Department of Homeland Security 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard proposes to revise certain security zones within the Captain of the Port Sector St. Petersburg Zone (formerly the Captain of the Port Tampa Zone). The purpose of these revisions is to ensure the security of vessels, facilities, and the surrounding areas within these zones. Entry into the area encompassed by these revised security zones would be prohibited without permission of the Captain of the Port.

Comments are requested on the proposed Base (1 percent annual- chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and proposed BFE modifications for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the proposed regulatory flood elevations for the reach described by the downstream and upstream locations in the table below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are a part of the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, these elevations, once finalized, will be used by insurance agents, and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents in those buildings.

This interim rule lists communities where modification of the Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) is appropriate because of new scientific or technical data. New flood insurance premium rates will be calculated from the modified BFEs for new buildings and their contents.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of an emergency for the State of California (FEMA-3279-EM), dated October 23, 2007, and related determinations.

The Coast Guard proposes the establishment of a 1,000 foot safety zone around a fireworks display for the North Carolina Holiday Flotilla occurring on November 24, 2007, on Motts Channel/ Banks Channel, Wrightsville Beach, NC. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic on Motts Channel. This safety zone is necessary to protect mariners from the hazards associated with fireworks displays.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Iowa (FEMA-1727-DR), dated September 14, 2007, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Oklahoma (FEMA-1718-DR), dated August 24, 2007, and related determinations.

Comments are requested on the proposed Base (1 percent annual- chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and proposed BFE modifications for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the proposed regulatory flood elevations for the reach described by the downstream and upstream locations in the table below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are a part of the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, these elevations, once finalized, will be used by insurance agents, and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents in those buildings.

Base (1% annual chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and modified BFEs are made final for the communities listed below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are the basis for the floodplain management measures that each community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of being already in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the State of California (FEMA-3279-EM), dated October 23, 2007, and related determinations.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announces the extension and reopening of the public comment period for the proposed rule entitled ``Special Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Religious Workers.'' The proposed rule was initially published in the Federal Register on April 25, 2007. Written comments on the proposed rule were to be submitted on or before June 25, 2007 (a 60-day comment period) in order to be assured of consideration. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has decided to accept late-filed comments and reopen the public comment period for an additional 15 days.

This interim rule implements certain provisions of the Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 to provide new incentives for States and communities to mitigate the effects of flood damage to severe repetitive loss properties by creating the Severe Repetitive Loss program (SRL), and through reduced cost-share requirements in the existing Flood Mitigation Assistance program (FMA). In addition, the rule ensures that the FMA planning requirements are consistent with other applicable regulations, and streamlines the planning requirements for Indian tribal governments. It also describes requirements for the acquisition of property for open space with mitigation funds, including under SRL and FMA. Finally, this interim rule makes technical changes to clarify current practices and implements conforming amendments to reflect current authorities, including the recent change to the standard amount of authorized Hazard Mitigation Grant Program assistance.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is adopting as final, without substantive change, an interim rule that implements sections 553 and 554 of the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994. Section 553 authorizes a flood mitigation assistance program through which FEMA is authorized to provide grants to States and communities for planning assistance and for mitigation projects that reduce the risk of flood damage to structures covered under contracts for flood insurance. Section 554 establishes the National Flood Mitigation Fund to fund assistance provided under section 553.

The Coast Guard is extending the comment period for its notice of proposed rulemaking published October 3, 2007, to create a security zone in the waters of Nawiliwili Harbor, Kauai, and on the land of the jetty south of Nawiliwili Park, including the jetty access road commonly known as Jetty Road. The proposed security zone is intended to enable the Coast Guard and its law enforcement partners to better protect people, vessels, and facilities in and around Nawiliwili Harbor in the face of non-compliant obstructers who have impeded, and threaten to continue impeding, the safe passage of the Hawaii Superferry in Nawiliwili Harbor. The proposed rule complements, but does not replace or supersede, existing regulations that establish a moving 100-yard security zone around large passenger vessels like the Hawaii Superferry.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the Lower Mississippi River Waterway Safety Advisory Committee. The Lower Mississippi River Waterway Safety Advisory Committee advises and makes recommendations to the Coast Guard on matters relating to navigation safety on the Lower Mississippi River.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the U.S. 90 Swing Bridge across Rigolets Pass, mile 6.2, between Orleans and St. Tammany Parishes, Louisiana. This deviation will allow the draw of the U.S. 90 Swing Bridge to remain in the closed to navigation position until January 15, 2007.

