2021-23389. Port Access Route Study: Alaskan Arctic Coast; Reopening of Comment Period

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

ACTION:

Notification of reopening of commend period.

SUMMARY:

The United States Coast Guard is reopening the comment period for the notice of study and request for comments for the Port Access Route Study: Alaskan Arctic Coast that we published on December 21, 2018. This action will provide the public with additional time and opportunity to provide the Coast Guard with information regarding the Port Access Route Study: Alaskan Arctic Coast. The comment period is reopened until March 31, 2022.

DATES:

The comment period for the document published on December 21, 2018 (83 FR 65701), which was extended on September 4, 2019 (84 FR 46501), and January 13, 2020 (85 FR 1793), and reopened on July 6, 2020 (85 FR 40155), is reopened again. Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard on or before March 31, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-2018-1058 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted using https://www.regulations.gov,, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have questions about this document, please contact LCDR Michael Newell, Seventeenth Coast Guard District (dpw), at telephone number [phone] or email [e-mail], or Mr. David Seris, Seventeenth Coast Guard District (dpw), at telephone number [phone] or email to [e-mail], or LT Stephanie Alvarez, Seventeenth Coast Guard District (dpw), at telephone number [phone] or email to [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On December 21, 2018, the Coast Guard published a notice of study and request for comments for the Port Access Route Study: Alaskan Artic Coast (83 FR 65701). The comment period in that document closed September 1, 2019. On September 4, 2019 (84 FR 46501), the Coast Guard published a document extending the public comment period until January 30, 2020. On January 13, 2020 (85 FR 1793), the Coast Guard published a document extending the public comment period until June 30, 2020. On July 6, 2020 (85 FR 40155), the Coast Guard published a document reopening the public comment period until September 30, 2021. In this action, the Coast Guard is providing notice that the public comment period is reopened until March 31, 2022. The Coast Guard has reopened the comment period to provide adequate opportunity for public meetings in impacted Arctic communities, given COVID-19 impacts to travel. These discussions are vital to the Port Access Route Study and necessary to creating a well-informed proposal. The Port Access Route Study remains a high priority for the Coast Guard, critical to maintaining waterway safety in the Arctic. Documents mentioned in this notification, and all public comments, are in our online docket at https://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by searching the docket number “USCG-2018-1058”.

This notification is issued under authority of 33 U.S.C. 1223(c) and 5 U.S.C. 552.

Dated: September 27, 2021.

Nathan A. Moore,

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard District.