Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the I–695 Bridge across Curtis Creek, mile 1.0, Baltimore, MD. This temporary deviation allows the drawbridge to remain in the closed to navigation position to facilitate an interim structural inspection and an in-depth electrical/mechanical inspection.

The Coast Guard is proposing to change the operating schedule that governs the Atchison Railroad Drawbridge, Mile 422.5, across the Missouri River at Atchison, KS. Under the proposed rule, the drawbridge will open on signal if at least a two-hour notification is given. This proposed rule allows the bridge to operate under the customary schedule that has been adopted by the waterway users.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee. The Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee provides advice and makes recommendations on matters relating to the safe and secure marine transportation of hazardous materials activities insofar as they relate to matters within the United States Coast Guard's jurisdiction.

The Coast Guard is establishing a marine event special local regulation for the launch of the historic vessel San Salvador located in the Captain of the Port San Diego Zone on San Diego Bay. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on navigable waters during this event. This special local regulation will establish restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in a portion of San Diego Bay during the initial launch and subsequent procession of the San Salvador around a portion of San Diego Bay. Unauthorized persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through or anchoring within this regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative. The Coast Guard requests public comments on the temporary special local regulation.

The Coast Guard is considering establishing two new anchorage grounds in the Gulf of Mexico for the port of Port Fourchon, LA. These actions are being considered to help accommodate increased vessel volume and future increases and improve navigation safety for vessels transiting the Port Fourchon area, providing for the overall safe and efficient flow of vessel traffic and commerce. The Coast Guard is seeking comments and information about what form the proposed regulations should take and the actual need for them.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Rock Island Railroad and Highway Drawbridge across the Upper Mississippi River, mile 482.9, at Rock Island, Illinois. The deviation is necessary to allow the Bandits Race to Home 5K Marathon to cross the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to be maintained in the closed-to-navigation position for two hours.

The Coast Guard is considering amending the regulations for Cedar Grove Anchorage and establishing two new anchorages, Point Michele Anchorage and Plaquemines Point Anchorage on the Lower Mississippi River (LMR), Above Head of Passes (AHP). These actions are being considered to increase the available anchorage areas in this section of the river necessary to accommodate vessel traffic and improve navigation safety for vessels transiting this area, providing for the overall safe and efficient flow of vessel traffic and commerce. The Coast Guard is seeking comments and information about what form the proposed amendment and new regulations should take and the actual need for them.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the Pacific Ocean to encompass waters within the Port of Long Beach. The safety zone will be established as a result of specific waterside protest at Tesoro Terminals and in support of the safe navigation of all waterway users. Entry into the zone will be prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Los AngelesLong Beach, or her designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in Portland, OR. This safety zone is necessary to ensure the safety of the maritime public and construction crews during construction of the Sellwood Bridge by prohibiting unauthorized persons and vessels from entering the regulated area unless authorized by the Sector Columbia River Captain of the Port or his designated representatives.

The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled ``Consolidated Cruise Ship Security Regulations,'' published on December 10, 2014, for 60 days. We are reopening the comment period because we omitted from the docket the accompanying Regulatory Analysis, which informs the proposal.

The Coast Guard published a final rule in the Federal Register on January 30, 2015, to expand the applicability of notice of arrival and automatic identification system (AIS) requirements and make related amendments regarding AIS. In that rule there is an error in the definition of Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) User and one in the AIS applicability regulation. This rule corrects those errors.

The Coast Guard is issuing regulations applicable to newly constructed mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs), floating outer continental shelf (OCS) facilities, and vessels other than offshore supply vessels (OSVs) that engage in OCS activities. The regulations expand the list of acceptable national and international explosion protection standards and add the internationally accepted independent third-party certification system, the International Electrotechnical Commission System for Certification to Standards relating to Equipment for use in Explosive Atmospheres (IECEx), as an accepted method of testing and certifying electrical equipment intended for use in hazardous locations. The regulations also provide owners and operators of existing U.S. MODUs, floating OCS facilities, vessels other than OSVs, and U.S. tank vessels that carry flammable or combustible cargoes, the option of following this compliance regime as an alternative to the requirements contained in existing regulations.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of the Port of New York for the transit of the M/V GREY SHARK. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the transit of the vessel in distress due to a shipboard fire and ongoing damage control operations. Entering into, transiting through, remaining, anchoring or mooring within this safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) New York.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the upper deck of the Steel Bridge across the Willamette River, mile 12.1, at Portland, OR. This deviation is necessary to accommodate the annual Bridge to Brews 8K and 10K run. This deviation allows the upper deck of the Steel Bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position and need not open for marine traffic.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Snake Creek Bridge across Snake Creek, at Islamorada, FL. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is needed. This deviation will allow Snake Creek Bridge to open once an hour between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Local officials are requesting this action to assist in reducing traffic caused by bridge openings.

Conditions of entry are imposed on vessels arriving in U.S. waters from foreign ports that do not maintain effective anti-terrorism measures. In 2012, the Coast Guard announced the imposition of conditions of entry on vessels arriving from all ports in Yemen, except for the Ash Shihr Terminal, the Port of Hodeidah, and the Balhalf LNG Terminal. Today, the Coast Guard announces that conditions of entry will be imposed on vessels arriving from the Ash Shihr Terminal and the Port of Hodeidah. The 2012 exception remains in place for vessels arriving from the Balhalf LNG Terminal.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone around the barge ARCTIC CHALLENGER within the waters of the Captain of the Port Zone Puget Sound. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of the maritime public and the crews involved in operational testing of the Arctic Containment System, and will do so by prohibiting all persons and vessels not involved with the operational testing of the Arctic Containment System from entering, transiting, or remaining in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to update special local regulations and permanent safety zones in the Coast Guard Sector Northern New England Captain of the Port Zone for annual recurring marine events. When enforced, these proposed special local regulations and safety zones would restrict vessels from portions of water areas during certain annually recurring events. The proposed special local regulations and safety zones are intended to expedite public notification and ensure the protection of the maritime public and event participants from the hazards associated with certain maritime events.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard intends to submit Information Collection Requests (ICRs) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval of a revision to the following collections of information: 1625-0006, Shipping Articles and 1625-0018, Official Logbook. Our ICRs describe the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting these ICRs to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a safety zone on the navigable waters of the Chesapeake Bay in Cape Charles, VA. This proposed safety zone would restrict vessel movement in the specified area during the Cape Charles Clam Slam fireworks display between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on August 1, 2015. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on the surrounding navigable waters during the fireworks displays.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a safety zone on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean east of Daytona Beach, Florida during the Daytona Beach Grand Prix of the Seas, a series of high-speed personal watercraft boat races. This proposed safety zone would be enforced from 7 a.m. on Friday until 7 p.m. on Sunday during the last weekend in April. Approximately 50 high-speed personal watercrafts are anticipated to participate in the races, and approximately 20 spectator vessels are expected to attend the event. This safety zone is necessary to ensure the safety of life on navigable waters of the United States during the races. The regulated area would consist of the following location: All waters of the Atlantic Ocean encompassed within the following points: starting at Point 1 in position 29[deg]14.601' N, 81[deg]00.767' W; thence south to Point 2 in position 29[deg]13.677' N, 81[deg]00.283' W; thence east to Point 3 in position 29[deg]13.860' N, 080[deg]59.763' W; thence north to Point 4 in position 29[deg]14.781' N, 80[deg]59.802' W; thence west back to origin. All persons and vessels, except those persons and vessels participating in the high-speed personal watercraft event, are prohibited from entering, transiting, anchoring, or remaining in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Jacksonville or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Commodore Schuyler F. Heim highway bridge across the Cerritos Channel, mile 4.9 at Long Beach, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow Southern California Edison Company to temporarily disconnect electric service to the bridge while performing circuit switching. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee and its Commercial Diving Safety on the Outer Continental Shelf Subcommittee will meet on April 7 and 8, 2015, in New Orleans, LA to discuss the safety of operations and other matters affecting the offshore oil and gas industry. These meetings are open to the public.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the draw of the Coleman Memorial Bridge (US 17/George P. Coleman Memorial Swing Bridge) across the York River, mile 7.0, between Gloucester Point and Yorktown, VA. This deviation is necessary to facilitate maintenance work on the moveable spans on the Coleman Memorial Bridge. This temporary deviation allows the drawbridge to remain in the closed to navigation position.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Washington State Department of Transportation Montlake Bridge across the Lake Washington Ship Canal, mile 5.2, at Seattle, WA. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position to accommodate the safe movement of ``Beat the Bridge Run'' event participants.