Anchorage Grounds; South Timbalier Anchorages; South of Port Fourchon, LA; Gulf of Mexico, 18324-18326 [2015-07847]
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18324
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
Vol. 80, No. 65
Monday, April 6, 2015
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains notices to the public of the proposed
issuance of rules and regulations. The
purpose of these notices is to give interested
persons an opportunity to participate in the
rule making prior to the adoption of the final
rules.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 110
[Docket Number USCG–2014–1009]
RIN 1625–AA01
Anchorage Grounds; South Timbalier
Anchorages; South of Port Fourchon,
LA; Gulf of Mexico
Coast Guard, DHS.
Advance notice of proposed
rulemaking.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Coast Guard is
considering establishing two new
anchorage grounds in the Gulf of
Mexico for the port of Port Fourchon,
LA. These actions are being considered
to help accommodate increased vessel
volume and future increases and
improve navigation safety for vessels
transiting the Port Fourchon area,
providing for the overall safe and
efficient flow of vessel traffic and
commerce. The Coast Guard is seeking
comments and information about what
form the proposed regulations should
take and the actual need for them.
DATES: Comments and related material
must be received by the Coast Guard on
or before June 5, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Documents mentioned in
this preamble are part of Docket Number
USCG–2014–1009. To view documents
mentioned in this preamble as being
available in the docket, go to https://
www.regulations.gov, type the docket
number in the ‘‘SEARCH’’ box and click
‘‘SEARCH.’’ Click on ‘‘Open Docket
Folder’’ on the line associated with this
rulemaking. You may also visit the
Docket Management Facility in Room
W12–140 on the ground floor of the
Department of Transportation West
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
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SUMMARY:
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You may submit comments, identified
by docket number, using any one of the
following methods:
(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov.
(2) Fax: (202) 493–2251.
(3) Mail or Delivery: Docket
Management Facility (M–30), U.S.
Department of Transportation, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590–0001. Deliveries
accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except federal
holidays. The telephone number is 202–
366–9329.
See the ‘‘Public Participation and
Request for Comments’’ portion of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section
below for further instructions on
submitting comments. To avoid
duplication, please use only one of
these three methods.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If
you have questions on this rule, call or
email Lieutenant Commander (LCDR)
Christopher Tuckey, Waterways
Management, Eighth Coast Guard
District; telephone (504) 671–2112,
email Christopher.B.Tuckey@uscg.mil or
Lieutenant (LT) Jon Scott, Chief,
Waterways Management Division,
Marine Safety Unit Morgan City, U.S.
Coast Guard; telephone (985) 380–5334,
email Jonathan.J.Scott@uscg.mil. If you
have questions on viewing or submitting
material to the docket, call Cheryl F.
Collins, Program Manager, Docket
Operations, telephone (202) 366–9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Acronyms
ANPRM Advance Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking
CFR Code of Federal Regulation
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
A. Public Participation and Request for
Comments
We encourage you to participate in
this rulemaking by submitting
comments and related materials. All
comments received will be posted
without change to https://
www.regulations.gov and will include
any personal information you have
provided.
1. Submitting Comments
If you submit a comment, please
include the docket number for this
rulemaking, indicate the specific section
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Sfmt 4702
of this document to which each
comment applies, and provide a reason
for each suggestion or recommendation.
You may submit your comments and
material online at https://
www.regulations.gov, or by fax, mail, or
hand delivery, but please use only one
of these means. If you submit a
comment online, it will be considered
received by the Coast Guard when you
successfully transmit the comment. If
you fax, hand deliver, or mail your
comment, it will be considered as
having been received by the Coast
Guard when it is received at the Docket
Management Facility. We recommend
that you include your name and a
mailing address, an email address, or a
telephone number in the body of your
document so that we can contact you if
we have questions regarding your
submission.
To submit your comment online, go to
https://www.regulations.gov, type the
docket number in the ‘‘SEARCH’’ box
and click ‘‘SEARCH.’’ Click on ‘‘Submit
a Comment’’ on the line associated with
this rulemaking.
