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Marine Transportation System: Waterways, Ports, and Their Intermodal Connections

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

  [Federal Register: May 1, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 84)]
[Notices]
[Page 25414-25416]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01my00-105]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

[USCG-1998-3553]


Marine Transportation System: Waterways, Ports, and Their
Intermodal Connections

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard, Maritime Administration, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and the

[[Page 25415]]

Environmental Protection Agency are hosting seven Regional Dialog
Sessions (RDS) in port cities around the country to report on progress
in addressing the MTS Report recommendations and to more actively
engage local and regional stakeholders in MTS issues. This notice
announces the dates and locations of the seven Regional Dialog
Sessions. These dialog sessions are the second round of outreach in
developing a customer-based strategy to ensure the marine
transportation system meets user and public expectations for the 21st
century.

DATES: The public meetings will be held on the following dates:
    Chicago, IL, May 31 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and continuing on June 1,
2000 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
    Memphis, TN, June 6, 2000 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Philadelphia, PA, June 12, 2000 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Jacksonville, FL, June 20 from noon to 4 p.m. and continuing on
June 21, 2000 from 8 a.m. to noon.
    Seattle, WA, June 27, 2000 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Los Angeles, CA, July 11, 2000 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Houston, TX, July 17 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and continuing on July
18, 2000 from 8 a.m. to noon.
    Comments must be received by the Docket Management Facility by
August 18, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held at the following locations:
    Chicago, IL--Federal Aviation Administration Conference Center,
2300 E. Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60018.
    Memphis, TN--Cargill Inc., 1877 Channel Avenue, President's Island,
TN 38113.
    Philadelphia, PA--U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3
Auditorium, 1650 Arch Street, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
    Jacksonville, FL--Sea Turtle Inn, 1 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach, FL
32233.
    Seattle, WA--NOAA's Auditorium in Building 9, 7600 Sand Point Way,
Seattle, WA 98115-6349.
    Los Angeles, CA--Port Plaza, 100 W. 5th Street, San Pedro, CA
90731.
    Houston, TX--JW Marriott-Galleria, 5150 Westheimer Road, Houston,
TX 7056.
    To make sure your written comments and related material are not
entered more than once in the docket, please submit them by only one of
the following means:
    (1) By mail to the Docket Management Facility, (USCG-1998-3553),
U.S. Department of Transportation, room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (2) By hand delivery to room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001,
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. The
telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    (3) By fax to the Docket Management Facility at 202-493-2251.
    (4) Electronically through the Web Site for the Docket Management
System at http://dms.dot.gov.
    The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this
notice. Comments will become part of this docket and will be available
for inspection or copying at room PL-401, located on the Plaza Level of
the Nassif Building at the above address between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. You may electronically
access the public docket for this notice on the Internet at http://
dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on the public docket,
contact Dorothy Walker, Chief, Dockets, Department of Transportation,
telephone 202-366-9329; for questions on this notice, contact LTJG
Patrick Barelli, U.S. Coast Guard (G-MWP-1), telephone 202-267-2384.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    We encourage interested persons to participate in this dialog by
submitting written data, views, or other relevant documents. Persons
submitting comments should include their names and addresses, identify
this notice (USCG-1998-3553), and the reasons for each comment. Please
submit all comments and attachments in an unbound format, no larger
than 8\1/2\ x 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing to
the DOT Docket Management Facility at the address under ADDRESSES. If
you want acknowledgment of receipt of your comments, enclose a stamped,
self-addressed post card or envelope. We will consider all comments
presented at the regional dialog sessions and submitted in writing to
the docket during the comment period.

Background

    The Marine Transportation System (MTS) includes waterways, ports,
and their intermodal connections with highways, railways, and
pipelines. The MTS links the United States to overseas markets and is
important to national security interests. Excluding Mexico and Canada,
over 95% of the U.S. foreign trade by tonnage is shipped by sea, and
14% of U.S. inter-city freight is transported by water. Forecasts show
that U.S. foreign ocean-borne trade is expected to more than double by
the year 2020; and commuter ferries, recreational boating, and other
recreational uses of the waterway are expected to increase, placing
even greater demands on the marine transportation system. In turn, an
expanding marine transportation system will pose greater challenges for
protecting and enhancing the environment.
    Many federal agencies, state and local governments, port
authorities, and the private sector share responsibility for the marine
transportation system. Recognizing that the economic, safety, and
environmental implications of aging infrastructure, inadequate
channels, and congested intermodal connections will become more
critical as marine traffic volume increases, the Secretary of
Transportation began a multi-agency MTS initiative in March 1998.
    The MTS initiative began in the spring of 1998 with seven Regional
Listening Sessions to gather stakeholder input on the current state and
future needs of the MTS. The input received at the listening sessions
became the basis for a National MTS Conference in November of 1998.
After the conference, the Secretary established the Congressionally
mandated MTS Task Force to conduct an assessment of the U.S. Marine
Transportation System. The September 1999 MTS Task Force Report to
Congress, An Assessment of the Marine Transportation System,
recommended action in seven strategic areas. The docket (USCG-1998-
3553) contains the Report to Congress, summaries of the Regional
Listening Sessions, and the Proceedings of the National MTS Conference.
You may access it electronically on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.
Implementation of the recommendations contained in Chapter 6 of the
Report to Congress will be the focus of the Regional Dialog Sessions.

Format of Regional Dialog Sessions

    The regional dialog sessions are open to the public and will
consist of briefings and facilitated breakout sessions. Public
attendees are welcome to participate in all sessions.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact
the person under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT as soon as possible.

[[Page 25416]]

    Dated: April 25, 2000.
R.C. North,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety
and Environmental Protection.
[FR Doc. 00-10834 Filed 4-26-00; 4:50 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-U

 
 

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