Coast Guard August 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing permanent special local regulations during the ``Chesapeakeman Ultra Triathlon'', a marine event to be held annually on the last Saturday in September on the waters of the Choptank River at Cambridge, MD. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to temporarily restrict vessel traffic in a portion of the Choptank River during the Chesapeakeman Ultra Triathlon swim.

The Great Lakes Regional Waterways Management Forum will sponsor a conference on ballast water issues on September 27, 2006, and will hold a meeting the following day to address waterways management issues in the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. The conference and meeting are open to the public, but registration is required for the conference due to limited seating.

This rule makes non-substantive changes in the regulations that govern the operation of the new Woodrow Wilson Memorial (I-95) Bridge, mile 103.8, across the Potomac River between Alexandria, Virginia and Oxon Hill, Maryland. This rule advises that the telephone number for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Operator's Tower has changed from (202) 727-5522 to (703) 836-2396. The rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.

The Coast Guard will enforce the special local regulations for the ``Ragin' on the River'' powerboat race to be held Labor Day weekend, September 2 and 3, 2006, on the waters of the Susquehanna River, adjacent to Port Deposit, Maryland. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. The effect will be to restrict general navigation in the regulated area for the safety of participants and vessels transiting the event area.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone upon certain waters of the Patapsco River, Northwest Harbor, and Inner Harbor during the movement of the historic sloop-of-war USS CONSTELLATION. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the tow of the vessel from its berth at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, to a point on the Patapsco River near the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland, and return. This action will restrict vessel traffic in portions of the Patapsco River, Northwest Harbor, and Inner Harbor during the event.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a 1200 foot safety zone in the vicinity of National Park Service Beach at Yorktown, VA on October 19, 2006 in support of the Yorktown Day Celebration Evening Fireworks. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic on York River as necessary to protect mariners from the hazards associated with fireworks displays.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this request for comments announces that the Coast Guard is forwarding two Information Collection Requests (ICRs), abstracted below, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to request approval of a revision of the following collections of information: 1625-0066, Vessel and Facility Response Plans (Domestic and Int'l), and Additional Response Requirements for Prince William Sound, Alaska, and (2) 1625-0069, Ballast Water Management for Vessels with Ballast Tanks Entering U.S. Waters. Our ICRs describe the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comment by OIRA ensures that we impose only paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of a policy letter detailing the Coast Guard's determination that ``head and gut fleet'' vessels constitute fish processing vessels for regulatory purposes. For vessels that, because of their age, cannot comply with certain regulatory requirements, an exemption from those requirements will be granted if the vessel owner proposes an acceptable alternative that provides a level of safety that is equivalent to the current regulations.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations during the ``Ocean City Maryland Offshore Challenge'', a power boat race to be held on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the shoreline at Ocean City, MD. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic in the regulated area during the power boat race.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the regulation governing the Prescott Highway Bridge, across the St. Croix River, Mile 0.3, at Prescott, Wisconsin. Under our proposed rule, the drawbridge need not open for river traffic and may remain in the closed-to-navigation position from November 1, 2006 to April 1, 2007. This proposed rule would allow the bridge owners to make necessary repairs to the bridge.

This technical amendment authorizes the Commanding Officer, National Maritime Center, to perform certain mariner credentialing functions in addition to Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection, who currently perform those functions. At the end of a transitional period, most credentialing functions will be consolidated at a centralized location. The amendment also makes technical changes to the mariner credentialing appellate process. This rule is organizational in nature and will have no substantive effect on the regulated public. The amendment also will have no effect on any other Coast Guard regulatory projects or policy initiatives.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone encompassing the navigable waters of Presque Isle Bay during the Celebrate Erie Fireworks on August 20, 2006. This safety zone is necessary to ensure the safety of spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessel traffic from a portion of Presque Isle Bay, Erie, Pennsylvania.

