Coast Guard August 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a security zone at U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Base Support Unit (BSU) Seattle, Pier 36, Elliot Bay, Seattle, WA. This permanent security zone is necessary to protect military and visiting foreign vessels, waterfront facilities, and the maritime public from destruction, loss, or injury from sabotage, subversive acts, or other malicious acts of a similar nature. Entry into or movement within this security zone is prohibited without the permission of the Captain of the Port Puget Sound or a Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend its regulations for certain lifesaving equipment, including launching appliances (winches and davits), release mechanisms, survival craft (lifeboats, inflatable liferafts, and inflatable buoyant apparatuses), rescue boats, and automatic disengaging devices. The proposed rules would harmonize the Coast Guard's design, construction, and performance standards for this lifesaving equipment with international standards. In addition, the proposed rules would provide for the use of qualified independent laboratories, instead of Coast Guard inspectors, during the approval process and for production inspections of certain types of lifesaving equipment.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in specified waters of Raccoon Creek, Bridgeport, NJ. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on navigable waters while contractors replace steel I-beams. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessel access in order to protect mariners in a portion of Raccoon Creek.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of two North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) drawbridges: The S.R. 74 Bridge, across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, mile 283.1, at Wrightsville Beach, NC, and the Isabel S. Holmes Bridge across the Northeast Cape Fear River, mile 1.0, at Wilmington, NC. The deviation is necessary to accommodate distance races. This deviation allows the bridges to remain in the closed position during the races.

The Coast Guard has changed the drawbridge operation regulations that govern the operation of the Route 3 Bridge, mile 11.8, across the Passaic River at Clifton, New Jersey. This final rule will allow the bridge to remain in the closed position. The purpose of this rule is to facilitate the installation of a utility cable at the bridge. The Route 3 Bridge has not received a request to open since 1998.

The Coast Guard has changed the drawbridge operation regulations that govern the operation of the Brightman Street (Rt-6) Bridge at mile 1.8, across the Taunton River between Fall River and Somerset, Massachusetts. This final rule will help relieve the bridge owner from the burden of crewing the bridge at times when there have been few requests to open the bridge. In addition, we are also removing some obsolete language from the regulations, the operation regulations for the Bristol County Bridge at mile 10.3, because that bridge has subsequently been replaced with a fixed highway bridge.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary special local regulations during the ``East Coast Drag Boat Association Race'', a power boat race to be held on the waters of the Roanoke River near Plymouth, North Carolina. 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 portions of the Roanoke River adjacent to Plymouth, North Carolina during the power boat race.

The Coast Guard is establishing regulated navigation areas (RNAs) and safety and security zones around the recently constructed Neptune Deepwater Port Facility, and modifying RNA and safety zone regulations for the existing Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port (NEGDWP), both of which are located in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The purpose of these regulated areas is to protect vessels and mariners from the potential safety hazards associated with deepwater port operations, and to protect the liquefied natural gas carriers (LNGCs) and deepwater port infrastructure from security threats or other subversive acts. All vessels, with the exception of LNGCs and deepwater port support vessels, will be prohibited from anchoring within 1,000 meters of the submerged turret loading (STL) buoys associated with the deepwater port, and prohibited from entering waters within 500 meters of the deepwater port STL buoys or the LNGCs using them. Additionally, vessels will be prohibited from deploying equipment which could become entangled in submerged infrastructure within 1,000 meters of STL buoys.

The Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research (ICCOPR) will hold a public meeting in Washington, DC to hear comments on the priorities of oil pollution research, including projects related to the Deepwater Horizon incident and the Arctic environment. This meeting is designed to give the public an opportunity to provide statements as to where the ICCOPR, a Federally mandated committee, should focus their efforts concerning oil pollution research. Public comment will then be used to augment the revision of the 1997 Oil Pollution Research and Technology Plan. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (HOGANSAC) and its working groups will meet in Houston, Texas, to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation, area projects impacting safety on the Houston Ship Channel, and various other navigation safety matters in the Galveston Bay area. All meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard proposes to increase the rates for pilotage on the Great Lakes to generate sufficient revenue to cover allowable expenses, target pilot compensation, and return on investment. The proposed update reflects a projected August 1, 2011, increase in benchmark contractual wages and benefits and an adjustment for deflation. This rulemaking promotes the Coast Guard's strategic goal of maritime safety.

