[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60272-60273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27271]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number MARAD-2017-0200]


Waiver Request for Aquaculture Support Operations for the 2018 
Calendar Year: RONJA CARRIER, COLBY PERCE, SADIE JANE

AGENCY: Maritime Administration.

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 domestic 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 suitable 
vessels of the United States are available that could perform the 
required services. If no suitable U.S.-flag vessels are 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 18, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Number 
MARAD-2017-0200 by any of the following methods:
     On-line via the Federal Electronic Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search using ``MARAD-2017-0200'' 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-2017-0200.'' 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 service requirements proposed by Cooke Aquaculture (Cooke) in order 
to make a U.S.-flag vessel availability determination. Specifics can be 
found in Cooke's application letter posted in the docket.
    To comply with USCG Aquaculture Support regulations at 46 CFR part 
106, Cooke is seeking a MARAD Aquaculture Waiver to operate the vessels 
RONJA CARRIER, COLBY PERCE, and SADIE JANE as follows:
    Intended Commercial Use of Vessel: ``to use highly-specialized 
foreign-flag vessels referred to as a ``wellboat'' (or

[[Page 60273]]

``live fish carrier'') 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: ``2018 calendar year, from January 1 2018 to 
December 31, 2018'' 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 in 
order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also 
state the commenter's interest in the waiver application.

Privacy Act

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), MARAD solicits comments from 
the public to inform its process to determine the availability of 
suitable vessels. 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. 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 14, 2017.

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-27271 Filed 12-18-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-81-P