2017-25393. Recreational Boating Safety Projects, Programs, and Activities Funded Under Provisions of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act; Fiscal Year 2017

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard is publishing this notice to satisfy a requirement of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation 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. This notice specifies the funding amounts the Coast Guard has committed, obligated, or expended during fiscal year 2017, as of September 30, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For questions on this notice please contact Mr. Jeff Ludwig, U.S. Coast Guard, Regulations Development Manager, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

Since 1998, Congress has passed a series of laws providing funding for projects, programs, and activities funded under the national recreational boating safety program, which is administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. For a detailed description of the legislative history, please see the Recreational Boating Safety Projects, Programs, and Activities Funded Under Provisions of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act; Fiscal Year 2016 Notice published in the Federal Register on April 12, 2017 (82 FR 17671).

These funds are available to the Secretary from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund (Trust Fund) established under 26 U.S.C. 9504(a) for payment of Coast Guard expenses for personnel and activities directly related to coordinating and carrying out the national recreational boating safety program. Amounts made available under this subsection remain available during the two succeeding fiscal years. Any amount that is unexpended or unobligated at the end of the 3-year period during which it is available, shall be withdrawn by the Secretary and allocated to the States in addition to any other amounts available for allocation in the fiscal year in which they are withdrawn or the following fiscal year.

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 Trust Fund, and committed, obligated, and/or expended during fiscal year 2017 for each project is shown below.

Specific Accounting of Funds

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 2017 for each project is shown in the chart below.

Project	Description	Cost
46 USC 43 Compliance: Inspection Program/Boat Testing Program	Provided for continuance of the national recreational boat compliance inspection program, which began in January 2001	$1,837,556
46 USC 43 Compliance: Staff Salaries and Travel	Provided for personnel to oversee manufacturer compliance with 46 U.S.C. 43 requirements and staff travel to verify manufacturer compliance with 46 U.S.C. 43 requirements	528,210
Administrative Overhead	Office supplies	12,117
Boating Accident Report Database (BARD) Web System	Provided for maintaining the BARD Web System, which enables reporting authorities in the 50 States, five U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia to submit their accident reports electronically over a secure Internet connection	290,343
Contract Personnel Support	Provided contract personnel to conduct boating safety-related research and analysis	634,390
Boating Accident News Clipping Services	Provided for the collection of news stories of recreational boating accidents for more real time accident information and to identify accidents that may involve regulatory non-compliances or safety defects	25,000
National Boating Safety Advisory Council	Provided for member travel and meeting costs for the 96th & 97th National Boating Safety Advisory Council meetings	56,230
Grant Management Training	Provided to facilitate staff training on new grant management requirements	130,883
Recreational Boating Safety Program Travel	Provided for travel by employees of the Boating Safety Division to gather background and planning information for new recreational boating safety initiatives	113,780
Reimbursable Salaries	Provided for 18 personnel directly related to coordinating and carrying out the national recreational boating safety program	2,438,844
Printing	Provided for printing of boating safety-related brochures	350,000
National Recreational Boating Safety Survey	Provided for development and implementation of the 2018 National Recreational Boating Safety Survey	4,025,096

Of the $7.8 million made available to the Coast Guard in fiscal year 2017, $6,439,358 has been committed, obligated, or expended and an additional $4,003,091 of prior fiscal year funds have been committed, obligated, or expended, as of September 30, 2017. The remainder of the FY16 and FY17 funds made available to the Coast Guard (approximately $3,367,929) may be retained for the allowable period for the National Recreational Boating Survey, other projects, or transferred into the pool of money available for allocation through the state grant program.

Authority: This notice is issued pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552 and 46 U.S.C. 13107(c)(4).

Dated: November 17, 2017.

J.F. Williams,

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Inspections & Compliance.