Coast Guard 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commander Fifth Coast Guard District has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge (Route 73), across the Delaware River, mile 107.2 between the townships of Tacony, PA and Palmyra, NJ. The deviation is necessary to facilitate the resurfacing of the bridge roadway. This deviation reduces the vertical clearance of the bridge in the closed position by three feet and restricts operation of the draw span.

The Coast Guard is establishing Regulated Navigation Areas (RNA) covering specific bars along the coasts of Oregon and Washington. The RNAs are necessary to help ensure the safety of the persons and vessels operating in those hazardous bar areas. The RNAs will do so by establishing clear procedures for restricting and/or closing the bars and mandating additional safety requirements for recreational and small commercial vessels operating in the RNAs when certain conditions exist.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the drawbridge operation regulation for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad drawbridge across Ebey Slough, mile 1.5, in Marysville, Washington so that two- hour notice would be required to open the bridge from 3:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day. The bridge will be opened on signal at all other times. The modification is necessary to allow Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad to reduce staffing of the bridge during periods requiring infrequent openings. The Coast Guard is also proposing additional minor changes to the drawbridge operation regulations covering the Snohomish River system to delete obsolete requirements.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone upon specified waters of the Potomac River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during fireworks displays launched from discharge sites located at National Harbor, in Prince Georges County, Maryland. This safety zone is intended to protect the maritime public in a portion of the Potomac River.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Vertical Lift Span Bridge across the Victoria Barge Canal, mile 29.4 at Bloomington, Victoria County, Texas. The deviation is necessary to allow for one phase of an on-going maintenance project to replace the lift span motors and brakes. This deviation provides for the bridge to remain closed to navigation for 12 consecutive hours on November 23 and 24, 2009, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Witt Penn Bridge at mile 3.1, across the Hackensack River, at Jersey City, New Jersey. Under this temporary deviation a two-hour advance notice for bridge opening shall be required at the Witt Penn Bridge to facilitate bridge repairs.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) on the Lower Mississippi River and transfer certain vessel traffic management (VTM) provisions of the Mississippi River, LouisianaRegulated Navigation Area to the VTS. The proposed rule would implement current practices and operating procedures appropriate to an Automatic Identification System (AIS)-based VTS and facilitate vessel transits, enhance good order, promote safe navigation, and improve existing waterway operating measures. The rule also proposes minor conforming revisions to the existing VTM provisions and related regulations.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone upon the navigable waters of Mission Bay near San Diego, California in support of the Sea World December Fireworks. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other users of the waterway. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his designated representative.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this request for comments announces that the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0080, Customer Satisfaction Surveys. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comments by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the LA 75 pontoon bridge and the LA 77 swing bridge across the Lower Grand River, mile 38.4 and 47.0 respectively, in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. This deviation will test a change to both drawbridge's operating schedules to determine whether permanent changes to the schedules are needed. The deviation will allow an additional 30 minutes to the end of each scheduled closure period to provide more time for school buses to transit across the bridges.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Vertical Lift Span Bridge across the Victoria Barge Canal, mile 29.4 at Bloomington, Victoria County, Texas. The deviation is necessary to allow for one phase of an on-going maintenance project to replace the lift span motors and brakes.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Assawoman Bay in the vicinity of the SR 90 Bridge (Ocean City Expressway) that connects Isle of Wight and Ocean City, MD. This action will protect mariners and public property on Assawoman Bay from the hazards associated with possible falling debris from the channel span superstructure and facilitates expeditious repairs to the span by allowing the contracted company to maintain their position inside the main channel. Vessel traffic will be redirected to an alternative channel during the effective period.

The Coast Guard proposes to update the rates for pilotage on the Great Lakes by 5.07% to generate sufficient revenue to cover allowable expenses, target pilot compensation, and return on investment. The proposed update reflects an August 1, 2010 increase in benchmark contractual wages and benefits and an adjustment for inflation. This rulemaking promotes the Coast Guard strategic goal of maritime safety.

