National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee; April 2023 Meetings

AGENCY:

U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION:

Notice of federal advisory committee meeting.

SUMMARY:

The National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee (Committee) will conduct a series of meetings over two days in Piney Point, MD to discuss issues relating to medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, merchant mariners' documents, and merchant mariner credentials; medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels; medical examiner education; and medical research.

DATES:

Meetings: The National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time Zone (EDT) and Wednesday, April 26, 2023, from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (EDT). Committee meetings on Tuesday, April 25 and Wednesday, April 26, will include periods during which the Committee will break into subcommittees (open to public). These meetings may adjourn early if the Committee has completed its business.

Comments and supporting documentation: To ensure your comments are received by Committee members before the meeting, submit your written comments no later than April 18, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at the Paul Hall Media Center in Piney Point, MD. Additional information about the facility can be found at: https://www.seafarers.org/training-and-careers/paul-hall-center/driving-directions/.

Pre-registration Information: Pre-registration is required for in-person access to the meeting. If you are not a member of the Committee and do not represent the Coast Guard, you must request in-person attendance by contacting the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice to be allowed entry to the meeting.

The National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee is committed to ensuring all participants have equal access regardless of disability status. If you require reasonable accommodation due to a disability to fully participate, please email Ms. Pamela Moore at pamela.j.moore@uscg.mil or call at (202) 372-1361 as soon as possible.

Instructions: You are free to submit comments at any time, including orally at the meetings as time permits, but if you want Committee members to review your comment before the meeting, please submit your comments no later than April 18, 2023. We are particularly interested in comments regarding the topics in the “Agenda” section below. We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, call or email the individual in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions. You must include the docket number USCG-2023-0242. Comments received will be posted without alteration at https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. You may wish to review the Privacy and Security notice available on the homepage https://www.regulations.gov, and DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, March 11, 2020). If you encounter technical difficulties with comment submission, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.

Docket Search: Documents mentioned in this notice as being available in the docket, and all public comments, will be in our online docket at https://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website's instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign-up for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Pamela Moore, Alternate Designated Federal Officer of the National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee, telephone (202) 372-1361, or email pamela.j.moore@uscg.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of these meetings is in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 117-286, 5 U.S.C., ch. 10). The Committee is authorized by section 601 of the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018, (Pub. L. 115-282, 132 Stat. 4190), and is codified in 46 U.S.C. 15104. The Committee operates under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and 46 U.S.C. 15109. The Committee provides advice and recommendation to the Secretary of Homeland Security through the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard on matters relating to: (a) medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, and merchant mariners' documents; (b) medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels; (c) medical examiner education; and (d) medical research.

Agenda: The National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, and Wednesday, April 26, 2023, to review, discuss, deliberate, and formulate recommendations, as appropriate on the following topics:

Day 1

The agenda for the April 25, 2023 meeting is as follows:

(1) The full Committee will meet briefly to discuss the subcommittees' business/task statements, which are listed under paragraph (10) under Day 2 below.

(2) Introduction of members and discussion of committee business.

(3) During the morning session of the meeting, subcommittees will separately address and work on the following task statements, which are available for viewing at https://homeport.uscg.mil/missions/federal-advisory-committees/national-merchant-mariner-medical-advisory-committee-(nmedmac)/task-statements:

(a.) Task Statement 21-02, Communication Between External Stakeholders and the Mariner Credentialing Program;

(b.) Task Statement 22-01, Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention and Culture Change in the Merchant Marine; and

(c.) Task Statement 21-04, Recommendations on Appropriate Diets and Wellness for Mariners While Onboard Merchant Vessels.

(4) During the afternoon session of the meeting, subcommittees will separately address and work on the following task statements, which are available for viewing at https://homeport.uscg.mil/missions/federal-advisory-committees/national-merchant-mariner-medical-advisory-committee-(nmedmac)/task-statements:

(a.) Task Statement 21-02, Communication Between External Stakeholders and the Mariner Credentialing Program;

(b.) Task Statement 22-01, Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention and Culture Change in the Merchant Marine; and

(c.) Task Statement 21-01, Recommendations on Mariner Mental Health.

(5) Report of subcommittees. At end of the day, the Chair or Co-Chairs of the subcommittees will report to the full Committee on what was accomplished. The full Committee will not take action on this date and the Chair or Co-Chairs of the subcommittees will present a full report to the Committee on Day 2 of the meeting.

(6) Adjournment of meeting.

Day 2

The agenda for the April 26, 2023 meeting is as follows:

(1) Introduction.

(2) Designated Federal Officer remarks.

(3) Roll call of Committee members and determination of a quorum.

(4) Adoption of the agenda.

(5) Acceptance of Minutes from Committee Meeting Three.

(6) Remarks from U.S. Coast Guard Leadership.

(7) Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing presentation.

(8) Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention update.

(9) National Maritime Center presentation.

(10) Reports from the subcommittee Chair or Co-Chairs. The Committee will review the information presented on the following Task Statements and deliberate on any recommendations presented by the subcommittees; recommendations may be approved and completed tasks may be closed. Official action on these topics may be taken:

(a) Task Statement 21-01, Recommendations on Mariner Mental Health;

(b) Task Statement 21-02, Communication Between External Stakeholders and the Mariner Credentialing Program;

(c) Task Statement 21-03, Medical Certification for Military to Mariner Applicants;

(d) Task Statement 21-04, Recommendations on Appropriate Diets and Wellness for Mariners While Onboard Merchant Vessels;

(e) Task Statement 21-06, Review of Medical Regulations and Policy to Identify Potential Barriers to Women in the U.S. Maritime Workforce; and

(f) Task Statement 22-01, Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention and Culture Change in the Merchant Marine.

(11) Public comment period.

(12) Closing remarks.

(13) Adjournment of meeting.

A copy of all meeting documentation will be available at https://homeport.uscg.mil/missions/federal-advisory-committees/national-merchant-mariner-medical-advisory-committee-(nmedmac) by April 18, 2023. Alternatively, you may contact the individual noted in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above.

Public comments or questions will be taken throughout the meetings as the Committee discusses the issues, and prior to deliberations and voting. There will also be a public comment period during the meeting on April 26, 2023, after reports of the subcommittees, at approximately 4:15 p.m. (EDT). Public comments will be limited to 3 minutes per speaker. Please note that the public comments period will end following the last call for comments. Please contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to register as a speaker.