1070 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 5 / Friday, January 8, 2010 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

[Docket No. USCG–2009–1079] 

Cargo Securing Methods for Packages 

in Transport Vehicles or Freight 

Containers 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of request for comments. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard seeks 

comments from the public on methods 

for securing cargo in transport vehicles 

and freight containers in order to 

determine if a standardized approval or 

certification process or improved 

performance criteria for flexible 

strapping securing systems is needed. 

Under current U.S. regulations and 

international codes, there is no 

certification or qualification standard 

for blocking, bracing, or for the use of 

strapping systems for securing cargo. 

Cargo must be secured to prevent 

shifting in any direction during 

transport. Packages of hazardous 

materials must be braced and dunnaged 

within a container so that they are not 

likely to be pierced or crushed and the 

materials must be in proper condition 

for transportation. Currently, the 

specific method for securing cargo is left 

to the discretion of the individual or 

company packing the container. The 

Coast Guard is considering whether 

there is a need for a standardized 

certification or approval process for 

cargo securing systems. 

DATES: Comments and related material 

must either be submitted to our online 

docket via http://www.regulations.gov 

on or before March 9, 2010 or reach the 

Docket Management Facility by that 

date. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by docket number USCG– 

2009–1079 using any one of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: Docket Management Facility 

(M–30), U.S. Department of 

Transportation, West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590– 

0001. 

• Hand delivery: Same as mail 

address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. The telephone number 

is 202–366–9329. 

To avoid duplication, please use only 

one of these four methods. See the 

‘‘Public Participation and Request for 

Comments’’ portion of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 

below for instructions on submitting 

comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If 

you have questions on this notice, call 

or e-mail Morgan Armstrong, telephone 

202–372–1419, e-mail: 

Morgan.D.Armstrong@uscg.mil. If you 

have questions on viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, call Renee V. 

Wright, Program Manager, Docket 

Operations, telephone 202–366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation and Request for 

Comments 

We encourage you to submit 

comments and related material. All 

comments received will be posted, 

without change, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov and will include 

any personal information you have 

provided. 

Submitting comments: If you submit a 

comment, please include the docket 

number for this notice (USCG–2009– 

1079) and provide a reason for each 

suggestion or recommendation. You 

may submit your comments and 

material online, or by fax, mail or hand 

delivery, but please use only one of 

these means. We recommend that you 

include your name and a mailing 

address, an e-mail address, or a 

telephone number in the body of your 

document so that we can contact you if 

we have questions regarding your 

submission. 

To submit your comment online, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, click on the 

‘‘submit a comment’’ box, which will 

then become highlighted in blue. In the 

‘‘Document Type’’ drop down menu 

select ‘‘Notices’’ and insert ‘‘USCG– 

2009–1079’’ in the ‘‘Keyword’’ box. Click 

‘‘Search’’ then click on the balloon shape 

in the ‘‘Actions’’ column. If you submit 

your comments by mail or hand 

delivery, submit them in an unbound 

format, no larger than 81⁄2 by 11 inches, 

suitable for copying and electronic 

filing. If you submit them by mail and 

would like to know that they reached 

the Facility, please enclose a stamped, 

self-addressed postcard or envelope. We 

will consider all comments and material 

received during the comment period. 

Viewing the comments: To view the 

comments, go to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, click on the ‘‘read 

comments’’ box, which will then 

become highlighted in blue. In the 

‘‘Keyword’’ box insert ‘‘USCG–2009– 

1079’’ and click ‘‘Search.’’ Click the 

‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ in the ‘‘Actions’’ 

column. If you do not have access to the 

Internet, you may view the docket 

online by visiting the Docket 

Management Facility in Room W12–140 

on the ground floor of the Department 

of Transportation West Building, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 

DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. We have an agreement with 

the Department of Transportation to use 

the Docket Management Facility. 

Privacy Act: Anyone can search the 

electronic form of 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.). You may review a 

Privacy Act, system of records notice 

regarding our public dockets in the 

January 17, 2008, issue of the Federal 

Register (73 FR 3316). 

Background and Purpose 

It has recently been brought to the 

Coast Guard’s attention that significant 

damage and shifting of packages has 

purportedly occurred in cargo transport 

units in which the cargo was secured 

with flexible strapping. There is a 

concern that without an approval 

process, certain flexible strapping 

systems could be used even though they 

may not adequately secure cargo when 

properly installed. 

Requirements for the securing of cargo 

can be found in 49 CFR 176.76 and in 

Chapter 7.5 of the International 

Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) 

Code. Additional recommendations can 

be found in the IMDG Code 

Supplement. These are the Guidelines 

for Packing of Cargo Transport Units 

(CTUs), which were developed in 1996 

by the United Nations Economic 

Commission for Europe (UN ECE) 

Working Party on Combined Transport, 

the International Labor Organization 

(ILO), and the International Maritime 

Organization (IMO). These Guidelines 

are based on the existing ILO/IMO 

Guidelines for Packing Cargo in Freight 

Containers or Vehicles and are 

applicable to transport operations by all 

surface and water modes of 

transportation and the whole 

international transportation chain. 

As required in 49 CFR 176.76, cargo, 

including hazardous materials, 

transported in vehicles and freight 

containers must be secured during 

transport to prevent shifting of the cargo 

and damage to the container. This 

requirement is true for all modes of 

surface transportation due to the fact 

that containers are transported by 

vessel, rail, and highway. Accordingly, 

the cargo must be adequately secured to 

withstand the unique forces exerted on 

the packages during each of these modes 


pwalker on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 5 / Friday, January 8, 2010 / Notices 1071 

of transport. Although there are 

recommended methods, the ultimate 

responsibility for properly securing 

cargo inside a container (by blocking, 

bracing, and strapping) resides with the 

packer of the container. 

