[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84100-84101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28459]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number MARAD-2020-0166]


Waiver Request for Aquaculture Support Operations for the 2021 
Calendar Year: COLBY PERCE, RONJA CARRIER, SADIE JANE, MISS MILDRED 1, 
KC COMMANDER

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.

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 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.

DATES: Submit comments on or before January 22, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Number 
MARAD-2020-0166 by any of the following methods:
     On-line via the Federal Electronic Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search using ``MARAD-2020-0166'' 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.
    Note: 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 Russel Haynes as provided in 
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section for alternate submission 
instructions.
    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-2020-0166.'' 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: Russell Haynes, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Room W23-461, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 202-366-3157, 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

[[Page 84101]]

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, COLBY PERCE, RONJA CARRIER, SADIE JANE, MISS MILDRED 1, KC 
COMMANDER, as follows:

Intended Commercial Use of Vessel: ``to use highly-specialized foreign-
flag vessels referred to as a ``wellboat'' (or ``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: ``2021 calendar year, from January 1, 2021 to 
December 31, 2021''

    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

    Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments received into 
any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment 
(or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 
19477-78), or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

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

    Dated: December 18, 2020.

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-28459 Filed 12-22-20; 8:45 am]
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