Page 13: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 1994)

USCG Seeks Comments On

Proposed Passenger Vessel

EPIRB Requirement

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is seeking comments on a Supplemen- tal Notice of Proposed Rule Making (SNPRM) that would require Emer- gency Position Indicating Radio

Beacons (EPIRBs) for certain uninspected passenger vessels and uninspected vessels engaged as ves- sel assistance towing vessels.

The proposed regulations are in response to the EPIRBs on

Uninspected Vessels Requirement

Act, and identify an uninspected passenger vessel as one that carries six or less passengers for hire and is referred to as a "charterboat." The regulations would apply to the ves- sels when operating more than three nautical miles from the coastline or when more than 4.8 km (three stat- ute miles) from the coastline of the

Great Lakes. Under specific cir- cumstances, these vessels may be exempt from proposed regulations.

The USCG is also recommend- ing that all uninspected vessels on coastal waters not currently re- quired to carry visual or distress signals, be required to carry such safety devices. The USCG empha- sized that these two requirements will enhance search and rescue op- erations and will be effective in reducing the possibility of loss of life at sea and/or damage to marine property. Comments must be re- ceived prior to June 17, 1994 and addressed to the Executive Secre- tary, Marine Safety Council, G-

LRA-2, U.S. Coast Guard Head- quarters, 2100 Second St. SW,

Washington, D.C. 20593-0001, or by calling at tel: (202) 267-1477.

Clinton To Channel $30

Million For Northeast

Fishing Industry Aid

The U.S. Department of Com- merce will have access to $30 mil- lion in emergency funding to pro- vide assistance to the Northeast fishing industry, PresidentClinton told Congress. The money will also be used to aid communities affected by that industry's collapse, and will provide loan guarantees for fishery facilities and vessel retrofits. The funds for the assistance will come from the Presidential contingency disaster fund provided by the Emer- gency Supplemental Appropriations

Act of 1994 and distributed to two bureaus of the Dept. of Commerce: • $18 million will go to the Eco- nomic Development Administration for development assistance pro- grams for the fishing industry, as well as affected communities. The funds will be used mainly for re- structuring or refinancing debt, technical aid, and planning. • $12 million will go to the Na- tional Oceanic and Atmospheric

Association (NOAA) to help expand processing and marketing of underutilizied species and develop aquaculture opportunities. NOAA will also provide loan guarantees to finance/refinance fisheries produc- tion equipment, including on-shore facilities and vessel retrofits.

Lady Luck Wins Mississippi

License Renewal

Lady Luck Gaming Corp.'s

Natchez, Miss, subsidiary was re- cently granted a renewal of its li- cense to operate in Mississippi — the first renewal the state has is- sued — by the Mississippi Gaming

Commission. Lady Luck was also reportedly the first company to be granted a license in Mississippi, in

March 1992. "This operation has been an ex- cellent demonstration of how a com- munity and a gaming organization can work successfully together," said

Andrew Tompkins, Lady Luck

Gaming Corp. chairman.

Lady Luck Natchez, the company's first riverboat, is a show- boat-themed casino which resembles the historic J.M. White Mississippi riverboat that docked at Natchez in the late 1880s. The company also recently received approval from the

Commission for Lady Luck

Vicksburg, a casino project to cost approximately $45 million.

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Circle 200 on Reader Service Card

April, 1994 15