b'SAFETYMATTERSresult in streamlined and consistentRisk-Based Inspections OCMIs can reduce the amount of time plan approval for these installations.Released in 2017, the Coast Guardsspent on inspections for owners and One area PVA would like to seePolicy Letter CG-CVC 16-05 (Changeoperators who have demonstrated more guidance on is when vessel1) provides local Officers in Chargehigh compliance rates in lower risk owners and operators decide to replaceMarine Inspection (OCMI) the flex- operating environments.lead acid batteries with lithium ionibility to use a risk-based approach toThe Coast Guard reported there batteries. That may be the subject of aannual inspection on small passengerare eight Coast Guard units using future working group. vessels. Practically speaking, localthe risk-based inspection policy and a total of 241 inspections have been conducted so far in 2019. The complex-ity of the risk- based modeling and the need to train apprentice marine inspectors are the current barriers to more units using the policy. The Coast Guard is looking at this policy to see if improvements can be made as they look at the entire marine inspection mission. One improvement could be that Coast Guard Headquarters assess the domestic passenger vessel fleet and identify vessels or operators of concern. PVA has stressed that training officers in Coast Guard inspection training ports should engage local operators and provide training platforms for Apprentice Marine Inspectors when vessels are out of service in a non-attri-butional environment. Sharing the WaterwaysPVAs Jen Wilk showed a video on sharing the waterways featuring several PVA member vessels. The video produced by the Water Sports Foundation, under a grant from Coast Guard, promotes safe recreational boating while operating nearby com-mercial vessels. PVAs participation in this project was part of its ongoing efforts to increase safety awareness on our nations busy waterways by en-couraging members and others to share this video with other waterway users, including paddle clubs, rental opera-tions, and Harbor Safety Committees.PVA and the Coast Guards Office of Boating Safety have been working together to identify opportunities for PVA to promote sharing the waterways. The Coast Guard indicated that boating safety grants for recreational boater safety and education now include a re-quirement to engage waterways stake-holders such as PVA. PVA will be working with the Coast Guards Office of Waterways 30DECEMBER 2019FOGHORN'