[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3605-3606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01095]
[[Page 3605]]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2010-1066]
Recreational Boating Safety Projects, Programs, and Activities
Funded Under Provisions of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century; Fiscal Year 2013
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In 1999, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
made $5 million per year available for the payment of Coast Guard
expenses for personnel and activities directly related to coordinating
and carrying out the national recreational boating safety program. In
2005, the law was amended, and the amount was increased to $5.5
million. The Coast Guard is publishing this notice to satisfy a
requirement of the Act that a detailed accounting of the projects,
programs, and activities funded under the national recreational boating
safety program provision of the Act be published annually in the
Federal Register. This notice specifies the funding amounts the Coast
Guard has committed, obligated, or expended during fiscal year 2013, as
of September 30, 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on this notice, call
Jeff Ludwig, Regulations Development Manager, telephone 202-372-1061.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Purpose
The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century became law on
June 9, 1998 (Pub. L. 105-178; 112 Stat. 107). The Act required that of
the $5 million made available to carry out the national recreational
boating safety program each year, $2 million shall be available only to
ensure compliance with Chapter 43 of Title 46, U.S. Code. On September
29, 2005, the Sportfishing and Recreational Boating Safety Amendments
Act of 2005 was enacted (Pub. L. 109-74; 119 Stat. 2031). This Act
increased the funds available to the national recreational boating
safety program from $5 million to $5.5 million annually, and stated
that ``not less than'' $2 million shall be available only to ensure
compliance with Chapter 43 of Title 46, U.S. Code.
These funds are available to the Secretary from the Sport Fish
Restoration and Boating Trust Fund established under 26 U.S.C. 9504(a)
for payment of Coast Guard expenses for personnel and activities
directly related to coordinating and carrying out the national
recreational boating safety program. Under 46 U.S.C. 13107(c), no funds
available to the Secretary under this subsection may be used to replace
funding traditionally provided through general appropriations, nor for
any purposes except those purposes authorized; namely, for personnel
and activities directly related to coordinating and carrying out the
national recreational boating safety program. Amounts made available
under 46 U.S.C. 13107(c) remain available during the two succeeding
fiscal years. Any amount that is unexpended or unobligated at the end
of the 3-year period during which it is available, shall be withdrawn
by the Secretary and allocated to the States in addition to any other
amounts available for allocation in the fiscal year in which they are
withdrawn or the following fiscal year.
Use of these funds requires compliance with standard Federal
contracting rules with associated lead and processing times resulting
in a lag time between available funds and spending. The total amount of
funding transferred to the Coast Guard from the Sport Fish Restoration
and Boating Trust Fund and committed, obligated, and/or expended during
fiscal year 2013 for each activity is shown below.
Specific Accounting of Funds
Factory Visit Program/Boat Testing Program: Funding was provided to
continue the national recreational boat factory visit program,
initiated in January 2001. Under the factory visit program, contracted
personnel, acting on behalf of the Coast Guard, visited 1,300
recreational boat manufacturers during the 2013 reporting year to
either inspect for compliance with Federal regulations, communicate
with the manufacturers as to why they need to comply with Federal
regulations, or educate them, as necessary, on how to comply with
Federal regulations. Funding was also provided for testing of certain
associated equipment and in-water testing of atypical and used
recreational boats for compliance with capacity and flotation
standards. This amount satisfies the legal requirement that ``not less
than'' $2 million be available to ensure compliance with Chapter 43 of
Title 46, U.S. Code. ($2,516,089).
New Recreational Boating Safety Associated Travel: Funding was
provided to facilitate travel by employees of the Boating Safety
Division to carry out additional recreational boating safety actions
and to gather background and planning information for new recreational
boating safety initiatives, in support of the National Recreational
Boating Safety Program Strategic Plan. ($10,219).
Boating Accident News Clipping Services: Funding was provided to
continue to gather daily news stories of recreational boating accidents
nationally for more real time accident information and to identify
accidents that may involve regulatory non-compliances or safety
defects. ($30,000).
Boating Accident Report Database (BARD) Web System: Funding was
allocated to continue providing the BARD Web System, which enables
reporting authorities in the 50 States, five U.S. Territories, and the
District of Columbia to submit their accident reports electronically
over a secure Internet connection. The system also enables the user
community to generate statistical reports that show the frequency,
nature, and severity of boating accidents. Fiscal year 2013 funds
supported system maintenance, development, and technical (hotline)
support. ($327,360).
Personnel Support: Funding was provided for personnel to support
the development of new regulations and to conduct boating safety-
related research and analysis. ($971,198).
Reimbursable Salaries: Funding was provided to carry out the work
as prescribed in 46 U.S.C. 13107(c) and as described herein. The first
position was that of a professional mathematician/statistician to
conduct necessary national surveys and studies on recreational boating
activities as well as to serve as a liaison to other Federal agencies
that are conducting boating surveys so that we can pool our resources
and reduce costs. The second position was that of an Outreach
Coordinator with responsibilities that include overseeing and managing
RBS projects related to carbon monoxide poisoning, propeller injury
mitigation, and manufacturer compliance initiatives. ($301,623).
Web Site Support: Funding for this initiative provides a full range
of public media and boating safety information at http://www.uscgboating.org for a worldwide audience. It covers a wide spectrum
of boating safety related topics and is dedicated to reducing loss of
life, injuries, and property damage that occur on U.S. waterways by
improving the knowledge, skills, and abilities of recreational boaters.
($81,733).
Of the $5.5 million made available to the Coast Guard in fiscal
year 2013, $2,429,831 has been committed, obligated, or expended and an
additional $1,808,391 of prior fiscal year funds have been committed,
obligated, or expended, as of September 30, 2013. The remainder of the
FY13 funds made
[[Page 3606]]
available to the Coast Guard (approximately $3,000,000) will be
transferred into the pool of money available for allocation through the
FY14 state grant program.
Authority
This notice is issued pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552 and 46 U.S.C.
13107(c)(4).
Dated: December 31, 2013.
J.C. Burton,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Inspections & Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2014-01095 Filed 1-21-14; 8:45 am]
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