Coast Guard 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard published a document in the Federal Register of February 9, 2011, concerning the expiration of temporary rules. The document contained an incorrect docket number.

The Coast Guard is temporarily changing the drawbridge operation regulations of the Pennington Avenue Bridge, across Curtis Creek, mile 0.9, at Baltimore, MD. This temporary change allows the bridge to operate on a restricted schedule to complete structural repairs and replacement of the grid deck, floor beams and stringers.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations during the swim segment of the ``TriRock Annapolis'' triathlon, a marine event to be held on the waters of Spa Creek and Annapolis Harbor on May 14, 2011. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to temporarily restrict vessel traffic in a portion of the Potomac River during the event.

The Coast Guard is reopening the comment periods on two proposed rules before issuing final rules regarding Tank Vessel Response Plans for Hazardous Substances (USCG-1998-4354) and Marine Transportation-Related Facility Response Plans for Hazardous Substances (USCG-1999-5705). The Coast Guard previously published two notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRMs) proposing to require response plans for certain tank vessels operating on the navigable waters of the United States, as well as marine transportation-related facilities, that could reasonably be expected to cause substantial harm to the environment by discharging a hazardous substance. The proposed regulations were published to implement the requirements put into place by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, but were never published as final rules. Because of the lapse in time since the NPRM publications, the Coast Guard is reopening the comment period to allow for any additional or updated comments from the public before publishing the final rules.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Lake Havasu, California in support of the Havasu Landing Regatta. This temporary 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.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation on certain navigable waters of Half Moon Bay in support of the Mavericks Surf Competition. This special local regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of participants and spectators during the event. Entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port San Francisco, CA.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the regulations that govern the operations of three North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) bridges: The S.R. 74 Bridge, across the AIWW, mile 283.1 at Wrightsville Beach, NC; the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge across the Cape Fear River, mile 26.8; and the Isabel S. Holmes Bridge across the Northeast Cape Fear River, mile 1.0; both at Wilmington, NC. The proposed change will alter the dates these bridges are allowed to remain in the closed position to accommodate the annual Beach2Battleship Iron and \1/2\ Iron Triathlon and the Battleship North Carolina Half Marathon and 5K.

This notice solicits applications for membership in the Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC), Eastern Great Lakes, and its five regional sub-committees: Northeast Ohio Region, Northwestern Pennsylvania Region, Western New York Region, Lake Ontario Region and St. Lawrence Region.

On October 19, 2010, the Coast Guard amended its regulations governing the carriage of solid hazardous materials in bulk to allow use of the IMSBC Code as an equivalent form of compliance. The amendment triggered information collection requirements affecting the Special Permits issued by the Coast Guard that allow the carriage of hazardous bulk solid materials not addressed in the amended regulations. This notice announces that the collection of information has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and may now be enforced. The OMB control number is 1625-0025.

The Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee (CFSAC) will meet in Portsmouth, Virginia to discuss various issues relating to safety in the commercial fishing industry. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard announces its decision to not initiate a rulemaking addressing an expanded hull identification number (HIN). The Coast Guard's decision-making process included consideration of comments submitted in response to its request for comments on the costs and benefits of expanding the existing 12-character HIN in order to provide additional information identifying vessels.

The Coast Guard proposes establishing a temporary safety zone for all waters of the Upper Mississippi River, Mile 842.0 to 839.5, extending the entire width of the river. This safety zone is needed to protect participants and event personnel during the swim leg of the OptumHealth Half Iron Triathlon occurring in the Upper Mississippi River. Entry into this zone would be prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Upper Mississippi River or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend the listing of permanent safety zones to ensure public safety during annual firework displays at various locations in the Eleventh Coast Guard District. These amendments will standardize the safety zone language, update listed events, delete events that are no longer occurring, add new unlisted annual fireworks events to the regulations, and standardize the format for all tables in these four sections. When these safety zones are activated, and thus subject to enforcement, this rule would limit the movement of vessels within the established firework display area.

This document provides required notice of substantive rules issued by the Coast Guard and temporarily effective between February 2008 and October 2010, that expired before they could be published in the Federal Register. This document lists temporary safety zones, security zones, special local regulations, drawbridge operation regulations and regulated navigation areas, all of limited duration and for which timely publication in the Federal Register was not possible.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Keokuk Drawbridge across the Upper Mississippi River, mile 364.0, at Keokuk, Iowa. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner time to perform the needed maintenance and repairs to the bridge that is essential to the continued safe operation of the drawbridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position for thirty days.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval of a revision to 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 Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the Route 675 Bridge across Pocomoke River, mile 15.6, at Pocomoke City, MD. The deviation restricts the operation of the draw span to facilitate mechanical repairs.

This document corrects the preamble to a proposed rule published in the Federal Register of January 27, 2011 (76 FR 4833), regarding security zones for cruise ships in the Port of San Diego, California. This correction clarifies when a preliminary environmental analysis checklist will be available in the docket.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Upper Hack Bridge across the Hackensack River, mile 6.9, at Secaucus, New Jersey. The deviation is necessary for electrical rehabilitation. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Route 1 & 9 Bridge across the Passaic River, mile 1.8, at Jersey City, New Jersey. The deviation is necessary for bridge painting. This deviation allows the bridge owner to require a two-hour advance notice for bridge openings and several short duration bridge closures.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the P.J. McArdle Bridge across the Chelsea River, mile 0.3, between Chelsea and East Boston, Massachusetts. The deviation is necessary to facilitate a public event. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn, New York. This rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on the navigable waters. This rule is intended to restrict unauthorized persons and vessels from traveling through or conducting underwater activities within a portion of Gravesend Bay until recently discovered military munitions are rendered safe and removed from the area.

The Coast Guard is withdrawing its notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), to change the operation of the Alameda County and the Army Corps of Engineers owned drawbridges crossing the Oakland Inner Harbor Tidal Canal, between Oakland and Alameda, California. The proposed change would have allowed the drawbridges to open for vessels upon four hours advance notice for openings between the hours 4:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. daily. With the exception of Federal Holidays, openings at all other times would have been on signal except during interstate rush hours, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, when the drawbridges need not be opened for vessels. The proposed change was requested by Alameda County to reduce the drawbridge staffing requirements during periods of reduced openings. The NPRM is being withdrawn because of the opposing comments received from the various sources including the primary waterway users that transit the drawbridges.

Pursuant to Section 912 of the 2010 Coast Guard Authorization Act, the Coast Guard is reviewing its policy regarding standard rules for the use of force for self-defense of vessels of the United States and is requesting comments on the current policy.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the CSX Railroad Swing Span Bridge across Chickasaw Creek, mile 0.0, in Mobile, Alabama. The deviation is necessary to replace railroad ties on the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain closed for nine hours with a one-hour mid-day opening on February 8 and 9, 2011.