38318 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 151 / Monday, August 6, 2018 / Notices 

support of individual proposed actions. 

Examples of new information may 

include, but are not limited to, changes 

to a species listing status or any other 

applicable laws and directives, and 

information regarding mission, training, 

homeporting, maintenance, and 

eventual decommissioning of the new 

PIBs. 

A new PIB would be designed to carry 

out the U.S. Coast Guard’s primary 

missions supported by the current polar 

icebreaker fleet. Expected missions 

include Ice Operations, Defense 

Readiness, Aids to Navigation, Living 

Marine Resources, Marine Safety, 

Marine Environmental Protection, Other 

Law Enforcement, Ports, Waterways, 

and Coastal Security, and Search and 

Rescue. 

In executing its various missions, the 

U.S. Coast Guard protects the public, 

the environment, and U.S. economic 

and security interests in any maritime 

region, including international waters 

and the Nation’s coasts, ports, and 

inland waterways, as required to 

support national security. Legislation 

and executive orders assign the U.S. 

Coast Guard a wide range of 

responsibilities applicable to Polar 

Regions. The U.S. Coast Guard derives 

its authority for the use of icebreaking 

from several statutes governing 

execution of its missions. These include 

14 U.S.C. 81 (Coast Guard 

establishment, maintenance, and 

operation of aids to navigation), 14 

U.S.C. 88 (Coast Guard saving of life and 

property), 14 U.S.C. 89 (Coast Guard law 

enforcement), 14 U.S.C. 90 (Arctic 

maritime transportation), 14 U.S.C. 91 

(controlling anchorage and movement of 

vessels), 14 U.S.C. 94 (conduct 

oceanographic research), and 14 U.S.C. 

141 (cooperation with agencies, States, 

territories, and others). In addition, 

Executive Order 7521 (Use of Vessels for 

Icebreaking in Channels and Harbors), 1 

FR 2184, Dec. 24, 1936, directs the U.S. 

Coast Guard to assist in keeping 

channels and harbors open to navigation 

by means of icebreaking operations. 

The U.S. Coast Guard proposes to 

conduct polar icebreaker operations and 

training exercises to meet Coast Guard 

mission responsibilities in the U.S. 

Arctic and Antarctic Regions of 

operation, in addition to vessel 

performance testing post-dry dock in the 

Pacific Northwest near the current polar 

icebreaker homeport of Seattle, 

Washington. The exact location for 

future homeporting has not been 

determined, but the current fleet of 

polar icebreakers is homeported in 

Seattle, Washington. 

Polar Regions are becoming 

increasingly important to U.S. national 

interests. The changing environment in 

these regions could lead to a rise in 

human activity and increased 

commercial ship, cruise ship, and naval 

surface ship operations, as well as 

increased exploration for oil and other 

resources, particularly in the Arctic. 

One of the U.S. Coast Guard’s highest 

priorities is safety of life at sea. This 

entails the Artic responsibilities 

described above as well as assisting 

with Antarctica logistics at McMurdo 

Station. Long-term projected increases 

in U.S. Coast Guard mission demand in 

the Polar Regions would require 

additional support from PIBs. A lack of 

infrastructure, polar environmental 

conditions, and long distances between 

operating areas and support bases all 

influence the U.S. Coast Guard’s ability 

to provide comparable service and 

presence in Polar Regions as compared 

to that provided in other non-polar areas 

of operation with existing Coast Guard 

assets. 

This EIS will analyze the potential 

impacts of up to six new PIBs, as this 

is the maximum number anticipated to 

be operational in the Polar Regions 

under the current PIB program 

acquisition strategy; A lesser number of 

icebreakers is expected to result in a 

similar or reduced impact than what 

will be discussed and evaluated in this 

EIS. Potential environmental stressors 

include acoustic (underwater acoustic 

transmissions, vessel noise, icebreaking 

noise, aircraft noise, and gunnery noise), 

and physical (vessel movement, aircraft 

or in-air device movement, in-water 

device movement, icebreaking, and 

marine expended materials). 

III. Scoping Process 

The U.S. Coast Guard conducted 

scoping in accordance with Council on 

Environmental Quality (CEQ) 

regulations implementing the NEPA (40 

CFR 1500 et seq.) through public 

comment and public meetings. A 

summary of the scoping process can be 

found in the draft EIS. 

