Coast Guard October 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the Indiana Harbor Canal in East Chicago, Indiana. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of the Indiana Harbor Canal due to the Demolition Project on the Cline Avenue Bridge. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect the surrounding public and vessels from the hazards associated with the demolition project.

The Coast Guard is establishing a moving safety zone around large cruise ships as they transit the Lower Mississippi River between the Port of New Orleans Cruise Ship Terminal, mile marker 96.0, and the Southwest Pass Sea Buoy. The moving safety zone extends from bank to bank encompassing one-mile ahead and one-mile astern of each cruise ship. This safety measure is necessary to protect persons and vessels from the potential safety hazards associated with congested maritime traffic on the Lower Mississippi River.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding Information Collection Requests (ICRs), 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 collections of information: 1625-0027, Vessel Documentation and 1625-0104, Barges Carrying Bulk Hazardous Materials. Additionally, the U.S. Coast Guard requests an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0052, Nondestructive Testing of Certain Cargo Tanks on Unmanned Barges. Our ICRs describe 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 has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Veterans Memorial Bridge across the Taunton River, mile 2.1, between Fall River and Somerset, Massachusetts. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is needed. This deviation will allow us to test an operating schedule to help determine the hours the bridge should be crewed. It is expected that this test will help determine the best operating schedule that will meet the present and future needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard will enforce a segment of the Safety Zone; Brandon Road Lock and Dam to Lake Michigan including Des Plaines River, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Chicago River, Calumet-Saganashkee Channel on all waters of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal from Mile Marker 296.1 to Mile Marker 296.7 at various times on November 14, 2012. This action is necessary to protect the waterways, waterway users, and vessels from hazards associated with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources netting and electro-fishing clearing operation. During any of the below listed enforcement periods, entry into, transiting, mooring, laying-up or anchoring within the enforced area of this safety zone by any person or vessel is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Lake Michigan, or his or her designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary security zone encompassing certain waters of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. This action is necessary to prevent terrorist acts and incidents and to safeguard high-ranking government officials and the public-at-large immediately before, during and after activities associated with the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, DC from January 15, 2013 through January 24, 2013. This rule prohibits vessels and people from entering the security zone and requires vessels and persons in the security zone to depart the security zone, unless specifically exempt under the provisions in this rule or granted specific permission from the Coast Guard Captain of the Port Baltimore.

The Coast Guard is extending the timeframe for a temporary safety zone on the waters of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway at Emerald Isle, North Carolina. The safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of mariners on navigable waters during maintenance of the NC 58 Fixed Bridge crossing the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, mile 226, at Emerald Isle, North Carolina. The safety zone extension will temporarily restrict vessel movement within the designated area starting on December 12, 2012 through February 14, 2013.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the Willamette River between the Steele Bridge and the Burnside Bridge on October 27, 2012 from 6:30 p.m. (P.D.T.) to 7:30 p.m. (P.D.T.). This safety zone is necessary to ensure the safety of the maritime public during a fireworks display, and will do so by prohibiting unauthorized persons and vessels from entering the safety zone unless authorized by the Sector Columbia River Captain of the Port (COTP) or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for a portion of the Mobile River, Mobile, AL in the vicinity of Cooper Riverside Park. This action is necessary for the protection of persons and vessels on navigable waters during the Cooper T. Smith Fireworks Event. Entry into, transiting or anchoring in this zone is prohibited to all vessels, mariners, and persons unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Mobile or a designated representative.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Wantagh State Parkway Bridge across the Sloop Channel, mile 15.4, at Jones Beach, New York. The deviation is necessary to install bascule girders at the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, between East Indiantown Road and Donald Ross Road, just offshore of Jupiter, Florida during the Palm Beach World Championship, a high speed power boat race. The Palm Beach World Championship is scheduled to take place on Friday, October 19, and Sunday, October 21, 2012. The high speed power boat race event will include approximately 50 high speed power boat participants and 250 spectator vessels. The special local regulation is necessary to provide safety for the participants, spectators, and general public in and near the race area during the event. The special local regulation will encompass the following two areas: a race area, where all persons and vessels, except those persons and vessels participating in or assisting the high speed boat races, are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within; and a spectator area, where vessels are permitted to anchor.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation on the waters of Biscayne Bay, east of Bayfront Park, in Miami, Florida during the 2012 Ironman 70.3 Miami, a triathlon. The Ironman 70.3 Miami is scheduled to take place on Sunday, October 28, 2012. Approximately 2,500 participants are anticipated to participate in the swim. No spectators are expected to be present during the event. The special local regulation is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, participant vessels, and the general public on the navigable waters of the United States during the event. The special local regulation establishes an area that will encompass the event area. Non-participant persons and vessels will be prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Miami or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the Indiana Harbor Canal in East Chicago, Indiana. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of the Indiana Harbor Canal due to the Demolition Project on the Cline Avenue Bridge. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect the surrounding public and vessels from the hazards associated with the demolition project.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary fixed and moving safety zone for all waters within 100 yards of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Bank Grading Units, Mat Sinking Unit and M/V Harrison and M/V William James while operating on the Mississippi River. This safety zone is needed to protect vessels and mariners from the safety hazards associated with bank grading and mat sinking operations performed by the USACE. Entry into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the cognizant Captain of the Port (COTP) (COTP Lower Mississippi River for MM 303.0 to MM 869.0 or COTP Ohio Valley MM 869.0 to MM 958.0) or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is canceling the temporary deviation concerning the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) Drawbridge across Old River, mile 10.4, at Orwood, CA. This cancellation was requested by the bridge owner due to their inability to operate the BNSF Middle River drawbridge as an alternative path for navigation.

