[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 86 (Friday, May 5, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 21155-21156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09177]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

46 CFR Parts 401, 403, and 404

[USCG-2016-0268]
RIN 1625-AC34


Great Lakes Pilotage Rates--2017 Annual Review

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period on supplemental notice of 
proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is adding an additional 30 days to the comment 
period on the supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking for ``Great 
Lakes Pilotage Rates--2017 Annual Review'' published in the Federal 
Register on

[[Page 21156]]

April 5, 2017. We are extending the comment period to allow the public 
more time to comment on the proposed rulemaking. The comment period is 
now open through June 5, 2017.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published April 5, 2017 
(82 FR 16542) is extended. Comments and related material must be 
received by the Coast Guard on or before June 5, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2016-0268 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation and Request for 
Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further 
instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
proposed rulemaking, call or email Mr. Todd Haviland, Director, Great 
Lakes Pilotage, Commandant (CG-WWM-2), Coast Guard; telephone 202-372-
2037, email [email protected], or fax 202-372-1914.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coast Guard is adding an additional 30 
days to the comment period on the supplemental notice of proposed 
rulemaking (SNPRM) for ``Great Lakes Pilotage Rates--2017 Annual 
Review'' published in the Federal Register on April 5, 2017 (82 FR 
16542). We received a request to extend the comment period 60 days and 
to hold a public meeting. The requester cited the significance of the 
issues and the questions raised by the SNPRM. We do not see a need for 
a public meeting and believe that an additional 30 days should provide 
sufficient time to comment on the proposed rule. The comment period is 
now open through June 5, 2017.
    As we stated in the summary of the SNPRM, the Coast Guard proposes 
to modify its calculations for hourly pilotage rates on the Great Lakes 
by accounting for the ``weighting factor,'' which is a multiplier that 
can increase the pilotage costs for larger vessels traversing areas in 
the Great Lakes by a factor of up to 1.45. While the weighting factor 
has existed for decades, it has never been included in any of the 
previous ratemaking calculations. We propose to add steps to our rate-
setting methodology to adjust hourly rates downwards by an amount equal 
to the average weighting factor, so that when the weighting factor is 
applied, the cost to the shippers and the corresponding revenue 
generated for the pilot associations will adjust to what was originally 
intended. We note that until a final rule is produced, the 2016 rates 
will stay in effect, even if a final rule is not published by the start 
of the 2017 season.

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking, 
and will consider all comments and material received during the comment 
period. Your comment can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. If 
you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which 
each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions.
    We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the 
docket, visit http://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice.
    The SNPRM we are seeking comments on, and documents mentioned in 
the SNPRM as being available in the docket--including all public 
comments, will be in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov 
and can be viewed by following that Web site's instructions. 
Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up for email 
alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a final rule 
is published.

    Dated: May 2, 2017.
Michael D. Emerson,
Director, Marine Transportation Systems, U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 2017-09177 Filed 5-4-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P