Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 87 / Friday, May 3, 1996 / Rules and Regulations 19859

1 The ICC Termination Act of 1995, Pub. L. No.

104–88, 109 Stat. 803 (ICCTA), which was enacted

on December 29, 1995, and took effect on January

1, 1996, abolished the Interstate Commerce

Commission and transferred certain functions and

proceedings to the Board.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No.

83.100, ‘‘Flood Insurance.’’)

Issued: April 25, 1996.

Richard W. Krimm,

Acting Associate Director, Mitigation

Directorate.

[FR Doc. 96–11040 Filed 5–2–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6718–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

46 CFR Parts 10 and 15

CGD 94–041]

RIN 2115–92

Radar-Observer Endorsement for

Operators of Uninspected Towing

Vessels

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Reopening of comment period

on interim rule.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is reopening

the period for public comment on its

interim rule requiring a radar-observer

endorsement for operators of

uninspected towing vessels. It would

like public help in clarifying certain

issues.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before July 2, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to

the Executive Secretary, Marine Safety

Council (G–LRA/3406) [CGD 94–041],

U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100

Second Street SW., Washington, DC

20593–09001, or may be delivered to

room 3406 at the same address between

8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through

Friday, except Federal holidays. The

telephone number is (202) 267–1477.

The Executive Secretary maintains the

public docket for this rulemaking.

Comments will become part of this

docket and will be available for

inspection or copying at room 3406,

U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, between

8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through

Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

LCDR Don Darcy, Project Manager,

Marine Safety and Environmental

Protection, Office of Maritime Personnel

Qualifications (G–MOS–1) (202) 267–

0221.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On

October 26, 1994, the Coast Guard

published an interim rule requiring a

radar-observer endorsement, with

appropriate training, for licensed

masters, mates, and operators of radarequipped uninspected towing vessels 8

meters (approximately 26 feet) or more

in length [59 FR 53754]. This rule

requires every licensed person to hold

either an endorsement as a radarobserver or, if he or she holds a valid

license issued before February 15, 1995,

a certificate from a radar-operation

course. In response to comments from

members of the regulated public, the

Coast Guard published an amendment

to the interim rule on February 14, 1995

[60 FR 8308], which changed the date

by which the radar-observer

endorsement or the radar-operation

course certificate would be required:

from February 15, 1995, to June 1, 1995.

The effective date of the interim rule

remained and remains June 1, 1995.

Further evaluation of the interim rule

by the Coast Guard revealed certain

issues that require clarification.

Therefore, the Coast Guard has decided

to reopen the comment period.

Request for Comments

The Coast Guard encourages

interested persons to participate in this

rulemaking by submitting written data,

views, or arguments. There is no need

to refile comments already submitted.

Persons submitting comments should

include their names and addresses,

identify this rulemaking [CGD 94–041]

and the specific section of the interim

rule to which each comment applies,

and give the reason for each comment.

Please submit two copies of 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.

The Coast Guard will consider all

comments received during the comment

period. It may change the interim rule

in view of the comments.

Although the Coast Guard invites

comments on any feature of the interim

rule, it specifically invites comments on

the following:

Section 10.305(c)(2)(iii)(C). Should

the Coast Guard require the

determination of the course and speed

of another vessel for inland routes?

Section 10.305(c)(2)(iii)(D). Should

the Coast Guard require the

determination of the time and distance

of closest point of approach of a

crossing, meeting, overtaking, or

overtaken vessel for inland routes? On

most inland routes, towing vessels have

a one-person watch in the wheelhouse

and may compromise the safety of the

tow if they were required to do this.

Section 10.480(f). Currently an

endorsement as radar observer issued

under this section is valid for five years

after the month of issuance of the

certificate of training from a course

approved by the Coast Guard. Should

there be a 2 year window of

acceptability to the renewal date of the

license to bring the two dates together

and eliminate an expensive license

transaction? This would make the

normal validity of the endorsement 5

years, but not to exceed 7 years.

Dated: April 25, 1996.

Joseph J. Angelo,

Director for Standards, Marine Safety and

Environmental Protection.

[FR Doc. 96–10999 Filed 5–2–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–14–M

Surface Transportation Board

49 CFR Parts 1051, 1053 and 1312

[Ex Parte No. MC–180 (Sub-No. 3)]

Regulations Implementing Section 7 of

the Negotiated Rates Act of 1993

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board

(Board).1

ACTION: Final Rule; Termination of

Proceeding.

SUMMARY: The Board is rescinding the

rules previously issued by the Interstate

Commerce Commission (ICC) in this

proceeding concerning the off-bill

discounting provisions of section 7 of

the Negotiated Rates Act of 1993 (NRA),

and terminating the proceeding. The

ICC Termination Act of 1995 repealed

and did not reenact the requirement that

the ICC, or any agency, issue or

maintain regulations to carry out the

remaining requirements of section 7.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The action is effective

on May 3, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael L. Martin, (202) 927–6033 [TDD

for the hearing impaired: (202) 927–

5721].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accord

with section 7 of the NRA, Public Law

No. 103–180, the ICC adopted

regulations relating to off-bill

discounting. Regs. Implementing § 7 of

the Negotiated Rates Act 1993, 9

I.C.C.2d 1263 (1993). The rules, which

were published at 59 FR 2303 (Jan. 14,

1994), prohibited, except as to certain

services, motor common and contract

carriers of property from providing ‘‘offbill discounting.’’ Off-bill discounting is

a practice by which a carrier provides a

reduction in a tariff rate or contract rate