Coast Guard 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is amending and updating its safety zones relating to recurring fireworks shows and other events that take place in the Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley area of responsibility (AOR). This rule informs the public of regularly scheduled events that require additional safety measures through the establishing of a safety zone. Through this rulemaking the current list of recurring safety zones is updated with revisions, additional events, and removal of events that no longer take place in Sector Ohio Valley's AOR. When these safety zones are enforced, certain restrictions are placed on marine traffic in specified areas.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone in the navigable waters of Charleston, SC. This safety zone is necessary to protect the public from hazards associated with launching fireworks over navigable waters of the United States. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is amending the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to reflect its renaming of Coast Guard Sector Baltimore as Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region. These conforming amendments are necessary to ensure the CFR accurately reflects the new command name changes that were approved September 17, 2015. These amendments are not expected to have a substantive impact on the public.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for the Sea World Fireworks on the waters of Mission Bay, CA on specific evenings from Memorial Day to Labor Day. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, spectators, official vessels of the events, and general users of the waterway. Our regulation for the southern California annual fireworks for the San Diego Captain of the Port Zone identifies the regulated area for the events. During the enforcement period, no spectators shall anchor, block, loiter in, or impede the transit of official patrol vessels in the regulated area without the approval of the Captain of the Port, or designated representative.

The Coast Guard is updating the regulation that governs recurring special local regulations in the Seventh Coast Guard District. These regulations will apply to all recurring events held on navigable waters of the Seventh District, such as regattas and parades. This update is to ensure that all known recurring marine events are included in the final regulation and to allow respective Captains of the Port greater ease in enacting or modifying those portions of the regulation which apply to their respective areas.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish regulated navigation areas (RNA) covering the St. Marys Entrance Channel, portions of the Cumberland Sound, and the Atlantic Ocean, that will be in effect whenever any Navy submarine (foreign or domestic) is being escorted by the Coast Guard and operating within the jurisdictional waters of the Sector Jacksonville Captain of the Port Zone. These RNAs are necessary to help ensure the safety and security of submarines, their Coast Guard escorts, and the public. The RNAs will do so by requiring all persons and vessels located within a RNA to follow orders and/or directions given to them by Coast Guard escort personnel. Additionally, these proposed RNAs will supersede the current temporary safety/security zone for Cumberland Sound, Georgia and St. Mary's River Entrance Channel. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a special local regulation for all waters of the Cumberland River beginning at mile marker 190.0 and ending at mile marker 191.5 from 9 a.m. until noon on July 30, 2016. This proposed special regulation is necessary to provide safety for the participants in the ``Music City SUP Race'' marine event. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the special local regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Ohio Valley or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation on the navigable waters of the East River and Upper New York Bay Manhattan and Brooklyn, NY for on water vessel management associated with the Macy's 4th of July fireworks show. This Special Local Regulation allows the Coast Guard to enforce spectator vessel movement and prohibit all vessel traffic from entering the fireworks barge buffer zone during times when the associated event 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 and to establish public viewing areas during the event.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation controlling movement of vessels for certain waters of the Maumee River. This action is necessary and is intended to ensure safety of life on navigable waters to be used for a rowing event immediately prior to, during, and immediately after this event. This regulation requires vessels to maintain a minimum speed for safe navigation and maneuvering.

The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations for a marine event taking place in the Tred Avon River, between Bellevue, MD and Oxford, MD on June 12, 2016. The date of this enforcement action has changed because the event was postponed by the sponsor due to inclement weather. This action is necessary to ensure safety of life on navigable waters during this event. Our regulation for Recurring Marine Events within the Fifth Coast Guard District identifies the regulated area for this marine event. During the enforcement period, the Coast Guard Patrol Commander or designated Marine Event Patrol may forbid and control the movement of all vessels in the regulated area.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Smith Point Bridge, mile 6.1, across Narrow Bay, at Suffolk County, New York. This temporary deviation is necessary to facility public safety during a public event, the annual 5K Run for Literacy.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Long Beach Bridge, mile 4.7, across Reynolds Channel, at Nassau, New York. This temporary deviation is necessary to facility public safety during a public event, the Annual Salute to Veterans and Fireworks Display.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone for all water extending 300 feet from the left descending bank into the Ohio River from mile 42.5 to mile 43.0. This proposed rule would be needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a land based fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone would be prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Pittsburgh (COTP) or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard published a notice in the Federal Register on June 2, 2016, announcing a Towing Safety Advisory Committee meeting, via teleconference. That notice listed the wrong day of the week for the date of the meeting. The notice should have stated, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. This notice removes the incorrect day-of-the-week reference.

