31258 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 109 / Monday, June 8, 1998 / Notices

9 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12) (1997).

rule change is appropriate and

consistent with the Act.

It is therefore ordered, pursuant to

Section 19(b)(2) of the Act, that the

proposed rule change, SR–NASD–97–35

be, and hereby is, approved on an

accelerated basis.

For the Commission by the Division of

Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated

authority.9

Margaret H. McFarland,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–15079 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010–01–M

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

[Declaration of Disaster #3082]

State of Kentucky; (Amendment #2)

In accordance with a notice from the

Federal Emergency Management Agency

dated May 13, 1998, the abovenumbered Declaration is hereby

amended to include Pike County in the

State of Kentucky as a disaster area due

to damages caused by severe storms,

tornadoes, and flooding beginning on

April 16, 1998 and continuing through

May 10, 1998.

In addition, applications for economic

injury loans from small businesses

located in the following contiguous

counties may be filed until the specified

date at the previously designated

location: McDowell and Mingo Counties

in West Virginia, and Buchanon,

Dickenson, and Wise Counties in

Virginia. Any counties contiguous to the

above-name primary county and not

listed herein have been previously

declared.

All other information remains the

same, i.e., the deadline for filing

applications for physical damage is June

28, 1998 and for economic injury the

termination date is January 29, 1999.

The economic injury number for West

Virginia is 987600 and for Virginia the

economic injury number is 987700.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Nos. 59002 and 59008)

Dated: May 21, 1998.

Bernard Kulik,

Associate Administrator for Disaster

Assistance.

[FR Doc. 98–15170 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8025–01–U

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

[Declaration of Disaster #3078]

State of Tennessee; (Amendment #3)

In accordance with a notice from the

Federal Emergency Management Agency

dated May 18, 1998, the abovenumbered Declaration is hereby

amended to establish the incident

period for this disaster as beginning on

April 16, 1998 and continuing through

May 18, 1998.

All other information remains the

same, i.e., the deadline for filing

applications for physical damage is June

19, 1998 and for economic injury the

termination date is January 20, 1999.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Nos. 59002 and 59008)

Dated: May 21, 1998.

Bernard Kulik,

Associate Administrator for Disaster

Assistance.

[FR Doc. 98–15169 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8025–01–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Aviation Proceedings, Agreements

Filed During the Week Ending May 29,

1998

The following Agreements were filed

with the Department of Transportation

under the provisions of 49 U.S.C.

Sections 412 and 414. Answers may be

filed within 21 days of date of filing.

Docket Number: OST–98–3889.

Date Filed: May 28, 1998.

Parties: Members of the International

Air Transport Association.

Subject: PTC12 Telex Mail Vote 942,

Zimbabwe-US/Canada/Mexico fare

adjustment, r1-First/Intermediate fares,

r2-Normal economy/special fares,

Intended effective date: July 1, 1998.

Docket Number: OST–98–3890.

Date Filed: May 28, 1998.

Parties: Members of the International

Air Transport Association.

Subject: COMP Telex Mail Vote 941

Reso 010L, Zimbabwe fares—(excluding

US/Canada/Mexico), Intended effective

date: July 1, 1998.

Dorothy W. Walker.

Federal Register Liaison.

[FR Doc. 98–15151 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–62–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

[USCG–1998–3897]

Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory

Committee; Vacancies

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Request for applications.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard seeks

applications for appointment to

membership on the Merchant Marine

Personnel Advisory Committee

(MERPAC). MERPAC provides advice

and makes recommendations to the

Coast Guard on matters related to the

training, qualification, licensing,

certification, and fitness of seamen

serving in the U.S. merchant marine.

DATES: Applications must reach the

Coast Guard on or before August 1,

1998.

ADDRESSES: You may request an

application form by writing to

Commandant (G–MSO–1), U.S. Coast

Guard, 2100 Second Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20593–0001; by calling

202–267–0229; or by faxing 202–267–

4570. Submit application forms to the

same address. This notice is available

on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For questions on this notice, contact

Commander Steven J. Boyle, Executive

Director of MERPAC, or Mr. Mark C.

Gould, Assistant to the Executive

Director, telephone 202–267–6890, fax

202–267–4570. For questions on this

docket, contact Carol Kelly, Coast Guard

Dockets Team Leader, or Paulette

Twine, Chief, Documentary Services

Division, U.S. Department of

Transportation, 202–366–9329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: MERPAC

is chartered under the Federal Advisory

Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. It

provides advice and makes

recommendations to the Assistant

Commandant for Marine Safety and

Environmental Protection, on merchant

marine personnel issues such as

implementation of the International

Convention on Standards of Training,

Certification and Watchkeeping for

Seafarers, 1978, types of marine

simulation utilized in lieu of sea service

for marine licenses, and regional

examination center activities.

MERPAC meets at least twice a year,

once at Coast Guard Headquarters,

Washington, DC, and once elsewhere in

the country. Its subcommittees and

working groups may also meet to

consider specific problems as required.

The Coast Guard will consider

applications for six positions that expire
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 109 / Monday, June 8, 1998 / Notices 31259

on January 31, 1999. Applicants with

one or more of the following

backgrounds are needed to fill the

positions:

(a) Licensed Deck Officer.

(b) Shipping Company employed in

ship operation management.

(c) Licensed Engineering Officer.

