[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 28, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12068-12069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4450]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2012-0133]


Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory Committee Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will 
meet on March 13, 2012, and March 14, 2012, in Burlingame, CA, to 
discuss various issues related to the training and fitness of merchant 
marine personnel. This meeting will be open to the public.

DATES: MERPAC working groups will meet on March 13, 2012, from 8 a.m. 
until 4 p.m., and the full committee will meet on March 14, 2012, from 
8 a.m. until 4 p.m. This meeting may adjourn early if all business is 
finished. Written comments to be distributed to committee members and 
placed on MERPAC's Web site are due March 3, 2012.

ADDRESSES: The Committee will meet at the Hilton San Francisco Airport 
Bayfront, 600 Airport Blvd., Burlingame, CA 94010. To facilitate public 
participation, we are inviting public comment on the issues to be 
considered by the committee and working groups. Written comments must 
be identified by Docket No. USCG-2012-0133 and submitted by one of the 
following methods no later than March 3, 2012:
     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.
    Any requests to make oral presentations should be made no later 
than March 3, 2012, using one of the methods highlighted above. This 
notice may be viewed in our online docket, USCG-2012-0133, at http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rogers Henderson, U. S. Coast 
Guard, telephone 202-372-1408, or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 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 of Meeting

Day 1

    The agenda for the March 13, 2012, meeting is as follows:
    (1) The full committee will meet briefly to discuss the working 
groups' business/task statements, which are listed under paragraph 2 
below.
    (2) Working groups addressing the following task statements, 
available for viewing at http://homeport.uscg.mil/merpac will meet to 
deliberate:
    (a) Task Statement 58, concerning Stakeholder Communications during 
Merchant Mariner Licensing and Documentation Program (MLD) 
Restructuring and Centralization;
    (b) Task Statement 71, concerning Review of USCG/International 
Maritime Organization (IMO) Operational Level Examination (3rd/2nd Mate 
and 3rd/2nd Assistant Engineer) Topics and Questions and Alignment with 
the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification & 
Watchkeeping for seafarers (1978), as amended, (STCW Code);
    (c) Task Statement 76, concerning Review of Performance Measures 
(Assessment Criteria); and
    (d) Task Statement 77, concerning Development of Performance 
Measures (Assessment Criteria).
    (3) The Coast Guard may form new working groups to address any 
additional issues emanating from the existing task statements.
    (4) Public comment period.
    (5) Reports of working groups. At the end of the day, the working 
groups will make a report to the full committee on what was 
accomplished in their meetings. The full committee will not take action 
on these reports on this date.

[[Page 12069]]

Any official action taken as a result of this working group meeting 
will be taken on day 2 of the meeting.
    (6) Adjournment of meeting.

Day 2

    The agenda for the March 14, 2012, Committee meeting is as follows:
    (1) Introduction/Chairman Remarks.
    (2) Remarks from Coast Guard Leadership, Mr. Jeff Lantz.
    (3) Introduction and swearing in of the new member.
    (4) Rollcall of committee members and determination of a quorum.
    (5) DFO announcements.
    (6) Reports from the following working groups:
    (a) Task Statement 30, concerning Utilizing Military Education, 
Training and Assessment for STCW and U.S. Coast Guard Certifications;
    (b) Task Statement 58, concerning Stakeholder Communications during 
MLD Program Restructuring and Centralization;
    (c) Task Statement 71, concerning Review of USCG/IMO Operational 
Level Examination (3rd/2nd Mate and 3rd/2nd Assistant Engineer) Topics 
and Questions and Alignment with the STCW Code;
    (d) Task Statement 73, concerning Development of Training Guidance 
for Engineers Serving on Near-Coastal Vessels;
    (e) Task Statement 76, concerning Review of Existing Performance 
Measures (Assessment Criteria 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; and
    (f) Task Statement 77, concerning Development of Performance 
Measures (Assessment Criteria) 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.
    (7) Other items which will be discussed:
    (a) Report on National Maritime Center (NMC) activities from NMC 
Commanding Officer;
    (b) Report on IMO/International Labor Organization (ILO) related 
activities; and
    (c) Report from the Mariner Credentialing Program Policy Division.
    (8) Period for public comments/presentations.
    (9) Discussion of working group recommendations. The committee will 
review the information presented on each issue, deliberate on any 
recommendations presented by the working groups and approve/formulate 
recommendations for the Department's consideration. Official action on 
these recommendations may be taken on this date.
    (10) Closing remarks/plans for next meeting.
    (11) Adjournment of meeting.

Procedural

    This meeting will be open to the public. Please note that the 
meeting may adjourn early if all business is finished.
    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 3/14/12 to access the 
information for this meeting. Minutes will be available 90 days after 
this meeting. Both minutes and documents applicable for 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.

Public Participation

    To facilitate public participation, we are inviting public comment 
on the issues to be considered by the committee and working groups. 
Written comments must be identified by Docket No. USCG-2012-0133 and 
submitted by one of the methods specified in ADDRESSES. Written 
comments received will be posted without alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. 
Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into the 
docket by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing 
the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor 
union, etc.). For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received in response to this notice, go to http://www.regulations.gov. An opportunity for public oral comment will be 
held during both meetings. Speakers are requested to limit their 
comments to 3 minutes. Please note that the public oral comment periods 
may end before the prescribed ending time indicated following the last 
call for comments. Contact Rogers Henderson at 
[email protected] to register as a speaker.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
Ms. Theresa Alas at telephone 650-373-4004 as soon as possible.

    Dated: February 22, 2012.
J.G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2012-4450 Filed 2-27-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P