28022 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 98 /Thursday, May 21, 1998 / Notices

(63 FR 17919, April 10, 1998). The

proposed policy statement was

developed by the Department of

Transportation in consultation with the

Department of Justice and sets forth

tentative findings and guidelines for use

by DOT in evaluating whether major air

carriers’ competitive responses to new

entry warrant enforcement action under

49 U.S.C. 41712. The due dates for

comments and reply comments were

June 9, 1998 and July 9, 1998,

respectively.

On May 8, 1998, the Air Transport

Association of America (ATA), an

association of 22 U.S. airlines and five

foreign carriers, filed an emergency

petition requesting that the Department

extend the time for filing comments by

120 days. The ATA stated that it was

filing the petition on an emergency basis

because fewer than 30 days remained in

the comment period. It claimed that the

60-day time period originally set does

not give the parties adequate time to

prepare well-reasoned responses to the

complicated economic, legal, and policy

issues raised in the statement and that

in order to participate in a full

discussion of these issues, the ATA and

its member airlines must consult with

economic and legal experts. Since those

experts must review studies, reports,

and other data that address these issues,

the ATA argued that the current 60-day

comment period is inadequate.

The ATA also asserted that the

Department has failed to identify the

research and source material for its

proposed statement on a timely basis

and therefore an extension of the

comment period is necessary. Citing

Department rules in 49 CFR § 5.25(a),

the ATA likewise stated the Secretary is

to grant a petition for extension of time

where the petitioner shows that

additional time is in the public interest,

so long as the petitioner has good cause

for the extension and a substantive

interest in the proposed action. The

ATA claimed that the extension is

clearly in the public interest and is

consistent with previous similar

Department rulemakings involving

complex economic issues. Furthermore,

as an association representing the

entities that the statement would affect,

the ATA pointed out that it has an

obvious substantive interest.

We have determined that it would be

reasonable and in the public interest to

give commenters more time for

preparing their responses to the

proposed statement. While the issues

are complex and the statement involves

a major policy initiative, we do not

agree, however, with the ATA that an

extension of 120 days is necessary. The

addition of 60 days to the 90 days

already established for comments and

reply comments provides commenters

with a total of 150 days to prepare and

provide remarks—an amount of time

that we find is sufficient to balance the

needs for an adequate comment period

while not unnecessarily delaying the

Department’s initiative for promoting

competition and protecting consumers.

We will therefore give commenters an

additional 60 days to prepare their

comments and reply comments.

Specifically, the due date for

comments will be extended to July 24,

1998 from June 9, 1998 and the due date

for reply comments will be extended to

September 8, 1998 from July 9, 1998.

(Since the actual addition of 60 days

results in a due date for reply comments

of September 7, 1998—a Federal

holiday, the due date for reply

comments was extended to September

8, 1998.)

Issued in Washington, DC, on May 18,

1998, under authority delegated by 49 CFR

1.56(a).

Charles A. Hunnicutt,

Assistant Secretary for Aviation and

International Affairs.

[FR Doc. 98–13698 Filed 5–19–98; 10:07 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–62–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

[CGD08–97–050]

Lower Mississippi River Waterway

Safety Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

SUMMARY: The Lower Mississippi River

Waterway Safety Advisory Committee

(LMRWSAC) will meet to discuss

various issues relating to navigational

safety on the Lower Mississippi River

and related waterways. The meeting

will be open to the public.

DATES: LMRWSAC will meet on

Monday, June 15, 1998, from 9:00 a.m.

to 12 noon. This meeting may close

early if all business is finished. Written

material and requests to make oral

presentations should reach the Coast

Guard on or before June 5, 1998.

Requests to have a copy of your material

distributed to each member of the

committee or subcommittee should

reach the Coast Guard on or before June

5, 1998.

ADDRESSES: LMRWSAC will meet in the

basement conference room of the Hale

Boggs Federal Building, 501 Magazine

Street, New Orleans, LA. Send written

material and requests to make oral

presentations to Mr. M.M. Ledet,

Commander, Eighth Coast Guard

District (m), 501 Magazine Street, New

Orleans, LA 70130–3396.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:M.M.

Ledet, committee administrator,

telephone 504–589–4686, fax 504–589–

4999.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of

this meeting is given under the Federal

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

2.

Agendas of Meeting

Lower Mississippi River Waterways

Safety Advisory Committee

(MLRWSAC). The agenda includes the

following:

(1) Introduction of committee members.

(2) Introduction and remarks by RADM

P. Pluta, Committee Sponsor.

(3) Approval of the January 28, 1998

minutes.

(4) Old Business.

a. Widening of the navigational

channel.

b. VTS update.

c. Bridge clearance gauges.

(5) New Business.

a. South Pass dredging.

b. Bear Industries permit request.

c. Southwest Pass wingdam.

d. Visual surveillance of area around

new steel dock at Mississippi River

mile 161.0.

(6) Next meeting.

(7) Adjournment.

Procedural

The meeting is open to the public. At

the Chairs’ 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 Committee

Administrator no later than June 5,

1998. Written material for distribution

at a meeting should reach the Coast

Guard no later than June 5, 1998. If you

would like a copy of your material

distributed to each member of the

committee or subcommittee in advance

of a meeting, please submit 28 copies to

the Committee Administrator no later

than June 5, 1998.

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 Committee

Administrator as soon as possible.

Dated: May 5, 1998.

A.L. Gerfin, Jr.,

Capt., USCG, Acting Commander, Eighth

Coast Guard District.

[FR Doc. 98–13640 Filed 5–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–15–M