The Towing Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) and its working groups will meet as required to discuss various issues relating to shallow-draft inland and coastal waterway navigation and towing safety. All meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard announces the enactment of statutory changes that will affect the financial responsibility of vessel owners and operators for oil pollution from their vessels. The Delaware River Protection Act of 2006 amends limits of liability under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) for discharges and substantial threats of discharge of oil from vessels. This statutory change will also result in future changes to Coast Guard regulations related to proof of financial responsibility by vessel owners and operators for discharges of oil from vessels.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone around the lifting beams of the cranes being used to lift deck sections into place on the New Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The zone will encompass all waters within 500 feet of the area directly below the lifting beams for the duration of the lowering, hookup, raising, and securing evolutions, and will only apply to the beams on the cranes that are in use. The beams being used for the day's evolutions will be clearly marked on each end with a white flashing light. The Coast Guard is taking this action to safeguard the public from the hazards associated with navigating in the vicinity of moving construction equipment and heavy loads. These hazards may include risk of collision with the lifting beams and risks associated with falling loads, should there be an equipment failure. Entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Puget Sound or his designated representatives.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary special local regulations for the ``Crystal Coast Super Boat Grand Prix'', a power boat race to be held on the waters of Bogue Banks adjacent to Morehead City, NC. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic in the Morehead City Turning Basin including sections of the Intra-Coastal Waterways and Morehead City Channel during the power boat race.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations during the ``Red Bull Flugtag Baltimore'', a marine event to be held October 21, 2006, on the waters of the Patapsco River, Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to temporarily restrict vessel traffic in a portion of the Baltimore Inner Harbor during the event.

The Coast Guard is changing the drawbridge operation regulations that govern the operation of the Southport (SR27) Bridge, across Townsend Gut, at mile 0.7, between Boothbay Harbor and Southport, Maine. This final rule changes the regulation to require the Southport (SR27) Bridge to operate on a fixed opening schedule between April 29 and September 30, each year. This final rule is expected to help relieve vehicular traffic delays during the summertime tourism season while continuing to meet both the current and anticipated needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the ``Celebrate Revere'' Fireworks display on August 19, 2006 in Revere, Massachusetts, temporarily closing all waters of Broad Sound within a four hundred (400) yard radius of the fireworks launch site located at approximate position 42[deg] 24.00' N, 070[deg] 59.00' W. This zone is necessary to protect the maritime public from the potential hazards associated with a fireworks display. The safety zone temporarily prohibits entry into or movement within this portion of Broad Sound during its closure period, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Boston, MA.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (NOSAC). NOSAC provides advice and makes recommendations to the Coast Guard on matters affecting the offshore industry.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend the existing special anchorage area in Falmouth, Maine, on Casco Bay. This proposed action is necessary to facilitate safe navigation and provide a safe and secure anchorage for vessels of not more than 65 feet in length. This action is intended to increase the safety of life and property on Casco Bay, improve the safety of anchored vessels, and provide for the overall safe and efficient flow of vessel traffic and commerce.

The Coast Guard is temporarily establishing security zones around any vessel escorted by one or more Coast Guard, State, or local law enforcement assets within the Captain of the Port Zone Jacksonville, FL. No vessel or person is allowed within 100 yards of an escorted vessel, while within the navigable waters of the Captain of the Port Zone, Jacksonville, FL, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Jacksonville, FL or designated representative. Additionally, all vessels within 500 yards of an escorted vessel in the Captain of the Port Zone Jacksonville, FL will be required to operate at a minimum speed necessary to maintain a safe course. This action is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and facilities from sabotage or other subversive acts, accidents, or other events of a similar nature.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Marine Parkway Bridge across Jamaica Bay at mile 3.0, at Queens, New York. Under this temporary deviation, the Marine Parkway Bridge need not open for the passage of vessel traffic between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on August 28, 2006 and August 29, 2006. This deviation is necessary to facilitate scheduled bridge maintenance.

The Coast Guard is establishing a permanent security zone approximately one quarter mile on each side of the Mackinac Bridge in the Straits of Mackinac near Mackinaw City, MI. This security zone will place navigational and operational restrictions on all vessels transiting through the Straits area, under and around the Mackinac Bridge, located between Mackinaw City, MI, and St. Ignace, MI.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone encompassing a portion of the navigable waters of the St. Lawrence River in New York. This safety zone is necessary to ensure the safety of spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessel traffic from a portion of the St. Lawrence River.