[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 242 (Friday, December 18, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67242-67243]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-30070]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2009-1045]


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 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 2009, as of September 30, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: The Coast Guard has submitted a copy of this notice for 
publication on http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on this notice, call 
Jeff Ludwig, Regulations Development Manager, telephone 202-372-1061.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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

[[Page 67243]]

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 2009 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 2009 for each activity is shown below.
    Factory Visit Program/Boat Testing 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. Funding 
was also provided for testing of certain associated equipment and in-
water testing of atypical and used recreational boats for compliance 
with capacity and flotation standards. ($2,337,948).
    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, in support of the National Recreational Boating Safety 
Program Strategic Plan. ($22,793).
    Boating Accident News Clipping Services: 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-compliance or safety defects. 
($64,000).
    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. ($132,087).
    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. ($56,200).
    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), ``Boat Responsibly!'', Life Jacket 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. ($789,019).
    Web site Support: Funding for this initiative provides a full range 
of public media and boating safety information at http://www.uscgboating.org for a worldwide audience. It covers a wide spectrum 
of boating safety related topics and is dedicated to reducing loss of 
life, injuries, and property damage that occur on U.S. waterways by 
improving the knowledge, skills, and abilities of recreational boaters. 
($188,137).
    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 submit their accident 
reports electronically over a secure Internet connection. The system 
also enables the user community to generate statistical reports that 
show the frequency, nature, and severity of boating accidents. FY 09 
funds supported system maintenance, development, and technical 
(hotline) support. ($335,624).
    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. ($2,161).
    Personnel Support: Funding was provided for personnel to support 
the development of new regulations and to conduct boating safety-
related research and analysis ($710,103).
    National Recreational Boating Survey: A national recreational 
boating survey is being conducted to obtain up-to-date statistical 
estimates on recreational boating. It is anticipated that the first 
surveys will be conducted in the spring of 2010, pending Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval. ($224,625).
    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 
position was that of a professional mathematician/statistician to 
conduct necessary national surveys and studies on recreational boating 
activities 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 position was that of Outreach coordinator 
with responsibility of overseeing and managing RBS projects related to 
carbon monoxide poisoning, propeller injury mitigation, manufacturer 
compliance initiatives, etc. ($300,098).
    Of the $5.5 million made available to the Coast Guard in fiscal 
year 2009, $3,598,866 has been committed, obligated, or expended and an 
additional $1,568,929 of prior fiscal year funds have been committed, 
obligated, or expended, as of September 30, 2009. Approximately $7.9 
million has not been committed, obligated, or expended from previous 
years and is being reserved for a multi-year national boating survey.
    This notice is issued under the authority of 46 U.S.C. 13106(c)(4).

    Dated: December 14, 2009.
K.S. Cook,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Prevention Policy.
[FR Doc. E9-30070 Filed 12-17-09; 8:45 am]
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