[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1944-1945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-399]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2012-0011]


Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee: Intercessional 
Meeting

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory Committee Working Group Meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will 
conduct an intercessional meeting to facilitate working group 
discussion of Task Statement 76, entitled ``Review of Performance 
Measures (Assessment Criteria),'' and Task Statement 77, entitled 
``Development of Performance Measures (Assessment Criteria).'' This 
meeting will be open to the public.

DATES: A MERPAC working group will meet on January 31, 2012, from 8 
a.m. until 5 p.m., and on February 1, 2012, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. 
Please note that the meeting may adjourn early if all business is 
finished. Written comments to be distributed to working group members 
and placed on MERPAC's Web site are due by January 20, 2012.

ADDRESSES: The working group will meet at the STAR Center, 2 West Dixie 
Highway, Dania Beach, FL 33004-4312. For further information about the 
STAR Center hotel facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance, contact Mr. Graeme 
Holman at (954) 920-3222.
    To facilitate public participation, we are inviting public comment 
on the issues to be considered by the work group, which are listed in 
the ``Agenda'' section below. Written comments must be identified by 
Docket No. USCG-2012-0011 and may be submitted by 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.
    Instructions: 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).
    Docket: For access to the docket to read documents or comments 
related to this notice, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    This notice may be viewed in our online docket, USCG-2012-0011, at 
http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rogers Henderson, Alternate 
Designated Federal Officer of MERPAC, telephone (202) 372-1408. If you 
have any questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, 
call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 
(202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. App. (Pub. L. 92-463).
    MERPAC is an advisory committee authorized under section 871 of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002, Title 6, United States Code, section 
451, and chartered under the provisions of the FACA. The Committee will 
act solely in an advisory capacity to the Secretary of the Department 
of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Commandant of the Coast Guard 
and the Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards on matters 
relating to personnel in the U.S. merchant marine, including but not 
limited to training, qualifications, certification, documentation, and 
fitness standards. The Committee will advise, consult with, and make 
recommendations reflecting its independent judgment to the Secretary.

Agenda

Day 1

    The agenda for the January 31, 2012, working group meeting is as 
follows:
    (1) Review existing performance measures and develop new 
performance measures which can be used to assess mariner competencies 
listed in the International Convention on Standards of Training, 
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978 as amended;
    (2) Public comment period;
    (3) Discuss and prepare proposed recommendations for the full 
committee to consider with regards to Task Statement 76, concerning the 
review of existing performance measures which can be used to assess 
mariner competencies listed in the STCW, and Task Statement 77, 
concerning the development of new performance measures which can be 
used to assess mariner competencies in the STCW (these task statements 
are included as supplemental material to the docket); and
    (4) Adjournment of meeting.

Day 2

    The agenda for the February 1, 2012, working group meeting is as 
follows:
    (1) Continue discussion on proposed recommendations;
    (2) Public comment period;
    (3) Discuss and prepare final recommendations for the full 
committee to consider with regards to Task Statement 76, concerning the 
review of existing performance measures which can be used to assess 
mariner competencies listed in the STCW, and Task Statement 77, 
concerning the development of new performance measures which can be 
used to assess mariner competencies in the STCW (these task statements 
are included as supplemental material to the docket); and
    (4) Adjournment of meeting.
    Procedural: A copy of all meeting documentation is available at the 
https://www.fido.gov Web site or by contacting Rogers Henderson. Once 
you have accessed the MERPAC Committee page, click on the meetings tab 
and then the ``View'' button for the meeting dated January 31-February 
1, 2012 to access the information for this meeting.

[[Page 1945]]

Minutes will be available 90 days after this meeting. Both minutes and 
documents related to this meeting can also be found at an alternative 
site using the following Web address: https://homeport.uscg.mil and use 
these key strokes: Missions; Port and Waterways Safety; Advisory 
Committees; MERPAC; and then use the event key.
    A public oral comment period will be held during the working group 
meeting. Speakers are requested to limit their comments to 3 minutes. 
Please note that the public oral comment period may end before the 
prescribed ending time indicated following the last call for comments. 
Contact Rogers Henderson as indicated above to register as a speaker.

    Dated: January 6, 2012.
F.J. Sturm,
Deputy Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2012-399 Filed 1-11-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P