Coast Guard 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard proposes to amend and update its list of recurring safety zone regulations that take place in the Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley area. This informs the public of regularly scheduled events that require additional safety measures through establishing a safety zone. Through this the current list of recurring safety zones is proposed to be updated with revisions, additional events, and removal of events that no longer take place. When these safety zones are enforced, vessel traffic is restricted from the specified areas. Additionally, this proposed rulemaking project reduces administrative costs involved in producing separate proposed rules for each individual recurring safety zone and serves to provide notice of the known recurring safety zones throughout the year. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary moving safety zone during the Tall Ships Charleston Parade Around the Harbor, a parade of ships occurring on the Cooper River and Charleston Harbor in Charleston, South Carolina. The temporary moving safety zone is necessary to protect participant vessels, spectators, and the general public during the event. This rule is intended to prohibit persons and non-participant vessels from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the moving safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is removing the existing drawbridge operation regulations for five bridges across the Elizabeth River. These bridges were either removed in their entirety or replaced with a fixed bridge, making the operating regulations no longer necessary.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone for the annual City of Eureka Fourth of July Fireworks Display in the Captain of the Port, San Francisco area of responsibility during the dates and times noted below. This action is necessary to protect life and property of the maritime public from the hazards associated with the fireworks display. During the enforcement period, unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring in the safety zone, unless authorized by the Patrol Commander (PATCOM).

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) conducted the Nantucket Sound Port Access Route Study (PARS) in accordance with the Ports and Waterways Safety Act (PWSA) (33 U.S.C. 1223(c)), as directed by the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015. The USCG used the standards and methodology of the Atlantic Coast PARS to determine whether existing regulations should be revised to improve navigation safety in Nantucket Sound due to factors such as increased vessel traffic, changing vessel traffic patterns, weather conditions, or navigational difficulty. The report, as submitted to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on February 27, 2017, is available in the docket for viewing. It concluded that no regulatory changes to existing vessel routing measures are needed.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Detroit River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Elizabeth Park, Trenton, MI, during a fireworks display on July 14, 2017. If inclement weather, this event will take place on July 15, 2017. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Detroit 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 I695 Bridge, at mile 1.0, across Curtis Creek, Baltimore, MD. This deviation is necessary to remove, repair, and replace the inner loop locking bar and couplings. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position.

The Coast Guard will enforce the San Diego Crew Classic special local regulations on the waters of Mission Bay, California from April 1, 2017 to April 2, 2017. 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 within this regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is amending and updating its special local regulations relating to recurring marine parades, regattas, and other events that take place in the Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley area of responsibility (AOR). This notice informs the public of regularly scheduled events that require additional safety measures through establishing a special local regulation. Through this notice the current list of recurring special local regulations is updated with revisions, additional events, and removal of events that no longer take place in Sector Ohio Valley's AOR. When these special local regulations are enforced, certain restrictions are placed on marine traffic in specified areas. Additionally, this one proposed rulemaking project reduces administrative costs involved in producing separate proposed rules for each individual recurring special local regulation and serves to provide notice of the known recurring special local regulations throughout the year.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation for certain waters of the Detroit River, Trenton Channel, Wyandotte, MI. This action is necessary and is intended to ensure safety of life on navigable waters to be used for a rowing event immediately prior to, during, and immediately after this event. This regulation requires vessels to maintain a minimum speed for safe navigation and maneuvering.

The Coast Guard proposes to adopt a temporary special local regulation, multiple safety zones, and temporary spectator anchorages before, during, and after Sail Boston 2017 in the Port of Boston, Massachusetts, to be held between June 16, 2017 and June 22, 2017. These regulations are necessary to promote the safe navigation of vessels and the safety of life and property during this event. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the NJ Transit Railroad Bridge across Shark River (South Channel), mile 0.9, at Avon, NJ. This deviation is necessary to facilitate testing and replacement of the drive motor. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations for certain waters of the Corsica River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters located in Queen Anne's County, MD during a rowing event on April 22, 2017. If necessary, due to inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled to April 23, 2017. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from entering the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or the Coast Guard Patrol Commander. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing regulated navigation areas (RNA) covering the St. Marys Entrance Channel, portions of the Cumberland Sound, and the Atlantic Ocean that will be in effect whenever any Navy submarine (foreign or domestic) is escorted by the Coast Guard and operating within the jurisdictional waters of the Sector Jacksonville Captain of the Port Zone. These RNAs are necessary to help ensure the safety and security of submarines, their Coast Guard escorts, and the public. The RNAs will do so by requiring all persons and vessels located within an RNA to follow lawful orders and/or directions given to them by Coast Guard designated representatives. Additionally, these RNAs will supersede the current temporary safety/security zone for Cumberland Sound, Georgia and St. Marys River Entrance Channel.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Broadway Bridge across the Willamette River, mile 11.7, at Portland, OR. The deviation is necessary to accommodate the Portland Race for the Roses event. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position to facilitate the safe movement of event participants across the bridge.

The Coast Guard is seeking comments and information concerning a proposal to change the operating schedule for the Bridge of Lions across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, St. Augustine, Florida. The City of St. Augustine is concerned that vehicle traffic is becoming exponentially worse with each passing season and that on-demand bridge openings are contributing to vehicle traffic backups. The proposed modification would extend the twice an hour draw opening period from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and preclude the bridge draw from opening at 3:30 p.m. on weekends and Federal holidays.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Smith Point Bridge across Narrow Bay, mile 6.1, at Smith Point Park, New York. This deviation is necessary in order to facilitate the Smith Point Triathlon Road Race and allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for two hours.

This notice informs the public that the Coast Guard has recertified the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (PWSRCAC) as an alternative voluntary advisory group for Prince William Sound, Alaska. This certification allows the PWSRCAC to monitor the activities of terminal facilities and crude oil tankers under the Prince William Sound Program established by statute.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for Conrad Industries Hull C-1148. We are issuing this notice because its publication is required by statute.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Housatonic River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Milford and Stratford, CT, during the United Illuminating Company Housatonic River Crossing Project from April 26, 2017 to May 4, 2017, and from July 29, 2017 to August 3, 2017. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit entry of vessels or people into the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Long Island Sound or a designated representative. The safety zone will only be enforced during cable pulling operations or other instances which may create a hazard to navigation. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on certain waters of the Indian River in Titusville, Florida during the 2017 TICO Warbird Air Show. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters surrounding the event. This regulated area will prohibit persons and vessels from entering in, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Jacksonville or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville received a Letter of Intent (LOI) and Waterways Suitability Assessment (WSA) for a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility construction project in Jacksonville, Florida. The LOI and WSA for Eagle LNG were submitted by Rodino, Inc. The Coast Guard requests comments on the proposed construction of this LNG facility, as defined by 33 CFR 127.005.

The Coast Guard will enforce a special local regulation on the Black Warrior River extending the entire width of the channel from mile marker 339.0 to mile marker 341.5 in Tuscaloosa, AL on March 25, 2017, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during the Rowing Competition marine event. Our regulation for Recurring Marine Events in Captain of the Port Mobile Zone identifies the regulated area for this rowing event. During the enforcement period, no vessel may transit this regulated area without approval from the Captain of the Port or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Galveston Causeway Railroad Vertical Lift Bridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), mile 357.2 West of Harvey Locks (WHL), at Galveston, Galveston County, Texas. The deviation is necessary to conduct cable lubing and maintenance on the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the down position for two four-hour periods, on five consecutive days during day-light hours.

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, and merchant mariners' documents, medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels, medical examiner education, and medical research. The meeting will be open to the public.