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
31260 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 109 / Monday, June 8, 1998 / Notices

the turn of the century. Submitters are

encouraged to provide additional

comments as new problems and

solutions are found.

We would also like to determine the

level of support for Y2K maritime

conferences in various cities. In

February, 1998, the Coast Guard cosponsored a Y2K Maritime Issues

Conference with the New York Maritime

Association Port of NY/NJ. This widely

attended information-sharing

conference drew representation from a

large cross-section of industry. Since the

Y2K problem will affect all sectors of

industry, future similar conferences may

be beneficial to stakeholders. The Coast

Guard may be interested in

cosponsoring such events in the future.

We would specifically like comments

in the following areas:

(1) Identification of Y2K problems.

(2) Solutions to and lessons learned

about Y2K problems.

(3) Resources available to address

Y2K issues.

(4) Your interest in attending Y2K

maritime conferences in Washington,

DC and other cities.

All comments, which will be

maintained on the Docket Management

System, can be accessed at http://

dms.dot.gov. Also, the Coast Guard’s

Marine Safety Y2K Web Site at: http://

www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/nmc/y2k.htm

can be accessed to obtain information

on comments received.

Dated: June 2, 1998.

Joseph J. Angelo,

Director of Standards, Marine Safety and

Environmental Protection.

[FR Doc. 98–15179 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–15–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Notice of Intent To Rule on Application

To Impose and Use the Revenue From

a Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) at

Texarkana Regional Airport,

Texarkana, AR

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to rule on

application.

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to rule and

invites public comment on the

application to impose and use the

revenue from a PFC at Texarkana

Regional Airport under the provisions of

the Aviation Safety and Capacity

Expansion Act of 1990 (Title IX of the

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of

1990) (Pub. L. 101–508) and Part 158 of

the Federal Aviation Regulations (14

CFR Part 158).

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before July 8, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this

application may be mailed or delivered

in triplicate copies to the FAA at the

following address: Mr. Ben Guttery,

Federal Aviation Administration,

Southwest Region, Airports Division,

Planning and Programming Branch,

ASW–610D, Fort Worth, Texas 76193–

0610.

In addition, one copy of any

comments submitted to the FAA must

be mailed or delivered to Mr. Robert L.

McDaniel, Airport Director, at the

following address: Mr. Robert L.

McDaniel, Airport Director, Texarkana

Regional Airport Authority, 201 Airport

Drive, Texarkana, AR–TX 71854.

Air carriers and foreign air carriers

may submit copies of the written

comments previously provided to the

Airport under § 158.23 of Part 158.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Ben Guttery, Federal Aviation

Administration, Southwest Region,

Airports Division, Planning and

Programming Branch, ASW–610D, Fort

Worth, Texas 76193–0610, (817) 222–

5614.

The application may be reviewed in

person at this same location.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA

proposes to rule and invites public

comment on the application to impose

and use the revenue from a PFC at

Texarkana Regional Airport under the

provisions of the Aviation Safety and

Capacity Expansion Act of 1990 (Title

IX of the Omnibus Budget

Reconciliation Act of 1990) (Public Law

101–508) and Part 158 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Part 158).

On May 29, 1998, the FAA

determined that the application to

impose and use the revenue from a PFC

submitted by the Airport was

substantially complete within the

requirements of § 158.25 of Part 158.

The FAA will approve or disapprove the

application, in whole or in part, no later

than September 25, 1998.

The following is a brief overview of

the application:

Level of the proposed PFC: $3.00.

Proposed charge effective date:

December 1, 1998.

Proposed charge expiration date: May

1, 2003.

Total estimated PFC revenue:

$412,532.00.

PFC application number: 98–02–C–

00–TXK.

Brief description of proposed

project(s):

Projects to Impose and Use PFC’s

Safety Area Improvements, North

Apron Expansion, Runway 4/22

Overlay, Security/Perimeter Fencing,

and PFC Application Costs.

Proposed class or classes of air

carriers to be exempted from collecting

PFC’s:

None.

Any person may inspect the

application in person at the FAA office

listed above under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT and at the FAA

regional Airports office located at:

Federal Aviation Administration,

Southwest Region, Airports Division,

Planning and Programming Branch,

ASW–610D, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort

Worth, Texas 76137–4298.

In addition, any person may, upon

request, inspect the application, notice

and other documents germane to the

application in person at Texarkana

Regional Airport.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas on May 29,

1998.

Naomi L. Saunders,

Manager, Airports Division.

[FR Doc. 98–15143 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900–0096]

Agency Information Collection

Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits

Administration, Department of Veterans

Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995

(44 U.S.C., 3501 et seq.), this notice

announces that the Veterans Benefits

Administration (VBA), Department of

Veterans Affairs, has submitted the

collection of information abstracted

below to the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) for review and comment.

The PRA submission describes the

nature of the information collection and

its expected cost and burden; it includes

the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before July 8, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF

THE SUBMISSION CONTACT: Ron Taylor,

Information Management Service

(045A4), Department of Veterans

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273–8015

or FAX (202) 273–5981. Please refer to

‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0096.’’