[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43152-43153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17891]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2019-0475]


Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee

AGENCY: U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory Committee meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee and its 
working groups will meet to discuss issues related to the training and 
fitness of merchant marine personnel. The meetings will be open to the 
public.

DATES: 
    Meetings: The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee and its 
working groups are scheduled to meet on Monday, September 16, 2019, 
from 1:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 17, 2019, from 8:00 
a.m. until 5:30 p.m., and on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, from 8:00 
a.m. until 5:30 p.m. These meetings may adjourn early if the Committee 
has completed its business.
    Comments and supporting documentation: To ensure your comments are 
received by Committee members before the meetings, submit your written 
comments no later than September 11, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the U.S. Coast Guard National 
Maritime Center in the Dales Larson Room on the third floor, 100 Forbes 
Drive, Martinsburg, WV 25404-0001 (https://www.uscg.mil/nmc/).
    Pre-registration Information: Pre-registration is required for 
access to U.S. Coast Guard, National Maritime Center. Foreign nationals 
participating will be required to pre-register no later than September 
2, 2019, to be admitted to the meeting. U.S. citizens participating 
will be required to pre-register no later than September 11, 2019, to 
be admitted to the meeting. To pre-register, contact Mr. Davis Breyer 
at [email protected] or (202) 372-1445. You will be asked to 
provide your name and telephone number. In addition, please provide the 
company or group in which you are affiliated. Foreign nationals will 
also need to provide your country of citizenship, passport country, 
country of residence, place of birth, passport number, and expiration 
date. All attendees will be required to provide a REAL ID Act-compliant 
government-issued picture identification card in order to gain 
admittance to the building. For more information on REAL ID and to 
check the compliance status of your state/territory, please see https://www.dhs.gov/real-id and https://www.dhs.gov/real-id-public-faqs.
    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this notice.
    Instructions: You are free to submit comments at any time, 
including orally at the meetings, but if you want Committee members to 
review your comment before the meetings, please submit your comments no 
later than September 11, 2019. We are particularly interested in 
comments on the issues in the ``Agenda'' section below. You must 
include ``Department of Homeland Security'' and the docket number USCG-
2019-0475. Written comments may also be submitted using the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. If you encounter 
technical difficulties with comments submission, contact the individual 
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section below. Comments 
received will be posted without alteration at https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. You 
may review the Privacy and Security Notice for the Federal Docket 
Management System at https://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice.
    Docket Search: For access to the docket to read documents or 
comments related to this notice, go to https://www.regulations.gov, 
type USCG-2019-0475 in the ``Search'' box, press Enter, and then click 
on the item you wish to view.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Davis Breyer, Alternate Designated 
Federal Officer of the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee, 
2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, Stop 7509, Washington, DC 20593-
7509, telephone 202-372-1445, fax 202-372-8382 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is in compliance to 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App.
    The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee is established 
under authority of U.S. Code, title 46, section 8108. The Committee 
acts solely in an advisory capacity to the Secretary of the Department 
of Homeland Security through the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard on 
matters relating to personnel in the United States merchant marine, 
including training, qualifications, certification, documentation, and 
fitness standards and other matters as assigned by the Commandant. The 
Committee also reviews and comments on proposed U.S. Coast Guard 
regulations and policies relating to personnel in the United States 
merchant marine, including training, qualifications, certification, 
documentation, and fitness standards.

Agenda

Day 1

    The agenda for the September 16, 2019 meeting is as follows:
    (1) The full Committee will meet briefly for organizational 
purposes.
    (2) The members of the Committee and the attending public will meet 
in an informal discussion group in order to provide insights on the 
advantages and disadvantages of autonomous ships from an operational 
and training perspective.
    (3) The members of the Committee and the attending public will meet 
in an informal discussion group in order to provide insights on the 
review of the International Convention on Standards of Training, 
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended.
    (4) Adjournment of meeting.

