[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 230 (Wednesday, November 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74068-74069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30864]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2011-1084]


Guidance on Domestic Implementation of International Standards 
for Oceangoing Barges Carrying Noxious Liquid Substances

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces a public meeting to receive comments 
on new policy under consideration that would provide a domestic 
equivalency for international standards with respect to U.S. flagged 
oceangoing barges carrying noxious liquid substances (NLS).

DATES: A public meeting will be held on Thursday, December 1, 2011 from 
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to provide an opportunity for oral comments. Written 
comments and related material may be submitted to Coast Guard personnel 
specified at that meeting. Written comments may also be submitted in 
response to this notice. The comment period for this notice will close 
on December 30, 2011. All written comments and related material 
submitted before or after the meeting must either be submitted to our 
online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before December 30, 
2011 or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Ernest N. Morial 
Convention Center, Room 205, 900 Convention Center Boulevard, New 
Orleans, LA 70130, telephone (504) 582-3000.
    You may submit written comments identified by docket number USCG-
2011-1084 before or after the meeting using any one of the following 
methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    (3) 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.
    (4) 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.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
Our online docket for this notice is available on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov under docket number USCG-2011-1084.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions concerning the 
meeting or the new policy under consideration, please call or email LT 
Sean Peterson, Commandant (CG-5223), Coast Guard; telephone (202) 372-
1403, email [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

    The Coast Guard is considering new policy that would align Coast 
Guard guidance with the International Code for the Construction and 
Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code) as 
it may relate to oceangoing barges carrying NLS.
    The new policy under consideration by the Coast Guard would provide 
affected parties with an equivalent

[[Page 74069]]

means of compliance with the IBC Code. In crafting this guidance, the 
Coast Guard wishes to take into account public concerns and input. In 
that regard, this notice specifically requests information and public 
comments relating to the following topics:
    1. Regulation 11.3.1 of the IBC Code requiring installation of 
fixed deck foam systems for all vessels carrying cargoes with a 
flashpoint less than 60 degrees (Celsius).
    2. Secondary venting requirements according to Regulation 8.3 of 
the IBC Code.
    3. Any additional comments or concerns regarding the implementation 
of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from 
Ships (MARPOL) Annex II for oceangoing barges carrying NLS.
    The Coast Guard believes that a public meeting would also benefit 
the impacted community by providing an additional forum to raise 
relevant issues. This will further enable the Coast Guard to craft 
policy that takes into account public concerns.
    You may view the written comments and supporting documents (if any) 
in the online docket by going to http://www.regulations.gov. Once 
there, select the Advanced Docket Search option on the right side of 
the screen, insert USCG-2011-1084 in the Docket ID box, press Enter, 
and then click on the item in the Docket ID column. If you do not have 
access to the Internet, you may view the docket online by visiting the 
Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the 
Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. We have an agreement with the Department of 
Transportation to use the Docket Management Facility.
    We encourage you to participate by submitting comments either 
orally at the meeting or in writing. If you bring written comments to 
the meeting, you may submit them to Coast Guard personnel specified at 
the meeting to receive written comments. These comments will be 
submitted to our online public docket. All comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include 
any personal information you have provided.
    Anyone can search the electronic form of 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 review a Privacy Act notice 
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the 
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the public meeting, 
contact Lt. Sean Peterson at the telephone number or email address 
indicated under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 
notice.

Public Meeting

    The Coast Guard will hold a public meeting regarding new policy 
under consideration that would provide a domestic equivalency for 
international standards with respect to U.S. flagged oceangoing barges 
carrying NLS on Thursday, December 1, 2011 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at 
the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Room 205, 900 Convention Center 
Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70130, telephone (504) 582-3000.
    We plan to record this meeting using an audio-digital recorder and 
then make that audio recording available through a link in our online 
docket. We will also provide a written summary of the meeting and 
comments and will place that summary in the docket.

    Dated: November 25, 2011.
F.J. Sturm,
Deputy, Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, U.S. Coast 
Guard.
[FR Doc. 2011-30864 Filed 11-25-11; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P