Coast Guard December 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the method of operation for the Victoria Barge Canal Railroad Bridge across the Victoria Barge Canal, mile 29.4 at Bloomington, Victoria County, Texas. The bridge will continue to open on signal. The bridge owner, the Victoria County Navigation District, in conjunction with the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), the operator of the bridge, requested permission to remotely operate the bridge. This deviation tests a remote operating system as the method for opening the bridge under the existing operating schedule to determine whether a permanent change to remote operations can be approved.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the NC Route 50-210 Highway Bridge, on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, mile 260.7, in Surf City, NC. This drawbridge is presently regulated to open on signal for commercial vessels and pleasure vessels, except between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. when the draw need only open on the hour for pleasure vessels. To facilitate necessary repairs, this deviation allows for the bridge to remain closed to navigation from 6 p.m. on February 22, 2015 to 6 p.m. February 24, 2015, except for two openings at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.

The Coast Guard is amending 33 CFR 165.164 by establishing three security zones to replace the three regulated navigation areas (RNAs) currently contained within this section. The Coast Guard is also disestablishing these three RNAs. The three security zones, just like the RNAs they replace, are meant to promote public safety and to protect dignitaries who visit the United Nations in New York, NY.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating regulation that governs the Conrail railroad bridge over Mantua Creek at mile marker 1.4 in Paulsboro, NJ. The bridge owner, Conrail, is modifying the operating system which controls the bridge operations. Cameras will be installed and the bridge will be remotely operated from Mt. Laurel, NJ. Train crew will no longer be required to stop and check the waterway for approaching vessel traffic prior to initiating a bridge closure or be responsible to operate the bridge closure equipment located at the bridge site.

The Coast Guard proposes to require each owner or operator of a facility regulated by the Coast Guard to implement a system that provides seafarers and other individuals with access between vessels moored at the facility and the facility gate, in a timely manner and at no cost to the seafarer or other individual. Generally, transiting through a facility is the only way that a seafarer or other individual can egress to shore beyond the facility to access basic shoreside businesses and services, and meet with family members and other personnel that do not hold a Transportation Worker Identification Credential. This proposed rule would help to ensure that no facility owner or operator denies or makes it impractical for seafarers or other individuals to transit through the facility, and would require them to document their access procedures in their Facility Security Plans. This proposed rule would implement section 811 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Jackson Street Drawbridge across the Red River, mile 88.6, at Alexandria, Louisiana. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to install four new pinion gears that are essential to the continued safe operation of the drawbridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position and not open to vessel traffic.

The Coast Guard is establishing a Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) on the navigable waters of Oregon Inlet, NC surrounding the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge. This RNA will allow the Coast Guard to enforce vessel traffic restrictions within the RNA when necessary to safeguard people and vessels from the hazards associated with potential catastrophic structural damage that could occur due to vessel allisions with the bridge.

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 the following collection of information: 1625NEW, District Five, Coast Guard Auxiliary Safety Survey. 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 operation of the New Jersey Transit Rail Operations (NJTRO) railroad bridge across Cheesequake Creek, mile 0.2, at Morgan, New Jersey. This deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to perform structural repairs at the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain closed on nine consecutive weekends.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary safety zones for all of Tampa Bay during periods of reduced visibility. The safety zones will be enforced when visibility falls below one nautical mile. Tampa Bay will be categorized into seven zones in order to close only the affected areas of Tampa Bay. Heavy fog affects Tampa Bay an average of 22 days annually, mainly between the months of November through March. These safety zones are necessary to protect commercial traffic from the hazards resulting from reduced visibility. Entering, transiting within, or transiting through this safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Clinton Railroad Drawbridge, across the Upper Mississippi River, mile 518.0, at Clinton, 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. It further allows the bridge to open on signal if at least 72-hours advance notice is given from January 5, 2015 to February 13, 2015.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Rob Roy Railroad Drawbridge across the Arkansas River, mile 64.7, at Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to install a new generator and motor that are essential to the continued safe operation of the drawbridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed- to-navigation position and not open to vessel traffic.

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. It further allows the bridge to remain closed for up to 72 hours in duration occasionally to replace larger components as long as 72-hours notice is given to the USCG District Eight Western Rivers Bridge Branch.

The Coast Guard announces a public meeting to receive comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled ``Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Illinois Waterway, Joliet, IL'' that was published in the Federal Register on August 27, 2014. As stated in the NPRM, the Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating regulations for six drawbridges, located between river mile 285.8 and river mile 288.7, across the Illinois Waterway, at Joliet, Illinois. The NPRM proposes to consolidate the current operating regulation, which includes five on-site bridge tender control stations, into one centralized control point for all five drawbridges. The NPRM also proposes to add a sixth drawbridge that will also operate under the centralized control point. The proposed action is intended to improve navigational safety and operational efficiency in the Joliet area.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Louisiana State Route 23 (LA 23) vertical lift span bridge, also known as the Judge Perez Bridge, across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (Algiers Alternate Route), mile 3.8, at Belle Chasse, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. This deviation is necessary to provide for the safe movement of vehicular traffic during major plant reconstruction on one side of the waterway and the resulting change in work schedule and increase in workforce transiting the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain temporarily closed to navigation for an additional one hour in the evening during weekdays for five weeks.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the Towing Safety Advisory Committee. The Towing Safety Advisory Committee advises the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on matters relating to shallow-draft inland and coastal waterway navigation and towing safety. Applicants selected for service on the Towing Safety Advisory Committee via this solicitation will not begin their respective terms until September 30, 2015.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone in the navigable waters of the Charleston Harbor, Charleston, SC within Coast Guard Sector Charleston's Captain of the Port Zone. The security zone is necessary to prevent damage or injury to vessels and to safeguard Charleston Harbor during the USCGC HAMILTON commissioning ceremony. Persons and vessels will be prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the security zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative.