Department of Homeland Security March 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is implementing the special local regulations at 33 CFR 100.527 for intercollegiate crew races, marine events to be held April 8, 2006, on the waters of the St. Mary's River at St. Mary's City, Maryland. These special local regulations are necessary to control vessel traffic due to the confined nature of the waterway and expected vessel congestion during the event. The effect will be to restrict general navigation in the regulated area for the safety of event participants, spectators and vessels transiting the event area.

The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety, at the recommendation of the National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) is convening a Propeller Strike Injury Avoidance Workshop to address propeller strike avoidance issues. The workshop will be open to the public.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of an emergency for the State of Maine (FEMA-3265-EM), dated February 24, 2006, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the State of Texas (FEMA-3261-EM), dated September 21, 2005, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the State of Mississippi (FEMA-3213-EM), dated August 28, 2005, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of California (FEMA-1628-DR), dated February 3, 2006, and related determinations.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard intends to seek the approval of OMB for the renewal of one Information Collection Request (ICR). The ICR is 1625-0046, Financial Responsibility for Water Pollution (Vessels). Before submitting the ICR to OMB, the Coast Guard is inviting comments on it as described below.

The Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) announce the availability of the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for this license application. The application describes a project that would be located in the Gulf of Mexico, in lease block High Island Area 27, on the outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The Main Terminal would be located approximately 45 miles South of High Island and 50 miles East-Southeast of Galveston, Texas, with a riser platform in lease block West Cameron 167, approximately 27 miles South of Holly Beach and 29 miles South-Southeast of Johnson's Bayou, Louisiana. The Coast Guard and MARAD request public comments on the DEIS.

This notice announces that TSA has forwarded the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval of an extension of the currently approved collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. TSA published a Federal Register notice, with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments, of the following collection of information on December 16, 2005, 70 FR 74836.

The Coast Guard is announcing a workshop for interested and affected parties regarding changes to the Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program (STEP) for ballast water treatment systems. Our goal in this program is to facilitate the development of effective ballast water treatment (BWT) technologies, through rigorous evaluations of prototype systems under shipboard conditions. This will create more options for vessel owners seeking alternatives to ballast water exchange for use in meeting the ballast water management (BWM) requirements established by the Coast Guard. To aid in the development of applications to STEP, the Coast Guard will hold a workshop to expand public awareness of STEP and present recent changes to the guidance materials on applications. We encourage all interested and/or affected stakeholders to attend the workshop.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the waters surrounding the Wantagh Parkway Number 3 Bridge across the Sloop Channel in Town of Hempstead, New York. This zone is necessary to protect vessels transiting in the area from hazards imposed by construction barges and equipment that are being utilized to construct a new bascule bridge over the Sloop Channel. Entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Long Island Sound, New Haven, Connecticut.