[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 82 (Friday, April 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32454-32455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08978]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket Number USCG-2024-0281]


Operational Adjustments Resulting From Workforce Shortages

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are requesting your comments on planned actions that will 
allow the Coast Guard to prioritize lifesaving missions and protection 
of the Marine Transportation System in light of current personnel 
shortages. Like other military services, the Coast Guard is facing an 
unprecedented workforce shortage that is impacting Service readiness. 
The current and forecasted extent of the shortage is prompting 
significant actions to best protect the American public and maintain 
Service readiness. If actions are not taken to adjust operations, we 
can anticipate longer-term impacts to mission effectiveness and 
increased risk to our service members, as well as to commercial 
mariners and private boaters. In addition to leveraging technology and 
enhancing recruitment and retention efforts, operational adjustments 
must be executed within the existing response system while maintaining 
standards and an adherence to core mission execution. These adjustments 
fall into two categories: First, in regions where multiple units could 
respond if they were resourced appropriately, boats and people will be 
consolidated at one or more units to ensure a robust response. 
Secondly, in areas where the Coast Guard operates

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limited, or seasonal units that do not have sufficient personnel to 
respond, operations will be temporarily paused as resources are moved 
to higher priority areas. These adjustments will remain in effect until 
the Coast Guard has sufficient personnel to reconstitute these units.

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 May 24, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2024-0281 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 email Kiesha Miller (202-372-4632) at [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

    The Coast Guard continues to experience recruiting challenges, 
leading to workforce shortages impacting frontline operations and 
Service readiness. Personnel in impacted areas are largely boat 
operators and engineers, who form the bedrock of Coast Guard 
operations. The Coast Guard is proactively adjusting operations and 
prioritizing personnel assignments to specific operational units to 
ensure the Service remains always ready to serve the American public. 
This notice meets the requirements for 14 U.S.C. 910.

III. Discussion

    The following units will transition for use as a forward operating 
location (i.e., a staging area at unit commander discretion): Stations-
Small Scituate, MA; East Moriches, NY; Great Egg, NJ; Beach Haven, NJ; 
Townsends Inlet, NJ; Stillpond, MD; Fortescue, NJ; Sodus Point, NY; 
Ashtabula, OH; Lorain, OH; Harbor Beach, MI; Muskegon, MI; Alpena, MI; 
Frankfort, MI; Ludington, MI; DuSable Harbor, IL; Wilmette Harbor, IL; 
Two Rivers, WI; Washington Island, WI; Green Bay, WI; Santa Cruz, CA; 
Coquille River, OR; and Rogue River, OR. These units already 
consolidate for some portion of the year.
    The following units currently do not maintain a duty crew to 
conduct response operations, and will temporarily pause boat operations 
altogether: Stations Paducah, KY; Pittsburgh, PA; St. Louis, MO; 
Louisville; KY, and Memphis; TN and boat operations in Huntington, WV.

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).

Jason C. Aleksak,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Office of Boat Forces.
[FR Doc. 2024-08978 Filed 4-25-24; 8:45 am]
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