Coast Guard 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation on the waters of Lake Dora in Tavares, Florida, during the Hydro-Drag Nationals, a series of high-speed personal watercraft races. The event is scheduled for August 30 and 31, 2014. Approximately 65 vessels are anticipated to participate in the races. This special local regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of life during the races.

The National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee will meet via teleconference to receive a final report from the Subcommittee on Marine Casualty Reporting on the Outer Continental Shelf. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in support of vessel salvage operations for the grounded commercial fishing vessel, TAKE MARU 55, in the waters west of Cocos Island. This safety zone will encompass a 400 yard area centered around the TAKE MARU 55, located at approximately 13 degrees 14 minutes 7 seconds North Latitude, 144 degrees 38 minutes 27 seconds East Longitude, the waters west of Cocos Island (North American Datum (NAD) 1983).

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of the Delaware River in Camden, NJ. The safety zone will restrict vessel traffic on a portion of the Delaware River from operating while a fireworks event is taking place. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect the surrounding public and vessels from the hazards associated with a fireworks display.

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.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation from mile 127.0 to mile 128.0, extending bank to bank on the Cumberland River. This zone is necessary to protect participants of the ``Tri Clarksville Triathlon'' during the swim portion of the event. Entry into this area is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Ohio Valley or designated representative.

The Coast Guard is temporarily changing the enforcement date of the special local regulation for the recurring powerboat race known as the Sunset Lake Hydrofest, held in the waters of the Sunset Lake, adjacent to Wildwood Crest, New Jersey. The change of enforcement date for the special local regulation is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action will restrict vessel traffic in the waters of Sunset Lake adjacent to Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, during the event.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Pyro Spectaculars USS MIDWAY Museum firework display safety zone on August 28, 2014. This marine event occurs on the navigable waters of San Diego Bay, immediately to the west of the USS MIDWAY, in San Diego, California. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, safety vessels, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is extending the public comment period on its draft change to Navigation and Inspection Circular (NVIC) 01-13.

The Coast Guard is removing the existing drawbridge operation regulation for the Pinellas Bayway Structure ``C'' Bridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway mile 114, St Petersburg Beach, Florida. The drawbridge was replaced with a fixed bridge in 2014 and the operating regulation is no longer applicable or necessary.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating schedule that governs the Pinellas Bayway Structure ``E'' (SR 679) Bridge, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway mile 113.0, St. Petersburg Beach, FL. This proposal would extend the time period when the bridge is subject to periodic openings. During this extended time period the bridge will not open on demand.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the navigable waters of the James River in Newport News, VA for multiple periods, one hour in length each, on all weekdays from August 6 until August 15, 2014. This action will restrict vessel traffic movement in the designated area during the United States Navy's operation involving unmanned and remote-operated crafts. This action is necessary in order to protect the life and property of the maritime public due to the high speed maneuvering of the vessels and the experimental nature of the control technology.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Amtrak Portal Bridge across the Hackensack River, mile 5.0, at Little Snake Hill, New Jersey. The deviation is necessary for installation of new ties, miter rails and drive motors at the bridge. This temporary deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for five nights to perform scheduled maintenance.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding the 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: 1625-0036, Plan Approval and Records for U.S. and Foreign Tank Vessels Carrying Oil in Bulk. Review and comments by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of Change-1 to the Marine Safety Manual (MSM), Volume III, Marine Industry Personnel, and the corresponding Commandant Change Notice that highlights the changes made to that manual. MSM Volume III provides information and interpretations on international conventions and U.S. statutory and regulatory issues relating to marine industry personnel. Change-1 is presented in a new format to facilitate future revisions by creating three distinct parts; Part A: Mariner Credentialing (Chapters 1-17), Part B: Vessel Manning (legacy Chapters 20-26, now Chapters 1-7), and Part C: Shipment and Service (legacy Chapters 18-19, now Chapters 1-2). The Commandant Change Notice discusses the substantive changes to Part B, Chapters 1 through 7. This Change includes revisions to Part C, Chapters 1 and 2, to account for revised regulations, updated forms, and reformatting. Part A will be reviewed and revised as part of a separate initiative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Montlake Bridge across the Lake Washington Ship Canal, mile 5.2, in Seattle, WA. The deviation is necessary to accommodate vehicular traffic attending football games at Husky Stadium at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position two hours before and two hours after each game. Please note that the game times for five of the seven games scheduled for Husky Stadium have not yet been determined due to NCAA television scheduling.

The Coast Guard will enforce the San Diego Bayfair special local regulations on Friday, September 12, 2014 through Sunday, September 14, 2014. This recurring marine event occurs on the navigable waters of Mission Bay in San Diego, California. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of the high speed boat race participants, crew, spectators, safety vessels, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is amending its safety of life on navigable waters regulations by adding two Special Local Regulations within the Captain of the Port Detroit Zone on the Maumee River, Toledo, Ohio. These special local regulated areas are necessary to protect spectators, participants, and vessels from the hazards associated with these races. These regulations are intended to regulate vessel movement in portions of the Maumee River during the annual Dragon Boat Races and Frogtown Races.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of North Coast Harbor, Cleveland, OH. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of North Coast Harbor during the Gay Games 9 Triathlon. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect participants, spectators, and vessels from the navigational hazards associated with a large swimming event.

The Coast Guard is changing the operating schedule that governs the New Jersey State Route 44 lift bridge over Mantua Creek at mile marker 1.7, near Paulsboro, NJ. The new rule will change the time of year that the bridge opens on signal. For the months that no longer open on signal, the bridge will open with four hours advanced notice.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway extending from Mile Marker 49.0 to Mile Marker 50.0, bank to bank, West of Harvey Locks, Terrebone Parish, LA. This Safety Zone is needed to protect the general public, vessels, and tows from destruction, loss or injury due to repairs of the Bayou Blue Pontoon Bridge and associated hazards.

On July 25, 2014, the Coast Guard published in the Federal Register (79 FR 43257) a notice of enforcement for the Seattle's Seafair Fleet Week Moving Vessels security zones. In the Notice of Enforcement, the Coast Guard identified three participating vessels that are designated as part of the security zone. One of those vessels was the HMCS YELLOWKNIFE (NCSM 706). After the Notice of Enforcement was published, the Coast Guard was informed by the Canadian government that the HMCS EDMONTON (NCSM 703) will be participating in the Seattle Seafair Fleet Week event and not the HMCS YELLOWKNIFE. This document corrects that error.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone on Sister Bay in Sister Bay, WI for the Sister Bay Marinafest Ski Show. This zone will be enforced from 1 p.m. until 3:15 p.m. on August 30, 2014. This action is necessary and intended to ensure the safety of life on navigable waters during the ski show. During the aforementioned period, the Coast Guard will enforce restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in the safety zone. No person or vessel may enter the safety zone while it is being enforced without permission of the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan.