[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 164 (Thursday, August 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51039-51040]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20705]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2011-0138]


Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory Committee Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee (MMMAC) will 
meet on September 25-26, 2012 to discuss matters relating to medical 
certification determinations for issuance of merchant mariner 
credentials, medical standards and guidelines for physical 
qualifications of operators of commercial vessels, medical examiner 
education, and medical research. The meeting will be open to the 
public.

DATES:  MMMAC will meet on Tuesday, September 25, and Wednesday, 
September 26, 2012 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Please note that the 
meeting may close early if the committee has completed its business.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Paul Hall Center for 
Maritime Training and Education, 2nd floor conference room (Maryland 
Room), 45353 St. Georges Avenue, Piney Point, Maryland 20674-0075. 
Please be advised that in order to gain access to the Paul Hall Center, 
you must provide identification in the form of a government-issued 
picture identification card. If you plan to attend, please notify the 
individual listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, no later than 
September 14, 2012 so that administrative access into the Paul Hall 
Center can be processed prior to arrival.
    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
Lieutenant Ashley Holm, the MMMAC Assistant Designated Federal Officer 
(ADFO), 202-372-1128 as soon as possible.
    To facilitate public participation, we are inviting public comment 
on the issues to be considered by the committee as listed in the 
``Agenda'' section below. Comments must be submitted in writing to the 
Coast Guard on or before September 14, 2012 and must be identified by 
USCG-2011-0138 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: 202-372-1246.
     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). If you 
would like a copy of your material distributed to each member of the 
committee in advance of the meeting, please provide an electronic copy 
to the ADFO, no later than September 14, 2012, and it will be placed on 
the MMMAC Web site to be made available to the members of the committee 
and the public.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments related to this notice, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    A public comment period will be held on September 25, 2012, from 
9:35 a.m. to 10:05 a.m., and September 26, 2012 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 
p.m. Speakers are requested to limit their comments to 5 minutes. 
Please note that the public comment period may end before the time 
indicated, following the last call for comments. Additionally, public 
comment will be sought throughout the meeting as specific tasks and 
issues are discussed by the committee. Contact the individual listed 
below to register as a speaker.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lieutenant Ashley Holm, the MMMAC 
ADFO, at telephone 202-372-1128 or email [email protected]. If you 
have 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). The 
MMMAC is authorized by section 210 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act 
of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-281) and the committee's purpose is to advise the 
Secretary on matters related to medical certification determinations 
for issuance of merchant mariner credentials; medical standards and 
guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial 
vessels; medical examiner education; and medical research.

Agenda

Day 1, September 25

(1) Opening comments by Designated Federal Officer (DFO), Captain K. P. 
McAvoy.
(2) Remarks from Paul Hall Center staff representative.
(3) Introduction and swearing in of the new members.
(4) Review of Last Meeting's Minutes.
(5) Public Comments.
(6) Working Groups addressing the following task statements may meet to 
deliberate--
    (a) Task Statement 1, Revision of Navigation and Vessel Inspection 
Circular (NVIC) 04-08. The NVIC can be found at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvic/. Medical and Physical Guidelines for Merchant Mariner 
Credentials.
    (b) Task Statement 2, Top medical conditions leading to denial of 
mariner credentials.
    (c) Task Statement 4, Revising the CG-719K Medical Evaluation 
Report Form for mariner physicals. The form can be found at http://www.uscg.mil/nmc.
    (d) Task Statement 5, Creating medical expert panels for the top 
medical conditions.
    (e) Task Statement 6, Developing designated medical examiner 
program.

Day 2, September 26

(1) Working Group Discussions continued from Day 1.
(2) By mid-afternoon, the Working Groups will report, and if 
applicable, make recommendations for the full committee to consider for 
presentation to the Coast Guard. The committee may take official action 
on these recommendations on this date. The public will have

[[Page 51040]]

an opportunity to speak after each Working Group's Report before the 
full committee takes any action on each report.
(3) General public comments/presentations.
(4) Closing remarks/plans for next meeting.

    Dated: August 16, 2012.
J.A. Servidio,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Prevention 
Policy.
[FR Doc. 2012-20705 Filed 8-22-12; 8:45 am]
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