(d) Pilot.

(e) Able Bodied Seaman.

(f) Marine Educator associated with a

maritime academy.

Each member serves for a term of 3

years. No member may hold more than

two consecutive 3-year terms. MERPAC

members serve without compensation

from the Federal Government; however,

travel reimbursement and per diem will

be provided.

In support of the policy of the

Department of Transportation on gender

and ethnic diversity, the Coast Guard

encourages applications from qualified

women and members of minority

groups.

Applicants selected may be required

to complete a Confidential Financial

Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450).

Neither the report nor the information it

contains may be released to the public,

except under an order issued by a

Federal court or as otherwise provided

under the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a).

Dated: May 28, 1998.

Joseph J. Angelo,

Director of Standards, Marine Safety and

Environmental Protection.

[FR Doc. 98–15141 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–15–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

[USCG–1998–3917]

Year 2000 (Y2K) Problems in the

Maritime Industry

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice; solicitation of

comments.

SUMMARY: ‘‘Y2K’’ is the acronym for

‘‘Year 2000’’ and the problems which

may occur in computer software and

equipment with computer chips before,

on or after January 1, 2000. The effects

on equipment could be disastrous.

Consequently, the Coast Guard has

arranged to serve as a clearing house for

any lessons learned or problems

identified with this issue as it relates to

the maritime industry.

DATES: This docket will remain open

until January 1, 2002.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to

the Docket Management Facility,

[USCG–1998–3917], U.S. Department of

Transportation, Room PL–401, 400

Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC

20590–0001, or deliver them to room

PL–401, located on the Plaza Level of

the Nassif Building at the same address

between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday

through Friday, except Federal holidays.

The telephone number is (202) 366–

9329.

The Docket Management Facility

maintains the public docket for this

notice. Comments will become part of

this docket and will be available for

inspection or copying at room PL–401,

located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif

Building at the above address between

9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through

Friday, except Federal holidays. You

may also access this docket on the

Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For questions concerning the issues

discussed in this notice contact John

Schonacher at the National Maritime

Center, (703) 235–0018. For questions

concerning the Docket Management

Service contact Paulette Twine, Chief,

Documentary Services Division, U.S.

Department of Transportation,

telephone (202) 366–9329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

The Coast Guard encourages

interested person to participate in

discussions regarding the Y2K problem

by submitting written data, views, or

arguments. Persons submitting

comments should include their names

and addresses, identifying this notice

and the specific section of this notice to

which each comment applies, and give

the reason for each comment. Please

submit all comments and attachments in

an unbound format, no larger than 81⁄2

by 11 inches, suitable for copying and

electronic filing. Persons wanting

acknowledgment of receipt of comments

should enclose stamped, self-addressed

postcards or envelopes.

Background and Purpose

‘‘Y2K’’ is the acronym for ‘‘Year

2000’’ and the problems which may

occur in computer software and

equipment with computer chips at the

onset of the year 2000. This

phenomenon is also referred to as the

‘‘Millennium Bug.’’ Either term may be

used to describe the potential failure of

software and electronic devices prior to,

on, or after January 1, 2000.

The potential exists because of the

widespread industry practice of using

two digits, not four, to represent the

year in computer databases, software

applications, and hardware chips to

store or calculate dates. Many systems

will cease ‘‘00’’ in the year 2000 because

they will treat the year as 1900 instead.

The results may be disastrous. For

example, envision the scenario of a

generator or main engine which

automatically shuts down because the

automated control system believes it has

not received maintenance for 97 years

instead of 3 years.

The Y2K problem is not confined to

large mainframe computer systems.

Personal computers and electronics

embedded with microprocessors are

also at risk. ‘‘Smart Devices’’ on board

ships, ranging from simple items such

as timers, to more sophisticated systems

like electronic cargo handling systems,

radar systems, and GPS, could be

affected and are at risk from this threat.

This problem is not limited to U.S.

and foreign flag ships, but also affects

port facilities of every kind. In addition

to shipboard systems with embedded

microprocessors or date sensitive lines

of codes, the effects of Y2K on related

shoreside systems should be considered.

These include, but are not limited to

crane, cargo systems, servicing

equipment, firefighting and scheduling

equipment.

The insidious nature of this problem

is compounded by the fact that identical

devices, performing well today, may act

very differently in the year 2000. This

potentially drastic difference in

performance is due to the fact that they

each may use a very slightly different

chip. For this reason, experts

recommend that any ‘‘smart’’ system or

electronic device be checked out.

A recent survey found that only one

in six of the corporations surveyed have

begun implementing a Y2K fix. Many

executives apparently do not

understand the magnitude of the

problem or the complexity and costs

involved with fixing it. Corporations

and government agencies will

reportedly spend over $200 billion, by

even conservative estimates, to fix the

Y2K problem.

In addition to the Coast Guard’s

Marine Safety Y2K website, the

International Chamber of Shipping has

a site at http://www.ship2000.com. This

site provides a comprehensive look at

Y2K issues in the maritime industry,

and contains links to other maritime

Y2K sites.

Due to the potentially significant

impact of this problem, the Coast Guard

has arranged to serve as a clearing house

for any lessons learned or problems

identified with this issue as it relates to

the maritime industry. The comment

period will be open until January 1,

2002, since we anticipate that problems

may still occur at least two years after