Comments sought on boating proposal sought

The Daily Journal

December 12, 2002

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comments on its planned rule amendments and repeal of obsolete existing rules on boat and water safety. Most of the proposed changes are technical in nature and bring Minnesota's rules in line with current U.S. Coast Guard requirements and standards.

Here is a summary of the proposed changes:

* Modify requirements for rental watercraft by repealing obsolete language (some of which is more than 40 years old), simplify language, substitute U.S. Coast Guard standards (at the time of manufacture) for boat flotation requirements, and bring the rule into compliance with existing rule language on throwable personal flotation device requirements

* Amend life jacket requirements to comply with the U.S. Coast Guard approval label on the device, where use of the device may be restricted by such items as activity or age, as part of the Coast Guard approval process

* Change the capacity plate requirements for boats to repeal outdated language and references, and amend the rules by simply referencing U.S. Coast Guard standards in effect at the time of the craft's manufacture

* Raise the minimum property damage amount from $500 to $2,000 for boating accident reportability (which was recently changed by the Coast Guard), referencing federal regulations

* Amend the standards for buoys and signs to bring them into compliance with the U.S. Aids to Navigation System in federal regulations. This would include adopting standard flash characteristics for lights on aids to navigation, standardizing shapes for daymarks, changing the meaning of the red-white vertically-striped buoy to define the center of a navigation channel, establishing the black-white vertically-striped buoy as the shoreward obstruction buoy, as well as repealing repetitive language.

To request more information about these possible changes, including a copy of the actual rule modifications and the statement of need and reasonableness, contact the DNR.

Written comments about any of the rule amendments, or requests for a public hearing on the rule changes, must be made by Jan. 8 to Kim Elverum, Minnesota DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4046 or e-mail kim.elverum@dnr.state.mn.us.

If 25 or more individuals or groups request in writing that a hearing be held, it will be held Jan. 22 at 1:30 p.m. in the sixth floor training room of the DNR Building at 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul. To find out if there will be a hearing, contact the DNR after Jan. 8.