Coast Guard September 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone and regulated navigation area on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Romeoville, IL. This temporary final rule places navigational and operational restrictions on all vessels transiting the navigable waters located adjacent to and over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) electrical dispersal fish barrier system.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone upon the navigable waters of Lake Moovalya reigon on the lower Colorado River in support of the Parker US Open Nationals. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other users of the waterway. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

This notice provides the times and locations of the first four of six public meetings which will be held by the Coast Guard (USCG) regarding the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled ``Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters'' that published in the Federal Register on Friday, August 28, 2009.

The Commander Fifth Coast Guard District has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the Cape Fear River Memorial Bridge at mile 26.8 and the Isabel S. Holmes Bridge at mile 1.0 across Northeast Cape Fear River at Wilmington NC. The deviation is necessary to accommodate a road race. This deviation allows the bridges to remain in the closed position to vessels.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this request for comments announces that the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding four Information Collection Requests (ICRs), abstracted below, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requesting an extension of its approval for the following collections of information: (1) 1625-0016, Welding and Hot Work Permits; Posting of Warning Signs; (2) 1625-0023, Barge Fleeting Facility Records; (3) 1625-0027, Vessel Documentation; and (4) Nondestructive Testing of Certain Cargo Tanks on Unmanned Barges. 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.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the drawbridge operation regulations of the S213 Bridge, at mile 26.8, across Chester River at Chestertown MD. This proposal would allow the bridge to open on signal if at least six hours notice is given and would provide for the reasonable needs of navigation, due to the anticipated infrequency of requests for vessel openings of the drawbridge.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the waters of the State Boat Channel surrounding the Robert Moses Causeway located in Captree, New York due to ongoing construction. This rule is necessary to protect vessels transiting the area from hazards imposed by construction barges and equipment; entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Long Island Sound, New Haven, CT.

This notice provides the times and locations of the first two of six public meetings which will be held by the Coast Guard (USCG) regarding the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled ``Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters'' that published in the Federal Register on Friday, August 28, 2009.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the navigable waters of the Northwest Harbor of San Clemente Island in support of the Naval Underwater Detonation. This safety zone is necessary to ensure non-authorized personnel and vessels remain safe by keeping clear of the hazardous area during the training activity. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the offshore supply vessel ACO LANDRY A GALIANO as required by 33 U.S.C. 1605(c) and 33 CFR 81.18.

The Coast Guard is establishing a 280-foot radius safety zone on the Chesapeake Bay in the vicinity of the Cape Charles Town Harbor, Cape Charles, VA in support of the Cape Charles Tomato Festival Fireworks event. This action will protect mariners from the hazards associated with fireworks displays by restricting vessel traffic movement in the vicinity of the event.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Navy Pier Southeast Safety Zone in Chicago Harbor from September 2, 2009, through September 26, 2009. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and immediately after fireworks events. This rule will establish restrictions upon and control movement of vessels in the specified area immediately prior to, during, and immediately after the fireworks events. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the offshore supply vessel Tyler Stephen as required by 33 U.S.C. 1605(c) and 33 CFR 81.18.

This rule finalizes, with minor non-substantive changes, the amendments to Coast Guard regulations on merchant mariner documentation which were published as an interim rule with request for comments on April 24, 2007. These amendments implement section 3509 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Warner Act), which allows for the issuance of merchant mariner's documents (MMDs), (which have since been consolidated by the Coast Guard into merchant mariner credentials (MMCs)), to certain non-resident aliens for service in the steward's departments of U.S. flag large passenger vessels endorsed for coastwise trade. Prior to publication of the interim rule, the regulations prohibited the Coast Guard from issuing MMDs, which are required for service on large passenger vessels, to non-resident aliens. Specifically, this rule finalizes the amendments to Coast Guard regulations allowing the Coast Guard to issue MMCs to qualified non-resident aliens who are authorized to be employed in the United States, the amendments setting the requirements these aliens must meet in order to qualify for MMCs, and the requirements for the large passenger vessels that may choose to hire these aliens. This rule only applies to large passenger vessels, as defined under the Warner Act.

The Coast Guard announces a series of public meetings to receive comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled ``Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters'' that published in the Federal Register on Friday, August 28, 2009.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone on the waters of the Calcasieu River for the mooring basin at Cameron LNG in Hackberry, LA. The security zone is needed to protect vessels, waterfront facilities, the public, and other surrounding areas from destruction, loss, or injury caused by sabotage, subversive acts, accidents, or other actions of a similar nature. Entering this security zone is prohibited without permission from the Captain of the Port, Port Arthur or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is announcing that the collection of information requirement under 33 CFR 138.85, entitled ``Financial Responsibility for Water Pollution (Vessels),'' has been approved by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The OMB control number is 1625-0046.

The Coast Guard is establishing a permanent safety zone around Seal Island, Maine from the shoreline out to the 60 foot depth curve. This safety zone prohibits persons and vessels from entering the designated area around Seal Island unless authorized by the Coast Guard Captain of the Port Northern New England. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters around Seal Island by protecting mariners from the hazards of Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC) found in the area.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Witt Penn Bridge at mile 3.1, across the Hackensack River, at Jersey City, New Jersey. Under this temporary deviation the Witt Penn Bridge may remain in the closed position for 45 days to facilitate necessary bridge maintenance.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone upon the navigable waters of the Pacific Ocean, San Diego, CA, in support of a paddling regatta near the Ocean Beach Pier. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and users of the waterway. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard has recertified the Cook Inlet Regional Citizen's Advisory Council for the period covering September 1, 2009, through August 31, 2010. Under the Oil Terminal and Oil Tanker Environmental Oversight Act of 1990, the Coast Guard may certify on an annual basis an alternative voluntary advisory group in lieu of a regional citizens' advisory council for Cook Inlet, Alaska. This advisory group monitors the activities of terminal facilities and crude oil tankers under the Cook Inlet Program established by the statute.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone and regulated navigation area on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Romeoville, IL. This temporary final rule places navigational and operational restrictions on all vessels transiting the navigable waters located adjacent to and over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) electrical dispersal fish barrier system.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary moving safety zone on the Lower Mississippi River from mile marker 869.0 to 303.0, extending the entire width of the river, 0.5 mile downriver and 0.5 mile upriver from the 2009 US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) revetment work throughout the Lower Mississippi River. This moving safety zone is needed to protect persons and vessels from the potential safety hazards created by the 2009 USACE revetment project. Entry into this zone is prohibited to all vessels and mariners unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Lower Mississippi River or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard announces that it will impose conditions of entry on vessels arriving to the United States from the Republic of the Congo, with the exception of vessels arriving from the Djeno Oil Terminal, a single buoy mooring off-shore.