Coast Guard December 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary, 500-yard radius, moving security zone for a certain vessel carrying Certain Dangerous Cargoes (CDC) within the Corpus Christi Ship Channel and La Quinta Channel. The temporary security zone is needed to protect the vessels, the CDC cargo, and the surrounding waterway. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is amending the operating schedule that governs the Tayco Street Bridge, mile 37.52, the Main Street Bridge, mile 55.97, the Jackson Street Bridge, mile 56.22, the Wisconsin Street Bridge, mile 56.72, and the Congress Avenue Bridge, mile 58.01, all over the Fox River near Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This rule will allow the bridges to operate remotely and will not change the operating schedule of the bridge. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) requested the change.

The Coast Guard is issuing this final rule to adjust the limits of liability for vessels, deepwater ports, and onshore facilities under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90), as amended, to reflect the increase in the Consumer Price Index since they were last adjusted in 2019. These regulatory inflation increases to the limits of liability are required by OPA 90 and are necessary to preserve the deterrent effect and ``polluter pays'' principle embodied in the Act. This update promotes the Coast Guard's missions of maritime safety and stewardship.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for the Crescent City Countdown Club/New Year's Celebration fireworks display, from December 31, 2022 at 11:30 p.m. through January 1, 2023 at 12:30 a.m., to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for annual fireworks displays and other events in the Eighth Coast Guard District identifies this safety zone on Mississippi River mile marker (MM) 93.5-96.5, New Orleans, LA. During the enforcement period, entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone in the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay near the Ferry Plaza in San Francisco, CA for the San Francisco New Year's Eve 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 personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from the dangers associated with pyrotechnics. During the enforcement period, unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, or remaining in the safety zone, unless authorized by the Patrol Commander (PATCOM) or other federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies on scene to assist the Coast Guard in enforcing the regulated area.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters within the Detroit River, Detroit, MI. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards during a fireworks event. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Detroit.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone in the navigable waters of Suisun Bay, off Concord, CA, in support of explosive on- loading to Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO) from December 11, 2022, through December 15, 2022. This safety zone is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential explosion within the explosive arc. The safety zone is open to all persons and vessels for transitory use, but vessel operators desiring to anchor or otherwise loiter within the safety zone must obtain the permission of the Captain of the Port San Francisco or a designated representative. All persons and vessels operating within the safety zone must comply with all directions given to them by the Captain of the Port San Francisco or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to further delay 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 May 8, 2023. The Coast Guard proposes delaying the effective date for: facilities that handle certain dangerous cargoes in bulk, but do not transfer those cargoes to or from a vessel; facilities that handle certain dangerous cargoes in bulk, and do transfer those 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 those bulk cargoes to or from those vessels. Specifically, we propose to delay the effective date for these facilities for 3 years from the original delay expiration date of May 8, 2023 to May 8, 2026, but invite comments as well on possibly extending the delay through as late as May 8, 2029. This delay will give the Coast Guard time to further analyze the potential effectiveness of the reader requirement in general as well as at these facilities.

This notice requests individuals interested in serving on the New Orleans Area Maritime Security Advisory Committee (AMSC) submit their applications for membership to the Captain of the Port (COTP) Sector New Orleans.

The Coast Guard is publishing this notice to satisfy a requirement of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that requires a detailed accounting of the projects, programs, and activities funded under the national recreational boating safety program provision of the Act be published annually in the Federal Register. This notice specifies the funding amounts the Coast Guard has committed, obligated, or expended during fiscal year 2022, as of September 30, 2022.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters directly surrounding the northern half of the I-75 Bridge over the Maumee River. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by demolition of the bridge. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Detroit.