Coast Guard 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the State Highway 4 Drawbridge across Old River, mile 14.8 between Victoria Island and Byron Tract, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to make critical repairs to the bridge gears. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard is temporarily modifying the operating schedule that governs the operation of the Route 1 & 9 (Lincoln Highway) Bridge across the Hackensack River, mile 2.0, between Kearny and Jersey City, New Jersey. The bridge owner, New Jersey Department of Transportation, submitted a request to restrict bridge openings during the morning and afternoon rush hour periods to alleviate traffic congestion resulting from area roadway closures. It is expected that this change to the regulations would provide relief to vehicular traffic while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary regulated navigation area (RNA) for all waters of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) between miles 0.0 and 109.9. This RNA is needed to protect persons, property, and infrastructure from potential damage and safety hazards associated with subsurface rock removal in the Upper Mississippi River. Any deviation from the conditions and requirements put into place are prohibited unless specifically authorized by the cognizant Captain of the Port (COTP) Ohio Valley or his designated representatives.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating schedule that governs the Hatchett Creek (US-41) Twin Bridges, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway mile 56.9, Venice, FL. Changing the operational scheduled of the Hatchett Creek (US-41) Twin Bridges will allow the Iron Man Triathlon event to be unimpeded for an eight hour period. This event is anticipated to be scheduled on the second Sunday of November annually from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Coast Guard will enforce the special local regulations in 33 CFR 100.1101 during the San Diego Parade of Lights, held on December 8, 2013 and December 15, 2013. This event occurs on the San Diego Bay in San Diego, CA. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, sponsor vessels of the parade, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to update the list of marine events that occur annually within the Eleventh Coast Guard District. These updates include adding specific marine events to the list of marine events held annually in the Eleventh Coast Guard District as well as removing marine events that no longer occur. In addition to updating the list of marine events held annually in the Eleventh Coast Guard District, the Coast Guard proposes to amend the special local regulations by standardizing the language and format of listed events. When these special local regulations are activated, and thus subject to enforcement, this proposed rule would restrict vessels from transiting inside the regulated area.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the S168 Bridge (Battlefield Boulevard) across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, mile 12.0, at Chesapeake (Great Bridge), VA. The deviation is necessary to accommodate the annual Christmas parade. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position for the set up of the event and the duration of the Christmas parade.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating schedule that governs the Treasure Island Causeway Bridge, mile 119.0, Treasure Island, Florida. The Treasure Island Bridge is a double-leaf bascule bridge that provides a vertical clearance of 21 feet in the closed position. The Treasure Island Bridge crosses the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at mile 119.0, Treasure Island, Pinellas County, Florida. Changing the schedule from on signal to three times an hour during the week and twice an hour on the weekends and Federal holidays between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. will reduce vehicle traffic issues caused by the bridge openings. Between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. the bridge will continue to open only on signal.

The Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) and its Subcommittees and Working Groups will meet on December 10 through 12, 2013, in Washington, DC, to discuss marine transportation of hazardous materials. The meetings will be open to the public.

By this direct final rule, the Coast Guard is amending the restricted anchorage areas of San Nicolas Island, California. At the request of the United States Navy, the Coast Guard will remove the west area anchorage restriction and decrease the size of the east area anchorage restriction (see figure 1 located in the docket). After these amendments are finalized, the restricted anchorage at San Nicolas Island will accurately reflect the needs and operational use of the United States Navy.

The Coast Guard is adding three new permanent safety zones in the Coast Guard Captain of the Port Boston Zone. When subject to enforcement, these permanent safety zones will restrict vessels from portions of water areas during certain annually recurring marine events. These three new permanent safety zones will ensure the protection of the maritime public and event participants from the hazards associated with these annual recurring events.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (State Route 520) across Lake Washington at Seattle, WA. The deviation is necessary to accommodate vehicular traffic attending football games at Husky Stadium at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position two hours before and two hours after each game.