The U.S. Coast Guard is proposing to amend the Seafair Blue Angels Air Show Performance safety zone on the waters of Lake Washington, Seattle, WA. This action is necessary to safeguard participants and spectators from the safety hazards associated with the Seafair Blue Angels Air Show Performance, which include low flying high speed aircraft, and will do so by prohibiting entry into the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP), Puget Sound or a Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the Savannah River in Augusta, Georgia, during the 2012 Head of the South Regatta, which will consist of a series of rowing races. The 2012 Head of the South Regatta is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 9, 2012 and Saturday, November 10, 2012. The temporary safety zone is necessary for the safety of race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public during the event. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Savannah or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of three policy letters providing guidance to vessels and mariners subject to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended (STCW). These letters provide guidance on: The hours of rest requirements of the 2010 amendments to the STCW Convention and Code; issuance of endorsements and approval of training for Vessel Personnel with Designated Security Duties (VPDSD) and vessel personnel requiring security awareness training; and issuance of other endorsements and approval of other training to meet the 2010 amendments. These letters are necessary to provide guidance to affected parties until regulations implementing amendments to the STCW are promulgated.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of Lake Erie, East Huron, Ohio. This regulation is intended to restrict vessels from portions of Lake Erie during the Wounded Warriors Benefit. This safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with launched pumpkins.

The Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee (CFSAC) will meet in Washington, DC to discuss various issues relating to safety in the commercial fishing industry. This meeting will be open to the public.

The National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) and three of its subcommittees will meet on November 9-11, 2012, in Watsonville, CA, to discuss issues relating to recreational boating safety. The meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the navigable waters of Mission Bay in support of the Sea World San Diego Fireworks. 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 U.S. Coast Guard is proposing to establish a safety zone around vessels involved in Coast Guard training exercises in Hood Canal, WA. A safety zone is necessary to ensure the safety of the maritime public during these exercises, which involve fast moving surface vessels, smoke machines, pyrotechnics, and other elements which could create safety concerns for waterway users. This safety zone would ensure the safety of the maritime public by prohibiting any person or vessel from entering or remaining in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) or a Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the Niagara River, Lewiston, NY. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of the Lower Niagara River during the Battle of Queenston Heights Bicentennial historical reenactment and fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with a historical reenactment and fireworks display.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the Menominee River in Marinette Wisconsin. This zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Menominee River during the launching of the Research vessel SIKULIAQ, on October 13th, 2012. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect the surrounding public and vessels from the hazards associated with the launching of this 261 foot, research vessel.