[Federal Register: March 10, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 47)]
[Notices]
[Page 12748-12749]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10mr08-79]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2007-0077]
Recreational Boating Safety Projects, Programs and Activities
Funded Under Provisions of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century; Accounting of
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: For eight fiscal years starting in 1999, the Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century has made $5 million available to the
Secretary of Transportation or the Secretary of Homeland Security for
payment of Coast Guard expenses for personnel and activities directly
related to coordinating and carrying out the national recreational
boating safety program. In 2005, the law was amended and the amount was
increased to $5.5 million. This notice satisfies a requirement of the
Act that a detailed accounting of the projects, programs, and
activities funded under the national recreational boating safety
program provision of the Act be published annually in the Federal
Register. In this notice we have specified the amount of monies the
Coast Guard has committed, obligated or expended during fiscal year
2007, as of September 30, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Ludwig, Regulations Development
Manager, telephone 202-372-1062, fax 202-372-1932.
Background and Purpose: The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century became law on June 9, 1998 (Pub. L. 105-178; 112 Stat. 107).
The Act required that of the $5 million made available to carry out the
national recreational boating safety program each year, $2 million
shall be available only to ensure compliance with Chapter 43 of Title
46, U.S. Code--Recreational Vessels. On September 29, 2005, the
Sportfishing and Recreational Boating Safety Amendments Act of 2005 was
enacted (Pub. L. 109-74; 119 Stat. 2031). This Act increased the funds
available to the national recreational boating safety program from $5
million to $5.5 million annually, and stated that ``not less than'' $2
million shall be available only to ensure compliance with Chapter 43 of
Title 46, U.S. Code--Recreational Vessels.
The responsibility to administer these funds was delegated to the
Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. Subsection (c) of section
7405 of the Act directs that no funds available to the Secretary under
this subsection may be used to replace funding traditionally provided
through general appropriations, nor for any purposes except those
purposes authorized; namely, for personnel and activities directly
related to coordinating and carrying out the national recreational
boating safety program. Amounts made available each fiscal year from
1999 through 2007 shall remain available until expended.
Use of these funds requires compliance with standard Federal
contracting rules with associated lead and processing times resulting
in a lag time between available funds and spending. The total amount of
funding transferred to the Coast Guard from the Sport Fish Restoration
and Boating Trust Fund and committed, obligated, and/or expended during
fiscal year 2007 for each activity is shown below.
Factory Visit Program: Funding was provided to continue the
national recreational boat factory visit program, initiated in January
2001. The factory visit program currently allows contractor personnel,
acting on behalf of the Coast Guard, to visit 2,000 recreational boat
manufacturers each year to inspect for compliance with federal
regulations, communicate with the manufacturers as to why they need to
comply with federal regulations, and educate them, as necessary, on how
to comply with federal regulations. ($2,156,810)
Boat Compliance Testing: Funding was provided to continue expanded
Boat Testing program which includes inboard/sterndrive boats and used
boats. ($100,000)
Associated Equipment Compliance Testing: Funding was provided to
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continue to buy recreational boat ``associated equipment'' (e.g.,
starters, alternators, fuel pumps, and bilge pumps) and test this
equipment for compliance with federal safety regulations. This new
initiative complements the boat compliance testing program. ($150,000)
New Recreational Boating Safety Associated Travel: Travel by
employees of the Office of Boating Safety was performed to carry out
additional recreational boating safety actions and to gather background
and planning information for new recreational boating safety
initiatives. ($13,489)
Boating Accident News Clipping Service: Funding was provided to
continue to gather daily news stories of recreational boating accidents
nationally for more real time accident information and to identify
accidents that may involve regulatory non-compliances or safety
defects. ($54,900)
Accident Investigation Tiger Team: Funding was provided to continue
to provide on-call expert accident investigative services for any
boating accident that appeared to involve a regulatory non-compliance
or safety defect. ($59,278)
Web-based Document Management System: Funding was provided to
continue to provide a web-based document management to better enable
the handling of thousands of recreational boating recall case and
campaign reports. ($49,630)
Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) Outreach Program: Funding was
provided for this program which provides full marketing, media, public
information, and program strategy support to the nation-wide RBS
effort. The goal is to coordinate the RBS outreach initiatives and
campaigns some of which include: National Boating Under the Influence
Campaign (BUI), ``You're in Command. Boat Responsibly!'', PFD Wear,
Vessel Safety Check Program (VSC), Boating Safety Education Courses,
Propeller Strike Avoidance, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, and other
recreational boating safety issues on an as needed basis. The USCG
purchased and will distribute 10,000 inflatable lifejackets to
volunteer groups to be worn while conducting vessel safety checks and
during public recreational boating events such as exhibits, boat shows,
public education courses, etc. to promote the ``Wear it'' campaign and
to make boaters aware of the modern advances in lifejackets.