On September 30, 2013, the Coast Guard amended regulations on response plans for nontank vessels. The amendment triggered information collection requirements affecting an existing OMB-approved information collection requirement on vessel and facility response plans. This notice announces that the collection of information has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and can now be enforced. The OMB control number is 1625-0066.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the I64 Bridge across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, South Branch of the Elizabeth River, mile 7.1, at Chesapeake, VA. This deviation is necessary to facilitate maintenance work on the rotary span limit switches. This temporary deviation allows the drawbridge to remain in the closed to navigation position.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the Path (Railroad) Bridge across the Hackensack River, mile 3.0, at Jersey City, New Jersey. Under this temporary deviation, the bridge may remain in the closed position for 26 consecutive weekends to facilitate bridge repairs.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the Atlantic Beach Bridge, mile 0.4, across Reynolds Channel, at Lawrence, New York. This temporary deviation authorizes the Atlantic Beach Bridge to operate under an alternate schedule for 29 days, to complete bridge rehabilitation.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Alford Street (Rt-99) Bridge across the Mystic River, mile 1.4, between Boston and Everett, Massachusetts. The bridge owner, the City of Boston, and Massachusetts Department of Transportation will be performing electrical repairs and structural rehabilitation at the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for six months to facilitate scheduled bridge rehabilitation.

The Coast Guard will enforce a segment of the Safety Zone; Brandon Road Lock and Dam to Lake Michigan including Des Plaines River, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Chicago River, Calumet-Saganashkee Channel on all waters of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal from Mile Marker 296.1 to Mile Marker 296.7 at specified times on each day from November 4 through November 8, and again on November 13, 2013. This action is necessary to protect the waterway, waterway users, and vessels from the hazards associated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dispersal barriers performance testing, as well as the Illinois Department of Natural Resources netting and electro-fishing operations. During any of the enforcement periods listed below, entry into, transiting, mooring, laying-up or anchoring within the enforced area of this safety zone by any person or vessel is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Lake Michigan, or his designated representative.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding Information Collection Requests (ICRs), abstracted below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval of revisions to the following collections of information: 1625-0074, Direct User Fees for Inspection or Examination of U.S. and Foreign Commercial Vessels; 1625-0084, Audit Reports under the International Safety Management Code and 1625-0093, Facilities Transferring Oil or Hazardous Materials in BulkLetter of Intent and Operations Manual. Our ICRs describe 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 has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Hannibal Railroad Drawbridge across the Upper Mississippi River, mile 309.9, at Hannibal, Missouri. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner time to replace critical control components that are essential to the continued safe operation of the drawbridge. The work is scheduled in the winter, when the impact on navigation is minimal, instead of scheduling the work at other times in the year, when river traffic is prevalent. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position for 39 days.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the SR 170/Centerville Turnpike Bridge, at AICW mile 15.2, across Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, at Chesapeake, VA. The deviation is necessary to facilitate structural repairs to the superstructure of the SR 170/Centerville Turnpike Bridge. This temporary deviation will allow the drawbridge to change the operating schedule on specific dates and times.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that governs the New Jersey State Route 44 lift bridge over the Mantua Creek, mile marker 1.7, at Paulsboro, NJ. Bridge tender logs from 2007- 2013 indicates that the majority of the marine traffic transits Mantua Creek during the summer months. To better align the operating schedule to meet the needs of both land and marine traffic, the proposed change would reduce the number of months the bridge is required to open on signal during the early spring and fall of each year.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that governs the U.S. Route 130 lift Bridge over Raccoon Creek at mile marker 1.8 in Bridgeport, NJ. Bridge tender logs from 2007-2013 indicates that the majority of the marine traffic transits Raccoon Creek during the summer months. To better align the operating schedule to meet the needs of both land and marine traffic, the proposed change would reduce the number of months the bridge is required to open on signal during the early spring and fall of each year.

The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will meet on November 14, 2013 via teleconference, to discuss Task Statement 85, Review of Draft Update to Marine Safety Manual (Volume III), Chapters 20 through 26. This meeting will be open to the public.

The National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (NOSAC) will meet on November 13 and 14, 2013, in Houston, TX, to discuss various issues related to safety of operations and other matters affecting the oil and gas offshore industry. These meetings are open to the public.