Coast Guard February 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations for certain waters of the Choptank River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters located at Cambridge, MD, during a swim event on the morning of May 11, 2019. 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 National Boating Safety Advisory Council and its Subcommittees will meet to discuss issues relating to recreational boating safety. These meetings will be open to the public.

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 an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0071, Boat Owner's Report; Possible Safety Defect, without change. 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 U.S. Coast Guard, as lead agency, announces the availability of the final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the Polar Security Cutter Program's design, build, and operation of up to six polar security cutters (PSC).

The Coast Guard proposes to establish temporary special local regulations for certain waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters located between Sandy Point, Anne Arundel County, MD, and Kent Island, Queen Anne's County, MD, during a paddling event on June 1, 2019. In the case of inclement weather, the paddling event is scheduled for June 2, 2019. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or Coast Guard Patrol Commander. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval for reinstatement, without change, of the following collection of information: 1625-0006, Shipping Articles. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comments by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

The dates and location of Towing Safety Advisory Committee meeting that was scheduled for February 20 and 21, 2019, and announced in the Federal Register on February 4, 2019 have been changed. The meetings have been rescheduled to March 12 and 13, 2019, and they will be held at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport and Convention Center in Miami, FL.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of the Delaware River between Marcus Hook Range and Tinicum Range. The safety zone will temporarily restrict vessel traffic from transiting or anchoring in portions of the Delaware River while rock blasting, dredging, and rock removal operations are being conducted to facilitate the Main Channel Deepening project for the Delaware River. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from hazards created by rock blasting, dredging, and rock removal operations. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the COTP or his designated representatives.

The Coast Guard is withdrawing its notice of proposed rulemaking entitled ``Marine Transportation-Related Facility Response Plans for Hazardous Substances'' that we published on March 31, 2000. The Coast Guard is withdrawing this rulemaking based on findings that the proposed rules are no longer appropriate to the current state of spill response in the chemical industry.

On September 16, 2016, the Coast Guard published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to establish security zones on the navigable waters of the Seventh Coast Guard District to allow the Coast Guard to restrict vessels from entering or transiting certain waters. The Coast Guard proposes amendments to its regulation by modifying the security zones in the Port of Palm Beach, Port Everglades, Port of Miami, and Port of Key West, Florida and updating definitions throughout the regulation. This action is necessary for clarification of terms and geographic application of security zones in Sector Key West and Sector Miami ports allowing for more effective implementation of these regulations to protect the public and ports from potential subversive acts. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The United States Coast Guard announces the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), as amended, for the proposed construction of railroad bridges across Lake Pend Oreille and Sand Creek at Sandpoint, Bonner County, Idaho. The proposed bridges will be built parallel to existing railroad bridges crossing the same waterbodies. As structures over navigable waters of the United States, the proposed bridges will require a Coast Guard Bridge Permit. The Coast Guard is making the draft EA available for public review and requests public comments. In order to ensure the widest dissemination possible, the Coast Guard distributed a separate document announcing this Notice of Availability to a mailing list that includes seasonal residents and visitors to the Lake Pend Oreille region.

The Towing Safety Advisory Committee and its subcommittees will meet in Miami, Florida, to review and discuss recommendations from its subcommittees and to receive briefs on items listed in the agenda. All meetings will be open to the public.