Coast Guard August 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 miter rail repair.

The Coast Guard is establishing four temporary safety zones for marine events within the Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) New York Zone for fireworks displays and swim events. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the events. Entry into, transit through, mooring or anchoring within these zones is prohibited unless authorized by the COTP New York.

Based on a review of safety and security zones around critical infrastructure in the Chicago area, the Captain of the Port Sector Lake Michigan has determined that to better protect such infrastructure, while also mitigating burdens on waterway users, it is necessary to amend these security zones in our regulations. Specifically, the Coast Guard proposes to reduce the size of an existing security zone, disestablish another security zone, and create three new security zones.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the Allegheny River from mile marker 5.7 to mile marker 5.9 (the parking area on either side of the 13th Street boat ramp), extending 300 feet from the right descending bank. The safety zone is needed to protect the public from the hazards associated with the Guyasuta Days Festival fireworks display. Entry into, movement within, and departure from this temporary safety zone, while it is activated and enforced, is prohibited, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes the establishment of a Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) at the Zidell Waterfront Property located on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. This RNA is necessary to preserve the integrity of an engineered sediment cap as part of an Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) required remedial action. This proposed RNA will do so by prohibiting activities that could disturb or damage the engineered sediment cap.

The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period before issuing a final rule regarding the Approval of Classification Societies (USCG- 2007-27668). We previously published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposing application procedures and performance standards that classification societies must meet in order to obtain approval by the Coast Guard before conducting work in the United States. We published the proposed regulations to implement the requirements imposed by the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004, but before the publication of the final rule, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 changed the applicability to require that all classification societies be approved by the Coast Guard prior to conducting any work on a vessel in the United States. The published NPRM proposed allowing full members of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) to be exempt from Coast Guard approval prior to working in the United States. Because of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010, we are reopening the comment period to allow for any additional or updated comments from the public before publishing the final rule.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Route 1 & 9 Bridge across the Passaic River, mile 1.8, at Jersey City, New Jersey. The deviation is necessary to facilitate bridge painting operations at the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for 58 days.

The Coast Guard proposes adjustments to the rates for pilotage services on the Great Lakes, which were last amended in February 2011. The proposed adjustments would establish new base rates and are made in accordance with a required full ratemaking procedure. They result in an average decrease of approximately 4 percent from the rates established in February 2011. This rulemaking promotes the Coast Guard's strategic goal of maritime safety.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval of a revision to the following collection of information: 1625-0109, Drawbridge Operation Regulations. Before submitting this ICR to OMB, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of Milwaukee Harbor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Milwaukee Harbor during two separate firework displays on July 31, 2011 and August 26, 2011. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with these firework displays.

The Coast Guard has changed the drawbridge operation regulations that govern the operation of the Arthur Kill (AK) Railroad Bridge at mile 11.6, across Arthur Kill between Staten Island, New York and Elizabeth, New Jersey. This final rule provides relief to the bridge owner from crewing their bridge by allowing the bridge to be operated from a remote location while continuing to meet the present and future needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a permanent regulated navigation area (RNA) on a portion of Elliott Bay in Seattle, Washington. The RNA would protect the seabed in portions of the bay that are subject to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Pacific Sound Resources (PSR) and Lockheed Shipyard superfund cleanup remediation efforts. This RNA would prohibit activities that would disturb the seabed, such as anchoring, dragging, trawling, spudding or other activities that involve disrupting the integrity of the sediment caps that cover the superfund sites. It will not affect transit or navigation of the area.