The Maritime Administration (MARAD) is publishing this final rule regarding revisions to the procedures for reviewing: determinations that a student or graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) or a State maritime academy that receives student incentive payments has breached the service obligation; denials of requests for deferment of the service obligation; and denials of requests for waivers of the service obligation contract. The previous regulations called for review by a panel composed of a representative of MARAD and representatives from the Department of the Navy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the United States Coast Guard. These revisions provide for an appeal to the Maritime Administrator, the head of the agency, rather than review by the panel. The intended effect of this regulation is to streamline the process of reaching a final agency decision and allow for timely action on requests for review.