If you submit your comments by mail
or hand delivery, submit them in an
unbound format, no larger than 81⁄2 by
11 inches, suitable for copying and
electronic filing. If you submit
comments by mail and would like to
know that they reached the facility,
please enclose a stamped, self-addressed
postcard or envelope. We will consider
all comments and material received
during the comment period and may
change the rule based on your
comments.
2. Viewing Comments and Documents
To view comments, as well as
documents mentioned in this preamble
as being available in the docket, go to
https://www.regulations.gov, type the
docket number in the ‘‘SEARCH’’ box
and click ‘‘SEARCH.’’ Click on Open
Docket Folder on the line associated
with this advanced notice of proposed
rulemaking. The following link should
take you directly to the docket: https://
www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=USCG-2014-1009. You
may also visit the Docket Management
Facility in Room W12–140 on the
ground floor of the Department of
Transportation West Building, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington,
DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 65 / Monday, April 6, 2015 / Proposed Rules
Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
3. Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic
form of comments received into any of
our dockets by the name of the
individual submitting the comment (or
signing the comment, if submitted on
behalf of an association, business, labor
union, etc.). You may review a Privacy
Act notice regarding our public dockets
in the January 17, 2008, issue of the
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).
4. Public Meeting
We have not scheduled a public
meeting at this time. Once a public
meeting is scheduled, we will publish a
notice in the Federal Register separate
from this ANPRM but within the same
Docket Number USCG–2014–1009.
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B. Regulatory History and Information
As reflected in title 33 Code of
Federal Regulation section 109.05 (33
CFR 109.05), the Commandant of the
U.S. Coast Guard has delegated the
authority to establish anchorage grounds
to U.S. Coast Guard District
Commanders. The Coast Guard
establishes Anchorage Grounds under
authority of the authority in section 7 of
the act of March 4, 1915, as amended
(38 Stat. 1053; 33 U.S.C. 471) and places
these regulations in Title 33 CFR part
110.1, subpart B. [CGFR 67–46, 32 FR
17728, Dec. 12, 1967, as amended by
CGD 86–082, 52 FR 33811, Sept. 8,
1987; USCG–1998–3799, 63 FR 5526,
June 30, 1998]. The Coast Guard is now
considering a proposed rulemaking to
establish two new offshore anchorage
grounds. The two new anchorages are
referenced in this document as South
Timbalier Anchorage West and South
Timbalier Anchorage East.
C. Basis and Purpose
The legal basis and authorities for this
advance notice of proposed rulemaking
are found in 33 U.S.C. 471, 1221
through 1236; 33 CFR 1.05–1,
Department of Homeland Security
Delegation No. 0170.1, which
collectively authorize the Coast Guard
to propose, establish, and define
regulatory anchorages. The Coast Guard
is now considering a proposed
rulemaking establishing two offshore
anchorage grounds; South Timbalier
Anchorage West and South Timbalier
Anchorage East.
The Coast Guard received a request
from the Greater Lafourche Port
Commission and its users to consider
the establishment of a suitable
anchorage or anchorage areas offshore in
the vicinity of Port Fourchon, LA to
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alleviate and provide relief to vessel
traffic and congestion in the port of Port
Fourchon, LA. The volume of vessel
traffic through Port Fourchon has
increased over 30 percent since 2009.
We expect continued growth within the
Port in the coming years. Additionally,
vessels to service the deepwater oil and
gas industry continue to grow larger in
size. For these reasons, the Coast Guard
is considering the request to establish
new offshore anchorages. This request
was presented and discussed at a
Greater Lafourche Port Commission
Committee meeting on September 24,
2014, and with the Louisiana
Department of Natural Resources on
November 13, 2014.
The purpose of this ANPRM is to
solicit input and comments on potential
proposed rulemakings to help
accommodate increased vessel volume
and future increases and improve
navigation safety for vessels transiting
the Port Fourchon area, providing for
the overall safe and efficient flow of
vessel traffic and commerce. This
objective would be to establish offshore
anchorages intended to increase the
safety of life and property on navigable
waters, improve the safety of vessels
operating, transiting, or anchored and
moored in the vicinity of the port of Port
Fourchon and provide for the overall
safe and efficient flow of vessel traffic
and commerce in the area.
D. Discussion
The Coast Guard is considering
establishing two new offshore
anchorages supporting the vessel traffic
in and around the Port of Port
Fourchon, LA area. Preliminary details
describing and an image depicting these
anchorages are provided below.
The intended users of the proposed
anchorages are Offshore Supply Vessels
(OSV) and other vessels using or
providing services within Port
Fourchon, LA and on the outercontinental shelf.
As described by the Executive
Director of the Greater Lafourche Parish
Port Commission (GLPC), the volume of
vessel traffic through Port Fourchon has
increased over 30 percent since 2009.
The GLPC estimates significant,
continued growth in the near future.
Due to congestion, Port Fourchon tenant
companies and users either direct
vessels dynamically position within a
berth, Belle Pass, Bayou Lafourche, or
Flotation Canal or depart the port
entirely until a berth is available.
Vessels servicing the deepwater oil and
gas industry in and around Port
Fourchon continue to grow in length
and tonnage. The largest OSV’s are 300
feet and over 4,500 Gross Tons. OSV’s
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18325
within Port Fourchon are often moored
three or four abreast, requiring constant
shifting and repositioning of vessels,
crewmembers, and dockworkers, greatly
increasing the risks of collisions,
groundings, or harm to personnel.
The approximate depths of the
proposed anchorages range from 36 feet
to 60 feet, which will accommodate a
variety of vessel types and
configurations. The nearest safety
fairways are the Belle Pass Safety
Fairway approximately 3 nautical miles
to the east and the Southwest Pass to
Gulf Safety Fairway approximately 50
nautical miles to the south.
Based on National Automatic
Identification System data, establishing
an anchorage in the proposed location
will have negligible effects on
customary shipping lanes.
Contemplated South Timbalier
Anchorage West Location
We are considering proposing that the
South Timbalier Anchorage West would
cover an area 7 nautical miles long by
5 nautical miles wide. Also, we are
contemplating the following boundaries
for the anchorage:
• The western boundary would match
the western boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 16 and 33;
• The eastern boundary would match
eastern boundary of South Timbalier
blocks 18 and 31;
• The northern boundary would
match the northern boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 16, 17, and 18; and
• The southern boundary would
match the southern boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 31, 32, and 33.
The anchorage we are contemplating
may also be represented by drawing
rhumb lines joining points at:
Latitude
29°2′0.492″ N
29°2′0.492″ N
28°57′13.895″ N
28°57′13.895″ N
Longitude
90°30′28.619″
90°22′48.216″
90°22′48.216″
90°30′28.619″
W.
W.
W.
W.
Contemplated South Timbalier
Anchorage East Location
We are considering proposing that the
South Timbalier Anchorage East would
cover an area 5 nautical miles wide by
5 nautical miles deep. The following are
the contemplated proposed boundaries
for the anchorage.
The western boundary would match
the western boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 20 and 29.
The eastern boundary would match
the eastern boundary of South Timbalier
blocks 21 and 28.
The northern boundary would match
the northern boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 20 and 21.
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 65 / Monday, April 6, 2015 / Proposed Rules
The southern boundary would match
the southern boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 29 and 28.
The South Timbalier Anchorage East
anchorage we are contemplating may
also be represented may by drawing
rhumb lines joining points at:
Latitude
90°20′3.299″
90°15′0.287″
90°15′0.287″
90°20′3.299″
W.
W.
W.
W.
