Coast Guard 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary safety zone on the waters of St. Thomas Harbor in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands during the Corp. Event Finale UHC firework display. The safety zone is necessary to protect the public from the hazards associated with launching fireworks over navigable waters of the United States. The event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, April 24, 2013, and will entail a barge being positioned near the St. Thomas Harbor channel from which fireworks will be lit.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in Bucksport, South Carolina during the Outboard Drag Boat Association (ODBA) dragging on the Waccamaw, a series of high-speed boat races. The event is scheduled to take place on 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 22, 2013, through 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 23, 2013. Approximately 50 high-speed race boats are anticipated to participate in the races. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on navigable waters of the United States during the event. These special local regulations would temporarily restrict vessel traffic in a portion of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Persons and vessels that are not participating in the races would be prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the restricted area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Tower Drawbridge across Sacramento River, mile 59.0, at Sacramento, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the community to participate in the Ninth Annual Shamrock footrace. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the event.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the West Bay Bridge across West Bay, mile 1.2, Osterville, Massachusetts. Under this temporary deviation, the bridge may remain in the closed position three months to facilitate scheduled bridge repairs.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the Manitowoc River in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of the Manitowoc River due to a fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect the surrounding public and vessels from the hazards associated with the fireworks display.

The Coast Guard is changing the drawbridge operation regulation that governs the operation of the New England Central Railroad Bridge across Missisquoi Bay, mile 105.6, at Swanton, Vermont, and removing the regulation for the SR78 highway bridge at mile 105.9. The owner of the New England Central Railroad Bridge has requested to operate the bridge from a remote location, at St. Albans, Vermont. It is expected that this change to the regulations will provide relief to the bridge owner from crewing the bridge while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Towing Safety Advisory Committee will meet in New York City, New York, March 21 and 22, 2013, to review and discuss recommendations from its subcommittees, and to receive tasking and briefs listed in the agenda in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. The subcommittees will meet March 20, 2012, and work on seven assigned tasks listed in the referenced agenda. All meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Lapalco Boulevard bascule span drawbridge across the Harvey Canal Route, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), mile 2.8 at New Orleans, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The deviation is necessary to change out the four drive panels for the motors that operate the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain closed to navigation for seven consecutive days.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend its regulations to separately list an annual fee for renewals of endorsements upon the Certificate of Documentation. The Coast Guard is required to establish user fees for services related to the documentation of vessels. This proposed rule would separately list a fee of $26 to cover the current costs of the vessel documentation services provided by the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Parker International Water Ski Race Special Local Regulation located upon the Colorado River from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. on March 9 and March 10, 2013. The event will cover an area beginning at the Blue Water Marina in Parker, AZ, and extending approximately 10 miles to La Paz County Park. This action is necessary provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, sponsor vessels of the race, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, no spectators shall anchor, block, loiter in, or impede the through transit of participants or official patrol vessels in the regulated area during the effective dates and times, unless cleared for such entry by or through an official patrol vessel.

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.