Agricultural Marketing Service August 21, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is amending a special local regulation for the Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix that occurs on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico near Sarasota, Florida. The event is scheduled to take place annually on the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of July from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The amendment is needed in order to protect the safety of race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public on the navigable waters of the United States. The amended special local regulation will restrict vessel traffic on the waters near the event by establishing the following three areas: A race area, where all persons and vessels, except those persons and vessels participating in the high speed boat races, are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within; a spectator area, where all vessels must be anchored or operate at No Wake Speed; and an enforcement area where designated representatives may control vessel traffic as determined by prevailing conditions.

The Coast Guard has developed a draft Recreational Boating Accident Reporting Manual, COMDTINST M16782.1, to replace Standard Method of Reporting (Boating Accidents), CG-449, which was last published in September 1973. We seek public comment on this draft.

The Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee will meet to discuss matters relating to medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, merchant mariners' documents, medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels, medical examiner education, and medical research. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Oregon State (Lewis and Clark River) Highway Bridge across the Lewis and Clark River, mile 1.0, at Astoria, OR. The deviation is necessary to accommodate bridge maintenance activities. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position and need not open to maritime traffic.