
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 12, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 67326-67327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26878]



[[Page 67326]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Parts 140-147

[Docket No. USCG-2012-0779]
RIN 1625-AC05


Safety and Environmental Management System Requirements for 
Vessels on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf--Extension of Comment 
Period

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is extending the comment period for the 
advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) entitled ``Safety and 
Environmental Management System Requirements for Vessels on the U.S. 
Outer Continental Shelf,'' published on September 10, 2013, until 
January 23, 2014. We are extending the comment period at the request of 
industry to ensure stakeholders have adequate time to submit complete 
responses.

DATES: Comments and related material must either be submitted to our 
online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before January 23, 
2014 or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2012-0779 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Online: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-366-9329.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this advance 
notice of proposed rulemaking, call or email LCDR Marc J. Montemerlo, 
U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 202-372-1387, email 
Marc.J.Montemerlo@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Barbara Hairston, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. 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://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided.

A. Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
rulemaking (USCG-2012-0779), indicate the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each 
suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material 
online or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of 
these means. We recommend that you include your name and a mailing 
address, an email address, or a phone number in the body of your 
document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding your 
submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov and 
insert ``USCG-2012-0779'' in the ``Search'' box. Click on ``Submit a 
Comment'' in the ``Actions'' column. If you submit your comments by 
mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 
8[frac12] by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If 
you submit comments 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 and may change this proposed rule based on your 
comments.

B. Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble 
as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
insert ``USCG-2012-0779'' and click ``Search.'' Click the ``Open Docket 
Folder'' in the ``Actions'' column. If you do not have access to the 
Internet, you may view the docket online by visiting the Docket 
Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the 
Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. We have an agreement with the Department of 
Transportation to use the Docket Management Facility.

C. Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of 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 a Privacy Act notice 
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the 
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

II. Regulatory History and Information

    The Coast Guard published an ANPRM entitled ``Safety and 
Environmental Management System Requirements for Vessels on the U.S. 
Outer Continental Shelf,'' on September 10, 2013 (78 FR 55230) 
proposing to promulgate regulations that will require all domestic and 
foreign-flagged vessels engaged in OCS activities to develop, 
implement, and maintain a SEMS that incorporates the management program 
and principles of API RP 75. This requirement would apply to MODUs, 
well stimulation vessels, FPSOs, shuttle tankers, OSVs, accommodation 
vessels, and other vessels engaged in OCS activities. A Coast Guard-
required SEMS would help to prevent accidents, injuries, and 
environmental damage by reducing the probability and severity of 
uncontrolled releases and other undesirable events. By incorporating 
the management program and principles of API RP 75 as the basis for the 
Coast Guard's SEMS requirements for vessels, this regulatory action 
would leverage industry safety expertise and harmonize with BSEE's 
regulations for designated lease operators. All comments on this ANPRM 
were originally due by December 9, 2013.

III. Background and Purpose

    On October 4, 2013, we received a letter from Offshore Marine 
Service Association (OMSA) requesting an extension of the comment 
period. It noted additional time was desired to review the proposal and 
develop answers to the sixteen questions listed in the ANPRM. The U.S. 
Coast Guard is extending the public comment period, as requested, to 
ensure stakeholders have adequate time to submit complete responses.

IV. Authority

    This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).


[[Page 67327]]


    Dated: November 4, 2013.
J.G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 2013-26878 Filed 11-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P


