[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 3, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72018-72020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-30619]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Coast Guard
[USCG-2002-13929]
Recreational Boating Safety Projects, Programs and Activities
Funded Under Provisions of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century; Accounting of
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Subsection (c) of Section 7405 of the Transportation Equity
Act for the 21st Century makes $5,000,000 available each of five fiscal
years to the Secretary of Transportation for personnel and activities
directly related to coordinating and carrying out the national
recreational boating safety program. The Act requires that the
Secretary publish annually in the Federal Register a detailed
accounting of the projects, programs, and activities under this
subsection.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of this notice by calling the U.S.
Coast Guard Infoline at 1-800-368-5647. This notice is available on the
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov and at http://www.uscgboating.org.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Captain Scott Evans, USCG, Chief,
Office of Boating Safety, telephone 202-267-1077, fax 202-267-4285, or
Mr. Jeffrey N. Hoedt, Chief, Program Management Division, telephone
202-267-0950, fax 202-267-4285.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century became law on June 9, 1998. The Act requires that of the $5
million made available to carry out the national recreational boating
safety program, each year, $2,000,000 shall be available only to ensure
compliance with Chapter 43 of title 46, U.S. Code--Recreational
Vessels. The responsibility to administer these funds is delegated to
the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. The statute 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, 1999-2003, 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
following activities have been initiated using fiscal year 1999-2002
funds transferred to the Coast Guard from the Aquatic Resources
(Wallop-Breaux) Trust Fund. The total amount of fiscal year 1999, 2000,
2001 and 2002 funding committed, obligated and/or expended for each
activity is shown.
Factory Visit Program: An initial contract was awarded to establish
a national recreational boat factory visit program using contractor
personnel. The contract included the development of a plan of action
and an eighteen-month pilot program to validate the elements of the
plan and the concept of the program. The pilot program commenced in the
summer of 2000. ``Compliance associates'' (inspectors) were trained and
formal factory visits were initiated in January 2001. The factory visit
program currently allows contractor personnel, acting on behalf of the
Coast Guard, to visit approximately 2,000 recreational boat
manufacturers each year to inspect for compliance with the Federal
regulations, communicate with the manufacturers as to why they need to
comply with the Federal regulations, and educate them, as necessary, on
how to comply with the Federal regulations. ($4,484,665)
Boat Compliance Testing: Funding is providing for expansion of the
boat compliance testing program whereby new manually propelled and
outboard recreational boats are purchased in the open market and tested
for compliance with the Federal flotation standards. The expanded
program includes inboard/sterndrive boats and used boats. ($401,381)
Associated Equipment Compliance Testing: A contract was awarded to
buy recreational boat ``associated equipment,'' e.g., starters,
alternators, fuel pumps, bilge pumps, etc., and test this equipment for
compliance with Federal safety regulations. This new
[[Page 72019]]
initiative complements the boat compliance testing program. ($346,446)
Compliance Associated Travel: Travel by employees of the Office of
Boating Safety is being performed to carry out additional compliance
actions and to gather background and planning information for new
compliance initiatives. ($98,395)
New Boat Manufacturer Outreach Package: A contract was awarded to
design and develop a comprehensive and user-friendly outreach package
for distribution to new recreational boat manufacturers. Included are a
brochure and video that outline the many facets of the recreational
boat manufacturing business, including, Federal regulations, voluntary
standards, self-certification, financial aspects, insurance concerns,
liability issues, points of contact and the steps necessary to become a
new recreational boat manufacturer. The package also includes plain
language guidelines that help clarify Federal requirements. The new
outreach package is aimed at increasing the level of new recreational
boat manufacturer compliance with applicable Federal regulations.
($357,582)
National Boating Survey: A contract has been awarded for a
comprehensive major national recreational boating survey scheduled to
be conducted during the fall of 2002. The purpose of this project is to
obtain up-to-date statistical estimates of recreational boats, boating
households, boaters, boating exposures, practices and activities for
the 2002 boating season. This data will be extrapolated to produce
national, regional and state estimates of boat use as well as the
characteristics of boat operators, passengers, boats and the operating
environment ($1,591,666).
