80 FR 10137 - Port Access Route Study: In the Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait and Bering Sea

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 37 (February 25, 2015)

The Coast Guard announces three public meetings to receive comments on a port access route study (PARS) published in the Federal Register on December 5, 2014, under the title ``Port Access Route Study: In the Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait and Bering Sea.'' The goal of this study is to help reduce the risk of marine casualties and increase the efficiency of vessel traffic in the region. The recommendations of the study may lead to future rulemaking action or appropriate international agreements.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10137-10138]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03859]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[USCG-2014-0941]


Port Access Route Study: In the Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait and 
Bering Sea

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces three public meetings to receive 
comments on a port access route study (PARS) published in the Federal 
Register on December 5, 2014, under the title ``Port Access Route 
Study: In the Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait and Bering Sea.'' The goal of 
this study is to help reduce the risk of marine casualties and increase 
the efficiency of vessel traffic in the region. The recommendations of 
the study may lead to future rulemaking action or appropriate 
international agreements.

DATES: The first meeting will be held in Juneau, Alaska on March 9, 
2015 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The second meeting will be held in 
Anchorage, Alaska on March 30, 2015 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The third 
and final meeting will be held in Nome, Alaska on April 2, 2015 from 3 
p.m. to 6 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Locations: Juneau Meeting: Elizabeth Peratrovich 
Event Center located at 320 W. Wiloughby Ave, Juneau, AK 99801; 
Anchorage Meeting: Hotel Captain Cook located at 939 West 5th Ave., 
Anchorage, AK 99501; Nome Meeting: City Of Nome Council Chambers 
located at 102 Division St, Nome, AK 99762.
    Comment submission: You may submit comments associated with docket 
number USCG-2014-0941 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) 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.
    (4) 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice 
of study or any of the meetings, call or email LT Kody Stitz, 
Seventeenth Coast Guard District (dpw); telephone (907) 463-2270; email 
[email protected] or Mr. David Seris, Seventeenth Coast Guard 
District (dpw); telephone (907) 463-2267; email [email protected]. 
If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, 
call Cheryl F. Collins, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 
202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to participate in this study by submitting 
comments and related materials as well as attending a public meeting. 
All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have 
provided.

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 notice 
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the 
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Requirement for Port Access Route Studies

    Under the Ports and Waterways Safety Act (PWSA) (33 U.S.C. 
1223(c)), the Commandant of the Coast Guard may designate necessary 
fairways and traffic separation schemes (TSSs) to provide safe access 
routes for vessels proceeding to and from U.S. ports.
    Schematic of proposed vessel routing system: A chart showing the 
Coast Guard's proposed two-way route can be downloaded from http://www.regulations.gov, type ``USCG-2014-0941'' into the search bar and 
click search, next to the displayed search results click ``Open Docket 
Folder'', which will display all comments and documents associated with 
this docket.

Information on Service for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the public meeting, 
contact LT Kody Stitz at the telephone number or email address provided 
under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.

Meeting Details

    All meetings are open to the public. The purpose of the meetings is 
to increase awareness of the PARS and to receive feedback and comments 
from the public regarding the PARS. Each meeting will begin with the 
Coast Guard meeting facilitator presenting an explanation of and the 
purpose for the PARS along with an overview of the Coast Guard's 
proposed two-way route through the region. Public participants will 
then be able to provide comments and feedback to the meeting 
facilitator. Public participants are not required to stay for the 
entire meeting duration as the process of the meeting facilitator 
presenting the PARS information followed by a public comment period 
will be repeated hourly throughout the allotted meeting time.

[[Page 10138]]

    Copies of the PARS announced in the Federal Register on December 5, 
2014 as well as the schematic showing the two-way route will be 
available at the public meeting. The meeting facilitator will accept 
written comments from participants who wish to comment in writing. All 
written comments received by the meeting facilitator will be uploaded 
to the PARS docket (USCG-2014-0941) without change. Comments made 
verbally will be summarized by the meeting facilitator and incorporated 
into the study. The public comment period closes on June 3, 2015 and 
comments may be submitted up until that time using one of the methods 
detailed under the COMMENT SUBMISSION section of this document. The 
Coast Guard will not make any decisions at the meetings and will only 
begin analyzing the comments and information received after the public 
comment period closes on June 3, 2015.

D.B. Abel,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard 
District.
[FR Doc. 2015-03859 Filed 2-24-15; 8:45 am]
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