[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 2, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46217-46218]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19459]



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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

46 CFR Parts 1, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15

[Docket No. USCG-2004-17914]
RIN 1625-AA16


Implementation of the Amendments to the International Convention 
on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 
1978, and Changes to Domestic Endorsements

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is announcing a series of public meetings to 
receive comments on a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking 
(SNPRM) entitled ``Implementation of the Amendments to the 
International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and 
Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, and Changes to Domestic 
Endorsements'' that published in the Federal Register on August 1, 
2011. The changes proposed in the SNPRM address the comments received 
from the public in response to a previously published Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking, in most cases through revisions based on those 
comments, and propose to incorporate the 2010 amendments to the STCW 
Convention that will come into force on January 1, 2012.

DATES: Public meetings will be held on the following dates:
     Monday, August 22, 2011, in Miami, FL from 9 a.m. until 
noon;
     Wednesday, August 24, 2011, in New Orleans, LA from 9 a.m. 
until noon;
     Friday, August 26, 2011, in Seattle, WA from 9 a.m. until 
noon;
     Wednesday, September 7, 2011, in Washington, DC from 10 
a.m. until 1 p.m.

Written comments and related material may also be submitted to Coast 
Guard personnel specified at those meetings for inclusion in the 
official docket for this rulemaking. The comment period for the SNPRM 
closes on September 30, 2011. All comments and related material 
submitted after the meeting must either be submitted to our online 
docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before September 30, 2011 
or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held at the following locations:
     Monday, August 22, 2011, Miami Airport Marriott, 1201 NW 
Le Jeune Road, Building A, Miami, FL 33126.
     Wednesday, August 24, 2011, Hilton Garden Inn Hotel New 
Orleans, French Quarter/Central Business District, 821 Gravier Street, 
New Orleans, LA 70112.
     Friday, August 26, 2011, The Edgewater Hotel Noble House 
Hotels & Resorts, 2411 Alaskan Way, Pier 67, Seattle, WA 98121.
     Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at United States Coast Guard 
Headquarters Building, Room 2501, 2100 Second Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20593 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Note: A government-issued photo 
identification (for example, a driver's license) will be required for 
entrance to the building.
    Live webcasts (audio and video) of the three public meetings to be 
held in Miami, FL, New Orleans, LA, and Seattle, WA, will also be 
broadcast online. The Web site for viewing those webcasts can be found 
at http://www.stcwregs.us. The webcasts will enable those using this 
feature only to view the proceedings and not to make remarks to those 
participating in the meetings in person. However, a verbatim record of 
these public meetings will be provided in the docket.
    You may submit written comments identified by docket number USCG-
2004-17914 before or after the meetings using any one of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments (preferred method to 
avoid delays in processing).
     Fax: 202-372-1918.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department 
of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. The 
telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read documents or comments 
related to this notice, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this proposed 
rulemaking, call or e-mail Mr. Rogers Henderson, Maritime Personnel 
Qualifications Division, U.S. Coast Guard, telephone 202-372-1408, e-
mail: [email protected]. If you have questions on viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Ms. Renee V. Wright, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

    In 2007, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) embarked on 
a comprehensive review of the entire STCW Convention and STCW Code. The 
Coast Guard held public meetings prior to each one of the IMO meetings 
in London for the review to determine what positions U.S. delegations 
should advocate and to exchange views about amendments to STCW that 
were under discussion. In addition, the Coast Guard also took advantage 
of advisory committee meetings, specifically Merchant Personnel 
Advisory Committee (MERPAC), to discuss developments and implementation 
of the requirements relating to the 2010 amendments. The 2010 
amendments resulting from that review were adopted on June 25, 2010. 
The Convention is not self-implementing; therefore, the United States, 
as a signatory to the STCW Convention, must initiate regulatory changes 
to ensure full implementation of amendments to the STCW Convention and 
STCW Code.
    The Coast Guard proposed, in an SNPRM published in the Federal 
Register on August 1, 2001, to implement these provisions, and to 
clearly separate the two licensing schemes for STCW and domestic 
endorsements, pursuant to the Convention and under the authority of 
Title 46, United States Code, section 2103 and chapters 71 and 73.
    Parties to the STCW Convention have port state control authority to 
detain vessels that do not appear to be in compliance with the 
Convention. If U.S. regulations are non-compliant with the STCW 
Convention and STCW Code, there is a risk that U.S. ships will be 
detained in foreign ports by member nations and that U.S. mariners 
would not be able to seek employment on foreign flag vessels.

Instructions for Submitting Comments

    All submissions received must include the words ``Department of 
Homeland Security'' and the docket number for this action. Comments 
received will be posted without alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. You 
may review a Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets in the 
January 17, 2008, issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

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Information on Service for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the public meetings, 
contact Mr. Rogers Henderson at the telephone number or e-mail address 
indicated under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 
notice.

    Dated: July 27, 2011.
J.G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2011-19459 Filed 8-1-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P