The Coast Guard proposes two temporary safety zones while the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Squadron conducts aerobatic performances over Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. These safety zones are necessary to protect watercraft and the general public from hazards associated with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels aircraft low flying, high powered jet aerobatics over open waters. Vessels desiring to transit through the zones can request permission by contacting the Honolulu Captain of the Port at telephone number 808-842-2600.

The Coast Guard is announcing that a C-130 aircraft which crashed off the coast of California is a sunken military craft. It is therefore prohibited for any person to engage or attempt to engage the aircraft or its contents in any way that disturbs, removes, or injures the aircraft or its contents.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has approved a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Pennington Avenue Bridge, across Curtis Creek, mile 0.9, at Baltimore, MD. This deviation allows the bridge to operate on a restricted schedule to facilitate structural repairs.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zones for annual fireworks events in the Captain of the Port, Sector Lake Michigan Zone during two periods from 9:15 p.m. on September 10, 2010 through 11 p.m. on September 11, 2010. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and immediately after fireworks events. During the enforcement periods, no person or vessel may enter the safety zones without permission of the Captain of the Port, Sector Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Navy Pier Southeast Safety Zone in Chicago Harbor during two periods from 9:15 p.m. on September 1, 2010 through 10:30 p.m. on September 4, 2010. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and immediately after fireworks events. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the safety zones without permission of the Captain of the Port, Sector Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard will enforce the fireworks safety zone in Possession Sound from 5 p.m. on September 11, 2010 through 1 a.m. on September 12, 2010. This action is necessary to prevent injury and to protect life and property of the maritime public from the hazards associated with firework displays. During the enforcement period, entry into, transit through, mooring, or anchoring within these zones is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Puget Sound or Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the Navigation Safety Advisory Council (NAVSAC). This Committee advises the Coast Guard on a wide range of issues related to navigation safety such as the prevention of collisions, rammings, and groundings. This includes, but is not limited to: Inland and International Rules of the Road, navigation regulations and equipment, routing measures, marine information, and aids to navigation systems.

On July 1, 2009, the Coast Guard amended the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 limits of liability for vessels and deepwater ports to reflect significant increases in the Consumer Price Index. The amendment triggered information collection requirements affecting vessel operators required to establish evidence of financial responsibility. This notice announces that the collection of information has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and may now be enforced. The OMB Control Number is 1625-0046.

This rule makes non-substantive changes throughout our regulations. The purpose of this rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to reflect the renaming of Sector Seattle to Sector Puget Sound as part of the Coast Guard reorganization.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Metro North (Peck) Bridge across the Pequonnock River, mile 0.3, at Bridgeport, Connecticut. The deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position to facilitate scheduled maintenance for three months.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the waters of the Kanawha River beginning at mile 56.7 (C&O Railroad) and ending at mile 57.6 (Interstate Route 64 Bridge), extending the entire width of the river. This safety zone is needed to protect persons and vessels from the potential safety hazards associated with the Toyota Governor's Cup Jet Ski Race. Entry into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Ohio Valley or a designated representative.

This rule makes non-substantive changes throughout our regulations. The purpose of this rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to reflect the renaming of Sector Seattle to Sector Puget Sound as part of the Coast Guard reorganization.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation during the USCG City of Portsmouth Celebration Rowing Regatta on the Elizabeth River. The event consists of a series of crew rowing races to be held on the waters of the Elizabeth River, near Portsmouth, Virginia. This special local regulation will restrict vessel traffic and is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Bridge across Newark Bay, mile 4.3, at Newark, New Jersey. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position on three Mondays to facilitate scheduled maintenance.