b'REGULATORY REPORT:ACT, IBR, AND NPRM: REGULATORYWhat Do They Mean for Your Operation?PETER LAURIDSEN // PVAREGULATORY AFFAIRS CONSULTANTI n the May FOGHORN regulatory article,TheACTiscomprehensiveandempowersCONSULTATION; PARTICIPATION- I discussed the current Notice of ProposedcooperationbetweenthegovernmentandFederal agencies and departments shall Rulemaking(NPRM)concerningprivate sector on many levels for the bettermentconsult with voluntary, private sector, theElectricalEngineeringRegulationsinandcooperativedevelopmentoftechnologyconsensus standards bodies and shall, SubchapterJofTitle46oftheCodeofandknowledge.Theparticularpartsthatwhen such participation is in the public Regulations.Theprimaryreasonfortheseaddress IBRs and are of interest here are: interest and is compatible with agency and 48 pages of the Federal Register is the needdepartmental missions, authorities, priorities, toaddresschangesinindustryconsensusUTILIZATION OF CONSENSUSand budget resources, participate with such standardscitedinthefederalregulationsTECHNICAL STANDARDS BYbodies in the development of technical thatareincorporatedbyreference(IBR)inFEDERAL AGENCIES; REPORTS - (1)standards.Subchapter J. This incorporation of consensusIN GENERAL- all Federal agencies and standardsismandatedbytheNationaldepartments shall use technical standardsA-119implementstheACTandisthe TechnologyTransferandAdvancementActthat are developed or adopted by voluntaryexecutive branchs comprehensive discussion (ACT)andOMBCircularA-119Federalconsensus standards bodies, using suchof how, when, and why an agency is required ParticipationintheDevelopmentandUsetechnical standards as a means to carry outtouseavoluntaryconsensusstandardas ofVoluntaryConsensusStandardsandinpolicy objectives or activities determined byanIBR.Itssectionsincludethedefi nition Conformity Assessment Activities (A-119). the agencies and departments. ofastandard,thepolicyconcerningtheir use,managementandreportingstandards useandtheagencysresponsibilitiesinthe implementation,complianceandannual reporting of standards use. Thetermstandardortechnicalstandardis (1)Commonandrepeateduseofrules, USCG-Certied Light-Weightconditions,guidelinesorcharacteristicsfor Aluminum Honeycomb Panelsproducts or related processes and production methods,andrelatedmanagementsystem for Passenger Ferries practices and (2) The defi nition of terms, classifi cationofcomponents,delineation ofprocedures,specifi cationofdimensions, decorative | durable | functional materials, performance, designs, or operations, rigidized.com/markets/marine measurementofqualityandquantityin describingmaterials,processes,products, systems,services,orpractices;testmethods and sampling procedures, or descriptions of fi t and measurements of size and strength.Any agency covered by the ACT establishing regulationsthatincludestandardssuchas design, materials testing, or use of equipment or processes are required to include voluntary consensus standards unless none exist or are not appropriate for the purpose intended. Much of Subchapter J, and for that matter, mostpassenger-carryingvesselregulations, areencompassedbythisbroaddefi nition. 658 Ohio Street | Buffalo, NY 14203 | marine@rigidized.comREGULATORY REPORT 28 FOGHORN'