[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 57 (Thursday, March 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13219-13220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-6807]



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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2008-1183]


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

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In 1999, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century 
made $5 million available to the Secretary of Homeland Security for 
payment per year 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. The Coast Guard is publishing 
this notice published to satisfy 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 2008, as of September 30, 
2008.

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 2008 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 2008 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 either inspect for compliance with Federal 
regulations, communicate with the manufacturers as to why they need to 
comply with Federal regulations, or educate them, as necessary, on how 
to comply with Federal regulations. ($2,306,062).
    Radar Reflective Gelcoat Testing: Funding was provided to Carderock 
Naval Surface Warfare Center to test and evaluate a newly developed 
coating that, when properly applied to fiberglass, should greatly 
increase the radar reflectivity of the fiberglass. If the test results 
prove positive, applying the radar reflective coating to fiberglass 
recreational boats would greatly increase the ability to detect these 
vessels using radar which would improve boating safety, would improve 
the ability to find boats in distress, would improve navigability of 
multiuse waterways, and would improve the ability to maintain security 
zones. ($58,000).
    New Recreational Boating Safety Associated Travel: Travel by 
employees of the Boating Safety Division was performed to carry out 
additional recreational boating safety actions and to gather background 
and planning information for new recreational boating safety 
initiatives. ($10,469).
    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. ($34,100).
    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. ($104,120).
    Web-Based Document Management System: Funding was provided to 
continue to provide a Web-based document management system to better 
enable the handling of thousands of recreational boating recall case 
and campaign reports. ($54,078).
    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. ($865,875).
    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 08 
funds supported system maintenance, development, and technical 
(hotline) support. ($462,586).
    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. ($689,521).
    Reimbursable Salaries: Funding was provided to carry out the work 
as prescribed in 46 U.S.C. 13106(c) and as described herein. The first 
function was that of a professional mathematician/statistician to 
conduct necessary national surveys and studies as well as to serve as a 
liaison to other Federal agencies that are conducting boating surveys 
so that we can pool our resources and reduce costs. The second function 
was that of Outreach coordinator for special RBS campaigns with 
responsibility of overseeing and

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managing all RBS related projects in support of `surge campaigns' for 
such elements as: Carbon monoxide poisoning, boating under the 
influence of alcohol or drugs, operation BoatSmart, etc. ($274,696).
    Of the $5.5 million made available to the Coast Guard in fiscal 
year 2008, $2,854,920 has been committed, obligated, or expended and an 
additional $2,004,587 of prior fiscal year funds have been committed, 
obligated or expended, as of September 30, 2008. Approximately $8.8 
million has not been committed, obligated, or expended from previous 
years, and is being reserved for a multi-year national boating survey.
    Publication of this notice in the Federal Register satisfies the 
requirements of 46 U.S.C. 13107(c)(4). The Coast Guard has also 
submitted a copy of this notice for publication on http://www.Grants.gov.

    Dated: March 11, 2009.
J.A. Watson,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Prevention Policy.
 [FR Doc. E9-6807 Filed 3-25-09; 8:45 am]
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