IV. Public Participation and Request for 

Comments 

We encourage you to submit 

comments (or related material) on the 

draft Programmatic Environmental 

Impact Statement. We will consider all 

submissions and may adjust our final 

action based on your comments. If you 

submit a comment, please include the 

docket number for this notice, indicate 

the specific section of this document to 

which each comment applies, and 

provide a reason for each suggestion or 

recommendation. 

We encourage you to submit 

comments through the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal at http://

www.regulations.gov. If your material 

cannot be submitted using http://

www.regulations.gov, contact the person 

in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section of this document for 

alternate instructions. Documents 

mentioned in this notice, and all public 

comments, are in our online docket at 

http://www.regulations.gov and can be 

viewed by following that website’s 

instructions. Additionally, if you go to 

the online docket and sign up for email 

alerts, you will be notified when 

comments are posted or a final EIS is 

published. 

We accept anonymous comments. All 

comments received will be posted 

without change to http://

www.regulations.gov and will include 

any personal information you have 

provided. For more about privacy and 

the docket, you may review a Privacy 

Act notice regarding the Federal Docket 

Management System in the March 24, 

2005, issue of the Federal Register (70 

FR 15086). 

This notice is issued under authority 

of 5 U.S.C. 552(a). 

Dated: June 31, 2018. 

Ahmed Majumder, 

U.S. Coast Guard, Program Manager, Polar 

Icebreaker Program. 

[FR Doc. 2018–16760 Filed 8–3–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Federal Emergency Management 

Agency 

[Docket ID FEMA–2008–0010] 

Board of Visitors for the National Fire 

Academy 

AGENCY: Federal Emergency 

Management Agency, DHS. 

ACTION: Committee management; notice 

of open federal advisory committee 

meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for the 

National Fire Academy (Board) will 

meet on August 27–28, 2018, in 

Emmitsburg, Maryland. The meeting 

will be open to the public. 

DATES: The meeting will take place on 

Monday, August 27, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 

p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and on 

Tuesday, August 28, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 

p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Please note 

that the meeting may close early if the 

Board has completed its business. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the National Emergency Training 

Center, 16825 South Seton Avenue, 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 151 / Monday, August 6, 2018 / Notices 38319 

Building H, Room 300, Emmitsburg, 

Maryland. Members of the public who 

wish to obtain details on how to gain 

access to the facility and directions may 

contact Deborah Gartrell-Kemp as listed 

in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section by close of business 

August 17, 2018. Photo identification 

that meets REAL ID ACT standards 

(https://www.usfa.fema.gov/training/ 

nfa/admissions/campus_access.html) is 

required for access. Members of the 

public may also participate by 

teleconference and may contact Deborah 

Gartrell-Kemp to obtain the call-in 

number and access code. For 

information on services for individuals 

with disabilities or to request special 

assistance, contact Deborah GartrellKemp as soon as possible. 

To facilitate public participation, we 

are inviting public comment on the 

issues to be considered by the Board as 

listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION section. Comments must be 

submitted in writing no later than 

August 17, 2018, must be identified by 

Docket ID FEMA–2008–0010 and may 

be submitted by one of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Email: FEMA–RULES@

fema.dhs.gov. Include the docket 

number in the subject line of the 

message. 

• Mail/Hand Delivery: Deborah 

Gartrell-Kemp, 16825 South Seton 

Avenue, Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727, 

post-marked no later than August 17, 

2018. 

Instructions: All submissions received 

must include the words ‘‘Federal 

Emergency Management Agency’’ and 

the Docket ID for this action. Comments 

received will be posted without 

alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, 

including any personal information 

provided. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read background documents or 

comments received by the National Fire 

Academy Board of Visitors, go to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, click on 

‘‘Advanced Search,’’ then enter 

‘‘FEMA–2008–0010’’ in the ‘‘By Docket 

ID’’ box, then select ‘‘FEMA’’ under ‘‘By 

Agency,’’ and then click ‘‘Search.’’ 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Alternate Designated Federal Officer: 

Kirby E. Kiefer, telephone (301) 447– 

1117, email Kirby.Kiefer@fema.dhs.gov. 

