
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 14, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49543-49544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19679]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2013-0605]


Towing Safety Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Federal Advisory Committee 
Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Towing Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) and its 
subcommittees will meet on September 4 through 6, 2013, in Chicago, 
Illinois to discuss issues related to shallow draft inland, coastal 
waterway navigation and towing safety. The meetings will be open to the 
public.

DATES: TSAC subcommittees will meet Wednesday, September 4, 2013, from 
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The full TSAC committee will meet Thursday, September 
5, 2013, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Friday, September 6, 2013, from 8 
a.m. to 12 noon. Please note that the meeting may close early if the 
committee has completed its business.
    All submitted written materials, comments, and requests to make 
presentations at the meetings should reach Mr. William J. Abernathy, 
Alternate Designated Federal Officer (ADFO) for TSAC by August 28, 
2013. For contact information, please see the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section below. Any written material submitted by the public 
will be distributed to the Committee and become part of the public 
record.

ADDRESSES: All meetings will be held on the third floor at the Robert 
G. Metcalfe Federal Building, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, 
Illinois 60604. Though the building is a public facility, all attendees 
will be required to provide government-issued picture identification 
card in order to gain admittance to the facility. Also, individuals and 
their belongings will be subject to screening at the point of entry.
    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
Mr. William J. Abernathy.
    To facilitate public participation, we are inviting public comment 
on the issues to be discussed by the committee as listed in the 
``Agenda'' section below. Comments must be submitted in writing no 
later than August 28, 2013, and must be identified by [Docket No. USCG-
2013-0605] and may be submitted by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. (Preferred method to 
avoid delays in processing.)
     Fax: 202-493-2252
     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.
     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.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the words 
``Department of Homeland Security'' and the docket number for this 
action. Comments received will be posted without alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. You 
may review a Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets in the 
January 17, 2008, issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).
    Docket: This notice, and documents or comments related to it, may 
be viewed in our online docket, USCG-2013-0605 at http://www.regulations.gov. The following link will take you directly to the 
docket: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=USCG-2013-0605.
    A separate public comment period will be offered following the 
planned agenda. Public comments will be limited to three minutes per 
speaker. Please note that the public comment period may end before the 
time indicated following the last call for comments. Contact the 
individuals listed below to register as a speaker.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander Robert L. Smith Jr., 
Designated Federal Officer (DFO) of TSAC; U.S. Coast Guard 
Headquarters, Office of Operating and Environmental Standards (CG-OES-
2); 2100 Second Street SW. STOP 7126; Washington, DC 20593-7126. 
Telephone (202) 272-1410, fax (202) 372-1926, or email at: 
Robert.L.Smith@uscg.mil or Mr. William J. Abernathy, ADFO TSAC; U.S. 
Coast Guard Headquarters, CG-OES-2; 2100 Second Street SW. STOP 7126; 
Washington, DC 20593-7126.

[[Page 49544]]

Telephone (202) 372-1363, fax (202) 372-1926, or email at: 
William.J.Abernathy@uscg.mil.
    If you have any questions on viewing or submitting material to the 
docket, call Barbara Hairston, Program Manager, Docket Operations, 
telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (Pub. L. 92-463).
    TSAC is an advisory committee established by statute. See 33 U.S.C. 
1231a. The Committee acts solely in an advisory capacity to the 
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the 
Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Deputy Commandant for Operations 
on matters relating to shallow-draft inland and coastal waterway 
navigation and towing safety. TSAC will advise, consult with, and make 
recommendations reflecting the Committee's independent judgment to the 
Secretary on matters and actions concerning shallow-draft inland and 
coastal waterway navigation and towing safety.

Agenda

TSAC Subcommittee Meetings

    The following subcommittees will meet on September 4, 2013, to 
address:
     TASK 12-03, ``Recommendations for the Enhancement of 
Towing Vessel Operational Stability.''
     TASK 12-05, ``Recommendations to Improve Operational, 
Structural or Other Standards to Enhance Fire Prevention and 
Containment Aboard Towing Vessels.''
     TASK 13-01, ``Recommendations for the Improvement of 
Automatic Identification System Encoding for Towing Vessels.''
     TASK 13-02, ``Recommendations Regarding Manning of 
Inspected Towing Vessels.''
     TASK 13-03, ``Recommendations to Create Standardized 
Terminology for the Towing Industry.''
    Further information on the active Task Statements is located on the 
TSAC Homeport site at the following address: https://homeport.uscg.mil/TSAC.

TSAC Meeting Agenda

    1. Introductions and opening remarks.
    2. Updates and reports from subcommittees scheduled to meet 
September 4, 2013. The committee will review the information presented 
on each issue, deliberate on any recommendations presented in the 
subcommittees' reports, and formulate recommendations for the 
Department's consideration.
    3. TSAC will receive tasking from the DFO for the following issues:
    a. Task Statement on ``Recommendations for Facility Permitting and 
Construction so as to Not Impede Commercial Vessel Navigation.''
    b. Task Statement on ``Recommendations for Designation of Narrow 
Channels.''
    c. Task Statement on ``Recommendations for the Repair, Maintenance, 
and Utilization of Towing Gear.''
    d. Task Statement on ``Recommendations regarding the American 
Waterways Operators' Report on Steel Hull Repair for Towing Vessels.''
    e. Task Statement on ``Recommendations for Requirements Related to 
Use of Liquefied Natural Gas as a Marine Fuel.''
    f. Task Statement concerning the ``Recommendations for the 
Improvement of Marine Casualty Reporting.''
    g. Task Statement on ``Recommendation to Establish Criteria for 
Identification of Air Draft for Vessels and Towed Vessels.''
    4. Presentations on the following items of interest:
    a. Final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General 
Permit for Discharges Incidental to the Normal Operation of a Vessel--
NPDES Vessel General Permit (VGP) (78 FR 21938, April 12, 2013).
    b. Case Study on Towing Vessel Safety by the Towing Vessel--
National Center of Expertise.
    c. Presentation on Towing Vessel Electronic Charting Navigation 
Safety.
    d. Update on Towing Vessel Mariner Credentialing Policy Issues
    e. Waterways Analysis and Management System (WAMS) for reviewing a 
waterway's Aid to Navigation system and Ports and Waterways Safety 
Assessment (PAWSA); tools for assessing and controlling risks in local 
waterways and to support safe marine navigation and the effective and 
efficient flow of waterborne commerce.
    5. Public comment period.

    Dated: August 08, 2013.
J.G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2013-19679 Filed 8-13-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P


