Coast Guard 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard has modified a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the I695 Bridge, at mile 1.0, across Curtis Creek, Baltimore, MD. This modified deviation is necessary to remove, repair and replace the inner and outer loop locking bar and couplings. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to- navigation position.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Chapel Street Bridge across the Mill River, mile 0.4 at New Haven, Connecticut. This deviation is necessary to complete mortar and fender repairs as well as structural steel work. This deviation allows the bridge to open for the passage of vessels upon 2 hours of advance notice.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Ohio River, surface to bottom, extending from miles 803.5 to 804.5. This temporary safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Henderson, KY, during the Henderson Breakfast Lions Club Tri-Fest fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Ohio Valley or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the subject safety zone for the Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce's Monongahela 4th of July Celebration on the Monongahela River, from mile marker (MM) 32.0 to MM 33.0, extending the entire width of the river. The zone is needed to protect vessels transiting the area and event spectators from the hazards associated with the Celebration's land-based firework display. 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 Pittsburgh (COTP) or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary regulated area during the inbound and outbound transit of the tall ships participating in the Festival of Sail to be held on the waters of Coos Bay. This action is necessary to safeguard participants and spectators from the hazards associated with the limited maneuverability of tall ships and to ensure public safety during their transit. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations for certain waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters located between Sandy Point, Anne Arundel County, MD and Kent Island, Queen Anne's County, MD, during a paddling event on April 29, 2017. This rulemaking will prohibit persons and vessels from entering the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or Coast Guard Patrol Commander.

The Coast Guard is publishing this notice to satisfy a requirement of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century that a detailed accounting of the projects, programs, and activities funded under the national recreational boating safety program provision of the Act be published annually in the Federal Register. This notice specifies the funding amounts the Coast Guard has committed, obligated, or expended during fiscal year 2016, as of September 30, 2016. In 1999, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century made $5 million per year available for the payment of Coast Guard expenses for personnel and activities directly related to coordinating and carrying out the national recreational boating safety program. In 2005, the law was amended, and the amount was increased to $5.5 million. In 2015, the law was amended again which resulted in the consolidation of the $5.5 million and the two percent amount made available under 46 U.S.C. Chapter 131, Section 13107(2). For Fiscal Year 2016 the amount allocated to the Coast Guard under Public Law 114-94, Section 10001(2) was $7.7 million.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Henry Ford Avenue railroad bridge across Cerritos Channel, mile 4.8 at Long Beach, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to replace the operating machinery of the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Stratford Avenue Bridge across Yellow Mill Channel, mile 0.3 at Bridgeport, Connecticut. This deviation is necessary to complete electrical repairs, install new rebar and concrete, repair/replace structural steel, and retrofit navigation lighting. This deviation allows the bridge to remain fully closed for two weeks followed by a two-week period during which the bridge will open for vessels upon 72 hours of advance notice.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend the regulations established for recurring marine events and fireworks displays that take place within the Fifth Coast Guard District area of responsibility. This proposed rule would revise the listing of events that informs the public of regularly scheduled marine parades, regattas, other organized water events, and fireworks displays that require additional safety measures provided by regulations. Through this rulemaking, the list of recurring marine events requiring special local regulations or safety zones would be updated with revisions, additional events, and removal of events that no longer take place in the Fifth Coast Guard District. When these regulations are enforced, certain restrictions are placed on marine traffic in specified areas. This rulemaking project promotes efficiency by eliminating the need to produce a separate rule for each individual recurring event, and serves to provide notice of the known recurring events requiring a special local regulation or safety zone throughout the year. This proposed rule would also remove regulations that are no longer effective or required. We invite your comments on this rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is issuing this interim rule to update the table of outboard engine weights used in calculating safe loading capacities and required amounts of flotation material. The engine weight table was last updated in 1984, and the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 requires that we update the table to reflect a specific standard.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify its calculations for hourly pilotage rates on the Great Lakes by accounting for the ``weighting factor,'' which is a multiplier that can increase the pilotage costs for larger vessels traversing areas in the Great Lakes by a factor of up to 1.45. While the weighting factor has existed for decades, it has never been included in any of the previous ratemaking calculations. We propose to add steps to our rate-setting methodology to adjust hourly rates downwards by an amount equal to the average weighting factor, so that when the weighting factor is applied, the cost to the shippers and the corresponding revenue generated for the pilot associations will adjust to what was originally intended. We note that until a final rule is produced, the 2016 rates will stay in effect, even if a final rule is not published by the start of the 2017 season.