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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E. Information Requested
Public participation is requested to
assist in determining the best way
forward in developing a proposed
rulemaking to establish these offshore
anchorages. To aid us in developing a
proposed rule, we seek any comments,
whether positive or negative, including
but not limited to the impacts anchorage
areas may have on navigation safety and
current vessel traffic in this area.
Please submit any comments or
concerns you may have in accordance
with the ‘‘submitting comments’’
section above.
This document is issued under
authority of 5 U.S.C. 552; 33 CFR
1.05–1, and 1.05–30.
Dated: March 17, 2015.
K.S. Cook,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander,
Eighth Coast Guard District.
BILLING CODE 9110–04–P
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15:03 Apr 03, 2015
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[EPA–HQ–OW–2011–0520; FRL–9924–91–
OW]
AGENCY:
We have also placed illustrations of
the currently contemplated offshore
anchorage grounds in the docket (
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=USCG-2014-1009).
Look for a supporting document with
‘‘Illustrations’’ in its title.
In a letter to the National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration, the Coast Guard will
request that the Office of Coast Survey
ensure the suitability and safety of the
contemplated anchorage grounds.
Additionally, the Coast Guard is
coordinating with the Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, the Bureau of
Safety and Environmental Enforcement,
and the State of Louisiana’s Department
of Natural Resources to verify the
location of existing pipeline corridors.
The contemplated anchorage area is
larger than the envisioned final
anchorage. This advance notice of
proposed rulemaking is intended to
prompt discussion and gather input
from the affected marine industries to
determine the most appropriate
anchorage within the contemplated
area.
[FR Doc. 2015–07847 Filed 4–3–15; 8:45 am]
40 CFR Part 147
State of Tennessee Underground
Injection Control (UIC) Program;
Primacy Approval
Longitude
29°2′0.492″ N
29°2′0.492″ N
28°57′13.895″ N
28°57′13.895″ N
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to
approve the State of Tennessee
Underground Injection Control (UIC)
Program for primacy to implement and
enforce state regulations for all UIC
injection wells located within the state,
except for Class VI wells and all wells
on Indian lands, as required by rule
under the Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA). The Agency determined that
the state’s program is consistent with
the provisions of the SDWA and is as
stringent as all applicable federal
regulations to prevent underground
injection activities that endanger
underground sources of drinking water.
EPA requests public comment on this
proposed rule and supporting
documentation. In the ‘‘Rules and
Regulations’’ section of this Federal
Register, the Agency published EPA’s
approval of the state’s program as a
direct final rule without a prior
proposed rule. If the Agency receives no
adverse comment, EPA will not take
further action on this proposed rule.
DATES: Written comments must be
received by May 6, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
OW–2011–0520, by one of the following
methods, by mail to Water Docket, State
of Tennessee, Underground Injection
Control (UIC) Primacy, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Comments may also be submitted
electronically or through hand delivery/
courier by following the detailed
instructions in the ADDRESSES section of
the direct final rule located in the rules
section of this Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Marilyn Ginsberg, Drinking Water
Protection Division, Office of Ground
Water and Drinking Water (4606M), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington,
DC 20460; telephone number: (202)
564–3881; fax number: (202) 564–3754;
email address: ginsberg.marilyn@
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
epa.gov or Nancy H. Marsh, Safe
Drinking Water Branch, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW.,
Atlanta, Georgia 30303; telephone
number (404) 562–9450; fax number:
(404) 562–9439; email address:
marsh.nancy@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Why is EPA issuing this proposed rule?
EPA proposes to approve the State of
Tennessee’s UIC Program primacy
application for Class I, II, III, IV, and V
injection wells located within the state
(except all wells on Indian lands), as
required by rule under the SDWA, to
prevent underground injection activities
that endanger underground sources of
drinking water. Accordingly, the
Agency proposes to codify the state’s
program in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) at 40 CFR part 147.