U.S. regulations make reference to 

dunnage as a method for securing cargo 

and defines it in 49 CFR 176.2 as 

‘‘lumber of not less than 25 mm (0.98 

inch) commercial thickness or 

equivalent material laid over or against 

structures such as tank tops, decks, 

bulkheads, frames, plating, or ladders, 

or used for filling voids or fitting around 

cargo, to prevent damage during 

transportation.’’ However, there is no 

reference made to flexible strapping 

systems. The Department of 

Transportation (DOT) has issued 

exemptions to 49 CFR 176.76(a)(4), 

allowing the use of fabric restraint 

dunnage systems to secure certain 

hazardous materials, when installed as 

specified by the manufacturer’s 

instructions. 

There are a variety of options for 

developing a standard. One option is to 

request that the UN ECE, ILO, and IMO 

consider incorporating flexible 

strapping systems into their Guidelines. 

Another option is to have the 

International Standards Organization 

(ISO) develop testing and performance 

requirements. The U.S. could also create 

domestic regulations for incorporation 

into 49 CFR part 176. The final option 

is to continue operations as they 

currently exist, allowing the packer to 

determine the best method of securing 

cargo without a standardized approval 

or certification process. 

The Coast Guard invites comments on 

the following topics: 

• The need for a new approval 

process or certification standard for 

cargo securing systems. 

• Information on currently used 

standards for the approval and use of 

cargo securing systems. 

• Methods for ensuring or verifying 

that securing systems adequately secure 

cargo without damaging the container or 

cargo. 

• Existing test methods for securing 

systems. 

• Materials used for securing cargo 

within the container (e.g. wood, plastic, 

bags, web, wire, chain, etc.). 

• Allowances for movement of cargo 

within the container when securing 

systems are used. 

• Information on cargo securing 

systems that are currently being used to 

secure cargo in containers, both 

domestically and internationally. 

Written comments and responses to 

the above topics will be added to the 

docket number for this notice (USCG– 

2009–1079). The Coast Guard intends to 

review and analyze all comments 

received in order to develop a way 

forward for securing cargo in containers. 

This notice is issued under authority 

of 5 U.S.C. 552. 

Dated: December 29, 2009. 

J.G. Lantz, 

Director of Commercial Regulations and 

Standards. 

[FR Doc. 2010–106 Filed 1–7–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 

URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

[Docket No. FR–5375–N–01] 

Federal Property Suitable as Facilities 

To Assist the Homeless 

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Community Planning and 

Development, HUD. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This Notice identifies 

unutilized, underutilized, excess, and 

surplus Federal property reviewed by 

HUD for suitability for possible use to 

assist the homeless. 

DATES: Effective Date: January 8, 2010. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kathy Ezzell, Department of Housing 

and Urban Development, 451 Seventh 

Street, SW., Room 7262, Washington, 

DC 20410; telephone (202) 708–1234; 

TTY number for the hearing- and 

speech-impaired (202) 708–2565 (these 

telephone numbers are not toll-free), or 

call the toll-free Title V information line 

at 800–927–7588. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

accordance with the December 12, 1988 

court order in National Coalition for the 

Homeless v. Veterans Administration, 

No. 88–2503–OG (D.D.C.), HUD 

publishes a Notice, on a weekly basis, 

identifying unutilized, underutilized, 

excess and surplus Federal buildings 

and real property that HUD has 

reviewed for suitability for use to assist 

the homeless. Today’s Notice is for the 

purpose of announcing that no 

additional properties have been 

determined suitable or unsuitable this 

week. 

Dated: December 29, 2009. 

Mark R. Johnston, 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs. 

[FR Doc. E9–31169 Filed 1–7–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLWO320000 L19900000 EX0000] 

Extension of Approved Information 

Collection, OMB Control Number 

1004–0194 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: 60-day notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 

announces its intention to request that 

the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) extend approval for the 

collection of information under 43 CFR 

subpart 3809. The OMB previously 

approved this collection of information 

and assigned it the control number 

1004–0194. 

DATES: You must submit your comments 

to the BLM at the address below on or 

before March 9, 2010. The BLM is not 

obligated to consider any comments 

postmarked or received after the above 

date. 

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to: 

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau 

of Land Management, Mail Stop 401– 

LS, 1849 C St., NW., Washington, DC 

20240, Attention: 1004–0194. You may 

also comment electronically at: 

Jean_Sonneman@blm.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You 

may contact Adam Merrill, Solid 

Minerals Group, at (202) 912–7044 

(Commercial or FTS). Persons who use 

a telecommunication device for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) on 1–800–877– 

8339, 24 hours a day, seven days a 

week, to contact Mr. Merrill. You may 

also contact Mr. Merrill to obtain a 

copy, at no cost, of the regulations and 

forms that require this collection of 

information. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB 

regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which 

implement provisions of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501–3521), 

require that interested members of the 

public and affected agencies be 

provided an opportunity to comment on 

information collection and 

recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 

1320.8(d) and 1320.12(a)). This notice 

identifies information collections that 

are contained in 43 CFR subpart 3809. 

The BLM will request that the OMB 

approve this information collection 

activity for a 3-year term. 

Comments are invited on: (1) The 

need for the collection of information 


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