The Coast Guard is establishing two special local regulations for two separate marine events within the Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound (LIS) Captain of the Port (COTP) Zone. This temporary final rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during these events. Entry into, transit through, mooring or anchoring within these regulated areas is prohibited unless authorized by COTP Sector Long Island Sound.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Interstate 5 (I-5) Bridges across the Columbia River, mile 106.5, between Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. The deviation is necessary to facilitate the movement of heavier than normal roadway traffic associated with the Independence Day fireworks show near the I-5 Bridges. This deviation allows the bridges to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the event.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone in the navigable waters of Myrtle Beach, SC. This safety zone is necessary to protect the public from hazards associated with launching fireworks over navigable waters of the United States. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard will enforce various safety zones for annual marine events in the Captain of the Port Detroit zone from 9:20 p.m. on May 29, 2016 through 9:45 p.m. on September 4, 2016. Enforcement of these zones is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and immediately after these fireworks events. During the aforementioned period, the Coast Guard will enforce restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in a specified area immediately prior to, during, and immediately after fireworks events. During each enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the respective safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone in the navigable waters of Charleston, SC. This safety zone is necessary to protect the public from hazards associated with launching fireworks over navigable waters of the United States. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters of Portland Harbor and Casco Bay to be enforced during the Casco Bay Islands Swim/Run marine event. The event involves athletes tethered together by a line in which they will run and swim on and between eight islands of the Casco Bay archipelago. This safety zone will facilitate the protection of the event participants, their support vessels, and the maritime public from the hazards associated with the event. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from entering into, transiting through, mooring, or anchoring within this safety zone during periods of enforcement unless authorized by the Coast Guard Sector Northern New England Captain of the Port (COTP) or the COTP's designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard will enforce various safety zones within the Captain of the Port New York Zone on the specified dates and times. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of vessels and spectators from hazards associated with fireworks displays. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the safety zones without permission of the Captain of the Port (COTP).

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of Raritan Bay near Perth Amboy, NJ 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 Raritan Bay during the fireworks event unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) New York or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is amending and updating its annual and recurring safety zones that take place in the Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River area of responsibility (AOR). This regulation informs the public of regularly scheduled events that require additional safety measures through establishing a safety zone. Through this interim rule the current list of recurring safety zones is updated with revisions, additional events, and removal of events that no longer take place; and we are requesting comments on additional changes necessary to update the permanent list of recurring safety zones in Sector Upper Mississippi River's AOR. When these safety zones are enforced, vessel traffic is restricted from specified areas. Additionally, this one rulemaking project serves to provide notice of the known recurring safety zones throughout the year.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of Change-2 to Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 04-08, ``Medical and Physical Evaluation Guidelines for Merchant Mariner Credentials'' (NVIC 04-08). Change-2 to NVIC 04-08 contains revisions to Enclosure (1) Medical Certification Standards, Enclosure (4) Medications, and Enclosure (6) Medical Review Process. The revisions to Enclosures (1) and (6) reflect process and procedural changes related to centralization of the evaluation of credential applications at the National Maritime Center and implementation of the final rule that aligned Coast Guard regulations with amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers and made changes to national endorsements. The revisions to Enclosure (4) provide more detailed guidance on medications that are subject to further review, and address comments received in response to a notice published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2015 seeking input from the public on this issue.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Columbia River in the vicinity of Howard Amon Park, Richland, WA, between River Miles 337 and 338, during hydroplane boat races from June 3, 2016, through June 5, 2016. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters of the Columbia River during the event. This regulation prohibits persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Columbia River or a designated representative.