Department of Homeland Security 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). The information collection is published in the Federal Register to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary special local regulation (SLR) for certain navigable waters of the Red River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Shreveport, Louisiana, during high-speed powerboat races from May 24, 2024 through May 26, 2024. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the regulated unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Lower Mississippi River or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters in the Gulf of Mexico offshore Marathon, Florida. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters of Marathon, FL, during the 2024 Race World Offshore 7 Mile Grand Prix. The proposed rule prohibits persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Key West or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish 67 temporary safety zones around the construction of each facility during the development of the Revolution Wind Farm project area within Federal waters on the Outer Continental Shelf, specifically in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Renewable Energy Lease Area OCS-A 0486, approximately 15 nautical miles offshore southeast of Point Judith, Rhode Island. This action protects life, property, and the environment during construction of each facility from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2027. When enforced, only attending vessels and vessels with authorization are permitted to enter or remain in the temporary safety zones.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 500-yard radius of the USS New Jersey during active dead ship tow operations. The USS New Jersey will be transiting from berth in Camden, NJ, to Paulsboro, NJ, and then over to the Navy Yard in Philadelphia, PA. The safety zone, which will only be enforced during active towing operations, is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the dead ship tow. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Delaware Bay.

USCIS is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on January 31, 2024. The final rule amended DHS regulations to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees charged by USCIS and made certain changes.

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.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Lady's Island (Woods Memorial) Bridge across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) (Beaufort River), mile 536.0, at Beaufort, SC. South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has requested the Coast Guard consider changing the operating schedule to remove the seasonal operating schedule aligning with other drawbridges along the AICW in SC. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is needed. The Coast Guard is seeking comments from the public regarding this deviation.

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 Coast Guard is announcing its intent to enter into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with REGENT Craft, Inc. (REGENT) to evaluate advancements in Wing-In-Ground (WIG) maritime aircraft for applicability to USCG missions. REGENT's sea gliders are representative of that technology. While the Coast Guard is currently considering partnering with REGENT, we are soliciting public comment on the possible nature of and participation of other parties in the proposed CRADA. In addition, the Coast Guard also invites other potential non-Federal participants, who have the interest and capability to bring similar contributions to this type of research, to consider submitting proposals for consideration in similar CRADAs.

The Coast Guard is amending and updating its safety zone regulations for annual events that take place in the Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley area of responsibility (AOR). This action is necessary to update the current list of recurring safety zones with revisions, additional events, and removal of events that no longer take place in the Sector Ohio Valley. When these safety zones are enforced, certain restrictions are placed on marine traffic in specified areas.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Washington (FEMA-4759-DR), dated February 15, 2024, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Michigan (FEMA-4757-DR), dated February 8, 2024, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of West Virginia (FEMA-4756-DR), dated January 30, 2024, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Maine (FEMA-4754-DR), dated January 30, 2024, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Rhode Island (FEMA-4753-DR), dated January 7, 2024, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster for the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands (FEMA-4340-DR), dated September 20, 2017, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the State of Connecticut (FEMA-3604-EM), dated January 13, 2024, and related determinations.

The Coast Guard's Mariner Credentialing Program issues merchant mariner credentials and medical certificates, approves training courses and programs, and approves other qualifications such as a Qualified Assessor and a Designated Examiner. Under this rulemaking, the Coast Guard proposes to allow for the electronic submission of information required for credentialing to allow for the future implementation of a new information technology system to support the mariner credentialing process. The Coast Guard also proposes to require the electronic payment of mandatory fees for merchant mariner credentials through Pay.Gov, to remove the requirement for prospective mariners to take an oath before an authorized official, and to change the requirements for the Certificate of Discharge to Merchant Mariners. Finally, the Coast Guard proposes technical amendments to update addresses and websites, to remove antiquated terminology, and to amend language to use gender-neutral terms.

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 Coast Guard will enforce the special local regulation on the waters of Mission Bay, San Diego, California during the San Diego Crew Classic. This special local regulation will be enforced from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, 2024, and from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 7, 2024. This special local regulation is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, sponsor vessels of the rowing event, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, persons and vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, or anchoring within this regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The National Fire Academy (Academy) is requesting individuals who are interested in serving on the Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy (Board) to apply for appointments as identified in this notice. Pursuant to the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, the Board shall review annually the programs of the Academy and shall make recommendations to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator, through the United States Fire Administrator, regarding the operation of the Academy and any improvements that the Board deems appropriate. The Board is composed of eight members, all of whom have national or regional leadership experience in the fields of fire safety, fire prevention (such as community risk reduction to include wildland urban interface), fire control, research and development in fire protection, treatment and rehabilitation of fire victims, or local government services management, which includes emergency medical services. The Academy seeks to appoint one individual to a position on the Board that will be open due to term expiration. If other positions are vacated during the application process, candidates may be selected from the pool of applicants to fill the vacated positions.

The Coast Guard is proposing a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, MD, where Maryland Fleet Week and Flyover Baltimore 2024 will take place from June 12 to 18, 2024. The safety zone would protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards during multi-agency helicopter rescue demonstration. It would be enforced thirty minutes prior to a demonstration and lifted at its conclusion. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Maryland-National Capital Region, or a designated representative.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard intends to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0025, Carriage of Bulk Solids Requiring Special Handling; without change. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.