(a) Any person directly affected by a decision or action taken under this chapter or under chapter III of this title, by or on behalf of the Coast Guard, except for matters covered by subpart J of part 5 of this chapter dealing with suspension-and-revocation hearings, shall follow the procedures contained in this section when requesting that the decision or action be reviewed, set aside, or revised.

(b) When requesting that a decision or action be reconsidered or reviewed, as may be required by this subpart, such request must be made within 30 days after the decision is rendered or the action is taken.

(c) When making a formal appeal of a decision or action, as permitted by this subpart, such appeal must be submitted in writing and received by the authority to whom the appeal is required to be made within 30 days after the decision or action being appealed, or within 30 days after the last administrative action required by this subpart. Upon written request and for good cause, the 30 day time limit may be extended by the authority to whom the appeal is required to be made.

(d) A formal appeal must contain a description of the decision or action being appealed and the appellant's reason(s) why the decision or action should be set aside or revised.

(e) When considering an appeal, the Commandant or a District Commander may stay the effect of a decision or action being appealed pending determination of the appeal.

(f) While a request for reconsideration or review or a formal appeal is pending, the original decision or action remains in effect, unless otherwise stayed under paragraph (e) of this section.

(g) The Commandant may delegate authority to act on administrative appeals under this subpart to the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy (CG-5P), and appropriate office chiefs within Prevention Policy (CG-5P).

(h) Formal appeals made to the Commandant must be addressed to:

(1) Commandant (CG-CVC) for appeals involving vessel inspection issues, load line issues, and vessel manning issues;

(2) Commandant (CG-5PS) for appeals involving vessel plan review or tonnage measurement issues and for all appeals involving suspension or withdrawal of course approvals, all merchant mariner personnel issues appealed from the National Maritime Center or from an OCMI through a District Commander.

(i) Appeals involving course approvals and merchant mariner personnel issues must be addressed to the Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing (CG-MMC), U.S. Coast Guard, Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20593-7509.

(ii) Appeals involving vessel plan review or tonnage measurement issues must be addressed to Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards (CG-5PS), U.S. Coast Guard, Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20593-7509.

(3) Commandant (CG-5PC) for all appeals regarding the documentation of a vessel under part 67 or part 68 of this title. All appeals regarding the documentation of a vessel under part 67 or part 68 of this title must be addressed to Commandant (CG-5PC), Attn: Director of Inspections and Compliance, U.S. Coast Guard Stop 7501, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20593-7501, and a copy of each such appeal must be sent to the National Vessel Documentation Center, 792 T J Jackson Drive; Falling Waters, WV 25419;

(4) Commandant (CG-ENG), for appeals involving the recognition of a classification society; or

(5) Commandant (CG-5PW) for appeals involving decisions or actions of the Director, Great Lakes Pilotage.

(i) Failure to submit a formal appeal in accordance with the procedures and time limits contained in this subpart results in the decision or action becoming final agency action.

(j) Any decision made by the Commandant, or by the Deputy Commandant for Operations (DCO-D), or by the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy (CG-5P), or by a Director or an office chief pursuant to authority delegated by the Commandant is final agency action on the appeal.

[CGD 88-033, 54 FR 50376, Dec. 6, 1989]