Day 2

    The agenda for the September 17, 2019, meeting is as follows:
    (1) The full Committee will meet briefly to discuss the working 
groups' business/task statements, which are listed under paragraph (2) 
(a)-(d) below.
    (2) Working groups will separately address the following task 
statements which are available for viewing at https://homeport.uscg.mil/missions/ports-and-waterways/safety-advisory-committees/merpac;
    (a) Task Statement 89, Review of MSC Circular MSC/Circ.1014, 
Guidelines on fatigue mitigation and management;
    (b) Task Statement 90, Review of IMO Model Courses Being Validated 
by the IMO HTW Subcommittee;
    (c) Task Statement 94, MERPAC Recommendation Review; and
    (d) Task Statement 101, Communication Between External

[[Page 43153]]

Stakeholders and the Mariner Credentialing Program.
    (3) Working groups will separately address the following proposed 
task statements which are available for viewing at https://homeport.uscg.mil/missions/ports-and-waterways/safety-advisory-committees/merpac.
    (a) Revised Task Statement 101, Provide feedback and avenues to 
further enhance open communication between external stakeholders and 
the U.S. Coast Guard's mariner credentialing program regarding all 
aspects of the program;
    (b) Task Statement X-1, Military Education, Training and Assessment 
for STCW and National Mariner Endorsements;
    (c) Task Statement 90 Addendum a, National Model Courses;
    (d) Task Statement 101 Addendum b, Review of Coast Guard Forms.
    (4) Public comment period.
    (5) Reports of working groups. At the end of the day, the working 
groups will report to the full Committee on what was accomplished in 
their meetings. The full Committee will not take action on these 
reports on this date. Any official action taken as a result of these 
working group meetings will be taken on day three of the meeting.
    (6) Adjournment of meeting.

Day 3

    The agenda for the September 18, 2018 full Committee meeting is as 
follows:
    (1) Introduction.
    (2) Remarks from U.S. Coast Guard Leadership.
    (3) Designated Federal Officer announcements.
    (4) Roll call of Committee members and determination of a quorum.
    (5) Reports from the following Working Groups:
    (a) Task Statement 89, Review of MSC Circular MSC/Circ.1014, 
Guidelines on fatigue mitigation and management;
    (b) Task Statement 90, Review of IMO Model Courses Being Validated 
by the IMO HTW Subcommittee;
    (c) Task Statement 94, MERPAC Recommendation Review; and
    (d) Task Statement 101, Communication Between External Stakeholders 
and the Mariner Credentialing Program;
    (e) Task Statement X-1, Military Education, Training and Assessment 
for STCW and National Mariner Endorsements;
    (f) Task Statement 90 Addendum a, National Model Courses;
    (g) Task Statement 101 Addendum b, Review of Coast Guard Forms.
    (7) Other items for discussion:
    (a) Report on the Mariner Credentialing Program;
    (b) USCG Federal Advisory Committee changes due to the Coast Guard 
Authorization Act of 2018;
    (c) Report on National Maritime Center;
    (d) Report on International Maritime Organization Activities 
affecting merchant mariner credentialing; and
    (e) Briefings about other on-going U.S. Coast Guard projects 
related to personnel in the U.S. merchant marine.
    (8) Public comment period.
    (9) Discussion of Working Group recommendations. The Committee will 
review the information presented on each issue, deliberate on any 
recommendations presented by the Working Groups, approve/formulate 
recommendations and close any completed tasks. Official action on these 
recommendations may be taken on this date.
    (10) Closing remarks/plans for next meeting.
    (11) Adjournment of meeting.
    A copy of all meeting documentation will be available at https://homeport.uscg.mil/missions/ports-and-waterways/safety-advisory-committees/merpac no later than September 11, 2018. Alternatively, you 
may contact Mr. Davis Breyer as noted in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section above.
    A public comment period will be held during each Working Group and 
full Committee meeting concerning matters being discussed. Public 
comments will be limited to three minutes per speaker. Please note that 
the public comment periods will end following the last call for 
comments.
    Please contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section, to register as a speaker. Please note that the meeting 
may adjourn early if the work is completed.

    Dated: August 15, 2019.
Jeffrey G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2019-17891 Filed 8-19-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P