Coast Guard 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is removing the existing drawbridge operation regulation that governs the opening of the S35 Bridge, mile 0.9, across Shark River (South Channel) at Avon Township, NJ. The existing regulation contains a drawbridge operation schedule for the S35 Bridge. However, the existing bridge was modified in 2006 from a movable bridge to a fixed bridge. Since the bridge is no longer a movable bridge, the regulation controlling the opening and closing of the bridge is no longer necessary.

As part of its continuing response to the explosion, fire and sinking of the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) DEEPWATER HORIZON, in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, with loss of life, the Coast Guard announces recommended interim voluntary guidance concerning lifesaving and fire-fighting equipment, training, and drills onboard manned offshore facilities and MODUs operating on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), and requests comments on that guidance. Comments received on the docket will be considered in our ongoing evaluation of the safety of offshore facilities.

The Coast Guard is modifying the operating schedule that governs the Canadian Pacific Railroad Drawbridge across the Black River at Mile 1.0 near La Crosse, Wisconsin. The drawspan shall immediately open upon demand once the vessel requiring an opening establishes contact with the remote operator located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, via radiotelephone on VHF-FM Channel 16, or by standard telephone calling (507) 895-6087. The remote drawbridge operator will ensure the drawspan can safely be opened, immediate move it to the open to navigation position, and then maintain constant contact with the vessel until it has completely transited the bridge.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Illinois Central Railroad Drawbridge across the Upper Mississippi River, mile 579.9, at Dubuque, Iowa. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner time to perform preventive maintenance that is essential to the continued safe operation of the drawbridge. Maintenance is scheduled in the winter when there is less impact on navigation, instead of scheduling work in the summer, when river traffic increases. This deviation allows the bridge to open on signal if at least 24 hours advance notice is given.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that governs the Murray Morgan Bridge, also known as the South 11th Street Bridge, across Thea Foss Waterway, mile 0.6, previously known as City Waterway, at Tacoma, WA. This proposed rule would allow more efficient staffing of the bridge operating crew by requiring advance notification for bridge openings during designated hours. This proposed rule will also remove existing authorized closure periods for the bridge to better reflect present day transportation needs. Lastly, this proposed change will update contact information for requesting emergency bridge openings.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company swing span bridge across Bayou Boeuf, mile 10.2, at Amelia, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. The deviation is necessary to complete scheduled repairs necessitated by a bridge allision. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position for sixteen consecutive hours.

The Coast Guard has established a temporary safety zone for a portion of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Choctawhatchee Bay, Santa Rosa Beach, FL. This action is necessary for the protection of persons and vessels, on navigable waters, during the construction of a subaqueous water main. Entry into or transiting in this zone will be prohibited to all vessels, mariners, and persons unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Mobile or a designated representative.

The Navigation Safety Advisory Council (NAVSAC) will meet on November 28 and 29, 2012 in Tampa, Florida, to discuss matters relating to maritime collisions, ramming, groundings, Inland and International Rules of the Road, navigation regulations and equipment, routing measures, marine information, diving safety, and aids to navigation systems. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is temporarily establishing a regulated navigation area (RNA) comprising all waters between the New York City Department of Sanitation Marine Transfer Stations (MTSs) on Gowanus Bay and Flushing Bay. While the temporary interim rule is in effect, the Coast Guard may restrict or prohibit vessel traffic within the RNA to accommodate the load-out and transit of four gantry cranes that will pose an imminent hazard to vessels operating in the area.

The Coast Guard is changing the existing regulated navigation area in the navigable waters of New Haven Harbor, Quinnipiac River and Mill River. The current RNA pertains only to the operation of tugs and barges. The changes allow periodic, temporary closure of the area which will be needed during construction of the new Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, and which could be needed at other times as well. This revision allows the Coast Guard to suspend all vessel traffic through the RNA during periods of temporary closure. This rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life in the regulated area.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish five special local regulations during the month of December when holiday boat parades are scheduled to occur on the navigable waterways in vicinities of Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and Miami, Florida. These special local regulations are necessary to protect the public from the hazards associated with marine parades. The special local regulations consist of a series of moving zones, to include buffer areas, around participant vessels as they transit the navigable waters of the United States during these events. Persons and vessels that are not participating in the marine parade are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within any of the regulated areas unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Miami or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Special Local Regulations in 33 CFR 100.1101 from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on November 11, 2012 on Mission Bay, CA in support of the San Diego Fall Classic. This action is necessary to restrict vessel movement and provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, sponsor vessels of the race, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this designated race area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

A working group of the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will meet to work on Task Statement 71 concerning review of the Knowledge, Understanding and Proficiency (KUP) tables for deck and engineer officers listed in the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 as amended, for alignment with the Coast Guard examination topic tables. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Third Street Drawbridge across China Basin, mile 0.0, at San Francisco, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the public to cross the bridge to participate in the scheduled RedBull Flugtag, a community event. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

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.