Coast Guard 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will meet in Martinsburg, WV, to discuss various issues relating to the training and fitness of merchant marine personnel. This meeting is open to the public.

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: 1625-0008, Regattas and Marine Parades. 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 Coast Guard is updating its requirements for oil-spill removal equipment associated with vessel response plans and marine transportation-related facility response plans. This update is based on an ongoing review of these requirements conducted by the Coast Guard pursuant to our regulations. These changes will add requirements for new response technologies and revise methods and procedures for responding to oil spills upon the navigable waters of the United States, adjoining shorelines, and the exclusive economic zone. The Coast Guard is also revising the compliance date for updates of vessel response plans (VRPs) required by the Salvage and Marine Firefighting final rule. This extension of the compliance date will ensure that plan holders are not required to update their VRPs twice within a 12-month period.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for the rulemaking entitled ``Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water'' (Docket No. USCG-2001-10486), published elsewhere in today's issue of the Federal Register. This DPEIS provides an assessment of the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed establishment of ballast water discharge standards. The standards would be used to approve alternative ballast water management methods that are effective in preventing or reducing the introduction of nonindigenous species via discharged ballast water into United States waters. We request your comments on this DPEIS.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone and regulated navigation area on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Romeoville, IL. This temporary final rule places navigational and operational restrictions on all vessels transiting the navigable waters located adjacent to and over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) electrical dispersal fish barrier system.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on a portion of the Sabine River, shoreline to shoreline, adjacent to the Naval Reserve Center and the Orange public boat ramps located in Orange, Texas. With the exception of participating vessels and patrol craft, entry into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Port Arthur, or a designated representative. This safety zone is needed to protect spectators and vessels from potential safety hazards associated with a high speed boat race.

This document provides required notice of substantive rules issued by the Coast Guard and temporarily effective between January 2007 and January 2008, that expired before they could be published in the Federal Register. This document lists temporary safety zones, security zones, and local regulations, all of limited duration and for which timely publication in the Federal Register was not possible.

The Coast Guard proposes establishing a safety zone on Chesapeake Bay in the vicinity of the Virginia Beach Resort and Conference Center in Virginia Beach, VA in support of a private fireworks show. This action is intended to restrict access to the specified portion of Chesapeake Bay to protect the public from the hazards associated with fireworks displays.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the tug boat LA FORCE as required by 33 U.S.C. 1605(c) and 33 CFR 81.18.

The Coast Guard is establishing a security and safety zone in the waters of Elliot Bay. Due to the physical location of Pier 91, Large Passenger Cruise Vessels are required to maneuver near a prominent marina frequented by a large recreational vessel community and near other numerous large commercial fishing vessels located at adjacent piers, posing a high safety and security risk when Large Passenger Cruise Vessels are entering and departing the cruise terminal. Due to the inherent safety and security risks associated with the movement of a cruise ship into or out of this especially tight berth at Pier 91, coupled with the large recreational boating community and commercial traffic in the area, the Coast Guard Captain of the Port Puget Sound finds it necessary to enact these safety and security zones.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the regulation governing the operation of the Chatsworth Road swing span bridge across the Franklin Canal, mile 4.8, at Franklin, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. The St. Mary Parish Government has requested that the operating regulation of the Chatsworth Road swing span bridge be changed in order for the bridge not to have to be continuously manned by a draw tender. This change would allow the bridge to remain unmanned during most of the day by requiring a one-hour notice for an opening of the draw between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily. Currently the bridge opens on signal during this time period.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the FM 457 pontoon drawbridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, mile 418.0, west of Harvey Locks, near Sargent, Matagorda County, Texas. The deviation is necessary for continued maintenance of the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain closed to navigation.

The Coast Guard is withdrawing its proposed rule concerning the extension of escort vessel requirements in place for single hulled oil tankers in Prince William Sound, Alaska, and Puget Sound, Washington, to other U.S. waters and to other types of vessels. The Coast Guard has concluded that a rulemaking of national scope, such as this, is neither necessary nor advisable given the existence of more locally oriented options for considering escort vessel requirements.

The Coast Guard is establishing two temporary safety zones extending 500 meters in all directions from each of the two submerged turret-loading buoys and accompanying systems that are part of GDF Suez Energy's Neptune Deepwater Port located in the Atlantic Ocean off of Boston, Massachusetts. The purpose of these temporary safety zones is to protect vessels and mariners from the potential safety hazards associated with construction of the deepwater port facilities and the large sub-surface turret buoys, and to protect the deepwater port infrastructure. All vessels, with the exception of deepwater port support vessels, are prohibited from entering into, remaining or moving within either of the safety zones.

The Delaware River and Bay Oil Spill Advisory Committee (DRBOSAC) will meet in Lewes, DE to discuss various issues to improve oil spill prevention and response strategies for the Delaware River and Bay. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing 5 temporary safety zones for various swim events within the Coast Guard Sector Northern New England area, including: the ``Tri for a Cure Triathlon'' in South Portland, Maine; the ``Y-Tri for a Cure Triathlon'' in Plattsburg, New York; the ``Greater Burlington YMCA Lake Swim'' in Burlington, Vermont; the ``Rockland Breakwater Swim'' in Rockland, Maine and the ``Cabbage Island Swim'' in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. These temporary safety zones are necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters by prohibiting spectators, vessels, and other users of the waterway from entering an area surrounding the participants of the swim events due to the hazards associated with multiple swimmers in close proximity to operating vessels.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the vicinity of the Hood Canal Bridge due to the ongoing Hood Canal Bridge Construction Project. The safety zone is necessary to help protect construction personnel and the maritime public from the numerous dangers associated with the Hood Canal Bridge Construction Project. All persons and vessel are prohibited from entering the zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Puget Sound or her Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the offshore supply vessel CALLAIS NAVIGATOR as required by 33 U.S.C. 1605(c) and 33 CFR 81.18.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the oceanographic research vessel FAIRFIELD CHALLENGER as required by 33 U.S.C. 1605(c) and 33 CFR 81.18.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the offshore supply vessel PAO DE ACUCAR as required by 33 U.S.C. 1605(c) and 33 CFR 81.18.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the lift boat CAITLIN as required by 33 U.S.C. 1605(c) and 33 CFR 81.18.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the lift boat PAUL as required by 33 U.S.C. 1605(c) and 33 CFR 81.18.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish 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.

The Coast Guard published a document in the Federal Register on March 16, 2009 (74 FR 11196), consolidating regulations concerning the issuance of merchant mariner credentials. That document contained several non-substantive errors, including an improperly worded amendatory instruction. This document corrects those errors.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of the lower Colorado River at Bullhead City, AZ in support of Festivus. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and 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.