68348 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 250 / Wednesday, December 31, 1997 / Notices

Title: Development of Improved

Driver Interview Procedures for Police

Use at Checkpoints.

OMB No.: 2127–NEW.

Type of Request: Approval of a New

Information Collection.

Affected Public: Drivers who are

stopped at two sobriety checkpoint

operations in one community and who

are asked to voluntarily provide an

alcohol breath sample.

Abstract: The National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

plays a key role in the national effort to

reduce alcohol related traffic injuries

and deaths. One way the enforcement

community has tried to combat this

problem is by conducting sobriety

checkpoints; however, there is evidence

that many of the impaired drivers

passing through these checkpoints are

not detected by police. One component

of this study is the observation by

researchers of customary police

interviewing practices at sobriety

checkpoints. Behaviors and cues of

interviewed drivers will be linked to

their breath alcohol levels to develop

more effective screening procedures.

Breath samples will be obtained only

from drivers who volunteer to

participate in this study. Current data

on the best ways to improve driver

interviews by police at checkpoints do

not exist.

Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 49

hours.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

2,000.

Need: The findings from researcher

observations of checkpoint operations

will help determine whether further

development of an improved battery of

police interview procedures is

warranted. If the results are positive, a

field test will be conducted as part of

this study to determine whether the new

procedures are an improvement over

those customarily used by police to

detect drivers at illegal BACs. Should

the findings from the field test be

successful, a police training package,

containing the improved procedures,

will be developed and disseminated to

police agencies. Improved interview

procedures will help police officers at

checkpoints make more accurate

decisions regarding which drivers

should or should not be detained for

further sobriety testing. This should

increase the efficiency of checkpoint

operations. Such improvements should

also heighten the public’s perception of

being apprehended for drunk driving at

sobriety checkpoints.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, within 30

days, to the Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs, Office of

Management and Budget, 725–17th

Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503,

Attention DOT Desk Officer. Comments

are invited on: whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the Department, including

whether the information will have

practical utility; the accuracy of the

Department’s estimate of the burden of

the proposed information collection;

ways to enhance the quality, utility and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including the use of

automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

Issued in Washington, DC, on December

23, 1997.

Vanester M. Williams,

Clearance Officer, United States Department

of Transportation.

[FR Doc. 97–34136 Filed 12–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–62–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. OST–97–3286; Notice #13]

Safety of Marine Transportation in

Puget Sound-Area Waters

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of meeting; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: This notice provides notice of

a public meeting to obtain views and

comments from the public as to specific

safety or pollution prevention measures

for Puget Sound area waters that should

be evaluated by the Department of

Transportation (DOT).

DATES: The meeting will be held

February 6, 1998, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Written statements in addition to or in

lieu of oral presentations are welcome

and should reach the Office of the

Secretary on or before March 2, 1998.

Late comments will be considered to the

extent possible. Comments that have

been previously submitted to the Coast

Guard under Dockets CGD–96–015, 96–

044, and 97–003 will be considered and

need not be resubmitted. These dockets

relate to the Tug-of-Opportunity System

Plan for the Olympic Coast National

Marine Sanctuary and Strait of Juan de

Fuca, Documentation and Marine Safety

for an International Private Sector Tugof-Opportunity System, and the Puget

Sound Additional Hazards Study,

respectively.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in

the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building,

Seattle, Washington. Written materials

on Docket No. OST–97–3286, may be

mailed or hand delivered to the U.S.

Department of Transportation, Dockets,

400 Seventh Street SW., Washington,

DC 20590, Room PL–401, between the

Hours of 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stephen M. Shapiro, Environmental

Affairs Specialist, Office of

Environment, Energy, and Safety (P–10),

Room 9217, 400 Seventh Street SW.,

Washington, DC 20590. (202) 366–4866,

fax (202) 366–7618.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background Information

On November 28, 1995, the President

signed the Alaska Power Administration

Asset Sale and Termination Act (Pub. L.

104–58), authorizing exports of Alaskan

North Slope (ANS) crude oil when

transported in U.S. flag tankers. Section

401 of the Act directed the Coast Guard

to submit a plan to Congress on the most

cost-effective means of implementing an

international private sector tug-ofopportunity system (ITOS) to provide

timely emergency response to a vessel

in distress transiting the waters within

the boundaries of the Olympic Coast

Marine Sanctuary or the Strait of Juan

de Fuca.

An ITOS plan was developed by a

cross section of the marine

transportation industry in the State of

Washington and the Province of British

Columbia, and is being implemented

through the Marine Exchange of Puget

Sound. DOT welcomes this private

sector initiative to prevent marine

casualties, and appreciates the

substantial efforts that have been

expended by all of the participants.

The Coast Guard submitted its report

to Congress on January 31, 1997, and

issued an addendum report to address

pending ITOS issues on December 16,

1997. The addendum incorporates

further information on the nature and

effects of winds and currents that was

provided by the National Oceanographic

and Atmospheric Administration.

Copies of the ITOS Report and

Addendum may be obtained by

contacting the Office of Response (G–

MOR–1), US Coast Guard, 2100 Second

Street S.W., Washington DC 20593–

0001, (202) 267–0426.

On April 26, 1996, the White House

issued the DOT Action Plan to Address

Vessel and Environmental Safety on

Puget Sound-Area Waters. In addition to

emphasizing the development of the

ITOS report, the Action Plan committed

DOT review the overall marine safety

regime in Puget Sound-area waters—to

determine whether any hazard scenarios
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 250 / Wednesday, December 31, 1997 / Notices 68349

warrant consideration of additional

prevention or response measures.

