Coast Guard 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary moving safety zone during the Swim Around Charleston, a swimming race occurring on the Wando River, the Cooper River, Charleston Harbor, and the Ashley River, in Charleston, South Carolina on September 25, 2016. The temporary safety zone is necessary for the safety of the swimmers, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public during the event. The temporary safety zone will restrict vessel traffic in portions of the Charleston Harbor and surrounding rivers. 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 Charleston or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a series of security zones in the National Capital Region (NCR) on specified waters of the Potomac River and Anacostia River, and adjacent waters during increased security events. This action is necessary to prevent terrorist acts and incidents immediately before, during, and after events held within the NCR, whenever such an event exists, as determined by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region. This rule prohibits vessels and persons 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 Maryland- National Capital Region. The proposed regulations will enhance the safety and security of persons and property within the Nation's Capital, while minimizing, to the extent possible, the impact on commerce and legitimate waterway use.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the 3rd Street Drawbridge across China Basin, mile 0.0 at San Francisco, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow participants to cross the bridge during the San Francisco Giant Race at AT&T Park event. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a safety zone on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean east of Jacksonville Beach, Florida during the Jacksonville Sea and Sky Spectacular. This safety zone will be enforced daily 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., from November 2 through November 6, 2016. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Jacksonville or a designated representative. The Coast Guard invites your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone of 1,000 yards radius for the Cruise Ship Caribbean Fantasy due to an imminent fire on board, in the vicinity of Punta Salinas, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards associated with the fire on board the vessel. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port San Juan.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on a portion of Shark River, in Neptune City, NJ, from September 1, 2016, through September 30, 2016, while dredging operations are being conducted in the main navigational channel. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during dredging operations and will restrict vessel traffic from transiting the main navigational channel.

The Coast Guard published a notice on July 29, 2016, regarding meetings of the Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee. The meetings will take place on September 27, 28, and 29, 2016, in Washington, DC. The notice contained a typographical error regarding the date of the full committee meeting, which will take place on Thursday, September 29, 2016.

The Coast Guard published an interim rule in the Federal Register on May 9, 2016, that prescribes when and how the loss or jettisoning of cargo at sea must be reported. That rule contained a typographical error that erroneously revised a force majeure regulation instead of a notice of hazardous conditions regulation. This document corrects that error.

The Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee and its working groups will meet to discuss matters relating to medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, merchant mariners' documents, medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels, medical examiner education, and medical research. The meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a safety zone during the 2016 Fautasi Ocean Challenge canoe race in Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa, on November 11 and 25, 2016. This action is necessary to safeguard the participants and spectators, including all crews, vessels, and persons on the water in Pago Pago Harbor during the event. This regulation will functionally close the port to vessel traffic during the race, but will not require the evacuation of any vessels from the harbor. Entry into, transiting, or anchoring in the harbor would be prohibited to all vessels not registered with the sponsor as participants or not part of the race patrol, unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Honolulu or a designated representative. Vessels who are already moored or anchored in the harbor seeking permission to remain there shall request permission from COTP unless deemed a spectator vessel that is moored to a waterfront facility within the safety zone. We invite your comments on this notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the S213 (MD 213) Bridge across the Chester River, mile 26.8, at Chestertown, MD. The deviation is necessary to facilitate bridge maintenance. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary 750-foot radius security zone on the navigable waters of the U.S. in San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA, in support of Fleet Week San Diego on September 10, 2016. This action is necessary to provide for the safety and security of U.S. Navy and U.S Coast Guard surface and aerial assets, crews, and support personnel who will be performing mission capability and search and rescue demonstrations. Unauthorized persons and vessels will be prohibited from entering into or remaining in the security zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port San Diego or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the special local regulations on the waters of San Diego Bay, California during the San Diego Maritime Museum Tall Ship Festival of Sail from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from September 2, 2016 to September 4, 2016. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, sponsor vessels, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, persons and vessels are prohibited from anchoring, blocking, loitering, or impeding this regulated parade route and mock gun battle area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Long Beach Bridge, mile 4.7, across Reynolds Channel, at Nassau County, New York. This temporary deviation is necessary to facilitate public safety during a public event, the Annual Fireworks Display.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of the Captain of the Port (COTP) Boston Zone within a 2,500-yard radius around a position approximately 6nm Northeast of Nahant Bay, MA, for a Department of Defense (DOD) Training Exercise. The safety zone is needed to protect Navy personnel, support vessels, and the maritime public from the hazards associated with this training exercise. Entering into, transiting through, mooring, or anchoring within this safety zone during periods of enforcement is prohibited unless authorized by the Coast Guard Sector Boston COTP or the COTP's designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the U.S. 70/Alfred A. Cunningham Bridge across the Trent River, mile 0.0, at New Bern, NC. The deviation is necessary to facilitate safe participation in the Multiple Sclerosis Society's Historic New Bern Bike Ride. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position.

