Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee (Committee) and its subcommittees will conduct a series of meetings over 2 days in Galveston, Texas to discuss issues relating to medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, merchant mariners' documents, and merchant mariner credentials; medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels; medical examiner education; and medical research.

The Coast Guard published a temporary interim rule in the Federal Register on May 2, 2024, concerning several safety zones offshore of Martha's Vineyard. That document contained an incorrect phone number. This document corrects that phone number.

The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations for the 86th Annual Brunswick Blessing of the Fleet event on May 11, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Seventh Coast Guard District identifies the regulated area for this event in Brunswick, GA. During the enforcement periods, no person or vessel may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area unless authorized by the Coast Guard Patrol Commander or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation (SLR) for certain navigable waters of the Red River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Shreveport, Louisiana, during high-speed powerboat races from May 24, 2024 through May 26, 2024. This rulemaking prohibits persons and vessels from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Lower Mississippi River or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary security zone for certain waters of Lake Erie off Mentor Headlands Beach State Park, Mentor, Ohio. This action is necessary to provide offshore security for motion picture production activity on the Mentor Headlands Beach from June 17 through June 18, and June 20 through June 21, 2024. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from entering this security zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Eastern Great Lakes or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish temporary safety zones for certain waters of Lake Erie, Cleveland Harbor, and the Cuyahoga River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Cleveland, Ohio during the 2024 Pan-American Masters Games (Aquatic Sporting Events) from July 12 through July 15, 2024. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from entering these safety zones unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Eastern Great Lakes or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled "Establish Anchorage Ground; Port Westward Anchorage, Columbia River, Oregon and Washington," published on December 28, 2023. Reopening the comment period will allow additional time for the public to review and submit comments on the proposed rule.

The Coast Guard is altering the operating schedule that governs the Atlantic Beach Bridge across the Reynolds Channel, mile 0.4, at Atlantic Beach, NY. The bridge owner, Nassau County Bridge Authority, submitted a request on September 22, 2022 to modify the regulation to decrease the amount of openings on signal from October through May. On November 16, 2023 Nassau County Bridge Authority sent an additional request to add a bridge tower call number and remove outdated language. It is expected that this change to the regulations will better serve the needs of the community while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 210-foot radius of Bicentennial Tower at Dobbins Landing in Erie, PA. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the fireworks display. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the respective safety zone without the permission of the Captain of Port Eastern Great Lakes or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of Seddon Channel in Tampa Bay, Tampa, Florida during the US Special Operations Command capabilities demonstration (CAPE DEMO). The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by airborne and waterborne activities occurring during the exercise. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP), St. Petersburg or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters of the Gulf of Mexico in Panama City, FL. The safety zone is needed to protect mariners from the hazards associated with the 2024 Gulf Coast Salute Airshow. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Mobile (COTP) or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation for certain waters of the Bush River and Otter Point Creek, in Maryland. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters located at Edgewood, MD during a high-speed power boat race on May 11, 2024, and May 12, 2024. This regulation prohibits persons and vessels (other than those already at berth at the time the regulation takes effect) from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Maryland-National Capital Region (COTP), or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 500-yard radius of Tug Nancy Anne, Tug Champion, Tug General, Tug WM. Boyd, Tug Shirley Ann, crew boat Timmy V., barges Koko II, Koko III, Koko IV, MM 141, MM 142, D Barge 2002, D Barge 2006, and D Barge 2007. The safety zone is needed to protect the vessels while laying stones to protect exposed sections of 138kV Submarine Power Cables in the Straits of Mackinac, MI. Entry of vessels into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Northern Great Lakes.

The Coast Guard will enforce a special local regulation for the Miami Beach Air and Sea Show event from May 25 and 26, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Captain of the Port Miami identifies the regulated area for this event in Miami Beach, FL. During the enforcement periods, no person or vessel may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area unless authorized by the Coast Guard Patrol Commander or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations for the Low Country Splash event on May 18, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Captain of the Port Charleston identifies the regulated area for this event in Charleston and Mt. Pleasant, SC. During the enforcement periods, no person or vessel may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area unless authorized by the Coast Guard Patrol Commander or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters of the Sabine River, extending the entire width of the river adjacent to the public boat ramp located in Orange, TX. The safety zone is necessary to protect persons and vessels from hazards associated with a high-speed drag boat race competition in Orange, TX. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish special local regulations to provide for the safety of life on certain waters of the Back River, in Baltimore County, MD. These regulations would be enforced during a high-speed power boat event and air show which will be held annually, on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) in July. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Maryland-National Capital Region, or the Coast Guard Event Patrol Commander. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations for the RiverFest Power Boat Races on the Neches River in Port Neches, TX, from May 3, 2024 through May 5, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for annual marine events within the Eighth Coast Guard District identifies the regulated area for this event in Port Neches, TX. During the enforcement periods, the operator of any vessel in the regulated area must comply with directions from the Patrol Commander.

We are requesting your comments on planned actions that will allow the Coast Guard to prioritize lifesaving missions and protection of the Marine Transportation System in light of current personnel shortages. Like other military services, the Coast Guard is facing an unprecedented workforce shortage that is impacting Service readiness. The current and forecasted extent of the shortage is prompting significant actions to best protect the American public and maintain Service readiness. If actions are not taken to adjust operations, we can anticipate longer-term impacts to mission effectiveness and increased risk to our service members, as well as to commercial mariners and private boaters. In addition to leveraging technology and enhancing recruitment and retention efforts, operational adjustments must be executed within the existing response system while maintaining standards and an adherence to core mission execution. These adjustments fall into two categories: First, in regions where multiple units could respond if they were resourced appropriately, boats and people will be consolidated at one or more units to ensure a robust response. Secondly, in areas where the Coast Guard operates limited, or seasonal units that do not have sufficient personnel to respond, operations will be temporarily paused as resources are moved to higher priority areas. These adjustments will remain in effect until the Coast Guard has sufficient personnel to reconstitute these units.

The Coast Guard is proposing to amend the regulations for Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors. This action would amend Anchorages F and G, and update anchorage usage and communication requirements. The purpose of this proposed rule is to improve navigation safety by modifying Anchorage F and G to accommodate an increased volume of vessel traffic and larger vessels calling on the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and alleviate vessels anchoring near a subsea pipeline. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the removal of pipeline from the floor of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel near mile markers 55 and 56. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Corpus Christi or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters on the Detroit River, Detroit, MI. The safety zone is necessary and intended to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential falling hazards created by the construction of the Gordie Howe Bridge. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Detroit, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is announcing its intent to enter into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Hughes Network Systems to build a Proof of Concept (POC) to understand the capabilities, benefits, risks, technical limitations, and performance associated with operating a proliferated low earth orbiting (pLEO) satellite system on Coast Guard ships at sea. The pLEO satellite system provides global broadband coverage, to include the extreme northern and southern latitudes, which have traditionally been limited to geostationary satellites. While the Coast Guard is currently considering partnering with Hughes Network Systems, we are soliciting public comment on the possible nature of and participation of other parties in the proposed CRADA. In addition, the Coast Guard also invites other potential non-Federal participants, who have the interest and capability to bring similar contributions to this type of research, to consider submitting proposals for consideration in similar CRADAs.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 583-foot radius of the northern tip of Dobbins Landing in Erie, PA. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the fireworks display. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the respective safety zone without the permission of the Captain of the Port Eastern Great Lakes or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the special local regulations for the Conch Republic Navy Parade and Battle, in Key West, Florida. Our regulation for Recurring Marine Events in Captain of the Port Key West Zone identifies the regulated area for this event. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area without approval from the Captain of the Port Key West or a designated representative.