Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws

AGENCY:

Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION:

Invitation for public comments on a requested administrative waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws for the vessel ENTERPRIZE.

SUMMARY:

As authorized by Public Law 105-383, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a description of the proposed service, is listed below. Interested parties may comment on the effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD determines that in accordance with Public Law 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR Part 388 (65 FR 6905; February 11, 2000) that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.-flag vessels, a waiver will not be granted.

DATES:

Submit comments on or before July 14, 2000.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should refer to docket number MARAD-2000-7493. Written comments may be submitted by hand or by mail to the Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, Department of Transportation, 400 7th St., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590-0001. You may also send comments electronically via the Internet at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit/. All comments will become part of this docket and will be available for inspection and copying at the above address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. An electronic version of this document and all documents entered into this docket is available on the World Wide Web at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael Hokana, U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration, MAR-832 Room 7201, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 202-366-0760.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title V of P.L. 105-383 provides authority to the Secretary of Transportation to administratively waive the U.S.-build requirements of the Jones Act, and other statutes, for small commercial passenger vessels (less than 12 passengers). This authority has been delegated to the Maritime Administration per 49 CFR § 1.66, Delegations to the Maritime Administrator, as amended. By this notice, MARAD is publishing information on a vessel for which a request for a U.S.-build waiver has been received, and for which MARAD requests comments from interested parties. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in § 388.4 of MARAD'S regulations at 46 CFR Part 388.

Vessel Proposed for Waiver of the U.S.-build Requirement

(1) Name of vessel and owner for which waiver is requested: Name of vessel: ENTERPRIZE. Owner: Joseph Lorenzo

(2) Size, capacity and tonnage of vessel: According to the Applicant: 38 foot, the gross tonnage is 17 (Under 46 U.S.C. 14502).

(3) Intended use for vessel, including geographic region of intended operation and trade: According to the applicant: The vessel will be used for sight seeing and family boat rides up to 3 miles offshore on the Gulf of Mexico and Florida intercoastal waterways from Clearwater Beach to Marco Island, Florida.

(4) Date and place of construction and (if applicable) rebuilding: Date of construction: 1974. Place of construction: The vessel was built at Pompano Beach, Florida, by Chris Craft Corporation. There were parts that were built in Taiwan also.

(5) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on other commercial passenger vessel operators: According to the applicant: This vessel will not affect any other businesses in the area, since almost all other boat charters in the area are fishing charters. The only other ones that do pleasure cruises are 80 to 300 people vessels. There are a few pontoon boats that take people out to the Islands, along with a few sailing charters.

(6) A statement on the impact this waiver will have on U.S. shipyards: According to the applicant: This waiver will have absolutely no affect on any shipyards in any way whatsoever.