Coast Guard March 26, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the United States Coast Guard (Coast Guard) issues this final rule to amend one provision of its previously issued final rule. Specifically, the Coast Guard is amending its definition of secure area to take into account facilities in American Samoa, whose workers are not required to be authorized to work in the United States under U.S. immigration law when working in American Samoa.

In 1999, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century made $5 million available to the Secretary of Homeland Security for payment per year of Coast Guard expenses for personnel and activities directly related to coordinating and carrying out the national recreational boating safety program. In 2005, the law was amended and the amount was increased to $5.5 million. The Coast Guard is publishing this notice published to satisfy a requirement of the Act that a detailed accounting of the projects, programs, and activities funded under the national recreational boating safety program provision of the Act be published annually in the Federal Register. In this notice, we have specified the amount of monies the Coast Guard has committed, obligated, or expended during fiscal year 2008, as of September 30, 2008.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the regulation governing the operation of the Union Pacific Railroad Swing Span Bridge across the Sabine River, mile 19.3, at Echo, Orange County, TX. The bridge presently opens on 24-hour notice but because of the limited number of requests for openings, the bridge owner would like to increase the length of notification time required to open the bridge.