Coast Guard January 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is issuing non-substantive technical, organizational, and conforming amendments to existing regulations for District 1. These changes reflect the current status of the identified regulated navigation areas, special local regulations, safety zones and security zones within the district. This rule removes safety zones and special local regulations where the enforcement period has expired or the event is no longer held. This rule also removes special local regulations where the event no longer meets the criteria for a permitted event and is not suitable for coverage under a special local regulation in accordance with Coast Guard regulations.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone over certain navigable waters of Biscayne Bay during Super Bowl 2020 events in Miami, Florida. The security zone is necessary to protect the official party, public, and surrounding waterway from terrorist acts, sabotage or other subversive acts, accidents, or other hazards of a similar nature. This regulation requires vessels transit through the security zone at a steady speed and not stop or anchor unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Miami (COTP) or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the navigable waters within 100 yards of the North Washington Street Bridge, Charles River, Boston, Massachusetts, from February 1, 2020 through December 31, 2023. The temporary safety zone is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created during the replacement project of the North Washington Street Bridge. When enforced, this rule would prohibit vessels and persons from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Boston or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing three temporary safety zones in the navigable waters of the Humboldt Bay Bar and Entrance Channel, of Eureka, CA; Noyo River Entrance Channel, of Fort Bragg, CA; and Crescent City Harbor Entrance Channel, of Crescent City, CA to safeguard navigation during extreme environmental conditions. These safety zones are established to protect the safety of vessels transiting the areas from the dangers associated with extreme breaking surf and high wind conditions occurring in the Humboldt Bay Bar and Entrance Channel, Noyo River Entrance Channel, and Crescent City Harbor Entrance Channel. Unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or remaining in the safety zones without permission of the Captain of the Port San Francisco or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain waters in Isle of Wight Bay. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of personnel and vessels at and immediately adjacent to the Harry W. Kelley Memorial (US-50) Bridge during submarine electrical cable replacement operations, which will occur daily, from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. on January 27, 2020, through February 3, 2020. This rule will prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland- National Capital Region or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is proposing to modify the name and location of an existing security zone in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. This proposed rule would adjust the coordinates of the security zone and update the facility name from HOVENSA Refinery to Limetree Bay Terminals. The proposed rule would continue to prohibit persons and vessels from entering the security zone, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port San Juan or a designated representative. This action is necessary to better meet the safety and security needs of Limetree Bay Terminals in St. Croix, USVI. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the CSX Transportation Railroad swing bridge across Bayou Sara, mile 0.1 near Saraland, Alabama. This deviation is needed to collect and analyze information on vessel traffic when the bridge tender is moved to a geographically remote centralized control point located in Mobile, AL. The Coast Guard is seeking comments from the public about the impact to vessel traffic generated by this change.

The U.S. Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the navigable waters of the Morro Bay Harbor Entrance. This temporary safety zone is being established to reduce significant hazards subject to the vessels, the harbor, and the public during periods of poor weather conditions. Entry of persons or vessels into this temporary safety zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP), Los Angeles-Long Beach, or her designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Ohio River, extending the entire width of the river, from mile marker (MM) 756.4 to MM 757.4 in Owensboro, KY. This safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a fireworks display. Entry into, transiting through or anchoring within this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Ohio Valley (COTP) or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is requesting applications from persons interested in serving as a member of the National Towing Safety Advisory Committee (``Committee''). This recently established Committee will advise the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on matters relating to shallow-draft inland navigation, coastal waterway navigation, and towing safety. Please read this notice for a description of the 18 Committee positions we are seeking to fill.

The Coast Guard is establishing four safety zones for certain waters of the Patapsco River, Chesapeake Bay, and Potomac River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters at Baltimore Harbor Anchorage No. 5, between Belvidere Shoal and Kent Island, MD, between Point Lookout, MD, and St. George Island, MD, and between Possum Point, VA, and Cockpit Point, VA, during non-lethal signaling and warning device training conducted from on board U.S. Coast Guard vessels. This regulation prohibits persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or a designated representative.

The United States Coast Guard is extending the comment period for the notice of study and request for comments for the Port Access Route Study: Alaskan Arctic Coast that we published on December 21, 2018. This action will provide the public with additional time and opportunity to provide the Coast Guard with information regarding the Port Access Route Study: Alaskan Arctic Coast. The comment period is extended until June 30, 2020.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the Coast Guard announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental consequences of replacing the existing BNSF bridge across the Missouri River at Bismarck, ND, or constructing a bridge adjacent to the existing bridge. CEQ regulations require an early and open process for determining the scope of issues that the Coast Guard needs to address in an EIS (``scoping''). Scoping determines which issues to analyze in depth in the EIS and eliminates from detailed study the issues that are not significant or were covered in prior environmental reviews. This document invites the participation of affected federal, state, and local agencies, any affected Indian tribes and other interested persons in determining the appropriate issues for EIS analysis for this project.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary security zone on certain navigable waters of the Cooper River within a 500-yard radius of the South Carolina State Port Authority Cruise Ship Terminal in Charleston, SC during a visit by the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. This action is necessary to protect personnel from potential hazards and security risk associated with the Commandant's speaking engagement. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the security zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston (COTP) or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Lower Mississippi River between Mile Marker (MM) 364.5 and MM 365.5, upriver of the Bienville Trace Scenic Byway/ US-425 Bridge in Vidalia, LA. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of persons, vessels, and the marine environment during a fireworks display. Entry of persons or vessels into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Lower Mississippi River or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone. This security zone is necessary to provide security and protection for visiting personnel during the events related to the College Football Playoff game. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port New Orleans or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters of the Lower Mississippi River from mile marker (MM) 229.5 to MM 230.5, above Head of Passes. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment on these navigable waters near Baton Rouge, LA, during a New Year's Eve fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector New Orleans.