[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 206 (Thursday, October 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85005-85006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24728]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket No. MARAD-2024-0137]


Coastwise Endorsement Eligibility Determination for a Foreign-
Built Vessel: Stepping Stone (Motor); Invitation for Public Comments

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the 
Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to issue coastwise 
endorsement eligibility determinations for foreign-built vessels which 
will carry no more than twelve passengers for hire. A request for such 
a determination has been received by MARAD. By this notice, MARAD seeks 
comments from interested parties as to any effect this action may have 
on U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag 
vessels. Information about the requestor's vessel, including a brief 
description of the proposed service, is listed below.

DATES: Submit comments on or before November 25, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Number 
MARAD-2024-0137 by any one of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Search MARAD-2024-0137 and follow the instructions 
for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility is in 
the West Building, Ground Floor of the U.S. Department of 
Transportation. The Docket Management Facility location address is U.S. 
Department of Transportation, MARAD-2024-0137, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE, West Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.

    Note: If you mail or hand-deliver your comments, we recommend 
that you include your name and a mailing address, an email address, 
or a telephone number in the body of your document so that we can 
contact you if we have questions regarding your submission.

    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and specific docket number. All comments received will be posted 
without change to the docket at www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. For detailed instructions on submitting 
comments, or to submit comments that are confidential in nature, see 
the section entitled Public Participation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Hagerty, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Room W23-461, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: (202) 366-0903. Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0c7c6d787e656f656d22646d6b697e78754c686378226b637a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f2829386809b919b93dc9a93959780868bb2969d86dc959d84">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As described in the application, the 
intended service of the vessel Stepping Stone is:
    Intended Commercial Use of Vessel: Requester intends to offer 
passenger and sightseeing charters.
    Geographic Region Including Base of Operations: Maine, New 
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, 
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South 
Carolina, Georgia, Florida. Base of Operations: Barrington, Rhode 
Island.
    Vessel Length and Type: 33.5' Motor.
    The complete application is available for review identified in the 
DOT docket as MARAD 2024-0137 at https://www.regulations.gov. 
Interested parties may comment on the effect this action may have on 
U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag 
vessels. If MARAD determines, in accordance with 46 U.S.C. 12121 and 
MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388, that the employment of the 
vessel in the coastwise trade to carry no more than 12 passengers will 
have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business 
that uses U.S.-flag vessels in that business, MARAD will not issue an 
approval of the vessel's coastwise endorsement eligibility. Comments 
should refer to the vessel name, state the commenter's interest in the 
application, and address the eligibility criteria given in section 
388.4 of MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388.

[[Page 85006]]

Public Participation

How do I submit comments?

    Please submit your comments, including the attachments, following 
the instructions provided under the above heading entitled ADDRESSES. 
Be advised that it may take a few hours or even days for your comment 
to be reflected on the docket. In addition, your comments must be 
written in English. We encourage you to provide concise comments and 
you may attach additional documents as necessary. There is no limit on 
the length of the attachments.

Where do I go to read public comments, and find supporting information?

    Go to the docket online at https://www.regulations.gov, keyword 
search MARAD-2024-0137 or visit the Docket Management Facility (see 
ADDRESSES for hours of operation). We recommend that you periodically 
check the Docket for new submissions and supporting material.

Will my comments be made available to the public?

    Yes. Be aware that your entire comment, including your personal 
identifying information, will be made publicly available.

May I submit comments confidentially?

    If you wish to submit comments under a claim of confidentiality, 
you should submit the information you claim to be confidential 
commercial information by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#90c3fdf1fcfcc6f5e3e3f5fce3d0f4ffe4bef7ffe6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="782b151914142e1d0b0b1d140b381c170c561f170e">[email protected]</span></a>. Include in the 
email subject heading ``Contains Confidential Commercial Information'' 
or ``Contains CCI'' and state in your submission, with specificity, the 
basis for any such confidential claim highlighting or denoting the CCI 
portions. If possible, please provide a summary of your submission that 
can be made available to the public.
    In the event MARAD receives a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 
request for the information, procedures described in the Department's 
FOIA regulation at 49 CFR 7.29 will be followed. Only information that 
is ultimately determined to be confidential under those procedures will 
be exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of all 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.). For information on DOT's compliance with 
the Privacy Act, please visit https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.

(Authority: 49 CFR 1.93(a), 46 U.S.C. 55103, 46 U.S.C. 12121)

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-24728 Filed 10-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P


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