Coast Guard August 18, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard announces the availability of its Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact Statement approved on April 8, 2014 for proposed construction of a highway bridge across the Manatee River at Parrish, Manatee County, Florida. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations, the Coast Guard has approved the preferred alternative. All practicable measures to avoid or minimize environmental harm have been identified and incorporated in the preferred alternative.

The Coast Guard is establishing three temporary safety zones for two fireworks events and one swim event within the Captain of the Port Long Island Sound Zone. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during these events. Entering into, transiting through, remaining, anchoring or mooring within these regulated areas would be prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Long Island Sound.

The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 (the Act) removed the statutory size limit previously placed on offshore supply vessels (OSVs), and required the Coast Guard to issue regulations to mitigate the risk created as a result, noting the need ``to ensure the safe carriage of oil, hazardous substances, and individuals in addition to the crew'' on OSVs exceeding the previous size limit. In accordance with the Act, the Coast Guard is issuing this interim rule to ensure the safe carriage of oil, hazardous substances, and individuals other than crew by requiring U.S.-flagged OSVs of at least 6,000 gross tonnage as measured under the Convention Measurement System to comply with existing regulatory requirements and international standards for design, engineering, construction, operations and manning, inspections, and certification. This rule also will affect any vessel of at least 500 gross register tons as measured under the Regulatory Measurement System, if that vessel is not assigned a measurement under the Convention Measurement System and the owner desires to have the vessel certificated as an OSV. The Coast Guard intends to finalize this interim rule after considering, and incorporating to the extent appropriate, any comments from the public.