Coast Guard February 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard proposes to revise the list of special local regulations and safety zones established for recurring marine events and fireworks displays at various locations within the geographic boundary of the Fifth Coast Guard District. This rulemaking proposes to revise Coast Guard regulations by adding 15 new annual recurring marine events, fireworks displays and revising event date(s) and coordinates for 31 previously established locations within the geographic boundary of the Fifth Coast Guard District. This proposed rule would also delete 21 previously listed marine events, fireworks displays and corresponding regulated areas that no longer occur. These regulations would apply to all events listed in the table attached to the regulation, and include events such as regattas, power boat races, marine parades, swimming races and fireworks displays. Special local regulations and safety zones are being proposed 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 publishing an interim rule with request for comments to conform regulations to the adopted MARPOL Annex V amendments which entered into force on January 1, 2013. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex V (Garbage) amendments prohibiting the discharge of garbage from vessels unless expressly allowed were adopted by the International Maritime Organization's Marine Environmental Protection Committee in July 2011 and implemented domestically through the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. Under this rule, the only allowed discharges will be certain food wastes, cargo residues, cleaning agents and additives in wash waters, and animal carcasses.

The Coast Guard is removing the existing drawbridge operation regulation for the Kansas City Southern (KCS) Railroad drawbridge across Sabine River, mile 36.2, between Newton County, TX and Calcasieu Parish, LA. The drawbridge was converted to a fixed bridge in 2012 and the operating regulation is no longer applicable or necessary.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of CG-CVC Policy Letter 13-01, ``Interim Guidance for Revised MARPOL Annex V Implementation.'' On July 15, 2011, the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) formally adopted Resolution MEPC.201(62), which amends the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex V, by establishing a general prohibition on discharges of garbage into the sea. The amendments in Resolution MEPC.201(62) entered into force on January 1, 2013. CG-CVC Policy Letter 13-01 provides interim guidance to assist U.S. flagged and foreign flagged oceangoing ships regarding compliance with the amendments in Resolution MEPC.201(62) until the Coast Guard updates the applicable regulations in 33 CFR part 151.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in all navigable waters of the Captain of the Port Baltimore Zone. The temporary safety zone restricts vessels from transiting the zone during the effective period, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Baltimore or his designated representative. This safety zone is necessary to protect mariners from the hazards associated with ice in the navigable waterways.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a regulated navigation area (RNA) on the navigable waters of Weymouth Fore River under and surrounding the Fore River Bridge (Mile 3.5) between Weymouth and Quincy, MA until December 31, 2017. This proposed rule would allow the Coast Guard to enforce speed and wake restrictions and prohibit all vessel traffic through the RNA during bridge replacement operations, both planned and unforeseen, that could pose an imminent hazard to persons and vessels operating in the area. This rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life in the regulated area during the construction of the Fore River Bridge.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Sitcum Waterway Security Zone in Commencement Bay, Tacoma, Washington from 6 a.m. on February 23, 2013, through 11:59 p.m. on March 4, 2013, unless cancelled sooner by the Captain of the Port. This action is necessary for the security of Department of Defense assets and military cargo in the navigable waters of Puget Sound and adjacent waters. Entry into this zone is prohibited unless otherwise exempted or excluded under 33 CFR 165.1321 or unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a new anchorage area on the Lower Mississippi River, Above the Head of Passes (AHP), located at the Belmont Light extending from Mile Marker (MM) 152.9 to 154 on the Left Descending Bank (LDB) of the river. The anchorage will double the available anchorage areas in this section of the river, which is necessary to help accommodate increased vessel volume and improve navigational safety for vessels transiting this river section. As discussed below, the Coast Guard decided not to establish a second anchorage at Bayou Goula, as had been proposed.

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

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of Long Island Sound in the vicinity of Mamaroneck Harbor for a fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays. This rule is intended to restrict all vessels from a portion of Long Island Sound before, during, and immediately after the fireworks event.

The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will meet on March 12, 2013 and March 13, 2013 in Houston, TX, to discuss various issues related to the training and fitness of merchant marine personnel. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the draw of the James River Draw Bridge across the James River, mile 5.0, between Isle of Wight and Newport News, VA. This deviation is necessary to facilitate generator replacement on the James River Draw Bridge. This temporary deviation will allow the drawbridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position on specific dates and times.

