[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17671-17672]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07265]


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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 2016

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is publishing this notice to satisfy a 
requirement of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century 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 2016, as of September 30, 2016.
    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. In 2015, the 
law was amended again which resulted in the consolidation of the $5.5 
million and the two percent amount made available under 46 U.S.C. 
Chapter 131, Section 13107(2). For Fiscal Year 2016 the amount 
allocated to the Coast Guard under Public Law 114-94, Section 10001(2) 
was $7.7 million.

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. Subsequently on 
December 04, 2015 the law was once again amended (Pub. L. 114-94; 
Section 10001). This amendment consolidated the $5.5 million and the 
two percent amount made available under 46 U.S.C. Chapter 131, Section 
13107(2). For Fiscal Year 2016 the amount allocated to the Coast Guard 
under Public Law 114-94, Section 10001(2) was $7.7 million. Of the $7.7 
million made available ``not less than'' $2.1 million shall be 
available to ensure compliance with Chapter 43 of Title 46, U.S. Code 
and ``not more'' than $1.5 million is available to conduct by grant or 
contract a survey of levels of recreational boating participation and 
related matters in the United States.
    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), on and 
after October 1, 2016 no funds available to the Secretary under this 
subsection may be used to replace funding 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 2016 for each activity is shown below.

Specific Accounting of Funds

    Manufacturer Compliance Inspection Program/Boat Testing Program: 
Funding was provided to continue the national recreational boat 
compliance inspection program, initiated in January 2001. During the 
Fiscal Year contracted personnel, acting on behalf of the Coast Guard, 
visit recreational boat manufacturers, recreational boat retailers, and 
recreational boat shows to inspect boats for compliance with the 
Federal regulations. During the 2015-2016 reporting year, inspectors 
performed 391 factory visits, 220 retailer visits, and 8 boat show 
visits resulting in 2,777 boats being inspected with findings of 883 
non-compliances. ($2,123,490). Additional expenditures regarding this 
subject that are accounted for in the funding amounts listed below are 
Contract Personnel Support ($106,000), Reimbursable Salaries ($194,586) 
and New Recreational Boating Safety Associated Travel ($5,976). 
Collectively, these expenditures, along with other potential projects, 
are considered to be applicable to the legal requirement that ``not 
less than'' $2.1 million be available to ensure compliance with Chapter 
43 of Title 46, U.S. Code.
    Administrative Overhead--Funding was provided to pay for Boating 
Safety Division office supplies. ($6,027).
    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. Funds supported system 
maintenance, development, and technical (hotline) support. ($237,997).
    Contract Personnel Support: Funding was provided for contract 
personnel to support the appropriate cost/benefit analyses for 
potential new regulations and to conduct general boating safety-related 
research and analysis and to assist the manufacturer compliance 
program. ($616,207).
    Boating Accident News Clipping Services: Funding was provided to 
continue to gather daily news stories of

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recreational boating accidents nationally for more real time accident 
information and to identify accidents that may involve regulatory non-
compliances or safety defects. ($50,000).
    RBS Program Compliance Travel: Funding was provided to pay for CG-
BSX-2 staff to visit State and national nonprofit public service 
organization grant programs to verify their compliance with grant 
program requirements. ($86,297).
    National Boating Safety Advisory Council: Funding was provided to 
pay for member travel and meeting costs for the 95th National Boating 
Safety Advisory Council meeting. ($35,241).
    Grant Program Assessment: A contract was funded to provide for an 
external third-party to assess the operation of the State and national 
nonprofit public service organization grant programs. ($168,043).
    Grant Management Training: Funding was provided to pay for staff to 
attend training to improve their grant management and oversight skills. 
($1,469).
    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. ($22,873).
    Printing: Funding was provided for printing Engine Cut-Off Switch 
Brochures. These brochures are used to educate boaters on the 
importance of wearing the engine cut-off lanyard. The Coast Guard, USCG 
Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadrons, and State agencies distribute this 
product to the public at local boating events, during classroom 
instruction, and during Vessel Safety Checks. ($9,727).
    Reimbursable Salaries: Funding was provided as authorized by 46 
U.S.C. 13107(c) to pay for 18 personnel directly related to 
coordinating and carrying out the national recreational boating safety 
program. ($2,273,722).
    Technical Support and Analysis for the Recreational Boating Safety 
Program: The purpose of this contract is to obtain Contractor 
professional, technical, and management support for services relating 
to the national survey development, nonprofit grants grading 
assessments, and other analysis as needed for the enhancement of the 
administration of the National Recreational Boating Safety Program. 
Projects covered by the contract include statistical analyses of data 
collected in the 2012 National Recreational Boating Survey and research 
on the implications of the findings relative to boating safety and the 
National Recreational Boating Safety Program; a review of scientific 
literature covering various measures of risk exposure in other 
transportation related fields; support in designing the next National 
Recreational Boating Safety Survey; and development of a web-based 
system for review of national nonprofit organization grant submissions. 
($500,000).
    Of the $7.7 million made available to the Coast Guard in fiscal 
year 2016, $3,810,950 has been committed, obligated, or expended and an 
additional $2,320,143 of prior fiscal year funds have been committed, 
obligated, or expended, as of September 30, 2016. The remainder of the 
FY15 and FY16 funds made available to the Coast Guard (approximately 
$6,453,196) may be retained for the allowable period for the National 
Recreational Boating Survey or transferred into the pool of money 
available for allocation through the state grant program.

Authority

    This notice is issued pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552 and 46 U.S.C. 
13107(c)(4).

    Dated: April 3, 2017.
V.B. Gifford,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Inspections & Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2017-07265 Filed 4-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P