Boating Accident Report Database (BARD): A contract has been
awarded to enhance the capability of all States and the Coast Guard for
the successful electronic exchange, management, and reporting of
recreational boating accident report data using the BARD software
application. This contract provides for software module development,
software module testing, applicable rework, implementation,
maintenance, and technical support for the user community in the 50
States, five Territories, and the District of Columbia. ($2,267,320)
State Incident Notification: The Coast Guard Search and Rescue
Management Information System (SARMIS) software has been modified to
electronically notify the relevant State boating law administrators
regarding any fatal recreational boating incident cases to which the
Coast Guard responds. The intent of this notification is to ensure that
these cases are captured in the accident report data submitted by the
State boating law administrators to the Boating Accident Report
Database (BARD). ($12,678)
Articulated Mannequins/Computer Simulation Model: The objective of
this contracted program is to improve the safety of recreational
boaters by fostering developmental technology for improved personal
flotation devices (PFDs). This program is furthering 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. Under
the contract to develop the articulated mannequins and computer
simulation model, a male model has been built and is almost perfected.
Currently, a female/child mannequin is being developed. The development
of a computer simulation program will facilitate evaluation of the
effectiveness of new and unique PFD designs. ($814,341)
Risk-Based Personal Flotation Device Approval Process: This ongoing
effort will improve the approval process for personal flotation devices
(PFDs) by developing a risk-based compliance system that is based on an
objective Life Saving Index. This index will provide a formal structure
and consistency to the process for accepting new approaches to
designing devices for drowning prevention. The risk-based process
identifies critical factors for evaluating PFD lifesaving potential and
defines the minimum level of performance necessary for approval.
($398,509)
Carbon Monoxide Research: The Office of Boating Safety has entered
into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Health and Human
Services, U.S. Public Health Service, Federal Occupational Health
Program, to continue investigation into identifying and classifying
additional recreational boating carbon monoxide related deaths and
injuries. ($573,475)
Houseboat Manufacturers Workshop/Conference Support: Funding
provided support services for a Coast Guard-sponsored gathering of the
houseboat industry to explore potential design solutions to the carbon
monoxide poisonings that have occurred on recreational houseboats.
($17,030)
Hull Identification Number (HIN) Economic Analysis: The objective
of this contracted effort is to provide the Coast Guard with a cost/
benefit analysis on the effects of expanding the current 12-character
HIN to a 17-character HIN for all newly constructed recreational boats.
($47,626)
Virtual Reality Personal Watercraft (PWC): A virtual reality PWC is
being developed under contract to provide a platform to gather
objective data on operator reactions to various scenarios. This
information would otherwise be unobtainable or would require more
costly methods and sources, due to the risk of injury to the operator
as well as due to the difficulty of accurately replicating conditions
for all operators. The virtual reality PWC will be used in various test
scenarios to collect human factors data including the measurement of
reactive movements and reaction time that will assist in making
decisions or taking action to improve personal watercraft safety. The
data from this effort will give greater insight into the human/machine
interface related to PWC operation and will assist in the effort to
attempt to reduce PWC accidents. ($407,638)
Knowledge Management System: The first phase of this three-phase
contracted effort entailed the development of a comprehensive Knowledge
Management plan for automating office processes in the Office of
Boating Safety. The second phase, when implemented, will install
document imaging software to capture and fully automate product
assurance and consumer files and provide support that will ultimately
enhance efficiency in supporting customers, partners and stakeholders.
The third phase, if implemented, would provide quicker, more effective
and efficient program oversight while providing customers with the
ability to do business with the Coast Guard via web-based technology,
thus enabling the Coast Guard to reduce the amount of paper
transactions involved in servicing external customers. This system will
assist in the electronic monitoring, storage and daily use of
information and materials within the Office of Boating Safety.
($380,787)
Coast Guard Infoline/Office of Boating Safety Web Site: Funding has
been provided for both technological and educational enhancements to
the toll free Coast Guard Infoline and the Office of Boating Safety Web
site to create a ``one-stop'' customer service center. The Infoline
provides information about safety, regulations, communications, Coast
Guard policy, and available material related to boating safety issues.
Additionally, this effort provides a complete interactive recreational
boating safety Web site that offers the public and boating safety
agencies and organizations real-time information on
[[Page 72020]]
every aspect of recreational boating safety. One of the goals of this
program is to create a ``one-stop'' customer service center for all
users. ($635,243)
Federal Requirements Publication: A customer-friendly ``Federal
Requirements and Safety Tips for Recreational Boats'' publication was
developed based on easy-to-read, high visibility graphics, and with
subject-specific safety tips that promote high retention by the reader.
Both hard copy and electronic interactive versions have been created
for the public. The enhanced Federal Requirements brochure is being
widely distributed, and in addition, can be downloaded from the Office
of Boating Safety Web site (http://www.uscgboating.org). ($253,000)
Emergency Radio Call Procedures Decal: An emergency radio call
procedures decal was produced and disseminated that provides the
recreational boater with the proper procedures to use in making an
emergency or distress call via VHF-FM Channel 16. This decal will be
distributed via the Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadrons, and
State boating offices, as well as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Bureau of Land Management. This
item also supports the Vessel Safety Check (VSC) program provided by
the Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadrons and States. The VSC
program is a free service provided by these organizations offering a
safety check of recreational boats 65' or less in length. ($25,810)
Aids to Navigation Booklet: A full-color booklet, ``U.S. Aids to
Navigation System,'' was produced to assist recreational boaters in
better understanding the use and identification of navigational aids.
