[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 66 (Thursday, April 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20546-20547]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07148]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket Number USCG-2023-0100]


Consolidation of Redundant Coast Guard Boat Stations

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard requests public comments on the planned 
consolidation of three redundant, seasonally operated Coast Guard boat 
stations and the seasonalization of one Coast Guard boat station. As 
modern boat operating speeds rise and navigation technology improves, 
the Coast Guard can respond to incidents with multiple units 
significantly faster than when these boat stations were first 
established. The combination of significantly improved response times, 
along with an overall reduction in rescue calls due to boating safety 
improvements throughout the Nation, has resulted in a number of boat 
stations becoming redundant. This consolidation will result in a more 
robust response system by increasing staffing levels and capacity at 
select nearby boat stations. The seasonalization of a unit shifts the 
Coast Guard's response to Search and Rescue cases from a more robustly 
staffed nearby boat station during the winter months.

DATES: Written comments and related material may be submitted to the 
Coast Guard personnel specified below. Your comments and related 
material must reach the Coast Guard on or before June 4, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2023-0100 using the Federal rulemaking portal at https://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: For information about this document, 
please call or email Todd Aikins, Coast Guard Office of Boat Forces, 
202-372-2463, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Table of Abbreviations

CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
GAO Government Accountability Office

II. Background and Purpose

    In October of 2017, the GAO issued report GAO-18-9, titled 
``Actions Needed to Close Stations Identified as Overlapping and 
Unnecessarily Duplicative.'' This GAO report, a copy of which is in the 
docket for this notice, recommends the consolidation of 18 boat 
stations. Due to environmental and operational factors, the Coast Guard 
is not considering all 18 boat stations identified in the GAO report 
for consolidation this year. Instead, we anticipate consolidating three 
stations, with implementation notionally scheduled for fiscal year 
2023. These stations have been identified because there are other units 
nearby capable of responding to cases in these areas, and because these 
three stations respond to a low number of cases. We do not anticipate 
any adverse effect on Coast Guard response capability. We expect 
enhanced proficiency of boat operators as well as a less complicated 
response system.

III. Discussion

    The following seasonal stations have been identified for 
consolidation with neighboring stations: Stations-Small Block Island, 
RI; Ocracoke, NC; and Sackets Harbor, NY. These seasonal stations are 
detached subunits of larger parent stations. In addition, Station-Small 
East Moriches, NY, has been identified for seasonalization, which means 
operating from this location during the peak boating season. This 
station was historically operated seasonally but has been operating 
year-round without appropriate resources. It will return to its 
seasonal status.
    These actions would create synergy and more opportunities for boat 
operators to properly train instead of missing training opportunities 
while standing ready to respond to calls that do not come. 
Consolidation would allow the Coast Guard to operate more efficiently 
by not pre-positioning boats and crews in areas that don't have a SAR 
caseload in the winter months.

IV. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal portal at 
https://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted using 
https://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions. In your submission, please include the docket number for 
this notice and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. 
We will review all comments received, but we may choose not to post 
off-topic, inappropriate, or duplicate comments that we receive.
    We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to https://www.regulations.gov will include any personal information you have 
provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this 
document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, 
March 11, 2020).

[[Page 20547]]

    Documents mentioned in this notice as being available in the 
docket, and public comments, will be in our online docket at https://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website's 
instructions.

    Dated: March 31, 2023.
Jason C. Aleksak,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Office of Boat Forces.
[FR Doc. 2023-07148 Filed 4-5-23; 8:45 am]
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