To facilitate the Department’s review,

the Coast Guard commissioned a study

by the Volpe National Transportation

Systems Center to assess the relative

risks of marine transportation in the

waterways of Northwest Washington—

including Puget Sound, the Strait of

Juan de Fuca, passages around and

through the San Juan Islands, and the

offshore waters of the Olympic Coast

National Marine Sanctuary. Copies of

the Volpe Center’s report are available

from the National Technical Information

Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Road,

Springfield, VA 22161, telephone (800)

553–6847, fax (703) 321–8547. The

report may be ordered as document

PB97–205488 and the technical

appendices to the report as document

PB97–205470. DOT appreciates the

efforts of all participants in the Volpe

study, which we believe provides a

sound basis for the Department’s

review.

During spring 1998, DOT expects to

announce its determinations regarding

further DOT actions based on the ITOS

and Volpe reports. These

determinations will include the

following:

1. Hazards that merit evaluation of

additional mitigation measures.

2. The specific measures that will be

evaluated.

3. An outline of how the evaluations

will be accomplished.

Input on all of the above

determinations is solicited. While input

on specific measures should be based on

the ITOS and Volpe studies, input need

not be limited to measures that can or

should be implemented by the Federal

government. Since the evaluation

process may vary for different types of

measures, it would helpful if input on

how the evaluations should be

accomplished were referenced to

specific measures.

In proceeding with these

determinations and any subsequent

evaluations, the Department is sensitive

to the need to properly involve other

governments—including affected

tribes—as well as businesses related to

marine transportation, environmental

advocacy organizations, and the general

public. DOT is also sensitive to the need

that the evaluation process be efficient

and of minimal burden to participants.

The Department is holding a public

meeting to provide the public and

interested parties with an opportunity to

be briefed on the ITOS and Volpe

reports, meet with the senior

Departmental officials who are working

this issue, and provide oral input.

DOT would appreciate notice to Mr.

Shapiro (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT) by January 26, 1998 by

persons who intend to make a

statement.

Information on Services for Individuals

With Disabilities

For information on facilities or

services for individuals with disabilities

or to request special assistance at the

meeting, please contact Mr. Shapiro (see

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Dated: December 22, 1997.

John N. Lieber,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Transportation

Policy.

[FR Doc. 97–34143 Filed 12–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4810–25–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

Cargo Securing Manual Requirements

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of policy.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces

interim criteria for the approval of

qualified organizations desiring

authorization to serve as designated U.S.

Cargo Securing Manual Approval

Authorities for U.S. vessels. The Coast

Guard also announces the availability of

guidance on the contents of Cargo

Securing Manuals required by 1994

amendments to the International

Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea,

1974 (SOLAS 74). This criteria and

guidance are available to the public in

Navigational and Vessel Inspection

Circular 10–97.

DATES: U.S. flag vessels must have on

board a Cargo Security Manual by

December 31, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

LCDR Richard Booth (Navigation and

Inspection Circular 10–97),

Commandant (G–MOC), U.S. Coast

Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street

SW., Washington, DC 20593–0001,

telephone 202–267–6700. Mr. Robert

Gauvin (Future CSM Regulation),

Commandant (G–MSO) U.S. Coast

Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street

SW., Washington, DC 20593–0001,

telephone 202–267–1053.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

U.S. cargo vessels 500 gross tons or

greater that carry other than solid or

liquid bulk cargoes, and are engaged on

international voyages as described in 46

CFR 90.05–10, must have on board an

approved Cargo Securing Manual (CSM)

to maintain compliance with their Cargo

Ship Safety Equipment Certificates (CG–

3347). Voluntary compliance is

encouraged for owners of U.S. flag cargo

vessels less than 500 gross tons engaged

on international voyages. A CSM assists

the vessel’s master and crew with the

proper use of onboard equipment

designed to adequately stow and secure

the vessel’s cargo.

The 1994 amendments to Chapters VI/

5.6 and VII/6.6 of the International

Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea,

1974 (SOLAS 74) mandated

Administration approved CSM’s. The

International Maritime Organization’s

Maritime Safety Committee (MSC)

Circular 745 of June 13, 1996, provided

CSM preparation guidance. MSC

Circular 745 encouraged member

governments to bring the guidelines to

the attention of all parties concerned,

with the aim of having CSM’s carried on

board ships prepared appropriately and

in a consistent manner, and to

implement them as soon as possible but

not later than December 31, 1997. The

Coast Guard has publicized the SOLAS

74 requirements and the International

Maritime Organization (IMO)

Guidelines for CSM’s in various marine

safety newsletters. This notice further

announces the availability of that

guidance for those U.S. cargo ships

required to have CSM’s and those cargo

vessels seeking voluntary compliance

under the IMO guidelines. The notice

also announces the availability of

criteria for the approval of organizations

seeking authorization to approve CSM’s.

Under E.O. 12234 and 46 U.S.C. 3103,

in October 1996, the Coast Guard

delegated CSM approval authority to the

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)

and the National Cargo Bureau, Inc.

(NCB), respectively, for U.S. flagged

cargo vessels. Other organizations that

desire CSM approval authority, should

review the approval criteria and make

application for authorization under

Navigation and Vessel Inspection

Circular (NVIC) 10–97 entitled

‘‘Guidelines for CSM Approval.’’ This

NVIC also provides interim guidance for

CSM submittal, review, approval, and

appeal procedures for U.S. flagged cargo

vessel owners and operators. The Coast

Guard is initiating a project to put the

NVIC 10–97 criteria into regulation.

Until regulations on the authorization of

organizations to approve Cargo Securing

Manuals and the criteria for CSM

content are issued, inspectors will

explain to owners and operators of U.S.

vessels that the U.S. Coast Guard will be

looking for compliance with the SOLAS

requirements for CSM’s as set forth in

NVIC 10–97, in order to ensure