The Coast Guard has temporarily changed the drawbridge operating regulations governing the operation of the Hamilton Avenue Bridge, mile 1.2, across the Gowanus Canal at Brooklyn, New York. This final rule allows the bridge owner to require a four-hour notice for bridge openings from November 5, 2007 to January 15, 2009. This rule is necessary to facilitate rehabilitation construction at the bridge.

Following a review of country conditions and consultations with the Secretary of State and other appropriate Government agencies, the Secretary of Homeland Security has determined that the temporary protected status (TPS) designation for Burundi should be terminated. This termination will not take effect until May 2, 2009, to provide for an orderly transition. This Notice informs the public of the termination of the TPS designation for Burundi and sets forth procedures for nationals of Burundi (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Burundi) with TPS to re-register for TPS benefits. Re-registration is limited to persons who have previously registered for TPS under the designation of Burundi and whose application has been granted or remains pending. Burundians (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Burundi) who have not previously been granted TPS, or who do not already have a pending application for TPS under the designation for Burundi, may not file under Late Initial Filing (LIFs) provisions, which are only allowed during an extension of a designation of TPS. Given the timeframes involved with processing TPS re-registration applications, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recognizes the possibility that re-registrants may not receive a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD) until after their current EAD expires on November 2, 2007. Accordingly, this Notice automatically extends the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designation of Burundi for six months, through May 2, 2008, and explains how TPS beneficiaries and their employers may determine which EADs are automatically extended. New EADs with the May 1, 2009, expiration date will be issued to eligible TPS beneficiaries who timely re-register and apply for an EAD.

The Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (popularly known as ``COAC'') will meet on November 16, 2007 in Washington, DC. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary Safety Zone on the Morgan City-Port Allen Alternate Route, from Mile Marker 0.5 to Mile Marker 1.0, bank to bank. This Safety Zone is needed to protect divers, vessels, and tows from destruction, loss, or injury from salvage operations to remove a crane from beneath the Long-Allen Fixed Bridge, and to facilitate compliance with a court approved Consent Judgment whereby the crane must be removed prior to December 1, 2007.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the Gulf of Alaska, encompassing the navigable waters in the vicinity of Narrow Cape and Ugak Island. The zone is needed to protect persons and vessels operating in the vicinity of the safety zone during a rocket launch from the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation, Narrow Cape, Kodiak Island facility. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard District, the Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Western Alaska, or their on-scene representative. The intended effect of this safety zone is to ensure the safety of human life and property during the rocket launch.

The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations during the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade on the waters of Spa Creek, Annapolis Harbor and the Severn River at Annapolis, Maryland; from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., December 8, 2007. This action is necessary to control vessel traffic due to the confined nature of the waterway and expected vessel congestion during the event. During the enforcement period, the effect will be to restrict general navigation in the regulated area for the safety of event participants, spectators and vessels transiting the event area.

This document amends the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Regulations by revising the list of user fee airports to reflect those that have been currently designated by the Commissioner. User fee airports are those airports which, while not qualifying for designation as international or landing rights airports, have been approved by the Commissioner of CBP to receive, for a fee, the services of CBP officers for the processing of aircraft entering the United States, and the passengers and cargo of those aircraft.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend the anchorage regulations for Port Everglades, Florida. The amendment would modify the current anchorage area by eliminating that portion of the anchorage closest to sensitive coral reef areas, expand that portion of the anchorage area that poses less risk to these areas, and limit the amount of time a vessel may remain in the anchorage area. These changes would ensure all vessels have fair access to the anchorage area, and provide a higher degree of vessel and environmental safety by reducing the possibility of vessels grounding in sensitive coral reef areas.