B03-041

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) has published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a final rule to the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996. The Act requires that each Federal agency make an initial inflationary adjustment for applicable civil monetary penalties (CMPs) with specified exemptions, and to make further adjustments at least once every four years thereafter. The Act also stipulates that any resulting increases in CMP due to the calculated inflation adjustments should apply only to the violations that occur after October 23, 1996, the Act's effective date, and should not exceed 10 percent of the penalty indicated. The final rule is effective on June 4, 2003.

For additional information contact Joe Macey, Attorney-Advisor, Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Maritime Programs, Maritime Administration, at (202) 366-5182, fax (202) 366-7485.

B03-042

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) today published a notice in the Federal Register inviting public comments on five separate waiver applications under MARAD's Small Passenger Vessel Waiver Program. The following are the foreign-built, or vessels with lost documentation, that have applied to carry 12-passengers or less in the domestic trade:

MARAD has the authority to issue a waiver of the U.S.-build requirements of the coastwise trade laws under certain circumstances as provided by P.L. 105-383 as amended.

Written comments referencing the above-mentioned dockets, respectively, may be submitted to the Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, Department of Transportation, 400 7^th St., SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001 by 5:00 p.m. July 7, 2003.

Comments may be submitted electronically via the Internet at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit. All comments are available for review between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. Electronic versions of these documents are 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-830, Room 7201, 400 - 7^th St., SW, Washington, DC 20590; telephone (202) 366-0760.

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The mission of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) is to promote the development and maintenance of an adequate, well-balanced United States merchant marine, sufficient to carry the Nation's domestic waterborne commerce and a substantial portion of its waterborne foreign commerce, and capable of serving as a naval and military auxiliary in time of war or national emergency. MARAD also seeks to ensure that the United States enjoys adequate shipbuilding and repair services, efficient ports, effective intermodal water and land transportation systems, and reserve shipping capacity in time of national emergency.

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