Coast Guard 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The purpose of this notice is to inform the public that the Coast Guard has recertified the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (PWSRCAC) as an alternative voluntary advisory group for Prince William Sound, Alaska. This certification allows the PWSRCAC to monitor the activities of terminal facilities and crude oil tankers under the Prince William Sound Program established by statute.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary moving security zones for certain vessels, for which the Captain of the Port, Houston- Galveston, deems enhanced security measures necessary on a case-by-case basis. These moving security zones would extend 1,000 yards ahead and astern and 500 yards on each side of certain vessels, which will display the international signal flag or pennant number five to signal a security zone is established around the vessel. The moving security zone may commence at any point after certain vessels bound for the Port of Freeport enter the U.S. territorial waters (12 nautical miles) in the Captain of the Port Houston-Galveston zone. These security zones are needed to safeguard the vessels, the public, and the surrounding area from sabotage or other subversive acts, accidents, or other events of a similar nature. Unless exempted under this rule, entry into or movement within these security zones would be prohibited without permission from the Captain of the Port Houston-Galveston.

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.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operations of the Rock Island Railroad and Highway Drawbridge, Mile 482.9, Rock Island, Illinois across the Upper Mississippi River. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed to navigation position from 8:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m., May 16, 2009. The deviation is necessary as the drawbridge is part of the annual route for the Quad Cities Heart Walk.

The Coast Guard is changing the drawbridge operation regulation for the Washington State drawbridges across the Chehalis, Hoquiam, and Wishkah Rivers at Grays Harbor, Washington. The change reduces staffing requirements during the night when openings are infrequent. The rule does this by modifying the number of hours of advance notice required for draw openings and establishing the telephone as the only means of initial contact for openings at night.

The Coast Guard proposes establishing a safety zone on the Back River in the vicinity of Hampton, VA during the Hampton Roads Air Show. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic movement in the vicinity of Willoughby Point, VA to protect mariners from the hazards associated with air show events. We propose enforcement of this safety zone from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on April 24, 2009, and daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 25, and April 26, 2009.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of guidance for implementation of the Alternate Compliance and Safety Agreement program for ``head and gut fleet'' vessels. The guidance clarifies various elements contained in the original 2006 policy letter relating to that program, and in a 2006 Federal Register notice that announced the availability of that policy letter. Among these elements is the issuance of a conditional load line exemption for head and gut vessels.

The Coast Guard proposes the establishment of several safety zones in the Captain of the Port Portland, Oregon zone for annual fireworks displays that take place around the 4th of July each year. The safety zones are necessary to help ensure the safety of the maritime public during the events and will do so by prohibiting all persons and vessels from entering the safety zones unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Portland, Oregon or his designated representatives.

The Coast Guard is adopting the interim safety zone published on December 29, 2008, as a temporary final rule. This rule creates a safety zone for a portion of the Saugus River in Lynn, Massachusetts as requested by the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD), to allow for vital repair work to commence on the Route 107/Fox Hill Bridge during the winter and spring months. This zone is necessary to protect mariners from the potential hazards associated with the work being conducted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in making critical repairs to the bridge while it is closed to transiting vessels and vehicular traffic.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Blynman SR127 Bridge across the Annisquam River at mile 0.0, at Gloucester, Massachusetts. This temporary deviation allows the SR127 Bridge to remain in the closed position for four days to facilitate bridge maintenance.

The Coast Guard is correcting the preamble to a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of March 11, 2009 (74 FR 10484). The preamble incorrectly referred to Department of Homeland Security Management Directive 5100.1, instead of Department of Homeland Security Management Directive 0023.1.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the drawbridge operation regulations of the US17 Bridge, at mile 12.0, across Perquimans River at Hertford, NC. This proposal would allow the drawbridge to operate on an advance notice basis during specific times of the year. The proposed change would result in more efficient use of the bridge during months of infrequent transit.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard intends to submit Information Collection Requests (ICRs) and Analyses to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requesting an extension of its approval for the following collections of information: (1) 1625-0009, Oil Record Book for Ships; (2) 1625- 0047, Plan Review and Records for Vital System Automation; (3) 1625- 0063, Marine Occupational Health and Safety Standards for Benzene46 CFR 197 Subpart C; (4) 1625-0070, Vessel Identification System; and (5) 1625-0084, Audit Reports under the International Safety Management Code. Before submitting these ICRs to OMB, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a permanent regulated navigation area (RNA) in waters of the Chesapeake and Delaware (C & D) Canal, within the anchorage basin at Chesapeake City, Maryland, to be enforced annually, on the last Saturday in June, from 12:01 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. This RNA is necessary to provide for the safety of life, property and the environment. This RNA will restrict and control the movement of vessels and persons throughout the anchorage basin during the Town of Chesapeake City's Canal Day event.

This final rule amends the size of Romer Shoal Anchorage Ground in Lower New York Bay. This action is necessary to facilitate safe navigation in the area and to provide safe and secure anchorages for vessels transiting this area. This change to the anchorage is intended to increase the safety of life and property within this area of the Port of New York by providing for greater safety of anchored vessels and to enhance the safe and efficient flow of commercial vessels and commerce.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the SR 23 bridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (Algiers Alternate Route), mile 3.8, at Belle Chasse, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. This temporary rule is issued to facilitate movement of vehicular traffic for the 2009 N'Awlins Air Show, to be held at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base at Belle Chasse, Louisiana.

The Coast Guard is establishing a permanent security zone of 100 yards around the Coast Guard Base in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The security zone is needed for national security reasons to protect the public and the Coast Guard base from potential subversive acts. This rule would exclude entry into the security zone by all vessels and personnel without permission of the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port San Juan (COTP).

The National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) and its subcommittees will meet on April 4, 5, and 6, 2009, in Orlando, FL. The meetings will be open to the public.

Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (Pub. L. 92-463), the Secretary of Homeland Security has renewed the charter for the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (NOSAC) for a 2- year period, from February 9, 2009 until February 9, 2011. This Committee advises the Coast Guard on safety, security and environmental protection issues relating to the offshore mineral and energy industries.

In response to requests received, the Coast Guard announces a second public meeting, to be held March 25, 2009, in Seattle, WA, to receive comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend Coast Guard regulations governing Notice of Arrival and Departure (NOAD) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) requirements. This is an additional meeting to the one previously announced for March 5, 2009, in Washington, DC.

The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking comments and recommendations from the public for optimizing domestic International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) port reception facilities and will conduct a public meeting on the subject on Thursday, March 12, 2009, at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street, SW., Washington, DC 20593. The purpose of the meeting is to assist and complement efforts by the Coast Guard's Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) on implementing MARPOL regulations with respect to providing adequate port/terminal MARPOL reception facilities.

The Coast Guard proposes a safety zone, on the navigable waters of the lower Colorado River, Laughlin, NV, in support of a fireworks display near the AVI Resort and Casino. 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 proposes establishing a temporary safety zone within the Lake Moolvalya region of the navigable waters of the Colorado River in Parker, Arizona for the Blue Water Resort and Casino APBA National Tour Rounds 1 and 2. This temporary 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.