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

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Technical Mapping Advisory Council (TMAC) will hold an in-person public meeting with a virtual option on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, and Wednesday, February 28, 2024. The meeting will be open to the public in-person and via a Microsoft Teams Video Communications link.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Pacific Ocean. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Westport, Washington, during a fireworks display on January 1, 2024. This regulation prohibits persons and vessels from entering the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Columbia River or a designated representative.

The National Chemical Transportation Safety Advisory Committee (Committee) will conduct a series of subcommittee meetings over two days in League City, TX, and a full committee meeting in Texas City, TX to discuss matters relating to the safe and secure marine transportation of hazardous materials. The subcommittee meetings will also be available by videoconference for those unable to attend in person, however the full committee meeting will be held in person only. All meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is updating its user fees for seagoing towing vessels that are 300 gross tons or more and revising user fees for other inspected towing vessels. The Coast Guard is issuing these updates because it is required to establish and maintain a fair fee for its vessel inspection services and to separate the fees for inspection options that involve third-party auditors and surveyors from inspection options that do not involve third parties. Under this final rule, owners and operators of vessels using the Alternate Compliance Program, Streamlined Inspection Program, or the Towing Safety Management System options will pay a lower fee than vessels that use the traditional Coast Guard inspection option.

The Coast Guard is adding two events to the table regarding ``Southern California Annual Firework Events for the Los Angeles Long Beach Captain of the Port Zone''. The additions are temporary safety zones, one for the Marina del Rey Annual Boat Parade Fireworks Show and another for the Marina Del Rey New Year's Eve Fireworks Display. Entry into these zones is prohibited during the annual events in order to provide for the safety of the waterway users and to keep them clear of potential harmful debris within the fallout zone.

The Coast Guard is considering establishing an anchorage ground near Port Westward, Oregon in the Columbia River. We are considering this action after receiving requests suggesting that this anchorage ground is necessary to provide for the safe anchoring of commercial vessels in the navigable waters of the Lower Columbia River. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is altering the operations of all movable bridges over the River Rouge, Detroit, MI to improve communications and establish winter hours.

On November 8, 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published a notice in the Federal Register, which announced that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will convene the 2024 Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security (TFCS) Summit in Philadelphia, PA, on March 26-28, 2024. This technical correction corrects the November 8, 2023 notice to reflect the proper amounts for the in-person and virtual attendance registration fees. For convenience, CBP is republishing the full text of the November 8, 2023 notice below, with the corrected registration fee amounts.

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).

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).

The rule makes non-substantive changes to Coast Guard regulations in association with a change in the Coast Guard's internal organization. The purpose of this rule is to reflect that U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie has been renamed U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern Great Lakes. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.

The Coast Guard is temporarily modifying the operating schedule that governs the draw of the Zuckerman Brothers (McDonald Island) bridge, mile 2.3, across Turner Cut, near Stockton, CA. This action is necessary to allow the bridge owner, Reclamation District 2030 (RD2030), to complete design plans and conduct repairs to the bridge to bring it back to its normal operating status.

CISA requests input from all interested parties on the white paper ``Shifting the Balance of Cybersecurity Risk: Principles and Approaches for Secure by Design Software.''

This rule makes non-substantive changes to Coast Guard regulations in association with a change in the Coast Guard's internal organization. The purpose of this rule is to reflect that U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo has been renamed U.S. Coast Guard Sector Eastern Great Lakes. These changes will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.

The Coast Guard is extending the effective period for the 13 temporary 500-meter temporary safety zones around the construction of 12 wind turbine generators (WTGs) and one offshore substation (OSS) located in the South Fork Wind Farm (SFWF) project area within Federal waters on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), specifically, in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Renewable Energy Lease Area OCS-A 0517, approximately 16 nautical miles (NM) southeast of Block Island, Rhode Island, and 30 NM east of Montauk Point, New York. This rule extends the effective period of the existing safety zones for an additional five months. The safety zones will now end on May 31, 2024. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life, property, and the environment during the anticipated construction of each facility's monopile type foundation and subsequent installation of the WTGs turbines and OSS platform. When enforced, only attending vessels and those vessels specifically authorized by the First Coast Guard District Commander or a designated representative are permitted to enter or remain in the safety zones.

The Coast Guard announces the designation of the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) as a designated non-federal entity for the purposes of participation in its management by an authorized Coast Guard employee. Dr. Amy Donahue, the Provost of the Coast Guard Academy, has been authorizated to serve as a member of NECHE to provide oversight of, advice to, and coordination with, NECHE. Dr. Donahue will not participate in the day-to-day operations of NECHE.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters in the Illinois River between Mile Marker (MM) 165.2 to 166.3. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from all potential hazards associated with the McClugage Bridge arch installation. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Sector Upper Mississippi River or a designated representative.

This notice lists communities where the addition or modification of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, or the regulatory floodway (hereinafter referred to as flood hazard determinations), as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports, prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for each community, is appropriate because of new scientific or technical data. The FIRM, and where applicable, portions of the FIS report, have been revised to reflect these flood hazard determinations through issuance of a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR), in accordance with Federal Regulations. The currently effective community number is shown in the table below and must be used for all new policies and renewals.

This notice lists communities where the addition or modification of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, or the regulatory floodway (hereinafter referred to as flood hazard determinations), as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports, prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for each community, is appropriate because of new scientific or technical data. The FIRM, and where applicable, portions of the FIS report, have been revised to reflect these flood hazard determinations through issuance of a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR), in accordance with Federal Regulations. The currently effective community number is shown in the table below and must be used for all new policies and renewals.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is conducting a test to allow for the payment of certain commercial vessel taxes and fees with electronic methods, including credit cards. Payment can be made through the existing Mobile Collections & Receipts (MCR) system's payment portal at eCBP (https://e.cbp.dhs.gov) or at the ports of entry for any commercial vessel arriving at a maritime port of entry. Participation in the test is voluntary. CBP will continue to accept payments by cash or check at the ports of entry. This notice describes the test and invites public comment on any aspect of the test.

The Smith Point Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) is a vessel traffic routing measure which lies on inland waters, at the mouth of the Potomac River. The Coast Guard announces its intention to have the TSS removed from the nautical charts, and from the U.S. Coast Pilot. We will also change the buoy which identifies the TSS from a special purpose lighted yellow buoy to a red and white striped lighted mid- channel buoy.

Through this notice, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is extending the re-registration periods for the extensions of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan from 60 days to the full 18-month designation extension period of each country. Beneficiaries must re- register to receive TPS benefits under the most recent designation extensions for these countries.

On November 16, 2023 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) meeting on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. This notice amends that prior notice. Meeting changes have occurred because of senior leadership availability and the urgent need to discuss priorities and potential threats concerning the nation's critical infrastructure.

New or modified Base (1-percent 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.

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).