Washington Waves: Waterway News From D. C.
The Coast Guard launched Navita, its new digital platform designed to streamline the application and issuance of merchant mariner credentials.
According to the announcement, Navita, the Latin word for “sailor” and pronounced “Nā·vï·ta,” will reduce paper-based applications and manual processing by providing a simplified electronic application that also is designed to reduce common errors and improve the transparency of the mariner credentialing process.
“Our goal is to make it easier for mariners to get the credentials they need to work,” said Rear Adm. Rob Compher, assistant commandant for Prevention Policy.
“By creating a user-friendly system designed around the mariner experience, a strong maritime workforce is always ready to keep our supply chains moving and our national defense readiness high.”
Current and upcoming Navita™ features include: a guided application that flags missing information in real time to prevent incomplete submissions; automated fee calculation to assure correct payments; integration with Pay.gov to streamline payments; online submission of course completion records for training verification; and electronic sea service record submission.
Mariners can create user profiles, submit credentialing applications and supporting documents and learn more about Navita at the National Maritime Center (NMC) website.
For questions, contact the NMC’s Customer Service Center via the agency’s online chat system or by calling 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662).
WOTUS Comments
Public comments requested by two federal agencies on their supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking regarding regulatory options for updating the definition of the “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) must be submitted by October 9.
Identified by Docket No. EPA-HQ-OW-2025-0322, they may be submitted via https://www.regulations.gov/ (the preferred method), email at OW-Docket@epa.gov with the Docket No. EPA-HQ-OW-2025-0322 in the subject line of the message, mail at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, Water Docket, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460 or hand delivery at EPA Docket Center, WJC West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004.
All submissions received must include the docket number for this rulemaking.
For additional information, contact Stacey Jensen at 202-566-0657, CWAwotus@epa.gov or Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Office of Water (4504-T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460 and Milton Boyd at 703-693-3655 or usarmy.pentagon.hqda-asa-cw.mbx.asa-cw-reporting@army.mil or Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Department of the Army, 108 Army Pentagon, Washington, DC 20310-0104.
Contractor Access To Ship Pollution Information
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it has authorized a contractor and several subcontractors to access information that will be submitted to the EPA under the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and two other federal laws that may be claimed or determined to be confidential business (CBI).
According to the EPA, the contractor’s and subcontractors’ access to the information collected under APPS, the Clean Air Act and the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act began September 15.
The EPA said comments on its action had to be received by September 14 under Docket No. EPA HQ-OECA-2024-0420.
For additional information, contact Griffith Brown at 202-250-8551 or Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), Office of Civil Enforcement (OCE), Air Enforcement Division (AED), (Mail Code 8MSU), Environmental Protection Agency, 1595 Wynkoop St., Denver, CO 80202 or brown.griffith@epa.gov.
Natural Disaster Risk Index
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) needs to enhance its National Risk Index (NRI), the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said, noting that natural disasters are more frequent and costly.
GAO said the NRI is a tool communities can use to know their disaster risk level and help inform their resilience planning.
“FEMA took steps to define and disseminate information about the purpose and scope of the NRI and provided additional information on the methodologies and data used to inform the index,” the watchdog agency stated in a report to congressional requesters.
“However, FEMA did not consider what information users (e.g., emergency managers) would need to tangibly apply NRI results when making decisions about how to reduce risk.”
Moreover, GAO said FEMA did not explain how users should apply NRI information in conjunction with other FEMA risk tools to generate effective risk insights. “Lack of information about how to apply results undermines the NRI’s perceived utility,” according to the report.
GAO made two recommendations that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes FEMA, concurred with: provide information to users on how to apply NRI results effectively and systematically solicit, collect and incorporate user feedback to inform NRI improvements.
GAO said DHS did not concur with a third recommendation to have FEMA conduct sensitivity analyses and disclose the results when making significant changes to NRI data sources or methodologies.
According to GAO, DHS stated that the lack of planned NRI data updates removes the need for such analysis. GAO maintains its recommendation would ensure the NRI meets federal information quality standards.
NTSB Strategic Plan
The National Transportation Safety Board announced the availability of its strategic plan for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
Titled ‘‘NTSB FY 2026–2030 Strategic Plan,” the document may be obtained at https://www.ntsb.gov/about/reports/ Documents/FY26-30%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf.
For additional information, contact Warren Randolph at strategicplan@ntsb.gov.