EPA will continue to administer the UIC
Program for Class VI wells and wells on
Indian lands, if any such lands exist in
the state in the future. The Agency has
published a direct final rule in the
‘‘Rules and Regulations’’ section of
today’s Federal Register, approving the
state’s program because EPA views
these actions as noncontroversial and
anticipates no adverse comment. The
Agency has provided reasons for the
approval and additional supplementary
information in the preamble to the
direct final rule. If EPA receives no
adverse comment, the Agency will not
take further action on this proposed
rule. If EPA receives adverse comment,
the Agency will withdraw the direct
final rule and it will not take effect. The
Agency would then address all public
comments in any subsequent final rule
based on this proposed rule. The
Agency does not intend to institute a
second comment period on this action.
Any parties interested in commenting
must do so at this time. For further
information, please contact the persons
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this document.
Dated: March 30, 2015.
Gina McCarthy,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015–07745 Filed 4–3–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 65 (Monday, April 6, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18324-18326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07847]
========================================================================
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 65 / Monday, April 6, 2015 / Proposed
Rules
[[Page 18324]]
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 110
[Docket Number USCG-2014-1009]
RIN 1625-AA01
Anchorage Grounds; South Timbalier Anchorages; South of Port
Fourchon, LA; Gulf of Mexico
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is considering establishing two new anchorage
grounds in the Gulf of Mexico for the port of Port Fourchon, LA. These
actions are being considered to help accommodate increased vessel
volume and future increases and improve navigation safety for vessels
transiting the Port Fourchon area, providing for the overall safe and
efficient flow of vessel traffic and commerce. The Coast Guard is
seeking comments and information about what form the proposed
regulations should take and the actual need for them.
DATES: Comments and related material must be received by the Coast
Guard on or before June 5, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Documents mentioned in this preamble are part of Docket
Number USCG-2014-1009. To view documents mentioned in this preamble as
being available in the docket, go to https://www.regulations.gov, type
the docket number in the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.'' Click on
``Open Docket Folder'' on the line associated with this rulemaking. You
may also visit the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the
ground floor of the Department of Transportation West Building, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
You may submit comments, identified by docket number, using any one
of the following methods:
(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
(2) Fax: (202) 493-2251.
(3) Mail or Delivery: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S.
Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Deliveries
accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for further instructions
on submitting comments. To avoid duplication, please use only one of
these three methods.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this rule,
call or email Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Christopher Tuckey, Waterways
Management, Eighth Coast Guard District; telephone (504) 671-2112,
email Christopher.B.Tuckey@uscg.mil or Lieutenant (LT) Jon Scott,
Chief, Waterways Management Division, Marine Safety Unit Morgan City,
U.S. Coast Guard; telephone (985) 380-5334, email
Jonathan.J.Scott@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or
submitting material to the docket, call Cheryl F. Collins, Program
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone (202) 366-9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Acronyms
ANPRM Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
CFR Code of Federal Regulation
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
A. Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting
comments and related materials. All comments received will be posted
without change to https://www.regulations.gov and will include any
personal information you have provided.
1. Submitting Comments
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this
rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which
each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or
recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online at
https://www.regulations.gov, or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but
please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online, it
will be considered received by the Coast Guard when you successfully
transmit the comment. If you fax, hand deliver, or mail your comment,
it will be considered as having been received by the Coast Guard when
it is received at the Docket Management Facility. We recommend that you
include your name and a mailing address, an email address, or a
telephone number in the body of your document so that we can contact
you if we have questions regarding your submission.
To submit your comment online, go to https://www.regulations.gov,
type the docket number in the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.''
Click on ``Submit a Comment'' on the line associated with this
rulemaking.
If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them
in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for
copying and electronic filing. If you submit comments by mail and would
like to know that they reached the facility, please enclose a stamped,
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and
material received during the comment period and may change the rule
based on your comments.
2. Viewing Comments and Documents
To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble
as being available in the docket, go to https://www.regulations.gov,
type the docket number in the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.''
