[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30374-30375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12988]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2011-0357]


Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act of 2010, Available 
Technology

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The United States Coast Guard is soliciting public comment on 
the availability of technology to meet certain provisions of the Cruise 
Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010(CVSSA), specifically related to 
video recording and overboard detection technologies. Public comment is 
necessary in order to assist the Coast Guard with assessing which 
requirements should be addressed in guidance and regulations 
implementing the CVSSA.

DATES: Comments and related material must either be submitted to our 
online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before July 25, 2011 
or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket 
number USCG-2011-0357 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S. 
Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use only one 
of the following methods:
    (1) Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov.
    (2) Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (3) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (4) Delivery: Room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif 
Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-366-9329.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
call or e-mail Lieutenant Commander Latasha Pennant, Office of Design 
and Engineering Standards (CG-5211), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, by 
telephone at 202-372-1358, or by e-mail at [email protected]. 
If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, 
call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 
202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    We encourage you to participate by submitting comments. All 
comments received will be posted, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov 
and will include any personal information you have provided. We have an 
agreement with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to use the Docket 
Management Facility. Please see DOT's ``Privacy Act'' paragraph below.
    Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your 
name and address, identify the docket number for this notice (USCG-
2011-0357) and give the reason for each Comment. You may submit your 
comments by electronic means, mail, fax, or delivery to the Docket 
Management Facility at the address under ADDRESSES; but please submit 
your comments by only or delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no 
larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic 
filing. If you submit them by mail and would like to know that they 
reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard 
or envelope. We will consider all comments received during the comment 
period.
    Viewing comments and documents: To view comments, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time, click on ``Simple Search,'' enter the last 
five digits of the docket number for this notice, and click on 
``Search.'' You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in room 
PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, 
SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Privacy Act: Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may

[[Page 30375]]

review the Department of Transportation's Privacy Act Statement in the 
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477), or you may 
visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Basis and Purpose

    On July 27, 2010, Congress enacted the Cruise Vessel Safety and 
Security Act of 2010 (CVSSA) (Pub. L. 111-207). The CVSSA amended Title 
46 U.S.C. Chapter 35 by adding sections 3507 (Passenger vessel security 
and safety requirements) and 3508 (Crime scene preservation training 
for passenger vessel crewmembers). The CVSSA prescribes security and 
safety requirements for passenger vessels with overnight accommodations 
for more than 250 passengers, not engaged in a coastwise voyage and 
that embarks and disembarks passengers in the United States. 46 U.S.C. 
3507(k). Some of the safety and security concerns addressed in the Act 
include: Updated ship design; providing public access to information 
regarding crime aboard cruise ships; improved precautions, response, 
medical care and support for victims of sexual assault; and 
preservation of evidence necessary to prosecute criminals.
    The Coast Guard intends to promulgate regulations and/or policy 
when appropriate to comply with, or clarify as needed, the requirements 
set forth in the CVSSA. This Notice is soliciting comments from the 
public on two mandates of the CVSSA: Overboard detection technology and 
video surveillance. Specifically, 46 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D) mandates the 
cruise vessel shall integrate technology that can be used for capturing 
images of passengers or detecting passengers who have fallen overboard, 
to the extent that such technology is available. Under 46 U.S.C. 
3507(b) the cruise vessel owner shall maintain a video surveillance 
system to assist in documenting crimes that occur on the vessel, and 
provide law enforcement officials in the course and scope of an 
investigation a copy of the video records if needed.
    Questions: The Coast Guard is asking for public comment on the 
following questions. It would be helpful if commenters answer the 
questions as specifically as possible, and then provide explanations, 
if any, for the responses.
    (1) If applicable, what is your position in the maritime community? 
(Please be as specific as possible, e.g., captain of a cruise of 
vessels, vessel security officer, owner/operator of cruise vessel, 
past/future passenger, advocacy group, professional organization, etc.)
    (2) If you work in the maritime community, do you:
    a. Use equipment to detect persons falling overboard? If yes, what 
is the equipment, and how reliable is the equipment?
    b. What alternative source(s) for detecting persons falling 
overboard would you recommend? How would you rate the alternative 
source(s) in terms of: (A) User cost and (B) reliability and usefulness 
of the information?
    (3) Do industry best practices for placement and retention of video 
recording devices exist? If yes, please specify what they are and how 
effective they have been in helping law enforcement officials prosecute 
offenders.
    Comments regarding these provisions and any other pertinent matters 
brought to our attention during the comment period will be taken into 
account in our future actions regarding the issues raised by these 
questions. We encourage you to provide your comments as we move forward 
with implementing the provisions of the CVSSA.

    Authority:  This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 
552(a).

    Dated: May 20, 2011.
John Nadeau,
Chief, Office of Design and Engineering Standards (CG-521).
[FR Doc. 2011-12988 Filed 5-24-11; 8:45 am]
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