2013-11227. Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)-Reader Requirements

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard is extending the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published March 22, 2013, entitled “Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)—Reader Requirements” for 30 days. This extension of the comment period is designed to accommodate requests from the public for more time to review the proposed rule and associated analysis.

DATES:

The comment period for the proposed rule published March 22, 2013, at 78 FR 17781, is extended. Comments and related material must be submitted to the docket by June 20, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by docket number using any one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
• Fax: [phone].
• Mail or Delivery: 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. Deliveries accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.

See the “Public Participation and Request for Comments” portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for further instructions on submitting comments. To avoid duplication, please use only one of these three methods.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have questions on this rule, call or email Lieutenant Commander Loan T. O'Brien, U.S. Coast Guard, telephone [phone], email Loan.T.O'[e-mail]. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Barbara Hairston, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Public Participation and Request for Comments

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

1. Submitting Comments

If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online at http://www.regulations.gov,, or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online, it will be considered received by the Coast Guard when you successfully transmit the comment. If you fax, hand deliver, or mail your comment, it will be considered as having been received by the Coast Guard when it is received at the Docket Management Facility. We recommend that you include your name and a mailing address, an email address, or a telephone number in the body of your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding your submission.

To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov,, type the docket number (USCG-2007-28915) in the “SEARCH” box and click “SEARCH.” Click on “Submit a Comment” on the line associated with this rulemaking.

If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 81/2 by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit comments by mail and would like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during the comment period and may change the rule based on your comments.

2. Viewing Comments and Documents

To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov,, type the docket number (USCG-2007-28915) in the “SEARCH” box and click “SEARCH.” Click on Open Docket Folder on the line associated with this rulemaking. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

3. 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).

B. Regulatory History and Information

The Coast Guard published an NPRM entitled “Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)—Reader Requirements” on March 22, 2013 (78 FR 17782) that proposes to require owners and operators of certain vessels and facilities regulated by the Coast Guard to use electronic readers designed to work with the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) as an access control measure. The NPRM also proposes additional requirements associated with electronic TWIC readers, including recordkeeping requirements for those owners and operators required to use an electronic TWIC reader, and security plan amendments to incorporate TWIC requirements. The TWIC program, including the proposed TWIC reader requirements in the proposed rule, is an important component of the Coast Guard's multi-layered system of access control requirements and other measures designed to enhance maritime security. All comments on this NPRM were originally due on May 21, 2013.

C. Background and Purpose

The Coast Guard believes that the public would benefit from additional time to provide comments on the proposed rule and analysis. For that reason, we are extending the comment period for a period of 30 days. Comments on the NPRM will now be accepted until June 20, 2013.

D. Authority

This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

Dated: May 3, 2013.

Paul F. Thomas,

Director of Inspections and Compliance, U.S. Coast Guard.