Federal Register: August 25, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 164)
Proposed Rules
Page 50992-50993

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
DOCID:fr25au03-13

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
46 CFR Part 4
USCG-2001-8773
RIN 1625-AA27 (formerly 2115-AG07)

Marine Casualties and Investigations; Chemical Testing Following Serious
Marine Incidents

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; notice of public meeting; reopening
of comment period.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period on the notice of
proposed rulemaking for Marine Casualties and Investigations; Chemical
Testing Following Serious Marine Incidents published in the Federal Register
on February 28, 2003. In response to requests for a public meeting that were
submitted to the public docket, the Coast Guard will hold a public meeting
in Washington, DC. The purpose of the meeting is to obtain information from
the public in addition to the comments already submitted to the docket.

DATES: The meeting will be held Friday, September 19, 2003, from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. in Washington, DC. This meeting may close early if all business is
finished. Comments must reach the docket on or before September 30, 2003.

ADDRESSES: The meeting location is: United States Coast Guard Headquarters,
Transpoint Building, 2100 Second Street, SW., Room 2415, Washington, DC
20593. You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket number
USCG-2001-8773 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT). To avoid duplication, please use only one of the
following methods:

(1) Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov.

(2) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

(3) Mail: Docket Management Facility, DOT, 400 Seventh Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.

(4) Fax: 202-493-2251.

(5) Delivery: Room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400
Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC,between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on this proposed rule,
contact Mr. Robert C. Schoening, Drug and Alcohol Program Manager, telephone
202-267-0684; e-mail address: rschoening@comdt.uscg.mil. For questions on
viewing material in the docket, call Andrea M. Jenkins, Program Manager,
Docket Operations, DOT, telephone 202-366-0271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting comments
and related materials. All comments received will be posted, without change,
to http://dms.dot.gov and will include any personal information you have
provided. We have an agreement with the DOT to use the Docket Management
Facility even though the Coast Guard has recently transferred to DHS. Please
see the DOT's statement on the Privacy Act under the section titled Viewing
comments and documents.

Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your name and
address, identify the docket number for this rulemaking [USCG-2001-8773],
indicate the specific section of the proposed rule to which each comment
applies, and give the reason for each comment. You may submit your comments
and material by electronic means, mail, fax, or delivery to the Docket
Management Facility at the address under ADDRESSES; but please submit your
comments and material by only one means. If you submit them by mail or
delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11
inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by
mail and would like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a
stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments
and material received during the comment period in developing the final
rule.

Viewing comments and documents: To view comments, as well as documents
mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket, go to
http://dms.dot.gov at any time and conduct a simple search using the docket
number. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in room PL-401 on
the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington,
DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. 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, or the like). You may review the DOT's
statement on the Privacy Act in the Federal Register published on April 11,
2000 [65 FR 19477], or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Background Information

The 1998 Coast Guard Authorization Act requires the Coast Guard to establish
procedures ensuring alcohol testing is conducted within two hours of a
serious marine casualty. The Coast Guard proposes to establish requirements
for testing within the statutory time limits, to expand the existing
requirements for commercial vessels to have alcohol testing devices on
board, and to authorize use of a wider variety of testing devices (Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking, [68 FR 9722], February 28, 2003). This rulemaking would
also make additional minor procedural changes to Part 4, including a time
limit for conducting drug testing following a serious marine incident. The
Coast Guard reopened the comment period and scheduled this public meeting in
response to comments previously submitted to the docket.

Public Meeting

The public meeting will be held September 19, 2003, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
at the United States Coast Guard Headquarters, Transpoint Building, 2100
Second Street, SW., Washington, DC. The building is located adjacent to Army
Fort Leslie J. McNair at Buzzard Point. Entry to the Transpoint Building is
controlled. All attendees must have a picture identification issued by a
U.S. Federal Agency or a State or Territory issued drivers license. Valid
Passports and Merchant Mariner Documents are also acceptable. Everyone is
subject to a weapons search. Members of the public may provide oral
statements at the meeting. Oral statements may be time limited if there are
numerous speakers. Persons wishing to make oral statements should notify Mr.
Robert C. Schoening listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT no later
than two days before the meeting.

On street public parking in the vicinity of Coast Guard Headquarters is very
limited. James Creek Marina, National Park Service, is adjacent to Coast
Guard Headquarters and has some parking available for a nominal fee. The
closest Metro Station is SEU-Waterfront on the Green Line, about nine blocks
from Coast Guard Headquarters. Attendees are encouraged to utilize taxi or
public buses serving the Buzzard Point area. (For Bus Schedules, please see
the Washington Area Metro Transit Authority-WMATA Web site at
http://www.wmata.com/. Bus Route 71 serves Coast Guard Headquarters).

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

For information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities,
or to request assistance at the meeting, Contact Mr. Robert C. Schoening
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT as soon as possible.

Dated: August 18, 2003.

L.L. Hereth,

Acting Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and

Environmental Protection.