United States Coast Guard: SAFETY ALERT 01-10

Coast Guard announces publication of record of decision on Long Range Aids to Navigation (Loran-C) program (Termination of the LORAN-C Signal).

Consistent with the Administration's pledge to eliminate unnecessary Federal programs and systems, the USCG broadcast of the Loran-C signal is going to be terminated.

Federal broadcast of the Loran-C signal will cease at 2000Z on 08 February 2010 with some exceptions, including the following five sites that are bound by bi-lateral agreements with either Canada (Caribou, ME; George, WA; Nantucket, MA; Shoal Cove, AK) or the Russian Federation (Attu, AK).

Mariners or other users of Loran-C are encouraged to shift to GPS navigation and plotting systems as soon as possible and not later than the termination date.

Questions regarding the information presented in this alert may be addressed to Bill Cairns of the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters e-Navigation Division at 202.372.1557 or [email protected].

This Alert Distributed by: Office of Investigations and Analysis: http://marineinvestigations.us

Note: An additional and Separate Notification was also sent out on this matter from the Coast Guard. It reads as follows:

WASHINGTON — The Coast Guard's Director of Prevention Policy announced Thursday publication in the Federal Register of the Record of Decision to decommission the Loran-C program and terminate the North American Loran-C signal.
The final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on the future of the nation's Loran-C program was announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 12, 2009.

The PEIS considered five alternatives for the future of the Loran-C program and two environmentally preferable alternatives were identified. The first alternative is to take no action; the second alternative is to end or reduce Coast Guard management of the Loran-C program by decommissioning the Loran-C program and terminating the North American Loran-C signal. The PEIS is required under the National Environmental Policy Act.

As supported by the analysis in the PEIS, this record of decision supports and confirms the government decision to end or reduce the Coast Guard's management of the Loran-C program by decommissioning the Loran-C program and terminating the North American Loran-C signal. Implementation of the proposed action through the preferred alternative is consistent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's determination that continued public investment in the Loran-C program is not in the national best interest.
President Barack Obama's fiscal year 2010 budget identified potential savings across the federal government to reduce the nation's deficit and to discontinue outdated programs.

Included is termination of the Loran-C program in the coming year, specifically the termination of outdated systems such as the terrestrial-based, long-range radionavigation (Loran-C) operated by the Coast Guard.

Termination of the program was also supported through the enactment of the fiscal year 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The Record of Decision, PEIS and related materials may be viewed online at http://www.regulations.gov, docket number: USCG-2007-28460.