[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 187 (Friday, September 26, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50652-50653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25571]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[CGD 97-063]


National Boating Safety Advisory Council

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: The National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) will meet 
to conduct a comprehensive review of currently effective boating safety 
regulations as previously announced. Special subcommittees will meet to 
review boating safety regulations dealing with manufacturer 
requirements, boat and equipment standards and operator requirements. 
Additionally, Council subcommittees on boat occupant protection, 
navigation lights, and personal flotation device-life saving index will 
meet to discuss various issues relating to recreational boating. All 
meetings will be open to the public.

DATES: NBSAC will meet on Monday and Tuesday, October 27 and 28, 1997, 
from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Manufacturer Requirements, Boat and 
Equipment Standards, and Operator Requirements Regulations Review 
Subcommittees will meet on Saturday, October 25, 1997, from 1:30 p.m. 
to 5 p.m. and on Sunday, October 26 from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. The 
Navigation Light and the Personal Flotation Device-Life Saving Index 
Subcommittees will meet from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., and the Boat Occupant 
Protection Subcommittee from 10:00 a.m. to noon, on Sunday, October 26, 
1997 .Written material and requests to make oral presentations should 
reach the Coast Guard on or before October 20, 1997. Requests to have a 
copy of your material distributed to each member of the committee or 
subcommittee in advance of a meeting should reach the Coast Guard on or 
before October 14, 1997.

ADDRESSES: NBSAC will meet at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference 
Center, 210 Holiday Court, Annapolis, Maryland. The subcommittee 
meetings will be held at the same address. Send written material and 
requests to make oral presentations to Mr. Albert J. Marmo, Commandant 
(G-OPB-1), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20593-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Albert J. Marmo, Executive 
Director of NBSAC, telephone 202-267-0950, fax 202-267-4285. You may 
obtain a copy of this notice by calling the U.S. Coast Guard Infoline 
at 1-800-368-5647, or read it on the Internet, at the Web Site for the 
Office of Boating Safety, at URL address www.uscgboating.org/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of these meetings is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. A Notice of Request 
for Comments concerning the review of currently effective boating 
safety regulations by NBSAC was published in the Federal Register on 
May 28, 1997 (62 FR 28824).

Agendas of Meetings

    National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC). The agenda 
includes the following:
    (1) Executive Director's report.
    (2) Chairman's session.
    (3) Manufacturer Requirements Regulations Review Subcommittee 
report.
    (4) Boat and Equipment Standards Regulations Review Subcommittee 
report.
    (5) Operator Requirements Regulations Review Subcommittee report.

[[Page 50653]]

    (6) Boat Occupant Protection Subcommittee report.
    (7) Navigation Light Subcommittee report.
    (8) Personal Flotation Device--Life Saving Index Subcommittee 
report.
    (10) Recreational Boating Safety Program report.
    (11) Canadian Coast Guard report.
    (12) National Association of State Boating Law Administrators 
report.
    (13) Coastal Zone Mission Analysis discussion.
    (14) Fire extinguisher labeling discussion.
    (15) Update on mandatory personal flotation device wearing 
requirements and mandatory boating safety education requests for 
comments.
    (16) Update on Global Maritime Distress and Safety System and 
National Distress System Modernization Project Issues.
    (17) Report on personal flotation device conspicuity research.

Manufacturer Requirements Regulations Review Subcommittee

    The agenda includes the following:
    (1) Review recreational boating safety regulations concerning 
capacity; flotation; certification; hull identification number, and 
defect notification.
    (2) Present recommendation to the Council as to whether the current 
recreational boating safety regulations need to be changed or removed 
based on a review of need, technical accuracy, cost/benefit, problems 
and alternatives.

Boat and Equipment Standards Regulations Review Subcommittee

    The agenda includes the following:
    (1) Review recreational boating safety regulations concerning fuel 
and electrical systems, ventilation; start-in-gear protection; and 
backfire flame control.
    (2) Present recommendations to the Council as to whether the 
current recreational boating safety regulations need to be changed or 
removed based on a review of need, technical accuracy, cost/benefit, 
problems and alternatives.

Operator Requirements Regulations Review Subcommittee

    The agenda includes the following:
    (1) Review recreational boating safety regulations concerning 
intoxicated operation; regattas and marine parades; personal flotation 
devices; visual distress signals; correction of especially hazardous 
conditions; numbering; accident reporting; and fire extinguishers.
    (2) Present recommendations to the Council as to whether the 
current recreational boating safety regulations need to be changed or 
removed based on a review of need, technical accuracy, cost/benefit, 
problems and alternatives.

Boat Occupant Protection Subcommittee

    The agenda includes the following:
    (1) Review and discuss boat occupant protection study issues.
    (2) Discuss risk avoidance alternatives.
    (3) Discuss planned study research efforts.

Navigation Light Subcommittee

    The agenda includes the following:
    (1) Review and discuss issues concerning regulatory controls for 
navigation lights for recreational vessels.
    (2) Discuss and make recommendations regarding the conduct of a 
study to improve the visibility and display of navigation lights 
focusing on hardware issues.

Personal Flotation Device--Life Saving Index Subcommittee

    The agenda includes the following:
    (1) Assist in the development of a consensus standard for 
application of the life saving index to various types of personal 
flotation devices.
    (2) Review personal flotation device (PFD) conspicuity issues and 
recommend a course of action.
    (3) Review the status of inflatable PFD inflation systems.

Procedural

    All meetings are open to the public. At the Chair's discretion, 
members of the public may make oral presentations during the meetings. 
If you would like to make an oral presentation at a meeting, please 
notify the Executive Director no later than October 20, 1997. If you 
would like a copy of your material distributed to each member of the 
committee or subcommittees in advance of a meeting, please submit 25 
copies to the Executive Director no later than October 14, 1997.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meetings, contact 
the Executive Director as soon as possible.

    Dated: September 22, 1997.
Ernest R. Riutta,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Operations.
[FR Doc. 97-25571 Filed 9-25-97; 8:45 am]
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