Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Notice of meetings.

SUMMARY:

The Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (HOGANSAC) and its working groups will meet to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation, area projects impacting safety on the Houston Ship Channel, and various other navigation safety matters in the Galveston Bay area. All meetings will be open to the public.

DATES:

The next meeting of HOGANSAC will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2004 at 9 a.m. An advance meeting of the Committee's working groups will be held on Thursday, January 22, 2004 at 9 a.m. The meetings may adjourn early if all business is finished. Members of the public may present written or oral statements at either meeting. Requests to make oral presentations or distribute written materials should reach the Coast Guard 5 working days before the meeting at which the presentation will be made. Requests to have written materials distributed to each member of the committee in advance of the meeting should reach the Coast Guard at least 10 working days before the meeting at which the presentation will be made.

ADDRESSES:

The full Committee meeting will be held at the Houston Pilot Association Office, 8150 South Loop East, Houston, Texas (713-645-9620). The working groups meeting will be held at the Galveston-Texas City Pilots Association Office, 1301 Pelican Island #1, Galveston, Texas (409-740-3336). This notice is available on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Captain (CAPT) Richard Kaser, Executive Director of HOGANSAC, telephone (713) 671-5199, Commander (CDR) Tom Marian, Executive Secretary of HOGANSAC, telephone (713) 671-5164, or Lieutenant (LT) Sean Komatinsky, assistant to the Executive Secretary of HOGANSAC, telephone (713) 671-5103, e-mail skomatinsky@vtshouston.uscg.mil. Written materials and requests to make presentations should be sent to Commanding Officer, VTS Houston-Galveston, Attn: LT Komatinsky, 9640 Clinton Drive, Floor 2, Houston, TX 77029.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of this meeting is given pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2.

Agendas of the Meetings

Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (HOGANSAC). The tentative agenda includes the following:

(1) Opening remarks by the Committee Sponsor (RADM Robert Duncan) (or the Committee Sponsor's representative), Executive Director (CAPT Richard Kaser) and Chairman (Mr. Tim Leitzell).

(2) Approval of the October 9, 2003 minutes.

(3) Old Business:

(a) Dredging projects.

(b) AtoN Knockdown Working Group and pending AtoN projects.

(c) Mooring subcommittee report.

(d) Education and Outreach subcommittee report.

(e) Area Maritime Security Committee Liaison's report.

(f) Bridge Allision Prevention Working Group.

(g) Swimmers Near Lynchburg.

(h) Electronic Navigation.

(i) Safe Harbor Working Group

(j) Maritime Incident Review Working Group

(k) Deepdraft Entry Facilitation Working Group

(l) Galveston Causeway Construction Working Group

(4) New Business.

Working Groups Meeting. The tentative agenda for the working groups meeting includes the following:

(1) Presentation by each working group of its accomplishments and plans for the future.

(2) Review and discuss the work completed by each working group.

Procedural

Working groups have been formed to examine the following issues: dredging and related issues, electronic navigation systems, AtoN knockdowns, impact of passing vessels on moored ships, boater education issues, facilitating deep draft movements and mooring infrastructure. Not all working groups will provide a report at this session. Further, working group reports may not necessarily include discussions on all issues within the particular working group's area of responsibility. All meetings are open to the public. Please note that the meetings may adjourn early if all business is finished. Members of the public may make presentations, oral or written, at either meeting. Requests to make oral or written presentations should reach the Coast Guard 5 working days before the meeting at which the presentation will be made. If you would like to have written materials distributed to each member of the committee in advance of the meeting, you should send your request along with 15 copies of the materials to the Coast Guard at least 10 working days before the meeting at which the presentation will be made.

Information on Services for the Handicapped

For information on facilities or services for the handicapped or to request special assistance at the meetings, contact the Executive Director, Executive Secretary, or assistant to the Executive Secretary as soon as possible.