This booklet is now used as an educational adjunct to the safe boating
classes taught by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadrons, and
many of the States. It is also distributed in conjunction with the
Vessel Safety Check program. ($55,327)
``Operation BoatSmart'' Support: Funding support was provided to
this initiative which coordinated Coast Guard and other boating safety
organizations aims to energize recreational boating safety programs by
strengthening and extending partnerships at the national, State and
local levels. Through combined and coordinated efforts, the BoatSmart
partners targeted those activities and behaviors that presented the
greatest risk for the recreational boater. ``Operation BoatSmart''
brought together these organizations to work in tandem to promote a
positive change in boater awareness and behavior, with special emphasis
on inland waters where most recreational boating takes place. Special
emphasis was focused on encouraging life jacket wear, boater education,
and scrupulous enforcement of boating under the influence laws by
appropriate authorities. ($273,586)
Recreational Boating Safety Program Marketing Support: A national
marketing, awareness and education campaign in support of ``Operation
BoatSmart,'' as well as America's Boating Course, Boating Under the
Influence Campaign, and the Vessel Safety Check (VSC) Program has been
funded. America's Boating Course is a joint boating safety education
course developed by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power
Squadrons, supported by the Coast Guard. This course, available via CD-
Rom or Internet will set the standard for recreational boating safety
in our country. The Boating Under the Influence (BUI) campaign, ``It's
a Different World on the Water,'' is a multi-year effort to educate the
recreational boater about the hazards of boating under the influence of
alcohol or drugs. The marketing plan utilizes nationally recognized
cartoon characters, Popeye and Olive Oyl, to advertise the VSC program
to the boating public at marinas, yacht clubs, boat storage facilities,
retail outlets and other recreational outlets. ($98,956)
Recreational Boating Safety Outreach Program
This program provides full marketing, media, public information,
and program strategy support to the RBS effort. The goal is to
coordinate the RBS outreach campaigns some of which include: National
Boating Under the Influence Campaign (BUI), Operation BoatSmart, PFD
Wear, Vessel Safety Check Program (VSC), America's Boating Course, and
other recreational boating safety issues on an as needed basis.
($746,091)
Kayak/Canoe Sponson Study
Study conducted in conjunction with the CG Research and Development
Center to study the efficacy of the use of sponsons in canoes and
kayaks. ($26,171)
Field Support--District Funded Projects
Seventeenth Coast Guard District Boating Safety Detachment: Funding
was provided on a one-time, non-recurring basis to the Seventeenth
Coast Guard District in support of a Coast Guard Boating Safety
Detachment to assist in the transition of the State of Alaska's
assumption of Recreational Boating Safety Program responsibilities.
($25,000)
Seventeenth Coast Guard District Boating Education and Safety
(BEST)Teams: A three year effort, the BEST teams operate in the 17th
District in 16 separate locations, with more than 30 team members
providing educational benefits to the boaters of that district.
($100,000)
Eighth Coast Guard District Western Rivers Strike Team: Similar to
the 17th District program these strike teams operate in the western
rivers in the 8th District conducting safety education. ($190,000)
National Boating Registration System: As a service for States/
Territories that currently have inadequate (or no) computer software
program to maintain their vessel numbering system information, funding
was provided to the U.S. Coast Guard Operations Systems Center (OSC) to
develop a National Boating Registration System software program that
can easily be adapted by any State/Territory for their own use. The
software that has been provided to States/Territories at no cost
includes a function to automatically generate the annual report on
numbered vessels that must be submitted to the Coast Guard each year.
($25,000)
Marine Dealer Literature Display Racks: Display racks for U.S.
Coast Guard and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary literature were purchased to
improve distribution of boating safety literature. These display racks
are intended to be used at retail outlets and marine dealers. ($23,725)
Personnel Support: Funding is providing 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. ($660,121)
A total of $15,337,569 of the $20,000,000 made available to the
Coast Guard through annual transfers of $5 million in fiscal years
1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 has been committed, obligated or expended as
of September 30, 2002 and $245,000 is being held for a national boating
survey.
Dated: November 25, 2002.
Harvey E. Johnson,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Operations Policy.
[FR Doc. 02-30619 Filed 12-2-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P