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish safety zones for certain waters within the Sector Key West Captain of the Port (COTP) Zone. This action would establish safety zones around firework platforms, structures, or barges during the storage, preparation, and launching of fireworks. The proposed rule is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, participant vessels, and the general public on the navigable waters of the United States during the fireworks displays. This proposed rule would allow the Coast Guard to restrict persons and vessels, except those participating in the event, from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the regulated area unless authorized by the COTP Key West or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for the Start of the Chicago to Mackinac Race on a portion of Lake Michigan on July 15, 2017. This action is intended to ensure the safety of life on the navigable waterway immediately before, during, and after this event. During the enforcement period listed below, no vessel may transit this safety zone without approval from the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the navigable waters surrounding the entry of lava from Kilauea volcano into the Pacific Ocean on the southeast side of the Island of Hawaii, HI. The safety zone will encompass all waters extending 300 meters (984 feet) in all directions around all entry points of lava flow into the ocean. The entry points of the lava vary, and the safety zone will vary accordingly. The safety zone is needed to protect persons and vessels from the potential hazards associated with molten lava entering the ocean resulting in explosions of large chunks of hot rock and debris upon impact, collapses of the sea cliff into the ocean, hot lava arching out and falling into the ocean, and the release of toxic gases. Entry of persons or vessels into this safety zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Honolulu or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone on the Spring Lake in Spring Lake, MI in the vicinity of Keenan Marina within a rectangle that is approximately 6,300 by 300 feet for the Lubbers Cup Regatta on April 8, 2017 and April 9, 2017. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and after the Regatta. During the aforementioned period, the Coast Guard will enforce restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in the safety zone. No person or vessel may enter the safety zone while it is being enforced without permission of the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Patapsco River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters of the Inner Harbor at Baltimore, MD, during a fireworks display on April 8, 2017. This action will prohibit persons and vessels from entering the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Thunder Over the Boardwalk Air show special local regulation from 11 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. on August 22-23, 2017. This action is necessary to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters of the United States immediately prior to, during, and immediately after this air show. During the enforcement period, and in accordance with the special local regulations, no vessel or person may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area unless authorized by Captain of the Port Delaware Bay or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the SR 529 highway bridges, north and south bound, across the Snohomish River, mile 3.6 near Everett, WA, and the SR 529 highway bridges, north and south bound, across Steamboat Slough, mile 1.1 and 1.2, near Marysville, WA. This deviation is necessary to accommodate the Everett Half Marathon run event. The deviation allows the bridges to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the marathon to allow safe movement of event participants.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend its safety zones regulations for annual events in the Captain of the Port Duluth Zone. This final rule would update the locations for seven safety zones, add two new safety zones, increase the safety zone radius of six existing fireworks events, and modify the format of the regulation to list the annual events and corresponding safety zones in table form. These proposed amendments will protect spectators, participants, and vessels from the hazards associated with annual marine events and improve the clarity and readability of the regulation.

The U.S. Coast Guard is establishing a temporary moving safety zone in the Port of Long Beach around the M/V ZHEN HUA 28. This temporary safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the waterway users and the M/V ZHEN HUA 28 during the vessel's transit into the Port Long Beach, its stay at Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT), and its outbound transit departing LBCT. Entry of persons or vessels into this temporary safety zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Los Angeles-Long Beach, or her designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a special local regulation for all waters of the Cumberland River beginning at mile marker 189.0 and ending at mile marker 193.0 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on May 13, 4 a.m. until 6 p.m. on May 14, and 4 a.m. until 3 p.m. on May 15, 2017. This proposed special regulation is necessary to provide safety for the participants in the ``ACRA Henley'' 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 has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the S37 Bridge across the Barnegat Bay, mile 14.1, New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, at Seaside Heights, NJ. This deviation is necessary to perform bridge maintenance and repairs. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the waters of the Charleston Harbor in Charleston, SC during the Charleston Race Week from April 20, 2017 through April 23, 2017. Charleston Race Week is a series of sail boat races in the Charleston Harbor. The safety zone is necessary to ensure the safety of participants, spectators, and the general public during the event. This regulation prohibits persons and vessels from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the safety zones unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative.