[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 44 (Friday, March 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12187-12188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05368]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2015-0049]


Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee

AGENCY:  Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory Committee Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee will meet to 
discuss various issues related to the training and fitness of merchant 
marine personnel. This meeting will be open to the public.

DATES: The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee working groups 
are scheduled to meet on March 18, 2015, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., and 
the full Committee is scheduled to meet on March 19, 2015, from 8 a.m. 
until 5 p.m. Written comments for distribution to Committee members and 
for inclusion on the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee Web 
site must be submitted on or before March 11, 2015. Please note that 
this meeting may adjourn early if all business is finished. These 
meetings will be held as scheduled subject to the availability of 
funds. Anyone interested in attending this meeting may want to contact 
the Coast Guard before making their travel and hotel reservations. 
Please contact either Mr. Davis Breyer at [email protected] or 
Mr. Mark Gould at [email protected] to confirm that the meeting 
will be held on these dates or if the meeting has been re-scheduled.

ADDRESSES: The Committee will meet in the St. Charles Ballroom B of the 
Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel, 739 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. For 
further information about the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel, contact Ms. 
Angela Eckles at 504-962-0500 ext. 8004 or via email at 
[email protected]. The hotel Web site can also be viewed at 
www.astorneworleans.com.
    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance, please contact Mr. Davis 
Breyer as indicated in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT paragraph 
below.
    Hotel Reservations: A block of rooms has been reserved at a group 
rate from Tuesday, March 17 through Thursday, March 19, 2015 at the 
Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel for the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory 
Committee meeting attendees. Availability is limited. To make a 
reservation please visit the following Web site: https://aws.passkey.com/event/12834866/owner/10756/home Select ``attendee'' 
from the dropdown menu.
    If you plan on attending the Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory 
Committee meeting being held March 16-17, 2015 immediately before the 
Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee meeting, a separate hotel 
reservation will need to be made under a different block. To make a 
reservation for the Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee meeting 
please visit the following Web site: https://aws.passkey.com/event/12834543/owner/10756/landing. To secure the group rate, reservations 
under both committee blocks must be made no later March 13, 2015.
    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 must be 
identified by Docket No. USCG-2015-0049 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 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. Davis Breyer as 
indicated below to register as a speaker.
    This notice may be viewed in our online docket, USCG-2015-0049, at 
http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Davis Breyer, Alternate Designated 
Federal Officer of the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee, 
telephone 202-372-1445, or at [email protected]. If you have any 
questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Cheryl 
Collins, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826 or 
1-800-647-5527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92-463, 5 U.S.C., Appendix).
    The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee was 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 Federal Advisory Committee Act. The 
Committee acts solely in an advisory capacity to the Secretary of the 
Department of Homeland Security 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 by using these key strokes: Missions; Port and 
Waterways Safety; Advisory Committees; MERPAC; and then use the 
announcements key. Alternatively, you may contact Mr. Davis Breyer as 
noted in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above.

[[Page 12188]]

Agenda

Day 1

    The agenda for the March 18, 2015, 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)-(d) below.
    (2) Working groups will address the following task statements which 
are available for viewing at http://homeport.uscg.mil/merpac:
    (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 84, Correction of Merchant Mariner Credentials 
issued with Clear Errors; and
    (d) Task Statement 87, Review of Policy Documents Providing 
Guidance on the Implementation of the December 24, 2013 International 
Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping and 
Changes to National Endorsements Rulemaking.
    (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 19, 2015, full Committee meeting is as 
follows:
    (1) Introduction;
    (2) Remarks from Coast Guard Leadership;
    (3) Designated Federal Officer announcements;
    (4) Roll call of Committee members and determination of a quorum;
    (5) Reports from the following working groups;
    (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 76, Review of Performance Measures (Assessment 
Criteria);
    (d) Task Statement 77, Development of Performance Measures 
(Assessment Criteria);
    (e) Task Statement 78, Consideration of the International Labour 
Organization's Maritime Labour Convention, 2006;
    (f) Task Statement 80, Develop training guidelines for mariners 
employed aboard vessels subject to the IGF Code;
    (g) Task Statement 81, Development of Competency Requirements for 
Vessel Personnel Working Within the Polar Regions;
    (h) Task Statement 84, Correction of Merchant Mariner Credentials 
issued with Clear Errors; and
    (i) Task Statement 87, Review of Policy Documents Providing 
Guidance on the Implementation of the December 24, 2013 International 
Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping and 
Changes to National Endorsements Rulemaking.
    (6) Other items for discussion:
    (a) Report on the Implementation of the 2010 Amendments to the 
International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and 
Watchkeeping;
    (b) Report on National Maritime Center activities from the National 
Maritime Center Commanding Officer, such as the net processing time it 
takes for mariners to receive their credentials after application 
submittal;
    (c) Report on Mariner Credentialing Program Policy Division 
activities, such as its current initiatives and projects;
    (d) Report on International Maritime Organization (IMO)/
International Labor Organization (ILO) issues related to the merchant 
marine industry; and
    (e) Briefings about on-going Coast Guard projects related to 
personnel in the U.S. merchant marine, including a draft task statement 
concerning job descriptions for the various billets on merchant 
vessels.
    (7) Public comment period.
    (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.

    Dated: March 3, 2015.
J.G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2015-05368 Filed 3-5-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P