Department of Homeland Security April 7, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard proposes to amend the approval requirements and follow-up program requirements for lifejackets by incorporating new standards to replace existing legacy standards. The Coast Guard further proposes to amend lifejacket and personal flotation device (PFD) carriage requirements to allow for the use of equipment approved to the new standards and remove obsolete equipment approval requirements. The proposed amendments would streamline the process for the approval of PFDs and allow manufacturers the opportunity to produce more innovative equipment that would meet approval requirements in both Canada and the United States while also reducing the burden of the approval process and the production inspections on manufacturing firms.

The Coast Guard is conducting a Port Access Route Study to evaluate safe access routes for the movement of vessel traffic proceeding to or from the ports or places in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and to determine whether shipping safety fairways and/or routing measures should be established, adjusted, or modified. The Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Port Access Route Study considers whether such measures are necessary to improve navigation safety due to factors such as planned or potential offshore development, current port capabilities and planned improvements, increased vessel traffic, existing and potential anchorage areas, changing vessel traffic patterns, effects of weather, or navigational difficulty. Vessel routing measures, which include traffic separation schemes, two-way routes, recommended tracks, deep-water routes, precautionary areas, and areas to be avoided, are implemented to reduce the risk of marine casualties. To assist us in conducting the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Port Access Route Study, we invite your responses to the questions in the INFORMATION REQUESTED section. The recommendations of the study may subsequently be implemented through rulemakings or in accordance with international agreements.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary moving safety zone on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Galveston, around a Tall Ships America Parade of Sail in Galveston, Texas. Once the vessels are moored at the Galveston Historic Seaport, a temporary fixed safety zone will be established. The safety zones are necessary to protect the public and wooden sailing vessels and their crews from the hazards associated with transiting the area. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the moving and fixed safety zones unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Houston-Galveston or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations at various locations in the Sector Columbia River Captain of the Port Zone from June 2, 2023, to September 9, 2023. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters during marine events. These regulations prohibit persons and vessels from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Columbia River or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary moving safety zone around the M/V ZHEN HUA 26 while it transits through the Port of Los AngelesLong Beach, CA, to Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT), LB Berth E22, then to Fenix Marine Services (FMS), LA Berth 302. This safety zone is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards associated with oversized cargo transfer operations of four ship-to-shore gantry cranes and one rubber tire gantry crane, which will extend more than 200 feet out from the transiting vessels. Entry of persons or vessels into this safety zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Los AngelesLong Beach, or their designated representative.