Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard will enforce the annual Blue Water Resort and Casino (BWRC) Parker Enduro marine event and associated waterway restriction special local regulations on October 24-26, 2014. This event occurs in the navigable waters of the Colorado River in Parker, Arizona between river miles 179 and 185 (between the Roadrunner Resort and the Headgate Dam). These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, 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 will enforce the regulation pertaining to the Charleston Parade of Boats from 4:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m. on December 13, 2014. This action is necessary to ensure safety of life on navigable waters of the United States during the Charleston Parade of Boats. During the enforcement period, the special local regulation establishes a regulated area which will prohibit all people and vessels from entering. Vessels may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the area if authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Bridge, also known as the St. Johns RR Bridge, across the Willamette River, mile 6.9, at Portland, OR. The deviation is necessary to facilitate installation of new rail joints. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position during maintenance activities.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Bacon Island Road Drawbridge across Middle River, mile 8.6, between Bacon Island and Lower Jones Tract, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to perform structural maintenance work to the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard is issuing this final rule to remove references to type codes in its regulations on the carriage and labeling of Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices (PFDs). Removing these type codes from our regulations will facilitate future incorporation by reference of new industry consensus standards for PFD labeling that more effectively convey safety information, and is a step toward harmonization of our regulations with PFD requirements in Canada and in other countries.

The Coast Guard proposes to revise and consolidate existing regulated navigation areas, security zones and safety zones currently in place in Apra Harbor, Guam. This action is intended to replace a number of redundant, potentially confusing and outdated navigation regulations with a cogent regulatory framework. The goal of this rulemaking is to better meet the needs of the community today and help ensure the safe and efficient use of the harbor by clarifying and streamlining, thereby reducing vessel operator confusion while transiting the waters of Apra Harbor, Guam.

The Coast Guard proposes to temporarily change the enforcement periods of special local regulations for a recurring marine event in the Fifth Coast Guard District. These regulations apply to the MRE Tug of War, a recurring marine event, and would be effective on November 8, 2014. Special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic in a portion of Spa Creek at Annapolis, MD during the event.

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 approval of an extension to the following collection of information: 1625-0012, Certificate of Discharge to Merchant Mariner. 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 Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone within the navigable waters of the Colorado River in Lake Havasu, AZ in support of the International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) World Finals. This safety zone is necessary to ensure the safety of participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and users of the waterway. Unauthorized persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or their designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone within the navigable waters of San Diego Bay in San Diego, CA in support of the San Diego Sharkfest Swim. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the swimmers, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and users of the waterway. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish temporary safety zones on the waters of Tampa Bay, Florida during Old Port Tampa Exercise 2014. The exercise is scheduled to take place on November 4, 2014. The proposed safety zone is necessary to protect the public from the hazards associated with environmental response operations occurring during the exercise. Persons and vessels will be prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard announces that it is removing the exemption from conditions of entry on vessels arriving in the U.S. from certain ports in Cambodia and will impose conditions of entry on all vessels arriving from Cambodian ports. This notice promotes the Coast Guard's maritime security mission.

The Coast Guard will enforce the special local regulation regulating vessel movement in all U.S. navigable waters of the Maumee River, Toledo, OH, from the Norfolk and Southern Railway Bridge at River Mile 1.80 to the Anthony Wayne Bridge at River Mile 5.16. This special local regulated area is necessary to ensure the safety of life and property on navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and immediately after the Frogtown Races. During the aforementioned period, the Coast Guard will enforce restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in a portion of the Captain of the Port Detroit zone.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Sackets Harbor, Sackets Harbor, NY for a triathlon event. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect swimmers from vessels operating in the area. This safety zone will restrict vessels from a portion of Lake Ontario during the swimming portion of the IncreDoubleman Triathlon event.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone within the navigable waters of Thompson Bay in Lake Havasu, AZ in support of the Lucas Oil Thunder on the River high speed boat race. This safety zone is established to help ensure the safety of participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and users of the waterway. Unauthorized persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or their designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating schedule that governs the Amtrak Bridge across the Thames River, mile 3.0, at New London, Connecticut. Under this notice of proposed rulemaking the bridge would open to 75 feet above mean high water instead of the full open position of 135.3 feet unless a full bridge opening is requested. It is expected that this change to the regulations will create efficiency in drawbridge operations while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a special local regulation on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in the vicinity of Clearwater Beach, Florida during the Clearwater Super Boat National Championship. The race is scheduled to take place annually from approximately 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily during the last Saturday and Sunday of September. The proposed special local regulation is necessary to protect the safety of race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public on the navigable waters of the United States during the event. The special local regulation would restrict vessel traffic in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in the vicinity of Clearwater, Florida. It would establish the following three areas: a race area, where all persons and vessels, except those persons and vessels participating in the high speed boat races, are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within; a spectator area, where all vessels must be anchored or operate at No Wake Speed; and an enforcement area where designated representatives may control vessel traffic as determined by the prevailing conditions.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations on the waters of Lake Dora in Tavares, Florida, during the Hydrocross, a series of high-speed personal watercraft races. The event is scheduled to take place on September 13 and 14, 2014. Approximately 50 vessels are anticipated to participate in the races. This special local regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of life on navigable waters of the United States during the races.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in the waters off of Tarague Basin, Anderson AFB, Guam, for the safety of waterway users, during U.S. Air Force explosive ordnance disposal operations. The U.S. Air Force plans to engage in explosive ordnance disposal operations starting in August 2014, and continue to do so at varying times weekly, for an indefinite duration. The safety zone is activated, and therefore subject to enforcement, during these operations. When the safety zone is activated for enforcement, all entry into the safety zone (including vessels and persons) is prohibited except by permission from the Captain of the Port or his designated representative. The Coast Guard is implementing this interim rule for the safety of mariners; we encourage comments on this rulemaking as to how we may improve the rule.

The Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee will meet to discuss matters relating to medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, merchant mariners' documents, medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels, medical examiner education, and medical research. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a Special Local Regulation for a series of powerboat races located in the Captain of the Port Detroit Zone on the Detroit River, Detroit, Michigan. 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 the Detroit River during the Detroit Offshore Grand Prix events.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a regulated navigation area for waters of Lake Michigan within 5 nautical miles from shore from the Chicago Harbor Lock, Chicago, Illinois to Calumet Harbor, Chicago, Illinois. This regulated navigation area is intended to allow barges to transit an alternate route on a portion of Lake Michigan due to the temporary closure of the Thomas J. O'Brien Lock on RM 326.5 on the Calumet River. This proposed regulated navigation area is necessary to ensure vessel safety and facilitate commerce.

The Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee will meet in Providence, Rhode Island to discuss various issues relating to safety in the commercial fishing industry. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone around the Gulfstar 1 SPAR, Mississippi Canyon Block 724 on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of the safety zone is to protect the facility from vessels operating outside the normal shipping channels and fairways. Placing a safety zone around the facility will significantly reduce the threat of allisions, oil spills, and releases of natural gas, and thereby protect the safety of life, property, and the environment.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Shallowbag Bay, Manteo, NC. This action is necessary to protect the life and property of the maritime public from the hazards posed by fireworks displays. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Shallowbag Bay River during the Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival Fireworks display.