Americans With Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines; Recreation Facilities; Extension of Comment Period and Public Hearing

ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD

36 CFR Part 1191

[Docket No. 98-5]

RIN 3014-AA16

Americans With Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines;

Recreation Facilities; Extension of Comment Period and Public Hearing

AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment period and

public hearing.

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SUMMARY: On July 9, 1999, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers

Compliance Board (Access Board) published a Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking to amend the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility

Guidelines by adding provisions for newly constructed and altered

recreation facilities that are not adequately addressed by the existing

guidelines. The comment period was originally scheduled to close on

November 8, 1999 during which time one public hearing was scheduled.

The Access Board is extending the comment period an additional 30 days

to allow for a second public hearing.

DATES: Comments should be received by December 8, 1999. The Access

Board will hold public hearings on the proposed rule on August 26, 1999

from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m and on November 17, 1999 from 9:30 a.m. to

4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Office of Technical and

Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers

Compliance Board, 1331 F Street NW., suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-

1111. Fax number (202) 272-5447. E-mail comments should be sent to

[email protected]. Comments sent by e-mail will be considered

only if they include the full name and address of the sender in the

text. Comments will be available for inspection at the above address

from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on regular business days.

The public hearing on August 26, 1999 will be held at the Hyatt

Regency, 300 Reunion Boulevard in Dallas, Texas. The public hearing on

November 17, 1999 will be held at the World Trade Center, 164 Northern

Avenue, Room 306, Boston, Massachusetts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Greenwell, Office of Technical

and Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers

Compliance Board, 1331 F Street, NW., suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-

1111. Telephone number (202) 272-5434 extension 34 (Voice); (202) 272-

5449 (TTY). These are not toll-free numbers. E-mail address:

[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Availability of Copies and Electronic Access

Single copies of the proposed rule may be obtained at no cost by

calling the Access Board's automated publications order line (202) 272-

5434, by pressing 1 on the telephone keypad, then 1 again, and

requesting publication S-37 (Recreation Facilities Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking). Persons using a TTY should call (202) 272-5449. Please

record a name, address, telephone number and request publication S-37.

The proposed rule is available in alternate formats upon request.

Persons who want a copy in an alternate format should specify the type

of format (cassette tape, Braille, large print, or computer disk). The

proposed rule is also available on the Access Board's Internet site

(http://www.access-board.gov/rules/recnprm.htm).

Extension of Comment Period and Public Hearing

On July 9, 1999, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers

Compliance Board (Access Board) published a Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking to amend the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility

Guidelines (ADAAG) by adding a new special application section for

newly constructed and altered recreation facilities that are not

adequately addressed by the existing guidelines. 64 FR 37326 (July 9,

1999). The new section covers amusement rides, boating facilities,

fishing piers and platforms, golf courses, miniature golf, exercise

equipment and machines, bowling lanes, shooting ranges, swimming pools,

wading pools, and spas. The proposed rule also amends several existing

ADAAG provisions to specifically address certain recreation facility

features and adds provisions for saunas and steam rooms, and benches.

[[Page 42057]]

Finally, the proposed rule adds a provision for boat and ferry docks.

The comment period was originally scheduled to close on November 8,

1999 during which time one public hearing was scheduled. To facilitate

substantive public review of the proposed rule, the Access Board is

extending the comment period an additional 30 days to allow for a

second public hearing.

Interested members of the public may contact the Access Board at

(202) 272-5434 extension 18 or (202) 272-5449 (TTY) to preregister to

give testimony or may register on the day of the hearings.

Lawrence W. Roffee,

Executive Director.

[FR Doc. 99-19798 Filed 8-2-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8150-01-P