[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 194 (Friday, October 6, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 52359]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-24920]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Coast Guard
46 CFR Part 25
[CGD 87-016b]
RIN 2115-AC69
Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons for Uninspected
Vessels
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of withdrawal.
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SUMMARY: This rulemaking was intended to require emergency position
indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) to be carried on certain uninspected
passenger vessels and assistance towing vessels. The proposed EPIRB
requirements would have applied to vessels operating on the high seas
and on the Great Lakes beyond three miles from the coastline. The Coast
Guard also proposed requiring visual distress signals on all
uninspected vessels not presently required to carry them, when those
vessels operate in coastal waters. The Coast Guard has decided to
withdraw this project because existing regulations generally fulfill
the intended purpose of the underlying statute and the Coast Guard
needs to focus its available resources on other regulatory projects.
DATES: This withdrawal is effective on October 6, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Robert Markle, Project Manager, Office of Marine Safety, Security,
and Environmental Protection (G-MMS-4), (202) 267-1444.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 100-540, known as the ``EPIRB's
On Uninspected Vessels Requirements Act'' (102 Stat. 2719, October 28,
1988), amended 46 U.S.C. 4102 by revising paragraph (e) to require
uninspected commercial vessels operating on the high seas and on the
Great Lakes beyond three miles from the coastline to carry the number
and type of alerting and locating equipment, including emergency
position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) as prescribed by the
Secretary of Transportation.
On March 10, 1993, the Coast Guard published a Final Rule requiring
EPIRBs on certain uninspected vessels, excluding uninspected passenger
vessels and assistance towing vessels (58 FR 13364). The preamble of
that final rule explained that a Supplemental Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (SNPRM) would propose new EPIRB regulations and visual
distress signal requirements for uninspected vessels not presently
required to carry them.
On February 17, 1994, the Coast Guard published an SNPRM titled
``Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons and Visual Distress
Signals for Uninspected Vessels'' (59 FR 8100). The SNPRM proposed
EPIRB requirements for a limited category of uninspected passenger
vessels and assistance towing vessels, and proposed the carriage of
visual distress signals for certain uninspected vessels not currently
required to carry them.
The Coast Guard has completed a comprehensive review of its
regulations and is withdrawing some proposed regulations resources on
the highest priority projects. In reviewing this regulatory project, it
was noted that the Coast Guard had required many uninspected vessels to
carry EPIRBs under the Final Rule of March 10, 1993, and had therefore
largely fulfilled its obligations under P.L. 100-540. The Coast Guard
has therefore determined that the best course of action is to withdraw
this rulemaking.
Dated: September 26, 1995.
Joseph J. Angelo,
Acting Chief, Office of Marine Safety, Security and Environmental
Protection.
[FR Doc. 95-24920 Filed 10-5-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M
