[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44959-44961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17914]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2013-0642]


Public Workshop Related to the International Maritime 
Organization's Development of a Mandatory Code for Ships Operating in 
Polar Waters

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The United States Coast Guard will hold a public workshop in 
Washington, DC on topics related to the development of a mandatory code 
for ships operating in polar waters by the International Maritime 
Organization (IMO Polar Code). Various safety topics will be discussed 
including design, equipment, and operational requirements. This 
workshop is intended to be an interactive exchange of information 
between policymakers, industry experts, and interested members of the 
public.

DATES: The public workshop will be held for two days beginning 
Thursday, August 22, 2013 at 9 a.m., Eastern Time and ending Friday, 
August 23, 2013 at 4 p.m., Eastern Time. The daily meeting schedule 
will be from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. This workshop is open to the public. 
See ADDRESSES for more information about submitting comments to the 
docket.

ADDRESSES: The public workshop will be held at the United States Coast 
Guard Headquarters Transpoint Building,

[[Page 44960]]

Room 2501, 2100 Second Street Southwest, Washington, DC 20593, 
approximately 1 mile from the Waterfront-SEU Metro Station. Due to 
building security requirements, each visitor must present two forms of 
government-issued photo identification in order to gain entrance to the 
building.
    You may submit written comments identified by docket number USCG-
2013-0642 before or after the meeting using any one of the following 
methods:
    (1) 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. 
Our online docket is available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov under docket number USCG-2013-0642.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions concerning the 
workshop, please call or email Lieutenant Andrew Gibbons, U.S. Coast 
Guard; telephone 202-372-1485, email [email protected]. If you 
have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call 
Ms. Barbara Hairston, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 
202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    If you are interested in formally presenting information on a topic 
on the agenda please contact Lieutenant Andrew Gibbons at the telephone 
number or email address indicated under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section of this notice. Comments submitted to the docket and 
informal public comments during the workshop are also encouraged. All 
comments and presentations received will be posted without change to 
http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information 
you have provided.

A. Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (USCG-2013-0642) 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 phone 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 ``USCG-2013-0642'' 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.

B. Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this notice as 
being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov and 
insert ``USCG-2013-0642'' in the ``Search'' box. Click ``Search'' and 
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.

C. 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 notice 
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the 
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Public Workshop

    The Coast Guard will hold a public workshop regarding various 
safety topics including design, equipment, and operational requirements 
related to the development of the IMO Polar Code. For more information 
regarding the dates and times of the public workshop please see the 
DATES section above.
    This workshop is intended to be an interactive exchange of 
information between policymakers, industry experts, and interested 
members of the public. The public workshop scope will include current 
regulations, additional risks and hazards unique to the Arctic and 
Antarctic regions, draft provisions in the IMO Polar Code, industry 
best practices, and any additional safeguards to be considered. The 
primary topics that will be considered at the public meeting include:
     General Overview of the IMO Polar Code;
     Ship Categories/Polar Class Rules;
     Operational Requirements including a Polar Water 
Operations Manual, Voyage Planning, and Contingency planning;
     Life-saving Equipment;
     Low Temperature Impacts on Design/Equipment.

Procedural

    Please note that the workshop has a limited number of seats and may 
close early if all business is finished.
    Members of the public may attend this workshop up to the seating 
capacity of the room. To facilitate the security process related to 
building access, or to request reasonable accommodation, those who plan 
to attend should contact the meeting coordinator, Lieutenant Andrew 
Gibbons, at the telephone number or email address indicated under the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice, or in writing 
at Commandant (CG-ENG-3), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20593-7126, not later than Friday, August 16, 2013. We 
may not be able to accommodate requests made after August 16, 2013. 
Please note that due to building security requirements, each visitor 
must present two valid, government-issued photo identifications in 
order to gain entrance to the Coast Guard Headquarters building. The 
Coast Guard Headquarters building is accessible by taxi and privately 
owned conveyance (public transportation is not generally available). 
However, public parking in the vicinity of the building is extremely 
limited.
    Members of the public are encouraged to participate and join in 
discussions, subject to the discretion of the moderator. If you bring 
written comments to the meeting, you may submit them to Coast Guard 
personnel specified at the meeting to receive written comments. These 
comments will be submitted to our online public docket. All comments 
received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov 
and will include any personal information you have provided.

[[Page 44961]]

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 
Lieutenant Andrew Gibbons at the telephone number or email address 
indicated under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 
notice.

    Dated: July 19, 2013.
F.J. Sturm,
Acting Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, U.S. Coast 
Guard.
[FR Doc. 2013-17914 Filed 7-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P