[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 13, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90060-90061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29894]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number MARAD-2016-0126]


Waiver Request for Aquaculture Support Operations for the 2017 
Calendar Year: M/V COLBY PERCE and M/V RONJA CARRIER

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.

[[Page 90061]]


ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to a delegation of authority from the Secretary of 
Transportation, the Maritime Administrator is authorized to issue 
waivers allowing documented vessels with only registry endorsements or 
foreign flag vessels to be used in operations that treat aquaculture 
fish or protect aquaculture fish from disease, parasitic infestation, 
or other threats to their health when suitable vessels of the United 
States are not available that could perform those services. A request 
for such a waiver has been received by the Maritime Administration 
(MARAD). This notice is being published to solicit comments intended to 
assist MARAD in determining whether a suitable vessel of the United 
States is available that could perform the required services. If no 
suitable U.S.-flag vessel is available, the Maritime Administrator may 
issue a waiver necessary to comply with USCG Aquaculture Support 
regulations. A brief description of the proposed aquaculture support 
service is listed in the Supplementary Information section below.

DATES: Submit comments on or before January 12, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Number 
MARAD-2016-0126 by any of the following methods:
     On-line via the Federal Electronic Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search using ``MARAD-2016-0126'' and follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail/Hand-Delivery/Courier: Docket Management Facility; 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room 
W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. Submit comments in an unbound format, no 
larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic 
filing.
    Reference Materials and Docket Information: You may view the 
complete application, including the aquaculture support technical 
service requirements, and all public comments at the DOT Docket on-line 
via http://www.regulations.gov. Search using ``MARAD-2016-0126.'' All 
comments received will be posted without change to the docket, 
including any personal information provided. The Docket Management 
Facility is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
on Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bianca Carr, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Room W23-453, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 202-366-9309, Email 
[email protected]. If you have questions on viewing the Docket, call 
Docket Operations, telephone: (800) 647-5527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As a result of the enactment of the Coast 
Guard Authorization Act of 2010, codified at 46 U.S.C. 12102, the 
Secretary of Transportation has the discretionary authority to issue 
waivers allowing documented vessels with registry endorsements or 
foreign flag vessels to be used in operations that treat aquaculture 
fish for or protect aquaculture fish from disease, parasitic 
infestation, or other threats to their health when suitable vessels of 
the United States are not available that could perform those services. 
The Secretary has delegated this authority to the Maritime 
Administrator. Pursuant to this authority, MARAD is providing notice of 
the services proposed by Cook Aquaculture (Cook) in order to make a 
U.S.-flag vessel availability determination.
    In order to comply with USCG Aquaculture Support regulations at 46 
CFR part 106, Cook is seeking a MARAD Aquaculture Waiver to operate the 
vessels M/V COLBY PERCE and M/V RONJA CARRIER as follows:
    Intended Commercial Use of Vessel: ``to use two highly-specialized 
foreign-flag vessels referred to as ``wellboats'' (or ``live fish 
carriers'') to treat Cooke's swimming inventory of farmed Atlantic 
salmon in the company's salt-water grow-out pens off Maine's North 
Atlantic Coast. This treatment prevents against parasitic infestation 
by sea lice that is highly destructive to the salmon's health.''
    Geographic Region: ``Off Maine's North Atlantic Coast''.
    Requested Time Period: ``2017 calendar year, from January 1, 2017 
to December 31, 2017''.
    Interested parties may submit comments providing detailed 
information relating to the availability of U.S.-flag vessels to 
perform the required aquaculture support services. If MARAD determines, 
in accordance with 46 U.S.C. 12102(d)(1) and MARAD's regulations at 46 
CFR part 388, that suitable U.S.-flag vessels are available to perform 
the required services, a waiver will not be granted. Comments should 
refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order 
for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state 
the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the 
waiver criteria set forth in 46 CFR 388.4.

Privacy Act

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 
public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT posts these 
comments, without edit, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the 
system of records notice, DOT/ALL-14 FDMS, accessible through 
www.dot.gov/privacy. In order to facilitate comment tracking and 
response, we encourage commenters to provide their name, or the name of 
their organization; however, submission of names is completely 
optional. Whether or not commenters identify themselves, all timely 
comments will be fully considered. If you wish to provide comments 
containing proprietary or confidential information, please contact the 
agency for alternate submission instructions.

    Authority: 49 CFR 1.93(w).
* * * * *

    Dated: December 8, 2016.

    By order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-29894 Filed 12-12-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-81-P