Coast Guard December 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Minerals Management Service, in concert with representatives from various State governments, industry, environmental interest groups, and the general public, developed the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) Guidelines to reflect the consensus agreement of the entire oil spill response community. This notice announces the PREP triennial exercise cycle for 2007 through 2009, requests comments from the public, and requests industry participants to volunteer for scheduled PREP Area exercises.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone from the mouth of the Cape Fear River to the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge to provide for the safety of the public during the transit and mooring of a vessel carrying four (4) large industrial cranes. The cranes are of such size and dimension that they will create a significant obstruction to safe navigation for other vessels operating in the vicinity. Restricting vessel traffic is necessary to ensure the safety of the public. Vessel traffic will only be restricted during the transit of the vessel.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership in the Area Maritime Security Committee, Southeastern New England. The Committee assists the Captain of the Port, Southeastern New England, in developing, reviewing, and updating the Area Maritime Security Plan for their area of responsibility.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Figure Eight Swing Bridge across the AICW mile 278.1, at Scotts Hill, North Carolina to perform needed mechanical and structural repairs.

The Coast Guard is changing the drawbridge operation regulation that governs the Consolidated Rail Corporation (CONRAIL) Railroad Bridge, at mile 0.3, across Darby Creek in Essington, Pennsylvania. This change will allow the bridge to be left in the open- to-navigation position from April 1 through October 31 of every year. The bridge will only close for the passage of trains and to perform periodic maintenance. From November 1 to March 31, the bridge will open on signal, if at least 24 hours notice is given by calling (856) 231- 7088 or (856) 662-8201.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this request for comments announces that the Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to request a revision of a currently approved collection of information. The ICR is 1625-0086, Great Lakes Pilotage. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comments by OIRA ensures that we impose only paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

The Coast Guard has set the calendar year 2007 minimum random drug testing rate at 50 percent of covered crewmembers.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this request for comments announces that the Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to request an extension of their approval of the following collection of information. The ICR is 1625-0003, Coast Guard Boating Accident Report Form (CG-3865). Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comments by OIRA ensures that we impose only paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

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 announces the availability of Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) No. 03-06, titled ``Guidance on Implementation of Revisions to MARPOL Annex II and the IBC Code.'' This NVIC provides guidelines on how the revisions to Annex II of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL), and the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code) will be implemented in the U.S. These revisions come into force internationally on January 1, 2007.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this request for comments announces that the Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to request an extension of their approval of the following collections of information. The ICR is 1625-0012, Certificate of Discharge to Merchant Mariners. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comments by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

By this notice, the Coast Guard is exercising authority currently set forth in Coast Guard regulations to require all first class pilots on vessels greater than 1600 gross registered tons (GRT), and other individuals who ``serve as'' pilots on certain types of vessels greater than 1600 GRT, to provide the passing results of their annual chemical test for dangerous drugs to the Coast Guard, subject to certain exceptions. In addition, the Coast Guard is extending the deadline for pilots to submit the most recent copy of their annual physical examination.

The Coast Guard (USCG) announces the availability of the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the homeporting of four National Security Cutters (NSCs) at Coast Guard Island (CGI), Alameda, California, and requests public comments. The draft EA tiers from the USCG's 2002 Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Integrated Deepwater System (IDS) program. The purpose of the proposed action is to replace the four existing 378-foot High Endurance Cutters (WHECs) currently homeported at CGI with the NSCs. The USCG proposes to replace the WHECs on a one for one replacement schedule starting in 2007/2008 and continuing one per year until 2010/2011.

The Coast Guard is revising the drawbridge operations for the Rob Roy Drawbridge across the Arkansas Waterway at Mile 67.4 at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the Baring Cross Railroad Drawbridge across the Arkansas Waterway at Mile 119.6 at Little Rock, Arkansas, and the Van Buren Railroad Drawbridge across the Arkansas Waterway at Mile 300.8 at Van Buren, Arkansas, to reflect the actual procedures currently being followed. In addition, the following three bridges will be removed from 33 CFR 117.123 as they are locked in the open-to- navigation position and are no longer considered to be drawbridges: Missouri Pacific Railroad Drawbridge (Benzal Railroad Drawbridge) across the Arkansas Waterway at Mile 7.6 at Benzal, Arkansas, the Rock Island Railroad Drawbridge across the Arkansas Waterway at Mile 118.2 at Little Rock, Arkansas, and the Junction Railroad Drawbridge across the Arkansas Waterway at Mile 118.7 at Little Rock, Arkansas. Section 117.139 is being revised as paragraph (a) is no longer needed since the Missouri Pacific Railroad Drawbridge (Benzal Railroad Drawbridge) is locked in the open-to-navigation position.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the SR 46 (St. Claude Avenue) bridge across the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, mile 0.5 (GIWW mile 6.2 East of Harvey Lock) in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. This deviation provides for the bridge to remain closed to navigation for approximately 11 consecutive hours to conduct scheduled maintenance to the drawbridge.

The Coast Guard announces a change in the e-mail address that U.S. vessels equipped with a Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) can use to send emergency notices to the Coast Guard when their security is threatened. In these emergencies, a vessel notifies the Coast Guard of the incident directly or through a third party. The SSAS notice may be communicated through various media. If it is sent as an e-mail, it must be sent to the new address: ssas@uscg.mil.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary 500-yard moving security zone around the U.S. Forces vessel SBX-1 during transit within the Honolulu Captain of the Port Zone. This security zone is necessary to protect the SBX-1 from hazards associated with vessels and persons approaching too close during transit. Entry of persons or vessels into this temporary security zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP).

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a permanent security zone on the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, within 250 yards north of the north span and 250 yards south of the south span of the William P. Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge, located between Sandy Point and Kent Island, Maryland. This action is necessary to provide for the security of a large number of participants during the annual Bay Bridge Walk across the William P. Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge, held annually on the first Sunday in May. The security zone will allow for control of vessels or persons within a specified area of the Chesapeake Bay and safeguard the public at large.