Coast Guard 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (Committee) will meet to discuss matters relating to activities directly involved with, or in support of, the exploration of offshore mineral and energy resources, to the extent that such matters are within the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard announces that it is removing the conditions of entry on vessels arriving from the country of Cote d'Ivoire. Based on the results of the most recent country visit, the Coast Guard has determined that Cote d'Ivoire is now substantially implementing the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code and has effective anti-terrorism measures in place.

The Coast Guard proposes to change how the CSX Transportation railroad drawbridge across Bay St. Louis, mile 0.5, Bay St. Louis, MS will operate. The bridge will continue to open according to the drawbridge regulations but the bridge tender will operate this bridge from a remote location at the CSX railroad terminal in Mobile, Alabama. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters within Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Farms, 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 (COTP) Detroit.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Willamette River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Oaks Park, Portland, OR, during a fireworks display on October 31, 2022. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Columbia River or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Ohio River from mile marker (MM) 602.5 to MM 603.5 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on October 24 and 25, 2022. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Louisville, KY during a film stunt. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Ohio Valley or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The U.S. Coast Guard seeks applications to fill two member vacancies on the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (Committee). This Committee provides advice and makes recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security, via the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, on matters relating to national maritime security, including on enhancing the sharing of information related to cybersecurity risks that may cause a transportation security incident, between relevant Federal agencies and State, local, and tribal governments; relevant public safety and emergency response agencies; relevant law enforcement and security organizations; maritime industry; port owners and operators; and terminal owners and operators.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters near the Downtown Detroit, Detroit, MI. The safety zone is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards associated with fireworks displays created by the Conventions Services Unlimited Firewoks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this safety zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Detroit or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing five temporary safety zones for the safe splashdown and recovery of reentry vehicles launched by Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) in support of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) missions through December 31, 2022. The temporary safety zones are located within the Seventh Coast Guard District area of responsibility (AOR) offshore of Jacksonville, Daytona, Cape Canaveral, Tampa, and Tallahassee, Florida. This rule implements a special activities provision of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. This action is necessary to protect vessels and waterway users from the potential hazards created by reentry vehicle splashdowns and recovery operations in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It is also necessary to provide for the safe recovery of reentry vehicles, and any personnel involved in reentry services, after the splashdown. This rule prohibits U.S.-flagged vessels from entering any of the temporary safety zones unless authorized by the District Commander of the Seventh Coast Guard District or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Columbia River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of participants and the maritime public during a cross-channel swim on the Columbia River near Cascade Locks, Oregon, to Stevenson, Washington, on the morning of September 5, 2022. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit non-participant persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Columbia River or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay, near Sausalito, CA, in support of the Sausalito Scattering Fireworks display on August 8, 2022. This safety zone is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from the dangers associated with pyrotechnics. Unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or remaining in the safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port San Francisco or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is modifying the security zone boundaries surrounding Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, CT. This rule will amend the previous security zone to encompass the entire operational area of the Naval Submarine Base.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation for the Cumberland River from mile marker 190 to mile marker 192 on August 4, 2022 until August 6, 2022. The special local regulation is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the high powered jet skis associated with the event. Entry of vessels or persons into the special local regulation is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Ohio Valley.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters within a 4,000-yard oval radius off the Stan Sayres Memorial Hydroplane Pits downward to the Adams Street Boat Ramp on Lake Washington. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards in the vicinity of the Stan Sayres Memorial Park and Boat Launch and Adams Street Boat Ramp associated with test trials of a hydroplane race boat. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Puget Sound or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) and Queen Creek near Swansboro, Onslow County, NC. The safety zone is necessary to enhance the safety of mariners and participants during a mass-rescue training exercise. Entry of vessels or persons into this safety zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) North Carolina or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for the Bridgefest Regatta Fireworks in Houghton, MI from 9:30 p.m. through 10:30 p.m. This action is necessary to protect participants and spectators during the Bridgefest Regatta 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 their designated on-scene representative.

The Coast Guard seeks public input regarding the modification of the chart and navigational equipment carriage requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) outlines the Coast Guard's broad strategy to revise its CFR chart and navigational equipment carriage requirements to implement statutory electronic-chart-use provisions for commercial U.S.-flagged vessels and certain foreign-flagged vessels operating in the waters of the United States. This ANPRM is necessary to obtain additional information from the public before issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking. It will allow us to verify the extent of the requirements for the rule, such as how widely electronic charts currently are used, which types of vessels are using them, the appropriate equipment requirements for different vessel classes, and where the vessels operate, and will thereby allow us to tailor electronic chart requirements to vessel class and location.

The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations for the Blessing of the FleetSt. Augustine on April 10, 2022, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Seventh Coast Guard District identifies the regulated area for this event in St. Augustine, FL. During the enforcement periods, the operator of any vessel in the regulated area must comply with directions from the Patrol Commander or any Official Patrol displaying a Coast Guard ensign.

The Coast Guard announces its intent to enter into a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with companies to evaluate a detect and avoid (DAA) system to determine its potential use in a maritime environment to enable the Coast Guard to safely fly small UAS (SUAS) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). The Coast Guard will conduct flight testing and evaluations of SUAS DAA technology against CG mission scenarios. From our previous solicitations, the Coast Guard is currently considering partnering with AeroVironment (AV) Inc. and solicits public comment on the possible participation of other parties in the proposed CRADA, and the nature of that participation. The Coast Guard also invites other potential non-Federal participants, who have the interest and capability to bring similar contributions to this type of research, to consider submitting proposals for consideration in similar CRADAs.

The Coast Guard will enforce the California Half Ironman Triathlon special local regulations on the waters of Oceanside, California on April 2, 2022. 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 establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 100-yard radius of oil spill recovery vessels in Neva Strait. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by pollution response efforts. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Southeast Alaska.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of the final policy letter that describes type-approval testing methods, and the acceptance process for such methods, for ballast water management systems (BWMS) that render organisms nonviable in ballast water. At this time, the Coast Guard does not accept any type-approval testing methods for ballast water management systems that render organisms in ballast water nonviable (meaning ``permanently incapable of reproduction''). In consideration of public comments on the draft policy letter, this final policy letter establishes the mechanism for reviewing and integrating viability testing methods into the existing Coast Guard type-approval testing program. The Coast Guard invites submissions of viability testing methods in accordance with the policy letter at any time following publication. The Coast Guard will review any provided information responsive to the policy letter and enclosure. This final policy letter is subject to revision, in coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency, contingent on any Coast Guard determination that a viability testing method is acceptable.

The Coast Guard announces the completion of the Port Access Route Study for the Seacoast of New Jersey Including Offshore Approaches to the Delaware Bay, Delaware. The study examined existing shipping routes and waterway uses, to include the potential for offshore energy development, in the study area to evaluate the need for establishing or changing existing vessel routing measures. This notice summarizes the study's recommendation.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a special local regulation (SLR) on certain navigable waters of the Atlantic Ocean, offshore of Miami Beach, FL, in connection with the Luminsea Offshore Powerboat Race. The race will include approximately 55 offshore powerboats, ranging from 30 to 50 feet in length. The SLR is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards associated with the high-speed powerboat race. The special local regulation establishes a race area where all persons and vessels, except those persons and vessels who are participating in the race, will be prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Miami or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is proposing to amend the anchorage regulations for the Delaware Bay and River, and adjacent waters, by establishing two new, offshore deep-water anchorages. The purpose of this proposed rule is to improve navigation safety by accommodating recent and anticipated future growth in vessel size and volume of vessel traffic entering the Delaware Bay and River, and to preserve areas traditionally used or needed for anchoring. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.