Coast Guard 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Sackets Harbor, Sackets Harbor, NY for a triathlon event. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect swimmers from vessels operating in the area. This safety zone will restrict vessels from a portion of Lake Ontario during the swimming portion of the IncreDoubleman Triathlon event.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone within the navigable waters of Thompson Bay in Lake Havasu, AZ in support of the Lucas Oil Thunder on the River high speed boat race. This safety zone is established to help ensure the safety of participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and users of the waterway. Unauthorized 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 their designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating schedule that governs the Amtrak Bridge across the Thames River, mile 3.0, at New London, Connecticut. Under this notice of proposed rulemaking the bridge would open to 75 feet above mean high water instead of the full open position of 135.3 feet unless a full bridge opening is requested. It is expected that this change to the regulations will create efficiency in drawbridge operations while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a special local regulation on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in the vicinity of Clearwater Beach, Florida during the Clearwater Super Boat National Championship. The race is scheduled to take place annually from approximately 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily during the last Saturday and Sunday of September. The proposed special local regulation is necessary to protect 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 would restrict vessel traffic in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in the vicinity of Clearwater, Florida. It would establish the following three areas: a 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 spectator area, where all vessels must be anchored or operate at No Wake Speed; and an enforcement area where designated representatives may control vessel traffic as determined by the prevailing conditions.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations on the waters of Lake Dora in Tavares, Florida, during the Hydrocross, a series of high-speed personal watercraft races. The event is scheduled to take place on September 13 and 14, 2014. Approximately 50 vessels are anticipated to participate in the races. This special local regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of life on navigable waters of the United States during the races.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in the waters off of Tarague Basin, Anderson AFB, Guam, for the safety of waterway users, during U.S. Air Force explosive ordnance disposal operations. The U.S. Air Force plans to engage in explosive ordnance disposal operations starting in August 2014, and continue to do so at varying times weekly, for an indefinite duration. The safety zone is activated, and therefore subject to enforcement, during these operations. When the safety zone is activated for enforcement, all entry into the safety zone (including vessels and persons) is prohibited except by permission from the Captain of the Port or his designated representative. The Coast Guard is implementing this interim rule for the safety of mariners; we encourage comments on this rulemaking as to how we may improve the rule.

The Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee will meet to discuss matters relating to medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, merchant mariners' documents, medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels, medical examiner education, and medical research. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a Special Local Regulation for a series of powerboat races located in the Captain of the Port Detroit Zone on the Detroit River, Detroit, Michigan. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on navigable waters during this event. This special local regulation will establish restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in a portion of the Detroit River during the Detroit Offshore Grand Prix events.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a regulated navigation area for waters of Lake Michigan within 5 nautical miles from shore from the Chicago Harbor Lock, Chicago, Illinois to Calumet Harbor, Chicago, Illinois. This regulated navigation area is intended to allow barges to transit an alternate route on a portion of Lake Michigan due to the temporary closure of the Thomas J. O'Brien Lock on RM 326.5 on the Calumet River. This proposed regulated navigation area is necessary to ensure vessel safety and facilitate commerce.

The Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee will meet in Providence, Rhode Island to discuss various issues relating to safety in the commercial fishing industry. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone around the Gulfstar 1 SPAR, Mississippi Canyon Block 724 on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of the safety zone is to protect the facility from vessels operating outside the normal shipping channels and fairways. Placing a safety zone around the facility will significantly reduce the threat of allisions, oil spills, and releases of natural gas, and thereby protect the safety of life, property, and the environment.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Shallowbag Bay, Manteo, NC. This action is necessary to protect the life and property of the maritime public from the hazards posed by fireworks displays. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Shallowbag Bay River during the Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival Fireworks display.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the Fox River in Menasha, Wisconsin. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of the Fox 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 has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the operation of the Southport SR27 Bridge across Townsend Gut, mile 0.7, between Boothbay Harbor and Southport, Maine. The bridge owner, Maine Department of Transportation will be performing structural repairs at the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to operate on a temporary schedule for eleven weeks to facilitate scheduled bridge maintenance.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Venice Avenue Bridge, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, mile 56.6, Venice, FL. This temporary operating schedule will allow the bridge to not open to navigation including tugs with tows, during the Sarasota Iron Man Triathlon scheduled for the second Sunday of November, for the safety of the participants.

The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee will meet in Baltimore, Maryland to discuss various issues relating to national maritime security. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard will enforce Special Local Regulations for the Southern Professional Outboard Racing Tour (S.P.O.R.T.) boat races to be held on the Sabine River in Orange, TX from 3 p.m. on September 19, 2014, through 6 p.m. on September 21, 2014. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, non-participating vessels and other users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, the Coast Guard Patrol Commander will enforce restrictions upon, and control the movement of, vessels in the zone established by the Special Local Regulation.

On October 1, 2012, the Coast Guard published a Notice of Availability and Request for Public Comment regarding a petition for a rulemaking action. The petition requested that the Coast Guard establish a load line-exempted route in the Gulf of Mexico, along the western coast of Florida. Upon review of the comments as well as analysis of safety considerations and other factors described in the discussion section, the Coast Guard has decided not to proceed with the requested rulemaking. The public comments, and the Coast Guard's reasoning for its decision, are discussed in this notice.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Southern Railroad Drawbridge across the Tennessee River, mile 304.4, at Decatur, Alabama. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner time to replace and adjust the down haul operating ropes that are essential to the continued safe operation of the drawbridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position and not open to vessel traffic.

The United States Coast Guard proposes to establish a regulated navigation area (RNA) on the navigable waters of the Piscataqua River under and surrounding the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge between Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, ME. This RNA 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, which could pose an imminent hazard to persons and vessels operating in the area. This rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters during bridge structural repair operations.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Montlake Bridge across the Lake Washington Ship Canal, mile 5.2, at Seattle, WA. The deviation continues to allow the Washington State Department of Transportation to accommodate vehicular traffic attending football games, and maintain the bridge in the closed to navigation position. This deviation modifies the previously approved deviation under the same docket number.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the passenger vessel CHICAGO'S CLASSIC LADY as required by 33 U.S.C. 1605(c) and 33 CFR 81.18.

The Coast Guard is changing the enforcement period of a security zone regulation within the Baltimore COTP Zone. This regulation applies to a recurring event that takes place on the William P. Lane Jr. Memorial Bridges, across the Chesapeake Bay, between Sandy Point and Kent Island, MD. This action is necessary to protect persons and property, and prevent terrorist acts or incidents on navigable waters during the event. This rule prohibits vessels and people from entering the security zone and requires vessels and persons in the security zone to depart the security zone, unless specifically exempt under the provisions in this rule or granted specific permission from the Coast Guard Captain of the Port Baltimore.

The Coast Guard will enforce a special local regulation for the Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta on the Ohio River, from mile 90.2 to 90.8, extending the entire width of the river. This zone will be in effect on August 30-31, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. This regulated area is necessary to protect vessels participating in the event and event spectators from the hazards associated with a boat race on the waterway. During the enforcement period, entry into, transiting, or anchoring in the safety zone is prohibited to all vessels not registered with the sponsor as participants or official patrol vessels, unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Pittsburgh or a designated representative.

The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee will meet to discuss various issues related to the training and fitness of merchant marine personnel. This meeting will be open to the public.