Department of Homeland Security November 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters in the Laguna Madre. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a firework display launched from a stationary barge in the Laguna Madre, South Padre Island, Texas. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone or remaining in the zone when it is in effect 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 all navigable waters of the Lower Mississippi River below Head of Passes. The safety zone is needed to protect persons and critical infrastructure from the potential contamination due to an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone, or movement of vessels within this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port or a designated representative.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Montana (FEMA-4745-DR), dated October 11, 2023, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Vermont (FEMA-4744-DR), dated October 6, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster for the State of Hawaii (FEMA-4724-DR), dated August 10, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of California (FEMA-4699-DR), dated April 3, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (FEMA-3602-EM), dated October 8, 2023, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of an emergency for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (FEMA- 3602-EM), dated October 8, 2023, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of an emergency for the territory of Guam (FEMA-3601-EM), dated October 8, 2023, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the La Jolla Band of Luise[ntilde]o Indians (FEMA-4743- DR), dated September 27, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Colorado (FEMA-4731-DR), dated August 25, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Illinois (FEMA-4728-DR), dated August 15, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Montana (FEMA-4726-DR), dated August 12, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Hawaii (FEMA-4724-DR), dated August 10, 2023, and related determinations.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for a fireworks display at The Wharf DC on December 2, 2023, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for Fireworks Displays within the Fifth Coast Guard District identifies the safety zone for this event in Washington, DC. During the enforcement period, vessels may not enter, remain in, or transit through the safety zone unless authorized to do so by the COTP or his representative, and vessels in the vicinity must comply with directions from the Patrol Commander or any Official Patrol displaying a Coast Guard ensign.

The Coast Guard is temporarily modifying the operating schedule that governs the draw of the California Department of Transportation (Route 4) highway bridge, mile 14.8 between Victoria Island and Byron Tract, CA. This action is necessary to allow the bridge owner to complete rehabilitation of the bridge after an unexpected delay in delivery of custom made electronics.

The Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council (HSAPC) will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 from 3:30 p.m. EST to 4:30 p.m. EST. Public participation is welcome via Zoom pre-registration.

The National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (Committee) will conduct a virtual meeting to discuss issues relating to personnel in the United States Merchant Marine including the training, qualifications, certification, documentation, and fitness of mariners. The virtual meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone for all navigable waters within a 2 nautical miles radius of Read Island, AK, centered at Latitude: 57[deg]06'48.3'' N, Longitude: 133[deg]11'43.4'' W, where a MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter crashed (CG- 6016), early on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. This security zone is needed to protect and preserve the crash site of the MH-60 Helicopter wreck. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Southeast Alaska or a designated representative.

Comments are requested on proposed flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of any Base Flood Elevation (BFE), base flood depth, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundary or zone designation, or regulatory floodway on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the preliminary FIRM, and where applicable, the FIS report that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided to the affected communities. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis of the floodplain management measures that the 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 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Comments are requested on proposed flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of any Base Flood Elevation (BFE), base flood depth, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundary or zone designation, or regulatory floodway on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the preliminary FIRM, and where applicable, the FIS report that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided to the affected communities. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis of the floodplain management measures that the 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 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will hold a public meeting of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) on December 6, 2023. Members of the ASAC will meet in person at the TSA Headquarters. Members of the public will be able to participate virtually via WebEx. The meeting agenda and information on public participation is provided below under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

DHS, in consultation with DOL, is exercising time-limited Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 authority and increasing the total number of noncitizens who may receive an H-2B nonimmigrant visa by up to 64,716 for the entirety of FY 2024. These supplemental visas will be distributed in several allocations. 20,000 visas made available in this rule will be reserved for nationals of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, or Costa Rica. All visas will be available only to businesses that are suffering or will suffer impending irreparable harm, as attested by the employer. In addition, DHS is again providing temporary portability flexibility.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to take this opportunity to comment on an extension, with change, of a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning the information collection activities required to administer the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) and an additional new form to facilitate extension requests.

The Coast Guard is establishing four temporary, 500-yard radius, moving security zones within the Corpus Christi Ship Channel and the La Quinta Channel. The temporary security zones are needed to protect certain vessels carrying cargoes which pose such risks that they require an elevated level of security, the cargoes themselves, and the surrounding waterway from terrorist acts, sabotage, or other subversive acts, accidents, or other events of a similar nature. Entry of vessels or persons into these zones is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or a designated representative.