The Coast Guard will enforce the 2013 California Ironman Triathlon Special Local Regulation located in Oceanside Harbor in Oceanside, California from 6:40 a.m. through 9:30 a.m. on March 30, 2013. This action is necessary to provide to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, sponsor vessels of the event, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, no spectators shall anchor, block, loiter in, or impede the transit of participants or official patrol vessels in the regulated area during the effective dates and times, unless cleared for such entry by Coast Guard Patrol Commander or through an official supporting vessel.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company swing span bridge across Bayou Boeuf, mile 10.2, at Amelia, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. The deviation is necessary to complete scheduled repairs necessitated by a bridge allision. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to- navigation position for sixteen consecutive hours.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the navigable waters of Mission Bay in support of the Sea World San Diego Fireworks. 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.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary special local regulation for a portion of Robertson Lake & O'Leary Lake, Moss Point, MS. This action is necessary for the safeguard of participants and spectators, including all crews, vessels, and persons on navigable waters during the Moss Point Rockin' the Riverfront Festival high speed boat races. Entry into, transiting or anchoring in this area is prohibited to all vessels not registered with the sponsor as participants or not part of the regatta patrol, unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Mobile or a designated representative.

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the operation of the Cape Fear River Memorial Bridge, across the Cape Fear River, mile 26.8, at Wilmington, NC. The deviation is necessary to restrict the operation of the draw span to facilitate the bi-annual trunnion inspection.

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the General Edwards Bridge, mile 1.7, across the Saugus River between Lynn and Revere, Massachusetts. The deviation is necessary to facilitate architectural rehabilitation of the bridge towers. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position to allow scaffolding be attached to the bascule lift span to access work area.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend its regulation requirements for Safety Zones; Annual Events requiring safety zones in the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan zone. This proposed rule is intended to update the list of permanent safety zones regulations. Specifically, this rule proposes to remove one safety zone, amend the locations and/ or enforcement times for eight zones, and add three new zones. The safety zones established by this proposed rule are necessary to protect spectators, participants, and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays, boat races, air shows, and other events.

The Coast Guard proposes to add three new fireworks events and to correct the location of five existing events to ensure public safety during annual firework displays at various locations in the Captain of the Port (COTP), Puget Sound Area of Responsibility (AOR). When these safety zones are activated and subject to enforcement, this rule would limit the movement of vessels within the established firework display areas. These additions and corrections are necessary to prevent injury and to protect life and property of the maritime public from hazards associated with firework displays.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations on the waters of St. Thomas Harbor in St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands during the 2013 International Rolex Regatta, a series of sail boat races. The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, March 22, 2013 through Sunday, March 24, 2013. Approximately 65 sail boats will be participating in the races. It is anticipated that approximately 20 spectator vessels will be present during the races. These special local regulations are necessary for the safety of race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public on the navigable waters of the United States during the event. The special local regulation establishes a race area, where all persons and vessels, except those persons and vessels participating in the sail boat races, are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within unless authorized by the Captain of the Port San Juan or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary safety zones around the following Pacific Northwest Grain Handlers Association facilities: the Columbia Grain facility on the Willamette River in Portland, OR, the United Grain Corporation facility on the Columbia River in Vancouver, WA, the Temco Irving facility on the Willamette River in Portland, OR, and the Temco Kalama facility on the Columbia River in Kalama, WA. These safety zones extend to the waters of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, respectively, approximately between the navigable channel and the facility described. These safety zones are being established to ensure that protest activities relating to an ongoing labor dispute involving these facilities do not create hazardous navigation conditions for vessels in the navigable channel or vessels attempting to moor at the facilities.

This notice requests comments from facility owners and operators, State and local law enforcement agencies, port authorities, relevant security industry participants, and all other interested members of the public regarding how to best implement Section 822 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010. In particular, this notice discusses the Coast Guard's preliminary thoughts on how owners or operators of certain facilities might make their Facility Vulnerability Assessments available to certain law enforcement agencies and port authorities, and integrate their facility security systems with compatible systems operated or maintained by certain law enforcement agencies and the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation on the waters of Rada Fajardo in Fajardo, Puerto Rico during the Fajardo Offshore Grand Prix, a high speed boat race. The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 17, 2013. Approximately 30 high-speed power boats will be participating in the races. It is anticipated that 25 spectator crafts will be present during the races. The special local regulation is necessary for the safety of race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public during the event. The special local regulation will establish the following three areas: One 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 buffer zone around the race areas, where all persons and vessels, except those persons and vessels enforcing the buffer zone or transiting to the race area, are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within; and a spectator area, where all vessels are prohibited from anchoring and from traveling in excess of wake speed, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port San Juan or a designated representative.