Coast Guard June 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation for certain navigable waters of Corpus Christi Bay. This action is necessary to protect marine event participants, spectators and transiting vessels on these navigable waters during the Youth World's Championship regatta held at the Corpus Christi Yacht Club. Entry of vessels or persons into this regulated area is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone for the LaPointe Fireworks in LaPointe, WI from 9:30 p.m. through 11:30 p.m. on July 4, 2018, with a rain date of 9:30 p.m. through 11:30 p.m. on July 5, 2018. This action is necessary to protect participants and spectators during the LaPointe Fireworks. During the enforcement period, entry into, transiting, or anchoring within the safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Duluth or designated on-scene representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, in the vicinity of Lido Beach, Florida, during the 34th Annual Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix High Speed Boat Race. Approximately 35 boats and jet skis, traveling at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour are expected to participate. Additionally, it is anticipated that 300 spectator vessels will be present along the race course. The special local regulation is necessary to protect the safety of race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public on navigable waters of the United States during the event. The special local regulation will establish an enforcement area where all persons and vessels, except those persons and vessels participating in the high speed boat races, are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within without obtaining permission from the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation for certain navigable waters of Corpus Christi Bay. This action is necessary to protect marine event participants, spectators and transiting vessels on these navigable waters during the Youth World's Championship regatta held at the Corpus Christi Yacht Club. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or designated representative.

The Coast Guard is removing the existing operation regulations for 33 drawbridges across various waterways and in various locations, across the east coast and western rivers of the United States. These drawbridges have either been replaced with a fixed bridge, removed from the waterway, altered with CG approval in such a manner that the drawspan is no longer moveable or the approaching rail lines or roadways have been removed with the drawspan open to navigation and inoperable. These 33 operating regulations are no longer applicable or necessary.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 420-foot radius of the launch site located at Woodlawn Beach, Lake Erie, Blasdell, NY. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from portions of Lake Erie during Town of Hamburg July 3rd Party. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect mariners and vessels from the navigational hazards associated with a fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Buffalo.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary special local regulation for all navigable waters of the Ohio River, extending the entire width of the river, from mile marker (MM) 754.0 to MM 760.0. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of persons, vessels, and the marine environment during the Owensboro Airshow. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Ohio Valley or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters on the Buffalo Outer Harbor, Buffalo, NY. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from portions of the Buffalo Outer Harbor during the Officer Lehner Memorial Vintage Regatta. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect mariners and vessels from the navigational hazards associated with this regatta. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Buffalo.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 280-foot radius of the launch site at the R.W. Sidley Facility, Ashtabula, OH. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from portions of the Ashtabula River during the Wine and Walleye Festival fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect mariners and vessels from the navigational hazards associated with a fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Buffalo.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 280-foot radius of the launch site located at Dobbins Landing, Erie, PA. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from portions of Lake Erie during City of Erie Fourth of July fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect mariners and vessels from the navigational hazards associated with a fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Buffalo.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 420-foot radius of a portion of the St. Clair River, Port Huron, MI. This zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from potential hazards associated with the Blue Water Festival Fireworks.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 420-foot radius of a portion of Lake St. Clair, Grosse Pointe Shores, MI. This zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from potential hazards associated with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Fireworks.

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 for the following collection of information: 1625NEW, Coast Guard Art Program Membership Application Form. 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.

The Coast Guard will enforce the annual Seafair Air Show Performance safety zone on Lake Washington, Seattle, WA daily, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., from August 2, 2018, through August 5, 2018. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of the public from inherent dangers associated with these annual aerial displays. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter or transit this safety zone 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 Lapalco Boulevard Bridge, Harvey Canal Route, mile 2.8, over the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, in Harvey, LA. The deviation is necessary to accommodate maintenance and replacement of various bridge components. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position for two separate seven-day periods.

The Coast Guard is announcing the availability of CG-MMC Policy Letter No. 02-18 titled ``Guidelines for Qualifications of Personnel for Issuing STCW Endorsements for Basic and Advanced Polar Code Operations.'' This policy provides guidance for the issuance of Merchant Mariner Credential endorsements in accordance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended, for Basic and Advanced Polar Code Operations. This policy is effective today, but the Coast Guard requests public comments on it.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters of the Gulf of Mexico near Fort Pickens in Pensacola, FL. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect persons, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards associated with the detonation of unexploded ordnance. Entry into this zone is prohibited to all vessels and persons unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Mobile or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters of Lavaca Bay, Point Comfort, TX. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Point Comfort Bayfront Park during a fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone for the Wellsburg 4th of July Committee/Wellsburg 4th of July Freedom Celebration, to provide for the safety of persons, vessels, and the marine environment on the navigable waters of Ohio River during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Eighth Coast Guard District identifies the regulated area for this event in Wellsburg, WV. During the enforcement periods, entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone for the EQT 4th of July Celebration to provide for the safety of persons, vessels, and the marine environment on the navigable waters of the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela Rivers during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Eighth Coast Guard District identifies the regulated area for this event in Pittsburgh, PA. During the enforcement periods, entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes delaying the effective date for certain facilities affected by the final rule entitled ``Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)Reader Requirements,'' published in the Federal Register on August 23, 2016. The current effective date for the final rule is August 23, 2018. The Coast Guard proposes delaying the effective date for two categories of facilities: Facilities that handle certain dangerous cargoes in bulk, but do not transfer these cargoes to or from a vessel, and facilities that receive vessels carrying certain dangerous cargoes in bulk, but do not, during that vessel-to-facility interface, transfer these bulk cargoes to or from those vessels. The Coast Guard proposes delaying the effective date for these two categories of facilities by 3 years, until August 23, 2021. Other vessels and facilities, including facilities that receive large passenger vessels and facilities regulated under 33 CFR 105.295 that handle certain dangerous cargoes in bulk and transfer it to or from a vessel, would be required to comply with the final rule by August 23, 2018.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for the Sea World Fireworks on the waters of Mission Bay, CA, on September 1 through 2, 2018. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, spectators, official vessels of the events, and general users of the waterway. Our regulation for the Southern California annual fireworks for the San Diego Captain of the Port Zone identifies the regulated area for the events. During the enforcement period, no spectators shall anchor, block, loiter in, or impede the transit of official patrol vessels in the regulated area without the approval of the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Navy Pier Southeast Safety Zone within the Chicago Harbor for multiple firework events during June and September 2018. This action is necessary and intended to ensure the safety of life and property on navigable waters prior to, during, and immediately after firework displays. During the enforcement periods listed below, entry into, transiting, or anchoring within the safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating schedule that governs the draws of the Union Pacific Railroad bridge, mile 227.0, and the Midsouth Railroad bridge, mile 228.2, across the Red River at Shreveport, LA. This proposed rule would allow the drawbridges to permanently remain in the closed-to-navigation position, no longer opening for vessel traffic. While there is vessel traffic on the waterway, no one has requested that either drawbridge open since 2007. Union Pacific Railroad and Midsouth Railroad, the bridge owners, requested to update the operating schedule accordingly.

The Coast Guard will enforce fourteen safety zones for fireworks displays in the Sector Long Island Sound area of responsibility on the date and time listed in the table below. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during the events. During the enforcement periods, no person or vessel may enter the safety zones without permission of the Captain of the Port (COTP) Sector Long Island Sound or designated representative.