The Coast Guard is issuing a correction to an earlier notice that published in the Federal Register on Thursday, October 22, 2009, in order to correct the location of the Oakland, CA, public meeting listed in that earlier notice. The public meetings will be held by the Coast Guard (USCG) regarding the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled ``Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters'' that published in the Federal Register on Friday, August 28, 2009. For the Oakland, CA meeting, our earlier notice incorrectly listed the Marriott Oakland City Center, 1001 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607. The correct location for the Oakland public meeting is the Hilton Oakland Airport, One Hegenberger Road, Oakland, CA 94621.

This notice provides the times and locations of two public meetings which will be held by the Coast Guard (USCG) regarding the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled ``Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters'' that published in the Federal Register on Friday, August 28, 2009.

The Coast Guard is establishing a regulated navigation area on the Piscataqua River near Portsmouth, NH. This temporary final rule places speed restrictions on all vessels transiting the navigable waters on the Piscataqua River, Portsmouth, NH near the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard between Henderson Point Light on Seavey Island and Badgers Island Buoy 14. This rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters during ongoing ship construction.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the CSX Transportation Railroad swing bridge across the Blackwater River, mile 2.80, at Milton, Florida. The deviation is necessary to replace the center pivot bearing of the swing span and will allow the bridge to remain closed to navigation for two consecutive days.

The Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the California Route 160 Drawbridge across Three Mile Slough, mile 0.1, near Rio Vista, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow Caltrans to conduct drawbridge maintenance. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the maintenance period.

The Coast Guard is extending the periods for public comment on the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for the rulemaking entitled ``Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water'' (Docket No. USCG-2001-10486).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this request for comments announces that the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding three Information Collection Requests (ICRs), abstracted below, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requesting an extension of its approval for the following collections of information: (1) 1625-0014, Request for Designation and Exemption of Oceanographic Research Vessels; (2) 1625- 0038, Plan Approval and Records for Tank, Passenger, Cargo and Miscellaneous Vessels, Mobile Offshore Drilling Units, Nautical School Vessels and Oceanographic Research Vessels46 CFR Subchapters D, H, I, I-A, R and U; and (3) 1625-0069, Ballast Water Management for Vessels with Ballast Tanks Entering U.S. Waters. Review and comments by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

The Coast Guard is finalizing its January 16, 2009, interim rule establishing oil pollution prevention equipment requirements with one minor amendment to the rule's effective date for vessels with equipment installed on or after January 1, 2005. The rule harmonizes Coast Guard regulations with new International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines and specifications issued under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex I. It implements these MARPOL Annex I regulations and, ultimately, is intended to reduce the amount of oil discharged from vessels and eliminate the use of ozone-depleting solvents in equipment tests. All vessels replacing or installing oily-water separators and bilge alarms must install equipment that meets these revised standards. Newly constructed vessels carrying oil in bulk must install monitoring systems that meet the revised standards.

The Coast Guard proposes to temporarily change the regulations that govern the operation of the Berkley Bridge, mile 0.4, across the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River, Norfolk, VA. Due to the temporary closure of two area bridges, the Berkley Bridge has experienced an increase in traffic volume. The proposed change would provide set opening periods for the bridge during the day, relieving vehicular traffic congestion during the weekday daytime hours while still providing for the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard will enforce the special local regulations in the navigable waters of San Francisco Bay for the annual U.S. Navy and City of San Francisco sponsored Fleet Week Parade of Navy Ships, Blue Angels Flight Demonstrations, and Ship Tours to be held from October 8, 2009 through October 12, 2009. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of event participants and spectators. During the enforcement period, no persons or vessels may enter the regulated area without permission of the Captain of the Port (COTP) or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a new anchorage, modifying existing anchorages, and revising the regulations governing anchorages in the Captain of the Port Portland, Oregon, area of responsibility. These changes are necessary to ensure that there are sufficient anchorage opportunities in that area, and to clarify the locations of those anchorage opportunities. In addition, the changes will help prevent conflicts with navigable channels and other uses of anchorage waters.

The Coast Guard is issuing a correction to an earlier document that published on September 25, 2009, in order to correct the date of the Washington, DC, public meeting. Our earlier notice listed 2 different dates for the same meeting; the correct date is October 28, 2009.