The Coast Guard, at Sector Corpus Christi, announces receipt of a Letter of Intent (LOI) and Waterways Suitability Assessment (WSA) for three construction projects expanding Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities in Brownsville, Texas. The LOI and WSA for Annova LNG Common Infrastructure, LLC (Annova LNG) and Texas LNG Brownsville LLC (Texas LNG) were submitted by Rodino, Inc. The LOI and WSA for Rio Grande LNG, LLC was submitted by AcuTech Group, Inc. The Coast Guard is notifying the public of this action to solicit public comments on the proposed construction of these LNG facilities, as defined by 33 CFR 127.005.

The Coast Guard is issuing a final rule to require owners and operators of certain vessels and facilities regulated by the Coast Guard to conduct electronic inspections of Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWICs) as an access control measure. This final rule also implements recordkeeping requirements and security plan amendments that would incorporate these TWIC requirements. The TWIC program, including the electronic inspection requirements in this final rule, is an important component of the Coast Guard's multi-layered system of access control requirements designed to enhance maritime security. This rulemaking action builds upon existing regulations designed to ensure that only individuals who hold a valid TWIC are granted unescorted access to secure areas of Coast Guard-regulated vessels and facilities. The Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration have already promulgated regulations pursuant to the Maritime Transportation Security Act that require mariners and other individuals to hold a TWIC prior to gaining unescorted access to a secure area. By requiring certain high-risk vessels and facilities to perform electronic TWIC inspections, this rule enhances security at those locations. This rule also implements the Security and Accountability For Every Port Act of 2006 electronic reader requirements.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in Superior Bay near Barkers Island in Superior, WI. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from specified waters in the Superior Bay during the Dragon Boat Festival Fireworks Display. This safety zone is necessary to protect spectators from the hazards associated with the fireworks display.

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, at Seattle, WA. The deviation is necessary to accommodate vehicular traffic attending football games at Husky Stadium at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position two and a half hours before and two and a half hours after each game. The game times for three of the seven games scheduled for Husky Stadium have not yet been determined due to NCAA television scheduling.

The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations for the Southern Professional Outboard Racing Tour (S.P.O.R.T.) boat races to be held on the Sabine River in Orange, TX, September 16-18, 2016, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during high speed boat races. Our regulation for Recurring Marine Events in Sector Houston-Galveston identifies the regulated area for this regatta. During the enforcement periods, no vessel may transit this regulated area without approval from the Captain of the Port or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone around the Giant Duck barge and its corresponding tug during the Tall Ships Duluth 2016 parade of sail in Lake Superior near Duluth, MN. This safety zone will provide for the regulation of vessel traffic in the vicinity of the tow in the navigable waters of the United States. This safety zone is necessary to safeguard participants and spectators from the hazards associated with the limited maneuverability of a barge and tow. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Duluth.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Marine Parkway Bridge across the Rockaway Inlet, mile 3.0, at Queens, New York. This deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to replace mechanical and electrical components for the lift span operation.

The Coast Guard announces an August 17, 2016 public meeting to receive comments on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) for anchorage grounds that was published in the Federal Register on April 19, 2016. As stated in the ANPRM, the Coast Guard is considering amending the regulations for Hampton Roads, VA, and adjacent waters anchorages by establishing a new anchorage, near Cape Charles, VA, on the Lower Chesapeake Bay. We are reopening the comment period on the ANPRM so that comments may be received both at the public meeting and up to 2 weeks after the public meeting.

The Coast Guard, at Sector Corpus Christi, announces receipt of a Letter of Intent (LOI) and Waterways Suitability Assessment (WSA) for a construction project expanding a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility in Ingleside, Texas. The LOI and WSA were submitted by Rodino, Inc. on behalf of Cheniere's Corpus Christi Liquefaction (CCL) Project. The Coast Guard is notifying the public of this action to solicit public comments on the proposed expansion of LNG facilities.