

    Title 33 CFR 105.115(e) currently states that ``[f]acility owners 
and operators must be operating in accordance with the TWIC provisions 
in this part by the date set by the Coast Guard in a Notice to be 
published in the Federal Register.'' Through this Notice, the Coast 
Guard informs the owners and operators of facilities subject to 33 CFR 
105.115(e) located within COTP Zone Port Arthur that the deadline for 
their compliance with Coast Guard and TSA TWIC requirements has been 
extended until April 14, 2009.
    This extension is being granted due to the disruption to enrollment 
and port activities in the wake of Hurricane Ike. The TSA and Coast 
Guard have determined that this new date provides sufficient time for 
the estimated population required to obtain TWICs for this COTP Zone to 
enroll and for TSA to complete the necessary security threat 
assessments for those enrollment applications. This date also aligns 
COTP Zone Port Arthur with the compliance date for COTP Zone Houston-
Galveston. We strongly encourage persons requiring unescorted access to 
facilities regulated by 33 CFR part 105 and located in this COTP Zone 
to enroll for their TWIC as soon as possible, if they haven't already. 
Additionally, we note that the TWIC Final Rule advises owners and 
operators of MTSA regulated facilities of their responsibility to 
notify employees of the TWIC requirements. Specifically, 33 CFR 
105.200(b)(14) requires owners or operators of MTSA regulated 
facilities to ``[i]nform facility personnel of their responsibility to 
apply for and maintain a TWIC, including the deadlines and methods for 
such applications.'' Information on enrollment procedures, as well as a 
link to the pre-enrollment Web site (which will also enable an 
applicant to make an appointment for enrollment), may be found at 
https://twicprogram.tsa.dhs.gov/TWICWebApp/ TWICWebApp/.
    You may visit our Web site at homeport.uscg.mil/twic for a listing 
of all compliance dates by COTP Zone. This list is subject to change; 
any changes in compliance dates will appear on that Web site and be 
announced in the Federal Register at least 90 days in advance.

    Dated: October 15, 2008.
Mark P. O'Malley,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard Chief, Ports and Facilities Activities.
 [FR Doc. E8-25450 Filed 10-23-08; 8:45 am]
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