Coast Guard 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard proposes to temporarily modify the operating schedule that governs the Route 1 & 9 (Lincoln Highway) Bridge across the Hackensack River, mile 2.0, Jersey City, New Jersey. The bridge owner, New Jersey Department of Transportation, submitted a request to restrict bridge openings during the morning and afternoon rush hour periods to alleviate traffic congestion resulting from area roadway closures. It is expected that this change to the regulations would provide relief to vehicular traffic while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the navigable waters of the Chesapeake Bay in Cape Charles, Virginia. This safety zone will restrict vessel movement in the specified area during a fireworks display. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on the surrounding navigable waters during the fireworks display.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Metro-North Devon Bridge across the Housatonic River, mile 3.9, at Stratford, Connecticut. This deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to perform timber ties and headblocks replacement at the bridge.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Stillwater Highway Bridge across the St. Croix River, mile 23.4, at Stillwater, Minnesota. The deviation is necessary due to increased vehicular traffic after a local Independence Day fireworks display. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position to clear increased vehicular traffic congestion.

The Coast Guard has modified a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the S213 (MD213) Bridge across the Chester River, mile 26.8, at Chestertown, MD. This modified deviation is necessary to perform bridge maintenance and repairs. This modified deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position.

The Coast Guard is changing the regulation that governs the operation of the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge over Broad Creek, mile 8.0, at Laurel, DE. This final rule changes the current regulation requiring a four-hour advance notice and allows the bridge to remain in the closed to navigation position. This final rule aligns the operating schedule with the observed lack of marine traffic that requires a bridge opening and the operating regulations for the Poplar Street and US Highway 13A, which also cross Broad Creek.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Coleman Memorial Bridge (US 17) across the York River, mile 7.0, Yorktown, VA. The deviation is necessary to perform bridge maintenance. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position.

The Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee will meet in Detroit, Michigan to discuss committee matters relating to Great Lakes pilotage, including the review of proposed regulations and policies. This meeting is open to the public.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Tower Drawbridge across the Sacramento River, mile 59.0, at Sacramento, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow participants from the AMGEN Tour of California to cross the drawspan safely and without interruption. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard is establishing a 500-yard safety zone around each of five locations where the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF) wind turbine generator (WTG) towers, nacelles, blades and subsea cables will be installed in the navigable waters of Rhode Island Sound, RI, from May 15 to October 31, 2016. These safety zones are intended to safeguard mariners from the hazards associated with construction of the BIWF. This regulation prohibits vessels from entering into, transiting through, mooring, or anchoring within these safety zones while construction vessels and associated equipment are working on-site (i.e., within 500 yards of a WTG) at one or more of the BIWF WTG sites, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP), Southeastern New England or the COTP's designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a special local regulation for all waters of the Ohio River, surface to bottom, extending from Ohio River mile 492.0 to 495.5 at Lawrenceburg, IN, June 18, 2016 with an alternate date of June 19, 2016. This special local regulation is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Lawrenceburg, IN, during a high-speed boat race on June 18, 2016. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Ohio Valley or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for waters of the Sabine River, shoreline to shoreline, adjacent to the public boat ramp located in Orange, TX. This safety zone is necessary to protect persons and vessels from hazards associated with a high speed boat race competition. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Port Arthur.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a safety zone on the Columbia River in Hood River, OR. This action is necessary to help ensure the safety of the maritime public during a cross-channel swimming event and would do so by prohibiting unauthorized persons and vessels from entering the safety zone unless authorized by the Sector Columbia River Captain of the Port or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

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 the University of Washington, and University of Washington Bothell commencement ceremony traffic. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position to accommodate the timely movement of vehicular traffic.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a special local regulation on the waters of the Beaufort River, Beaufort, South Carolina, during the Beaufort Water Festival on July 23, 2016. This action is necessary to ensure safety of life on navigable waters of the United States during the Beaufort Water Festival Air Show. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Allegheny River mile 12.0 to mile 12.5. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created from a land based firework display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Pittsburgh or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for underwater detonation operations in the waters of Apra Outer Harbor and Piti, Guam. The Coast Guard believes this safety zone regulation is necessary to protect all persons and vessels that would otherwise transit or be within the affected areas from possible safety hazards associated with underwater detonation operations. Entry of vessels or persons into these zones is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Guam.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation for certain waters of the Lake of the Ozarks. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Lakeside, MO, during a powerboat race on June 4, 2016. This regulation designates prohibited areas for the race course and associated safety buffer, spectator areas, and location for vessels to transit during the race at no wake speeds. Deviation from the established special local regulation must be authorized by the Captain of the Port Upper Mississippi River or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Tower Drawbridge across the Sacramento River, mile 59.0, at Sacramento, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the community to participate in the Capital City Classic Run. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed- to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard will enforce the security zone for the Portland Rose Festival on the Willamette River in Portland, OR from 11 a.m. on June 9, 2016, through noon on June 13, 2016. This action is necessary to ensure the security of vessels participating in the 2016 Portland Rose Festival on the Willamette River during the event. Our regulation for the Security Zone Portland Rose Festival on Willamette River identifies the regulated area. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter or remain in the security zone without permission from the Sector Columbia River Captain of the Port.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of its Practicability Review conducted for the purpose of determining whether technology to comply with a performance standard more stringent than that required by the Coast Guard's current regulations on Ballast Water Discharges can be practicably implemented and whether testing protocols that can assure accurate measurement of compliance with a more stringent performance standard can be practicably implemented. Coast Guard ballast water regulations require the Coast Guard to undertake and publish the results of its Practicability Review. In the Practicability Review, we conclude that, at this time, technology to achieve a significant improvement in ballast water treatment efficacy onboard vessels cannot be practicably implemented. The reason for this determination is that, as of the date of completion of the Practicability Review, there are no data demonstrating that ballast water management systems can meet a discharge standard more stringent than the existing performance standards. In light of this determination, the Coast Guard has not evaluated whether testing protocols exist which can accurately measure efficacy of treatment against a performance standard more stringent than the existing performance standards.

The Coast Guard proposes modifying the operating schedule that governs the West 79th Street Bridge across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway mile 1084.6, Miami, FL and the operating schedule that governs the East 79th Street Bridge across Miami Beach Channel, Miami, FL. This action will place the East and West 79th Street Bridges across Miami Beach Channel and Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Miami, FL on a twice an hour opening schedule between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. This action is intended to reduce vehicular traffic caused by these bridges opening on demand.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that governs the Coronado Beach (George Musson) Bridge across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, mile 845, at New Smyrna Beach, FL. This proposed rule would change the existing 20 minute opening schedule to a 30 minute opening schedule between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. This modification would provide some relief to vehicle traffic congestion and would have little to no effect on navigation. The proposed rule will also add the local bridge name to the regulation published in the Code of Federal Regulations, George Musson/Coronado Beach (SR44). We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard intends to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval of revisions to the following collection of information: 1625-0049, Waterfront Facilities Handling Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquefied Hazardous Gas (LHG). Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard intends to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval of revisions to the following collection of information: 1625-0066, Vessel and Facility Response Plans (Domestic and International), and Additional Response Requirements for Prince William Sound, Alaska. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.