($1,696,725)
Boating Accident Report Database (BARD) Web System: BARD Web System
funding enables reporting authorities in the 50 States, five U.S.
Territories and the District of Columbia to manage their accident
reports electronically over a secure Internet environment. The system
also enables the user community to generate statistical reports that
show the frequency, nature, and severity of boating accidents. FY 06
funds supported system maintenance, technical (hotline) support and
formal classroom instruction for the entire user community. ($310,608)
Personnel Support: Funding was provided for personnel to support
the development of new regulations, to support new contracting
activities associated with the additional funding, and to monitor and
manage the contracts awarded. ($854,706)
National Recreational Boating Survey: A national recreational
boating survey was conducted to obtain up-to-date statistical estimates
on recreational boating. Over 25,000 surveys were completed with
individuals who boated between September 2001 and September 2002.
Survey findings were extrapolated to produce national, regional and
State estimates of boat use as well as the characteristics of boat
operators, passengers, boats, safety equipment, and the boating
environment. ($2,126)
Risk Management for Recreational Boaters: Funding was provided for
risk-based decision training focusing on three boating groups--
families, friends and solo boaters. The course provides attendees with
an in-depth look at proper risk management and discusses techniques for
better decision-making processes in boating. The end result is to
provide a potential national model to recreational boaters with
decision-making skills that will result in safer boaters. The benefit
will be a better understanding as to how to deal effectively with risk
and lower mishap rates. ($25,000)
Propeller Guard Test Protocol: Funding was provided to complete the
recreational boat handling/performance phase of a three-phase effort to
develop a protocol for the testing of propeller guards. The test
protocol will be made available to propeller guard manufacturers to
determine the feasibility of their product for use on recreational
boats. ($230,000)
Recreational Boat Rental Education Package: Funding was provided to
develop a standardized educational package for recreational boat rental
agencies to use to provide the necessary safety information to renters
prior to renting a boat. ($73,783)
Articulated Mannequins/Computer Simulation Model: Funding was
provided to continue the development of flotation mannequins and a
water forces computer simulation program to promote the rapid,
objective evaluation of different PFD designs on various body types
that are representative of the recreational boating population. The
computer simulation program will be validated through the use of a
family of anthropomorphic, articulated mannequins. The development of
the computer simulation program will facilitate evaluation of the
effectiveness of new and unique PFD designs. ($83,109)
Of the $5.5 million made available to the Coast Guard in fiscal
year 2007, $3,844,545 has been committed, obligated or expended and an
additional $2,015,619 of prior fiscal year funds have been committed,
obligated or expended, as of September 30, 2007. Approximately $7.8
million has not been committed, obligated or expended from previous
years, and is being reserved for a multi-year national boating survey.
Dated: December 3, 2007.
James A. Watson,
Rear Admiral (Lower Half), U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Prevention
Policy.
Editorial Note: This document was received at the Office of the
Federal Register on March 6, 2008.
[FR Doc. E8-4755 Filed 3-7-08; 8:45 am]
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