Click on Open Docket Folder on the line associated with this advanced
notice of proposed rulemaking. The following link should take you
directly to the docket: https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=USCG-2014-1009. You may also visit the Docket
Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the
Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
[[Page 18325]]
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
3. Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any
of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).
4. Public Meeting
We have not scheduled a public meeting at this time. Once a public
meeting is scheduled, we will publish a notice in the Federal Register
separate from this ANPRM but within the same Docket Number USCG-2014-
1009.
B. Regulatory History and Information
As reflected in title 33 Code of Federal Regulation section 109.05
(33 CFR 109.05), the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard has delegated
the authority to establish anchorage grounds to U.S. Coast Guard
District Commanders. The Coast Guard establishes Anchorage Grounds
under authority of the authority in section 7 of the act of March 4,
1915, as amended (38 Stat. 1053; 33 U.S.C. 471) and places these
regulations in Title 33 CFR part 110.1, subpart B. [CGFR 67-46, 32 FR
17728, Dec. 12, 1967, as amended by CGD 86-082, 52 FR 33811, Sept. 8,
1987; USCG-1998-3799, 63 FR 5526, June 30, 1998]. The Coast Guard is
now considering a proposed rulemaking to establish two new offshore
anchorage grounds. The two new anchorages are referenced in this
document as South Timbalier Anchorage West and South Timbalier
Anchorage East.
C. Basis and Purpose
The legal basis and authorities for this advance notice of proposed
rulemaking are found in 33 U.S.C. 471, 1221 through 1236; 33 CFR 1.05-
1, Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1, which
collectively authorize the Coast Guard to propose, establish, and
define regulatory anchorages. The Coast Guard is now considering a
proposed rulemaking establishing two offshore anchorage grounds; South
Timbalier Anchorage West and South Timbalier Anchorage East.
The Coast Guard received a request from the Greater Lafourche Port
Commission and its users to consider the establishment of a suitable
anchorage or anchorage areas offshore in the vicinity of Port Fourchon,
LA to alleviate and provide relief to vessel traffic and congestion in
the port of Port Fourchon, LA. The volume of vessel traffic through
Port Fourchon has increased over 30 percent since 2009. We expect
continued growth within the Port in the coming years. Additionally,
vessels to service the deepwater oil and gas industry continue to grow
larger in size. For these reasons, the Coast Guard is considering the
request to establish new offshore anchorages. This request was
presented and discussed at a Greater Lafourche Port Commission
Committee meeting on September 24, 2014, and with the Louisiana
Department of Natural Resources on November 13, 2014.
The purpose of this ANPRM is to solicit input and comments on
potential proposed rulemakings to help accommodate increased vessel
volume and future increases and improve navigation safety for vessels
transiting the Port Fourchon area, providing for the overall safe and
efficient flow of vessel traffic and commerce. This objective would be
to establish offshore anchorages intended to increase the safety of
life and property on navigable waters, improve the safety of vessels
operating, transiting, or anchored and moored in the vicinity of the
port of Port Fourchon and provide for the overall safe and efficient
flow of vessel traffic and commerce in the area.
D. Discussion
The Coast Guard is considering establishing two new offshore
anchorages supporting the vessel traffic in and around the Port of Port
Fourchon, LA area. Preliminary details describing and an image
depicting these anchorages are provided below.
The intended users of the proposed anchorages are Offshore Supply
Vessels (OSV) and other vessels using or providing services within Port
Fourchon, LA and on the outer-continental shelf.
As described by the Executive Director of the Greater Lafourche
Parish Port Commission (GLPC), the volume of vessel traffic through
Port Fourchon has increased over 30 percent since 2009. The GLPC
estimates significant, continued growth in the near future. Due to
congestion, Port Fourchon tenant companies and users either direct
vessels dynamically position within a berth, Belle Pass, Bayou
Lafourche, or Flotation Canal or depart the port entirely until a berth
is available. Vessels servicing the deepwater oil and gas industry in
and around Port Fourchon continue to grow in length and tonnage. The
largest OSV's are 300 feet and over 4,500 Gross Tons. OSV's within Port
Fourchon are often moored three or four abreast, requiring constant
shifting and repositioning of vessels, crewmembers, and dockworkers,
greatly increasing the risks of collisions, groundings, or harm to
personnel.