Logistical Information: Deborah 

Gartrell-Kemp, telephone (301) 447– 

7230 and email Deborah.GartrellKemp@

fema.dhs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board 

will meet on Monday, August 27, and 

Tuesday, August 28, 2018. The meeting 

will be open to the public. Notice of this 

meeting is given under the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 

Purpose of the Board 

The purpose of the Board is to review 

annually the programs of the National 

Fire Academy (Academy) and advise the 

Administrator of the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency (FEMA), through 

the United States Fire Administrator, on 

the operation of the Academy and any 

improvements therein that the Board 

deems appropriate. In carrying out its 

responsibilities, the Board examines 

Academy programs to determine 

whether these programs further the 

basic missions that are approved by the 

Administrator of FEMA, examines the 

physical plant of the Academy to 

determine the adequacy of the 

Academy’s facilities, and examines the 

funding levels for Academy programs. 

The Board submits a written annual 

report through the United States Fire 

Administrator to the Administrator of 

FEMA. The report provides detailed 

comments and recommendations 

regarding the operation of the Academy. 

Agenda 

On Monday, August 27, 2018, there 

will be five sessions, with deliberations 

and voting at the end of each session as 

necessary: 

1. The Board will conduct a swearing 

in of new Board members and will then 

select a Chairperson and Vice 

Chairperson for Fiscal Year 2019. 

2. The Board will receive annual 

ethics training and will tour the campus 

facility. 

3. The Board will discuss deferred 

maintenance and capital improvements 

on the National Emergency Training 

Center campus and Fiscal Year 2018 

Budget Request/Budget Planning. 

4. The Board will deliberate and vote 

on recommendations on Academy 

program activities, including: 

• Fire and Emergency Services Higher 

Education (FESHE) Recognition 

Program update, a certification program 

acknowledging that a collegiate 

emergency services degree meets the 

minimum standards of excellence 

established by FESHE development 

committees and the Academy; 

• The National Professional 

Development Summit Report held on 

June 13–16, 2018, which brought 

national training and education 

audiences together for their annual 

conference and support initiatives; 

• The Managing Officer Program 

progress report, a multiyear curriculum 

that introduces emerging emergency 

services leaders to personal and 

professional skills in change 

management, risk reduction, and 

adaptive leadership; 

• Program application selection 

results; 

• The Executive Fire Officer (EFO) 

Program Symposium held April 6–8, 

2018, an annual event for alumni which 

recognizes outstanding applied research 

completed by present EFO Program 

participants, recognizes recent EFO 

Program graduates, provides highquality presentations offered by private 

and public sector representatives, 

facilitates networking between EFO 

Program graduates, promotes further 

dialog between EFO Program graduates 

and U.S. Fire Administrator and 

National Fire Academy faculty and staff; 

• The EFO Program review initiative; 

• Curriculum development and 

revision updates for Academy courses; 

• Discussion on the approval process 

for state-specific courses; 

• Online mediated instruction 

program update; 

• Distance learning program update; 

• Staffing update. 

5. The Board will receive activity 

reports on the National Fire Incident 

Reporting System Subcommittee, the 

Professional Development Initiative 

Subcommittee, and four EFO Program 

Subcommittees: Admissions, 

Curriculum, Delivery and Design, and 

Evaluations and Outcomes. 

On Tuesday, August 28, 2018, the 

Board will receive updates on U.S. Fire 

Administration data, research, and 

response support initiatives and will 

conduct classroom visits. The Board 

will also engage in an annual report 

writing session. Deliberations or voting 

may occur as needed during the report 

writing session. 

There will be a 10-minute comment 

period after each agenda item and each 

speaker will be given no more than 2 

minutes to speak. Please note that the 

public comment period may end before 

the time indicated, following the last 

call for comments. Contact Deborah 

Gartrell-Kemp to register as a speaker. 

Meeting materials will be posted at 

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/training/nfa/ 

about/bov.html by August 17, 2018. 

Dated: July 27, 2018. 

Tonya L. Hoover, 

Superintendent, National Fire Academy, 

United States Fire Administration, Federal 

Emergency Management Agency. 

[FR Doc. 2018–16697 Filed 8–3–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–45–P 


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