Consolidation of Redundant Coast Guard Boat Stations
| Published date | 20 April 2020 |
| Citation | 85 FR 21869 |
| Record Number | 2020-08205 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Coast Guard,Homeland Security Department |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 76 (Monday, April 20, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 76 (Monday, April 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21869-21870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08205]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket Number USCG-2020-0042]
Consolidation of Redundant Coast Guard Boat Stations
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Request for comments; reopen comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period for the
planned consolidation of redundant Coast Guard boat stations. In
response to the request for comments we published February 14, 2020, an
interested person asked that we extend the comment period.
DATES: The reopened comment period will close May 4, 2020. Your
comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or before
May 4, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2020-0042 using the Federal rulemaking portal at https://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation and Request for
Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further
instructions on submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document,
please call or email Todd Aikins, Coast Guard Office of Boat Forces,
202-372-2463, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Table of Abbreviations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
GAO Government Accountability Office
[[Page 21870]]
II. Background and Purpose
In the request for comments we published February 14, 2020 (85 FR
8601), we stated that in October of 2017, the Government Accountability
Office issued report GAO-18-9, titled ``Actions Needed to Close
Stations Identified as Overlapping and Unnecessarily Duplicative.''
This GAO report recommended the consolidation of eighteen boat
stations. Due to environmental and operational factors, the Coast Guard
is not considering all eighteen boat stations identified in the GAO
report for consolidation. Instead, we anticipate consolidating five
stations, with implementation notionally scheduled for fiscal year
2021. These stations have been identified because there are other units
nearby capable of responding to cases in these areas, and because these
five stations respond to a low number of cases. We do not anticipate
any adverse effect on Coast Guard response capability. We expect an
improvement to the proficiency of boat operators as well as a less
complicated response system.
III. Discussion
In response to a request from an interested person the Coast Guard
has reopened the comment period to allow additional input from the
public. The new due date for comments is close May 4, 2020. The
following information was provided in our February 14 request for
comments.
Many stations were established at a time when boats lacked engines
and were powered by oars and paddles. With modern boat operating speeds
and improved direction finding technology, many calls for Coast Guard
assistance can be responded to by multiple units significantly faster
than when these boat stations were first established. The combination
of significantly improved response times, along with an overall
reduction in rescue calls due to boating safety improvements throughout
the nation, has resulted in a number of boat stations becoming
redundant. This consolidation will result in a more robust response
system by increasing staffing levels and capacity at select nearby boat
stations. Such a consolidation creates synergy and more opportunities
for boat operators to properly train instead of missing training
opportunities while standing ready to respond to calls that do not
come. Station Oxford and Stations-Small Fishers Island, Shark River,
Roosevelt Inlet, and Salem have been identified for consolidation with
neighboring stations.
IV. Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal portal at
https://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted using
https://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate
instructions. In your submission, please include the docket number for
this notice and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation.
We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted
without change to https://www.regulations.gov and will include any
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and
submissions in response to this document, see DHS's eRulemaking System
of Records notice (85 FR 14226, March 11, 2020).
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.
Dated: April 14, 2020.
Matthew W. Sibley,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Capability.
[FR Doc. 2020-08205 Filed 4-17-20; 8:45 am]
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