The approximate depths of the proposed anchorages range from 36
feet to 60 feet, which will accommodate a variety of vessel types and
configurations. The nearest safety fairways are the Belle Pass Safety
Fairway approximately 3 nautical miles to the east and the Southwest
Pass to Gulf Safety Fairway approximately 50 nautical miles to the
south.
Based on National Automatic Identification System data,
establishing an anchorage in the proposed location will have negligible
effects on customary shipping lanes.
Contemplated South Timbalier Anchorage West Location
We are considering proposing that the South Timbalier Anchorage
West would cover an area 7 nautical miles long by 5 nautical miles
wide. Also, we are contemplating the following boundaries for the
anchorage:
The western boundary would match the western boundary of
South Timbalier blocks 16 and 33;
The eastern boundary would match eastern boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 18 and 31;
The northern boundary would match the northern boundary of
South Timbalier blocks 16, 17, and 18; and
The southern boundary would match the southern boundary of
South Timbalier blocks 31, 32, and 33.
The anchorage we are contemplating may also be represented by
drawing rhumb lines joining points at:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Latitude Longitude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
29[deg]2'0.492'' N 90[deg]30'28.619'' W.
29[deg]2'0.492'' N 90[deg]22'48.216'' W.
28[deg]57'13.895'' N 90[deg]22'48.216'' W.
28[deg]57'13.895'' N 90[deg]30'28.619'' W.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contemplated South Timbalier Anchorage East Location
We are considering proposing that the South Timbalier Anchorage
East would cover an area 5 nautical miles wide by 5 nautical miles
deep. The following are the contemplated proposed boundaries for the
anchorage.
The western boundary would match the western boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 20 and 29.
The eastern boundary would match the eastern boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 21 and 28.
The northern boundary would match the northern boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 20 and 21.
[[Page 18326]]
The southern boundary would match the southern boundary of South
Timbalier blocks 29 and 28.
The South Timbalier Anchorage East anchorage we are contemplating
may also be represented may by drawing rhumb lines joining points at:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Latitude Longitude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
29[deg]2'0.492'' N 90[deg]20'3.299'' W.
29[deg]2'0.492'' N 90[deg]15'0.287'' W.
28[deg]57'13.895'' N 90[deg]15'0.287'' W.
28[deg]57'13.895'' N 90[deg]20'3.299'' W.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
We have also placed illustrations of the currently contemplated
offshore anchorage grounds in the docket ( https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=USCG-2014-1009). Look for a supporting document with
``Illustrations'' in its title.
In a letter to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration, the Coast Guard will request that the Office of Coast
Survey ensure the suitability and safety of the contemplated anchorage
grounds. Additionally, the Coast Guard is coordinating with the Bureau
of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental
Enforcement, and the State of Louisiana's Department of Natural
Resources to verify the location of existing pipeline corridors.
The contemplated anchorage area is larger than the envisioned final
anchorage. This advance notice of proposed rulemaking is intended to
prompt discussion and gather input from the affected marine industries
to determine the most appropriate anchorage within the contemplated
area.
E. Information Requested
Public participation is requested to assist in determining the best
way forward in developing a proposed rulemaking to establish these
offshore anchorages. To aid us in developing a proposed rule, we seek
any comments, whether positive or negative, including but not limited
to the impacts anchorage areas may have on navigation safety and
current vessel traffic in this area.
Please submit any comments or concerns you may have in accordance
with the ``submitting comments'' section above.
This document is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552; 33 CFR
1.05-1, and 1.05-30.
Dated: March 17, 2015.
K.S. Cook,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2015-07847 Filed 4-3-15; 8:45 am]
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