[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 8, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47424-47425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19342]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG--2012--0763]


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 in Washington, DC, 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 September 11, 2012, from 8 
a.m. until 4 p.m., and the full committee will meet briefly on the 
morning of September 11 and on September 12, 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 August 31, 2012.

ADDRESSES: The Committee will meet in Room 2501 of the U.S. Coast Guard 
Headquarters Building, 2100 Second Street SW., Washington, DC 20593. 
Attendees will be required to provide a picture identification card and 
pass through a magnetometer in order to gain admittance to the U.S. 
Coast Guard Headquarters Building. Visitors should also arrive at least 
30 minutes in advance of the meeting in case of long lines at the 
entrance.
    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance, contact Mr. Rogers 
Henderson at 202-372-1408 as soon as possible.
    To facilitate public participation, we are inviting public comment 
on the issues to be considered by the Committee and working groups as 
listed in the ``Agenda'' section below. Written comments must be 
identified by Docket No. USCG-2012-0763 and 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.
    Any requests to make oral presentations should be made in advance 
using one of the methods highlighted above. This notice may be viewed 
in our online docket, USCG-2012-0763, at http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rogers Henderson, Alternate 
Designated Federal Officer (ADFO), 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, 5 U.S.C. App. (Pub. L. 92-463).
    MERPAC is an advisory committee established under the Secretary's 
authority in 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 acts 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

[[Page 47425]]

recommendations reflecting its independent judgment to the Secretary.

Agenda of Meeting

Day 1

    The agenda for the September 11, 2012, work group 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 (amended), concerning Review of Examination 
Infrastructure--process, exam topics and questions in support of 
national endorsements and Standards of Training, Certification and 
Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) endorsements;
    (c) Task Statement 76, concerning Review 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;
    (d) 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; and
    (e) Task Statement 79, concerning Recommended Practices for the 
Safe Operation of Dynamically Positioned Vessels in the Outer 
Continental Shelf.
    (3) Working groups will report the status and address any immediate 
issues arising from the following task statements, which are available 
for viewing at http://homeport.uscg.mil/merpac, may meet to deliberate:
    (a) Task Statement 30, concerning Utilizing Military Education, 
Training and Assessment for STCW (the International Convention on 
Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 
(1978), as amended) and U.S. Coast Guard Certifications;
    (b) Task Statement 73, concerning Development of Training Guidance 
for Engineers Serving on Near-Coastal Vessels; and
    (c) Task Statement 74, concerning Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) 
Components: List all possible officer and rating endorsements, domestic 
and international, which should be included in the endorsement section 
of the MMC; and, list all possible limitations which might be included 
in the MMC endorsement section.
    (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. 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 September 12, 2012, Committee meeting is as 
follows:
    (1) Introduction;
    (2) Remarks from Coast Guard Leadership, Mr. Jeffrey Lantz, 
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards;
    (3) Introduction of the members;
    (4) Roll call of committee members and determination of a quorum;
    (5) Designated Federal Officer (DFO) announcements;
    (6) Reports from the following working groups;
    (a) Task Statement 58;
    (b) Task Statement 71 (amended);
    (c) Task Statement 76;
    (d) Task Statement 77; and,
    (e) Task Statement 79.
    (7) Reports from the following working groups if they have anything 
new to report:
    (a) Task Statement 30, concerning Utilizing Military Education, 
Training and Assessment for STCW and U.S. Coast Guard Certifications;
    (b) Task Statement 73, concerning Development of Training Guidance 
for Engineers Serving on Near-Coastal Vessels; and
    (c) Task Statement 74, concerning Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) 
Components.
    (8) Other items that will be discussed:
    (a) Implementation of the 2010 amendments to the STCW Convention--
questions and challenges;
    (b) Report on National Maritime Center (NMC) activities;
    (c) Report on Mariner Credentialing Program Policy Division 
activities;
    (d) Report on International Maritime Organization (IMO)/
International Labor Organization (ILO) related activities; and
    (e) Briefings concerning on-going Coast Guard projects related to 
personnel in the U.S. Merchant Marine.
    (f) New task statement--Competency requirements for personnel 
working on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-fueled vessels.
    (9) Public comment period/presentations.
    (10) 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.
    (11) Closing remarks/plans for next meeting.
    (12) Adjournment of meeting.

Procedural

    A copy of all meeting documentation is available at the FACA 
database Web site, http://www.fido.gov/facadatabase, or by contacting 
Rogers Henderson. Once you have accessed the FACA site's main page, 
click on ``Public Access;'' at the next page highlight ``2012'' then 
click ``Explore Data.'' At the next page, click on ``Department of 
Homeland Security.'' Click on the MERPAC Committee page, click on the 
``meetings'' tab and then the ``View'' button for the meeting dated 
September 11, 2012 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.
    A public oral comment period will be held each day. 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 at [email protected] to register as a speaker.

    Dated: August 2, 2012.
J.G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2012-19342 Filed 8-7-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P