[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19725-19726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07574]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2013-0089]


Merchant Mariner Medical Evaluation Program

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is seeking public comment regarding the 
merchant mariner medical evaluation program. Section 718 of the Coast 
Guard Authorization Act of 2012 directed the Commandant of the Coast 
Guard to submit to Congress an assessment of the Coast Guard National 
Maritime Center's merchant mariner medical evaluation program and 
alternatives to the program. Congress specifically asked the Coast 
Guard to include an analysis of how a system similar to the Federal 
Motor Carrier Safety Administration's National Registry of Certified 
Medical Examiners program, and the Federal Aviation Administration's 
Designated Aviation Medical Examiners program, could be applied by the 
Coast Guard in making medical fitness determinations for issuance of 
merchant mariners' documents. The Coast Guard will accept comments from 
the public on the perceived benefits and concerns with adopting a 
similar program for the medical evaluation of merchant mariners.

DATES: Comments and related material must either be submitted to our 
online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before May 2, 2013 
or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2013-0089 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. 
See the ``Public Participation'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section below for instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
notice, call or email Lieutenant Ashley Holm, Office of Commercial 
Vessel Compliance(CG-CVC-4), U.S. Coast Guard, telephone (202) 372-
1128, email [email protected]. If you have questions on viewing 
material in the docket, call Ms. Barbara Hairston, Program Manager, 
Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation

    You may submit comments and related material regarding this notice. 
All comments received will be posted, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have 
provided.
    Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include the 
docket number for this notice (USCG-2013-0089) and provide a reason for 
each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and 
material online or by fax, mail or hand delivery, but please use only 
one of these means. We recommend that you include your name and a 
mailing address, an email address, or a telephone number in the body of 
your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding 
your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov and 
insert

[[Page 19726]]

``USCG-2013-0089'' in the ``Search'' box. Click ``Search,'' find this 
notice in the list of Results, and then click on the corresponding 
``Comment Now'' box. If you submit your comments by mail or hand 
delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 
inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit 
comments by mail and would like to know that they reached the Facility, 
please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope.
    We will consider all comments and material received during the 
comment period.
    Viewing the comments: To view comments, as well as documents 
mentioned in this notice as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov and use ``USCG-2013-0089'' as your search term. 
Use the filters on the left side of the page to highlight ``Public 
Submissions'' or other document types. 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.
    Privacy Act: 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 system of records notice regarding our public dockets in 
the January 17, 2008 issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Background and Purpose

    Section 718 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 
112-213) directed the Commandant of the Coast Guard to, not later than 
180 days after enactment, submit to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate an assessment of 
the Coast Guard National Maritime Center's merchant mariner medical 
evaluation program and alternatives to the program. Section 718 also 
directed that the assessment contain the following:
    (1) An overview of the adequacy of the program for making medical 
certification determinations for issuance of merchant mariners' 
documents;
    (2) An analysis of how a system similar to the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Administration's National Registry of Certified Medical 
Examiners program, and the Federal Aviation Administration's Designated 
Aviation Medical Examiners program, could be applied by the Coast Guard 
in making medical fitness determinations for issuance of merchant 
mariners' documents; and
    (3) An explanation of how the amendments to the International 
Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for 
Seafarers, 1978, that entered into force on January 1, 2012, required 
changes to the Coast Guard's merchant mariner medical evaluation 
program.
    Currently, the Coast Guard maintains an ``open'' system of medical 
evaluation. While the ultimate determination of medical fitness rests 
with the Coast Guard, mariners may have any authorized medical 
professional fill out the appropriate evaluation forms which are then 
submitted to the Coast Guard. The evaluation reports are reviewed by 
the National Maritime Center and a fitness determination is then made. 
Conversely, a ``closed'' system would require mariners to have their 
physical evaluations done by designated medical examiners who are 
authorized by the Coast Guard to conduct physical examinations of 
mariners. Subject to detailed policy guidance, medical certificates may 
be issued by the designated medical examiner.
    Finally, a hybrid system could be adopted whereby the designated 
medical examiner would issue medical certificates when mariners meet 
certain pre-established criteria, and the Coast Guard would only be 
involved in reviewing those mariners who have certain conditions.
    The Coast Guard would like public input on the relative merits of a 
closed, open, or hybrid system of medical evaluation, noting advantages 
and disadvantages of the different systems. We would also be interested 
in knowing any other suggestions or comments that address the subject 
of the assessment required by section 718 of the Coast Guard 
Authorization Act of 2012.

Authority

    This notice is issued under the authority of 46 U.S.C chapter 71, 
Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0710.1, and 46 CFR 
10.215.

    Dated: March 27, 2013.
D.S. Fish,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Office of Investigations and 
Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2013-07574 Filed 4-1-13; 8:45 am]
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