[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 78 (Wednesday, April 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22758-22759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07673]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[Docket Number MARAD-2014-0052]
Ship Disposal: Ex-USNS COMET
AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Notice: Ship Disposal Request for Comments.
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SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration (MARAD) plans to dispose of an
obsolete vessel the ex-USNS COMET, which is currently located at its
Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in Benicia, California. This action
constitutes an undertaking as defined under Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.). Section 106
requires Federal agencies to take into account the effects of their
undertakings on historic properties and afford the public a reasonable
opportunity to comment. The historic preservation review process
mandated by Section 106 is outlined in 36 CFR Part 800 ``Protection of
Historic Properties'' issued by the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation. Pursuant to 32 CFR Part 800.2(d)(2), agencies must
provide the public with information about an undertaking and its
effects on historic properties and seek public comment and input. If
you have comments about the disposal of this vessel, please submit your
comments as described in this notice.
DATES: All comments must be received on or before July 22, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Number
MARAD-2014-0052 by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Search MARAD-2014-0052 and follow the instructions for submitting
comments.
Email: [email protected]. Include docket number and/or
RIN number 2014-0052 in the subject line of the message.
Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590. If you would like to know that your comments
reached the facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard
or envelope.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Docket Management Facility, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West
Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Management
Facility is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
on Federal holidays.
Note: If you mail or hand deliver your comment we recommend
that you include your name and a mailing address, an email address,
or a telephone number in the body of your document so that we can
contact you if we have questions regarding your submission. If you
submit your comment by mail or hand delivery, submit the comment in
an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for
copying and electronic filing.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and docket number or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this
rulemaking. All comments received will be posted without change to the
docket at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided. For detailed instructions on submitting comments and
additional information on the rulemaking process, see the section below
entitled Public Participation.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information about the ex-USNS
COMET, please visit: http://www.marad.dot.gov/documents/Comet_HAER_Report.pdf; http://www.marad.dot.gov/ships_shipping_landing_page/Ships_History/Comet.htm; and http://www.marad.dot.gov/Assets/html/usns_comet_main.html. You may contact Barbara Voulgaris, Maritime
Administration, at (202) 366-0866, for questions relating to this
vessel and the National Historic Preservation Act. If you have
questions on viewing the Docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program
[[Page 22759]]
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone: (800) 647-5527.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
MARAD, in consultation with the California State Historic
Preservation Officer, determined that the ex-USNS COMET is eligible for
listing on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion c.
The ex-USNS COMET is considered to be the first purpose-built
oceangoing ``roll-on/roll-off'' vessel. Roll-on/roll-off, or Ro/Ro,
describes how wheeled-vehicular cargo is loaded and unloaded. This
method was first developed during WWII for amphibious assault
operations using short range landing craft. In the postwar period, the
concept was refined and expanded beyond the assault class to include
the rapid delivery by ship of vehicles carrying military supplies and
equipment that could be immediately driven into forward staging areas.
This eventually led to the development of the commercial Ro/Ro trade,
particularly for cars and light trucks. The ex-USNS COMET has been
nicknamed the ``Mother of All Ro/Ros'' in honor of its pioneering
design.
Public Participation
Your comments must be written and in English. To ensure that your
comments are correctly filed in the Docket, please include the docket
number in your comments. MARAD encourages you to provide concise
comments. However, you may attach necessary additional documents to
your comments. There is no limit on the length of the attachments.
Please submit your comments, including the attachments, following the
instructions provided under the above heading entitled ADDRESSES.
If you wish to submit any information under a claim of
confidentiality, you should submit three copies of your complete
submission, including the information you claim to be confidential
business information, to the U.S. Department of Transportation,
Maritime Administration, Office of Legislation and Regulations, MAR-
225, W24-220, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. When
you send comments containing information claimed to be confidential
information, you should include a cover letter setting forth with
specificity the basis for any such claim.
MARAD will consider all comments received before the close of
business on the comment closing date indicated above under DATES. MARAD
will not consider comments received after that date.
For access to the docket to read background documents, including
those referenced in this document, or to submit or read comments
received, please go to the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Management Facility is open 9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.
To review documents, read comments or to submit comments, the docket is
also available online at http://www.regulations.gov, keyword search
MARAD-2014-0052.
Please note that even after the comment period has closed, MARAD
will continue to file relevant information in the Docket as it becomes
available. Accordingly, MARAD recommends that you periodically check
the Docket for new material.
Privacy Act
Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the DOT
Privacy Act system of records notice for the Federal Docket Management
System (FDMS) in the Federal Register published on January 17, 2008,
(73 FR 3316) at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-785.pdf.
Regulation Identifier Number (RIN)
A regulation identifier number (RIN) is assigned to each regulatory
action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulations. The
Regulatory Information Service Center publishes the Unified Agenda in
April and October of each year. The RIN number contained in the heading
of this document can be used to cross-reference this action with the
Unified Agenda.
Authority: The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2004, Sec. 3512 of Public Law 108-136 and the National
Historic Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Dated: April 1, 2014.
Julie P. Agarwal,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-07673 Filed 4-22-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P