[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68077-68079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27014]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2013-0194]


Navigation Safety Advisory Council

AGENCY: United States Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory Committee Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Navigation Safety Advisory Council (NAVSAC) will meet 
December 3-4, 2013, in Portsmouth, Virginia to discuss matters relating 
to maritime collisions, rammings, groundings; Inland and International 
Rules of the Road; navigation regulations and equipment; routing 
measures; marine information; diving safety; and aids to navigation 
systems. The meeting will be open to the public.

DATES: NAVSAC will meet Tuesday, December 3, 2013, from 8 a.m. to 5 
p.m., and Wednesday, December 4, 2013, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please 
note that the meeting may close early if the Council has completed its 
business. Written comments are due by November 26, 2013.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel 
and Convention Center, 425 Waters Street, Portsmouth, Virginia 23704. 
For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
Mr. Burt Lahn listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section 
below as soon as possible.
    To facilitate public participation, we are inviting public comment 
on the issues to be considered by the council prior to the formulation 
of recommendations as listed in the ``Agenda'' section below.
    You may submit written comments no later than November 26, 2013, 
and must

[[Page 68078]]

be identified by USCG-2013-0194 using 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). Simply enter ``USCG-2013-0194'' in the 
``SEARCH'' field, click on , then click on  next 
to the Meeting Announcement.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     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. Simply enter 
``USCG-2013-0194'' in the ``SEARCH'' field, click on , click on 
 next to the Meeting Announcement, then click on 
the title of any comment you wish to review.

A public comment period will be held during the meeting on December 3, 
2013, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and December 4, 2013, from 11:00 a.m. 
until the close of the meeting. Public presentations may also be given. 
Speakers are requested to limit their presentation and comments to 10 
minutes. Please note that the public comment period may end before the 
time indicated, following the last call for comments. To register as a 
speaker, contact Mr. Burt Lahn listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
meeting, please contact Mr. Mike Sollosi, the NAVSAC Alternate 
Designated Federal Officer (ADFO), by telephone at 202-372-1545 or via 
email at [email protected]; or Mr. Burt Lahn, NAVSAC meeting 
coordinator, at telephone 202-372-1526 or email [email protected]. 
If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, 
call Barbara Hairston, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 
202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. Appendix (Pub. L. 92-
463).
    The NAVSAC is an advisory council authorized by 33 U.S.C. 2073 and 
chartered under the provisions of the FACA. NAVSAC provides advice and 
recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the 
Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, on matters relating to prevention 
of maritime collisions, rammings, and groundings; Inland and 
International Rules of the Road; navigation regulations and equipment; 
routing measures; marine information; diving safety; and aids to 
navigation systems.
    The meeting will be held at the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel and 
Convention Center, 425 Waters Street, Portsmouth, Virginia 23704. 
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=425+water+st+portsmouth+va&aq=&vps=1&jsv=466g&sll=37.857507,95.625&sspn=36.699081,78.837891&vpsrc=3&t=h&ie=UTF8&ct=clnk&cd=1&spell=1.
    Agenda: The NAVSAC will meet to review, discuss and formulate 
recommendations on the following topics:

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

    (1) Risk assessment updates. At the April 2013 Council meeting the 
Coast Guard provided an overview of ongoing risk assessments for 
several U.S. ports/waterways. The Council will receive an updated brief 
on the status of the risk assessments and the progress made since the 
April 2013 meeting.
    (2) E-Navigation Strategy. The Council will receive an updated 
brief on activities of the Committee on the Marine Transportation 
System, and progress made on the development of the National E-
Navigation Strategy.
    (3) Atlantic Coast Ports Access Route Study (ACPARS).
    The Council will receive an update on the ACPARS undertaken to 
accommodate offshore wind energy development. The update will include a 
presentation on what activities are currently in progress, and those 
expected to commence in calendar year 2014.
    (4) Navigation Rules Regulatory Project. The Council will receive 
an update on the Coast Guard's progress toward implementing NAVSAC 
proposed changes to the Inland Navigation Rules.
    (5) Electronic Charts and Publications. The Council will receive an 
update on recent changes announced by the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, Office of Coast Survey, to the printing and 
distribution of paper nautical charts and publications.
    Following the above presentations, the Council will form working 
groups to discuss and provide recommendations on the following tasks as 
appropriate:
    (1) NAVSAC Task 12-03--Unmanned vehicles/vessels (UV). The Council 
was asked to review current UV standards of operation, consider whether 
the latest generation of these vessels should employ AIS, and propose 
additional rules/standards of operation for both unmanned underwater 
vehicles, and unmanned surface vessels. NAVSAC previously discussed 
this task at both the November 2012 meeting and the April 2013 meeting. 
At the conclusion of the April 2013 meeting NAVSAC agreed to continue 
discussions and deliberations at the fall 2013 meeting. The Council 
will be asked to continue discussions on this task and provide a 
Resolution that includes recommendations for rules/standards of 
operation for unmanned surface vessels.
    (2) NAVSAC Task 13-02--Discussion of vessel crossing situations 
outlined in the Inland Navigation Rules, 33 CFR 83.15(b). The Council 
will be asked to begin discussions and provide recommendations on 
amending Rule 15(b), including what impacts any proposed amendments may 
have on vessels crossing situations on the western rivers system.
    (3) NAVSAC Task 13-03--Continued use of Dayshapes to indicate 
status. The Council will be asked to begin discussions and provide 
recommendations on the continued display of Dayshapes for vessels as 
required by 33 CFR subpart C of the Inland Navigation Rules.
    Public comments or questions will be taken during the meeting after 
the Council discusses each issue and prior to the Council formulating 
recommendations on each issue. There will also be a public comment 
period at the end of the meeting.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

    (1) Working Group Discussions continued from December 3, 2013.
    (2) Working Group Reports presented to the Council.
    (3) New Business:
    a. Summary of NAVSAC Action Items.
    b. Schedule Next Meeting Date--Spring 2014.

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    c. Council discussions and summary of new tasks and pending action 
items.
    A public comment period will be held after the discussion of new 
tasks. Speakers' comments are limited to 10 minutes each. Public 
comments or questions may also be taken during the discussion and 
recommendations, and new business portions of the meeting.

    Dated: November 5, 2013.
G.C. Rasicot,
Director, Marine Transportation Systems, U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 2013-27014 Filed 11-12-13; 8:45 am]
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