Coast Guard 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commander, Thirteenth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Bridge, also known as the St Johns RR Bridge, across the Willamette River, mile 6.9, at Portland, OR. The deviation is necessary to facilitate track maintenance involving welding on the movable section of the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position during maintenance activities.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone around all inbound and outbound grain-shipment vessels involved in commerce with Export Grain Terminal, Longview, WA, while they are located on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. This safety zone extends to waters 500 yards ahead of these vessels and 200 yards abeam and astern of these vessels. This safety zone is being implemented to ensure that protest activities associated with the opening of the Export Grain Terminal to maritime traffic does not prevent safe navigation of grain shipment vessels and other vessels using the waterway during grain-shipment vessel transits to and from the terminal.

The Coast Guard is considering revising the regulations governing chemical (drug and alcohol) testing of mariners. In support of that effort, we would like input from mariners, marine employers, service agents, and substance abuse professionals on a number of questions relating to the administration of chemical testing programs for mariners by mariner employers.

The Coast Guard is revising the list of special local regulations established for recurring marine events at various locations within the geographic boundary of the Fifth Coast Guard District. This rule revises 33 CFR 100.501 by adding 6 new annual recurring marine events and modifying event date(s) for 12 previously established locations within the geographic boundary of the Fifth Coast Guard District. This rule also deletes 4 previously listed marine events and corresponding regulated areas that no longer occur. These regulations will apply to all events listed in the table attached to the regulation, and include events such as regattas, power boat races and marine parades. Special local regulations are established to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during these events, reduce the Coast Guard's administrative workload and expedite public notification of events. Entry into or movement within these proposed regulated areas during the enforcement periods is prohibited without approval of the appropriate Captain of the Port.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone on the Detroit River, Detroit, Michigan. This zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of the Detroit River in order to ensure the safety and security of participants, visitors, and public officials at the 24th Annual North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), which is being held at Cobo Hall in downtown Detroit, MI. Vessels and persons may not enter this security zone without permission of the Captain of the Port Detroit or the COTP on-scene representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary Special Local Regulation in the Corpus Christi Bayfront area within the Corpus Christi, TX Captain of the Port Zone. This Special Local Regulation will restrict vessels from portions of the Corpus Christi Bayfront area during the HITS Triathlon on February 18th and 19th, 2012. This Special Local Regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of HITS Triathlon participants and protect them from the hazard of vessel traffic in the area.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of Green Bay near Dyckesville, Wisconsin. This zone is intended to restrict vessels and persons from a portion of Green Bay due to a large scale ice rescue exercise that will involve multiple State and Federal agencies. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect the surrounding public and vessels from the hazards associated with the ice rescue exercise.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of Matlacha Pass in the vicinity of the Matlacha Bridge in Matlacha, Florida. The safety zone will be enforced during construction of the Matlacha Bridge from Thursday, December 15, 2011 until Sunday, January 15, 2012. The safety zone is necessary to protect life and property on navigable waters of the United States during the Matlacha Bridge construction. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg or a designated representative.

The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will conduct an intercessional meeting to facilitate working group discussion of Task Statement 76, entitled ``Review of Performance Measures (Assessment Criteria),'' and Task Statement 77, entitled ``Development of Performance Measures (Assessment Criteria).'' This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is announcing its intent to enter into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with UrsaNav, Inc., to research, evaluate, and document at least one alternative to Global Positioning Systems (GPS) as a means of providing precise time. The alternative under consideration is a wireless technical approach for providing precise time using U.S. government facilities and frequency authorizations. The Coast Guard invites public comment on the proposed CRADA and also invites other non-Federal participants, who have the interest and capability to bring similar contributions to this type of research, to consider entry into similar CRADAs.

The United States Coast Guard is establishing a regulated navigation area (RNA) on the navigable waters of the Piscataqua River under and surrounding the Memorial Bridge between Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, ME. This temporary interim rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters during bridge demolition and replacement construction operations. This rule implements certain safety measures, including speed restrictions and the temporary suspension of vessel traffic during construction operations that could be hazardous to nearby vessels.

The Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Third Street Drawbridge across Islais Creek, mile 0.4, at San Francisco, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the City of San Francisco to make emergency electrical repairs on the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to be secured in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard is amending a security zone regulation for cruise ships visiting San Pedro Bay, California by providing a common description of all security zones to encompass only navigable waters within a 100-yard radius around any cruise ship that is located within the San Pedro Bay port area landward of the sea buoys bounding the Port of Los Angeles or Port of Long Beach or at designated anchorages within 3 nautical miles of the Federal breakwater. This rule is necessary to provide for the safety of the cruise ship, vessels, and users of the waterway. Entry into these security zones will be prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Los Angeles Long Beach, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (HOGANSAC). This Committee provides advice and makes recommendations to the Coast Guard on matters relating to the safe transit of vessels and products through Galveston Bay, and to and from the Ports of Galveston, Houston, Texas City, and Galveston Bay.

The United States Coast Guard is establishing a regulated navigation area (RNA) on the navigable waters of the Mystic River under and surrounding the S99 Alford Street Bridge which crosses the Mystic River between Boston and Chelsea, Massachusetts. This temporary interim rule is intended to protect both vessels and construction workers by restricting vessel traffic during periods where the bridge is being repaired.

The Coast Guard has temporarily changed the drawbridge operation regulations that govern the operation of the Smith Point Bridge, mile 6.1, across Narrow Bay, between Smith Point and Fire Island, New York. This temporary final rule is necessary to facilitate the completion of a major bridge rehabilitation project.

The Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Florida East Coast automated railroad bridge across the St. Johns River, mile 24.9, in Jacksonville, Florida. The regulation is set forth in 33 CFR 117.325(b). The deviation is necessary to enable the bridge owner to repair the bridge. This deviation will result in the bridge remaining closed to navigation during extensive periods of daylight hours.

The Coast Guard announces steps for implementing the 2010 amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended, (STCW) concerning hours of rest and security-related training requirements. Because the final rule implementing the 2010 amendments to the STCW will not be published before the 1 January 2012 entry into force date, there is a need to provide guidance on implementation of the amendments related to these requirements, which will impact U.S. vessels and seafarers beginning on 1 January 2012. This notice applies to all vessels subject to STCW under current regulations.