[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4482-4484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01599]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2013-1089]


Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of federal advisory committee meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will 
meet on March 11, 2014 and March 12, 2014 in Dania Beach, FL, to 
discuss various issues related to the training and fitness of merchant 
marine personnel. This meeting will be open to the public.

DATES: MERPAC working groups will meet on March 11, 2014, from 8 a.m. 
until 4 p.m., and the full committee will meet on March 12, 2014, from 
8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Please note that this meeting may adjourn early if 
all business is finished.

ADDRESSES: The Committee will meet in Room 217 of the STAR Center, 2 
West Dixie Highway, Dania Beach, FL 33004. Please be advised all 
attendees will be required to provide identification in the form of a 
government-issued picture identification card in order to gain 
admittance to the facility. For further information on the location of 
the STAR Center, please contact Mr. Graeme

[[Page 4483]]

Holman at (954) 921-7254 Ext. 7172 as soon as possible.
    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance, please contact Mr. Mark 
Gould, Alternate Designated Federal Officer (ADFO), telephone 202-372-
1409, or at [email protected].
    To facilitate public participation, we are inviting public comment 
on the issues to be considered by the committee and working groups as 
listed in the ``Agenda'' section below. Written comments for 
distribution to committee members and inclusion on MERPAC Web site must 
be submitted on or before February, 25, 2014. Written comments must be 
identified by Docket No. USCG-2013-1089 and 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: 202-493-2251.
     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, enter the 
docket number in the ``Search'' field and follow the instructions on 
the Web site.
    Public oral comment periods will be held each day. Speakers are 
requested to limit their comments to 3 minutes. Please note that the 
public oral comment periods may end before the prescribed ending time 
following the last call for comments. Contact Mr. Mark Gould as 
indicated below to register as a speaker.
    This notice may be viewed in our online docket, USCG-2013-1089, at 
http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mark Gould, Alternate Designated 
Federal Officer (ADFO), telephone 202-372-1409, or at 
[email protected]. If you have any 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), Title 5, United States Code, 
Appendix (Pub. L. 92-463).
    MERPAC is an advisory committee established under the Secretary's 
authority in section 871 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Title 6, 
United States Code, section 451, and chartered under the provisions of 
the FACA. The Committee acts solely in an advisory capacity to the 
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the 
Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Director of Commercial 
Regulations and Standards on matters relating to personnel in the U.S. 
merchant marine, including but not limited to training, qualifications, 
certification, documentation, and fitness standards. The Committee will 
advise, consult with, and make recommendations reflecting its 
independent judgment to the Secretary.
    A copy of all meeting documentation is available at https://homeport.uscg.mil/merpac and then use the announcements key. 
Alternatively, you may contact Mr. Mark Gould as noted in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above.

Agenda

Day 1

    The agenda for the March 11, 2014, meeting is as follows:
    (1) The full committee will meet briefly to discuss the working 
groups' business/task statements, which are listed under paragraph 2 
(a)-(g) below.
    (2) Working groups addressing the following task statements, 
available for viewing at http://homeport.uscg.mil/merpac, will meet to 
deliberate:
    (a) Task Statement 30, Utilizing Military Education, Training and 
Assessment for the International Convention on Standards of Training, 
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and U.S. Coast 
Guard Certifications;
    (b) Task Statement 58, Communication between External Stakeholders 
and the Mariner Credentialing Program, as it Relates to the National 
Maritime Center;
    (c) Task Statement 78, Consideration of the International Labour 
Organization's Maritime Labour Convention, 2006;
    (d) Task Statement 80, Crew Training Requirements Onboard Natural 
Gas-Fueled Vessels Other Than Liquefied Natural Gas Carriers;
    (e) Task Statement 81, Development of Competency Requirements for 
Vessel Personnel Working Within the Polar Regions;
    (f) Task Statement 83, Development of Competency Requirements to 
meet STCW Chief Engineer III/2 for Personnel Working on Small Vessels 
with High Horsepower; and
    (g) Task Statement 85, Correction of Merchant Mariner Credentials 
issued with Clear Errors.
    (3) Public comment period.
    (4) Reports of working groups. At the end of the day, the working 
groups will report to the full committee on what was accomplished in 
their meetings. The full committee will not take action on these 
reports on this date. Any official action taken as a result of this 
working group meeting will be taken on day 2 of the meeting.
    (5) Adjournment of meeting.

Day 2

    The agenda for the March 12, 2014, committee meeting is as follows:
    (1) Introduction;
    (2) Remarks from Coast Guard Leadership;
    (3) Swearing in of new members.
    (4) Roll call of committee members and determination of a quorum;
    (4) Designated Federal Officer (DFO) announcements;
    (5) Reports from the following working groups;
    (a) Task Statement 30, Utilizing Military Education, Training and 
Assessment for STCW and U.S. Coast Guard Certifications;
    (b) Task Statement 58, Communication between External Stakeholders 
and the Mariner Credentialing Program, as it Relates to the National 
Maritime Center;
    (c) Task Statement 78, Consideration of the International Labour 
Organization's Maritime Labour Convention, 2006;
    (d) Task Statement 80, Crew Training Requirements Onboard Natural 
Gas-Fueled Vessels Other Than Liquefied Natural Gas Carriers;
    (e) Task Statement 81, Development of Competency Requirements for 
Vessel Personnel Working Within the Polar Regions;
    (f) Task Statement 83, Development of Competency Requirements to 
meet STCW Chief Engineer III/2 for Personnel Working on Small Vessels 
with High Horsepower; and
    (g) Task Statement 85, Correction of Merchant Mariner Credentials 
issued with Clear Errors.

[[Page 4484]]

    (6) Other items for discussion:
    (a) Report on National Maritime Center (NMC) activities from NMC 
Commanding Officer, such as the net processing time it takes for a 
mariner to receive his or her credential after application submittal;
    (b) Report on Mariner Credentialing Program Policy Division 
activities, such as its current initiatives and projects;
    (c) Report on International Maritime Organization (IMO)/
International Labour Organization (ILO) issues related to the merchant 
marine industry;
    (d) Report on the implementation of the 2010 amendments to the STCW 
Convention; and
    (e) Briefings about on-going Coast Guard projects related to 
personnel in the U.S. Merchant Marine, such as proposed Task Statements 
concerning:
    Implementation of the Amendments to the International Convention on 
Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 
1978, and Changes to National Endorsements; and Training of Personnel 
and Manning on Mobile Offshore Units (MOUs) and Offshore Supply Vessels 
(OSVs) on the United States' Outer Continental Shelf (OCS); and
    (7) Public comment period/presentations.
    (8) Discussion of working group recommendations. The committee will 
review the information presented on each issue, deliberate on any 
recommendations presented by the working groups and approve/formulate 
recommendations for the Department's consideration. Official action on 
these recommendations may be taken on this date.
    (9) Closing remarks/plans for next meeting.
    (10) Adjournment of meeting.
    A copy of all meeting documentation is available at http://homeport.uscg.mil/merpac. Alternatively, you may contact Mr. Mark Gould 
as noted in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above.

    Dated: January 15, 2014.
J.G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2014-01599 Filed 1-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P