Department of Homeland Security June 13, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard announces the availability of, and seeks comments on, the application for recertification submitted by the Cook Inlet Regional Citizen's Advisory Council (CIRCAC) for September 1, 2014, through August 31, 2015. Under the Oil Terminal and Tanker Environmental Oversight Act of 1990, the Coast Guard may certify on an annual basis, an alternative voluntary advisory group in lieu of a Regional Citizens' Advisory Council for Cook Inlet, Alaska. This advisory group monitors the activities of terminal facilities and crude oil tankers under the Cook Inlet program established by the statute. The current certification for CIRCAC will expire August 31, 2014.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is withdrawing its proposed rule concerning proposed flood elevation determinations for Warren County, Pennsylvania (All Jurisdictions).

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Arkansas (FEMA-4174-DR), dated April 29, 2014, and related determinations.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Evergreen Point Floating (State Route 520 (SR 520)) Bridge across Lake Washington at Seattle, WA. This deviation is necessary to accommodate University of Washington commencement ceremony traffic. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position to allow safe movement of event participants.

On March 20, 2014, FEMA published in the Federal Register a final flood hazard determination notice that contained an erroneous table. This notice provides corrections to that table, to be used in lieu of the information published at 79 FR 15598. The table provided here represents the final flood hazard determinations and communities affected for Poweshiek County, Iowa, and Incorporated Areas, and Douglas County, Nebraska, and Incorporated Areas. Flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, or regulatory floodways on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports have been made final for the communities listed in the table below. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis of the floodplain management measures that a community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, the FIRM and FIS report are used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for buildings and the contents of those buildings.

New or modified Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, and/or regulatory floodways (hereinafter referred to as flood hazard determinations) as shown on the indicated Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) for each of the communities listed in the table below are finalized. Each LOMR revises the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and in some cases the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports, currently in effect for the listed communities. The flood hazard determinations modified by each LOMR will be used to calculate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and their contents.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Indiana (FEMA-4173-DR), dated April 22, 2014, and related determinations.

The Coast Guard is finalizing the escort requirements for double hull tankers over 5,000 gross tons transporting oil in bulk on the waters of Prince William Sound, Alaska (PWS). This final rule mandates two tug escorts for these tankers. The Coast Guard previously published an interim rule on August 19, 2013. Section 711 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 directed the Coast Guard to promulgate regulations as soon as practicable to ensure that tug escort requirements apply to these double hull tankers.

The Coast Guard is removing the existing drawbridge operation regulation for the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge across the West Pearl River, mile 22.1 at Pearl River Station, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. The bridge was modified from a swing bridge to a fixed bridge and the current operating regulation is no longer necessary.