Document ID: USCG-2017-0316-0001
Agency: uscg
Document Type: Notice
Title: Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee
Posted Date: 2017-05-01T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 82 (Monday, May 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20367-20368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08755]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2017-0316]

Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory Committee teleconference meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee will meet via 
teleconference, to complete the discussions from its March 22-23, 2017, 
meetings on various issues related to the training and fitness of 
merchant marine personnel. The teleconference will be open to the 
public.

DATES: The full Committee is scheduled to meet by teleconference on 
Tuesday, May 16, 2017, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. 
Please note that this teleconference may adjourn early if the Committee 
has completed its business.

ADDRESSES: To join the teleconference, contact the individual listed in 
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to obtain the needed 
information no later than 5 p.m. on May 10, 2017. The number of 
teleconference lines is limited and will be available on a first-come, 
first-served basis. To physically join those participating from U.S. 
Coast Guard Headquarters, it will be hosted in Room 6K15-15, 2703 
Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE., Washington, DC 20593-7509 (https://www.uscg.mil/baseNCR/pages/visitor_trans.asp).
    Pre-registration Information: Foreign nationals participating 
physically at the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters will be required to 
pre-register no later than 5 p.m. on April 28, 2017, to be admitted to 
the meeting. U.S. citizen participating physically at the U.S. Coast 
Guard Headquarters will be required to pre-register no later than 5 
p.m. on May 10, 2017, to be admitted to the meeting. To pre-register, 
contact Lieutenant Junior Grade James Fortin at 202-372-1128 or 
james.l.fortin@uscg.mil with MERPAC in the subject line and provide 
your name, company, and telephone number; if a foreign national, also 
provide your country of citizenship, and passport number and expiration 
date. All attendees will be required to provide a government-issued 
picture identification card in order to gain admittance to the 
building.
    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
the Alternate Designated Federal Officer as soon as possible using the 
contact information provided in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section of this notice.
    Instructions: You are free to submit comments at any time, 
including orally at the teleconference, but if you want committee 
members to review your comment before the teleconference, please submit 
your comments no later than May 10, 2017. We are particularly 
interested in comments on the issues in the ``Agenda'' section below. 
You must include ``Department of Homeland Security'' and docket number 
USCG-2017-0316. Written comments may also be submitted using the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If you 
encounter technical difficulties with comment submission, contact the 
individual in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 
document. Comments received will be posted without alteration at http://regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. You may 
review the Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal Docket Management 
System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal Register (70 FR 
15086).
    Docket Search: For access to the docket to read documents or 
comments related to this notice, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type 
USCG-2017-0316 in the Search box, press Enter, and then click on the 
item you wish to view.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lieutenant Junior Grade James Fortin, 
Alternate Designated Federal Officer of the Merchant Marine Personnel 
Advisory Committee, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE., Stop 7509, 
Washington, DC 20593-7509, telephone 202-372-1128, fax 202-372-8385 or 
james.l.fortin@uscg.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 United States Code Appendix.
    The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee was established 
under authority of section 310 of the Howard Coble Coast Guard and 
Maritime Transportation Act of 2014, codified at Title 46, United 
States Code, section 8108, and chartered under the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (Title 5, United States Code, Appendix). 
The Committee acts solely in an advisory capacity to the Secretary of 
the Department of Homeland Security through the Commandant of the Coast 
Guard on matters relating to personnel in the United States merchant 
marine, including training, qualifications, certification, 
documentation, and fitness standards and other matters as assigned by 
the Commandant. The Committee shall also review and comment on proposed 
Coast Guard regulations and policies relating to personnel in the 
United States merchant marine, including training, qualifications, 
certification, documentation, and fitness standards; may be given 
special

[[Page 20368]]

assignments by the Secretary and may conduct studies, inquiries, 
workshops, and fact finding in consultation with individuals and groups 
in the private sector and with State or local governments; and shall 
advise, consult with, and make recommendations reflecting its 
independent judgment to the Secretary.

Agenda

    The agenda for the May 16, 2017, full Committee teleconference 
meeting is as follows:
    (1) Introduction.
    (2) Designated Federal Officer announcements.
    (3) Roll call of Committee members and determination of a quorum.
    (4) New Business.
    (a) New task statement, Military Education, Training and Assessment 
for STCW and National Mariner Endorsements;
    (b) New task statement, Review and comment on the ``Guidelines for 
Issuing Endorsements for Tankerman PIC Restricted to Fuel Transfers on 
Towing Vessels'' policy letter (CG-MMC Policy Letter No. 01-17);
    (c) New task statement, Provide input to MARAD's working group that 
will examine and assess the size of the pool of U.S. mariners necessary 
to support the U.S. flag fleet in times of national emergency; and
    (d) New task statement, Communication between External Stakeholders 
and the Mariner Credentialing Program.
    (e) New task statement, Fundamental requirement for Officers to 
read and write in English.
    (5) Report summaries and recommendations from the following working 
groups:
    (a) Task Statement 87, Review of policy documents providing 
guidance on the implementation of the December 24, 2013 International 
Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for 
Seafarers rulemaking;
    (b) Task Statement 95, Recommendations Regarding Training 
Requirements for Officer Endorsements for Master or Mate (Pilot) of 
Towing Vessels, except Assistance Towing and Apprentice Mate 
(Steersman) of Towing Vessels, in Inland Service;
    (c) Task Statement 96, Review and comment on the course and program 
approval requirements including 46 CFR 10.402, 10.403, 10.407 and NVIC 
03-14 guidelines for approval of training courses and programs;
    (d) Task Statement 97, Develop and recommend the specifications for 
a Designated Examiner, Qualified Assessor and Designated Medical 
Examiner online verification tool so that the public, mariners and 
shipping companies can verify the Designated Examiner, Qualified 
Assessor and Designated Medical Examiners for Coast Guard approval of 
individuals to perform the functions of those positions;
    (e) New task statement, Military Education, Training and Assessment 
for STCW and National Mariner Endorsements;
    (f) New task statement, Review and comment on the ``Guidelines for 
Issuing Endorsements for Tankerman PIC Restricted to Fuel Transfers on 
Towing Vessels'' policy letter (CG-MMC Policy Letter No. 01-17);
    (g) New task statement, Provide input to MARAD's working group that 
will examine and assess the size of the pool of U.S. mariners necessary 
to support the U.S. flag fleet in times of national emergency; and
    (h) New task statement, Communication between External Stakeholders 
and the Mariner Credentialing Program.
    (6) Public comment period.
    (7) Discussion of working group recommendations. The Committee will 
review the information presented on each issue, deliberate on any 
recommendations presented by the working groups, and approve/formulate 
recommendations. The Committee will also close any completed tasks. 
Official action on these recommendations may be taken on this date.
    (8) Closing remarks.
    (9) Adjournment of meeting.
    A copy of all meeting documentation will be available at https://homeport.uscg.mil/merpac no later than May 10, 2017. Alternatively, you 
may contact Lieutenant Junior Grade James Fortin as noted in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above.
    Public comments will be limited to three minutes per speaker. 
Please note that the public comment periods will end following the last 
call for comments. Please contact Lieutenant Junior Grade James Fortin, 
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section, to register as a 
speaker. Please note that the teleconference may adjourn early if the 
work is completed.

    Dated: April 26, 2017.
J.G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2017-08755 Filed 4-28-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P