[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 44 (Friday, March 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12188-12189]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05369]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2011-0138]


Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory Committee Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee will meet to 
discuss matters relating to medical certification determinations for 
issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, merchant mariners' 
documents, medical standards and guidelines for the physical 
qualifications of operators of commercial vessels, medical examiner 
education, and medical research. The meeting will be open to the 
public.

DATES: The Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee is scheduled to 
meet on Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17, 2015, from 8 a.m. to 5 
p.m. Please note that the meeting may close early if the committee has 
completed its business. This meeting 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 Lieutenant Ashley Holm, 
Alternate Designated Federal Officer for the Merchant Mariner Medical 
Advisory Committee, to confirm that the meeting will be held on these 
dates or if the meeting has been re-scheduled. All submitted written 
materials, comments, and requests to make oral presentations at the 
meeting should reach Lieutenant Ashley Holm no later than March 13, 
2015. For contact information, please see the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section below. Any written material submitted by the public 
both before and after the meeting will be distributed to the Merchant 
Mariner Medical Advisory Committee and become part of the public 
record.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel, 
St.

[[Page 12189]]

Charles Ballroom B, 739 Canal Street at Bourbon, New Orleans, LA 70130 
(www.astorneworleans.com). For further information about the hotel 
facilities, please contact the front desk at (504) 962-0500.
    For information on services for individuals with disabilities or to 
request special assistance at the meeting, contact the individual 
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section as soon as 
possible. For planning purposes, please notify the Merchant Mariner 
Medical Advisory Committee Alternate Designated Federal Officer of your 
attendance as soon as possible.
    Hotel Reservations: A block of rooms have been reserved at a group 
rate from Sunday, March 15 through Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at the 
Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel for the Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory 
Committee meeting attendees. Availability is limited. To make a 
reservation please visit the following Web site: https://aws.passkey.com/event/12834543/owner/10756/landing. Select ``attendee'' 
from the dropdown menu.
    If you plan on attending the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory 
Committee meeting being held March 18-19, 2015 following the Merchant 
Mariner Medical Advisory Committee, a separate hotel reservation will 
need to be made under a different block. To make a reservation for the 
Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee meeting please visit the 
following Web site: https://aws.passkey.com/event/12834866/owner/10756/home. To secure the group rate, reservations under both committee 
blocks must be made no later than March 13, 2015.
    To facilitate public participation, we are inviting public comment 
on the issues to be considered by the committee as listed in the 
``Agenda'' section below. Written comments must be submitted no later 
than March 13, 2015, in order for committee members to review comments 
before the meeting, and must be identified by docket number USCG-2011-
0138 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. All 
comments submitted 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, insert USCG-
2011-0138 in the ``SEARCH'' box, press Enter and then click on the item 
you wish to view.
    A public comment period will be held on March 16, 2015, from 
approximately 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Speakers are requested to limit their 
comments to 5 minutes. Please note that the public comment period may 
end before the time indicated, following the last call for comments. 
Additionally, public comment will be sought throughout the meeting as 
specific issues are discussed by the committee. Contact Lieutenant 
Ashley Holm as indicated below to register as a speaker.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lieutenant Ashley Holm, Alternate 
Designated Federal Officer for the Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory 
Committee, at telephone 202-372-1128 or email [email protected]. 
If you have any questions on viewing or submitting material to the 
docket, call Ms. 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, 5 United States Code Appendix. The 
Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee Meeting is authorized by 46 
United States Code 7115 and advises the Secretary on matters related to 
(a) medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, 
certificates of registry, and merchant mariners' documents; (b) medical 
standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators 
of commercial vessels; (c) medical examiner education; and (d) medical 
research.
    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; MEDMAC and then use the 
announcements key. Alternatively, you may contact Lieutenant Ashley 
Holm as noted in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above.

Agenda:

Day 1

    The agenda for the March 16, 2015 meeting is as follows:
    (1) Opening remarks from Coast Guard leadership.
    (2) Opening remarks from the Designated Federal Officer.
    (3) Roll call of committee members and determination of a quorum.
    (4) Review of last full committee meeting's minutes.
    (5) Public comments.
    (6) Introduction of new task(s).
    (7) Working Groups addressing the following task statements may 
meet to deliberate--
    (a) Task Statement 1, Revision of Navigation and Vessel Inspection 
Circular 04-08. The Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular can be 
found at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvic/, Medical and Physical 
Guidelines for Merchant Mariner Credentials.
    (b) The Committee will receive new task statements from the Coast 
Guard, review the information presented on each issue, deliberate and 
formulate recommendations for the Department's consideration.
    (8) Adjournment of meeting.

Day 2

    The agenda for the March 17, 2015 meeting is as follows:
    (1) Continue work on Task Statements.
    (2) By mid-afternoon, the Working Groups will report, and if 
applicable, make recommendations for the full committee to consider for 
presentation to the Coast Guard. The committee may vote on the working 
group's recommendations on this date. The public will have an 
opportunity to speak after each Working Group's Report before the full 
committee takes any action on each report.
    (3) Closing remarks/plans for next meeting.
    (4) Adjournment of Meeting.

    Dated: March 3, 2015.
P.F. Thomas,
Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, United States Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 2015-05369 Filed 3-5-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P