Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge across the Port Allen Canal, mile 8.7 (Gulf Intracoastal Canal, Morgan City to Port Allen (Alternate Route), mile 56.0), near Morley, West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. This deviation allows the bridge to remain closed to navigation for five hours on three consecutive days. The deviation is necessary to conduct maintenance and install new track panels on the bridge.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Loop Parkway Bridge, mile 0.7, across Long Creek, and the Meadowbrook Parkway Bridge, mile 12.8, across Sloop Channel, both at Hempstead, New York. This deviation is necessary to facilitate the 2014 Dee Snider's Ride to Fight Hunger on Long Island. The deviation allows the two bridges to remain in the closed position during this public event.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all waters of the Lower Mississippi River from mile marker 94.0 to mile marker 95.0 above head of passes (AHP). This safety zone is necessary to protect persons and vessels from potential safety hazards associated with a barge based fireworks display in the Lower Mississippi River at mile marker 94.4 AHP. Entry into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) New Orleans or a designated representative.

The Towing Safety Advisory Committee will meet in Washington, DC, September 24 and 25, 2014, to review and discuss recommendations from its Subcommittees and to receive briefs listed in the agenda under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. All meetings will be open to the public. The Subcommittees will meet on September 24, 2014, and work on eight assigned tasks listed in the referenced agenda. The full Towing Safety Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, September 25, 2014.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating regulations for six drawbridges, located between river mile 285.8 and river mile 288.7, across the Illinois Waterway, at Joliet, Illinois. This rule proposes to consolidate the current operating regulation, which includes five on-site bridge tender control stations, into one centralized control point for all five drawbridges. This rule also proposes to add a sixth drawbridge that will also operate under the centralized control point. This proposed action is intended to improve navigational safety and operational efficiency in the Joliet area.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone on the waters of Biscayne Bay, east of Bayfront Park, in Miami, Florida during the 2014 Ironman 70.3 Miami, a triathlon. The Ironman 70.3 Miami is scheduled to take place on October 26, 2014. Approximately 2,500 participants are anticipated to participate in the swim portion of the event. No spectators are expected to be present during the event. The safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, participant vessels, and general public on the navigable waters of Biscayne Bay during the event.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a safety zone on the navigable waters of the Elizabeth River in the vicinity of the Midtown Tunnel, Portsmouth, Virginia for 12 periods of 48 hours each beginning at midnight on January 1, January 12, January 19, January 22, January 27, February 9, March 2, March 5, March 10, March 23, March 30 and April 6, 2015. This proposed safety zone is intended to restrict vessel movement in the specified area during the construction of the new Midtown Tunnel. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on the surrounding navigable waters during the aforementioned dates due to the increased amount of work vessels in the area.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) Fremont Bridge, across the Lake Washington Ship Canal, mile 2.6, at Seattle, WA. This deviation is necessary to allow the bridge to operate in single leaf mode while work crews are onsite, and to only provide a double leaf opening with a five hour advance notice. This deviation allows one half of the bridge to remain in the closed position while reducing the vertical clearance of the non-operating span by four feet to account for the installation of a moveable platform underneath the bridge.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the San Joaquin County highway bridge across Bishop Cut, mile 1.0 between King Island and Bishop Tract, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to make necessary bridge repairs. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for a fireworks display in the Sector Long Island Sound area of responsibility on August 30-31, 2014. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during the event. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port (COTP) Sector Long Island Sound or designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing two 1000-yard temporary security zones around the President of the United States (POTUS) and/or the first family in conjunction with their visit to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Vessels and people will be prohibited from entering these security zones during the effective period. These security zones will be effective from 30 minutes prior to the arrival of the POTUS and/or the first family within 1000 yards of navigable waters of the U.S. in the the coastal areas of Chilmark and Edgartown Great Pond, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, until departure of the POTUS and/or the first family from the area. These security zones are needed to safeguard the POTUS and the first family from potential threats or harm. Entry into these zones by any vessel or person is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) or the COTP's designated on-scene representative.

A working group of the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee will meet to review and work on Task Statement 87, concerning review of policy documents providing guidance on the implementation of the December 24, 2013 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping and changes to national endorsements rulemaking. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation on the waters of Lake Dora in Tavares, Florida, during the Hydro-Drag Nationals, a series of high-speed personal watercraft races. The event is scheduled for August 30 and 31, 2014. Approximately 65 vessels are anticipated to participate in the races. This special local regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of life during the races.

The National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee will meet via teleconference to receive a final report from the Subcommittee on Marine Casualty Reporting on the Outer Continental Shelf. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in support of vessel salvage operations for the grounded commercial fishing vessel, TAKE MARU 55, in the waters west of Cocos Island. This safety zone will encompass a 400 yard area centered around the TAKE MARU 55, located at approximately 13 degrees 14 minutes 7 seconds North Latitude, 144 degrees 38 minutes 27 seconds East Longitude, the waters west of Cocos Island (North American Datum (NAD) 1983).

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of the Delaware River in Camden, NJ. The safety zone will restrict vessel traffic on a portion of the Delaware River from operating while a fireworks event is taking place. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect the surrounding public and vessels from the hazards associated with a fireworks display.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of its Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact Statement approved on April 8, 2014 for proposed construction of a highway bridge across the Manatee River at Parrish, Manatee County, Florida. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations, the Coast Guard has approved the preferred alternative. All practicable measures to avoid or minimize environmental harm have been identified and incorporated in the preferred alternative.

The Coast Guard is establishing three temporary safety zones for two fireworks events and one swim event within the Captain of the Port Long Island Sound Zone. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during these events. Entering into, transiting through, remaining, anchoring or mooring within these regulated areas would be prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Long Island Sound.

The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 (the Act) removed the statutory size limit previously placed on offshore supply vessels (OSVs), and required the Coast Guard to issue regulations to mitigate the risk created as a result, noting the need ``to ensure the safe carriage of oil, hazardous substances, and individuals in addition to the crew'' on OSVs exceeding the previous size limit. In accordance with the Act, the Coast Guard is issuing this interim rule to ensure the safe carriage of oil, hazardous substances, and individuals other than crew by requiring U.S.-flagged OSVs of at least 6,000 gross tonnage as measured under the Convention Measurement System to comply with existing regulatory requirements and international standards for design, engineering, construction, operations and manning, inspections, and certification. This rule also will affect any vessel of at least 500 gross register tons as measured under the Regulatory Measurement System, if that vessel is not assigned a measurement under the Convention Measurement System and the owner desires to have the vessel certificated as an OSV. The Coast Guard intends to finalize this interim rule after considering, and incorporating to the extent appropriate, any comments from the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation from mile 127.0 to mile 128.0, extending bank to bank on the Cumberland River. This zone is necessary to protect participants of the ``Tri Clarksville Triathlon'' during the swim portion of the event. Entry into this area is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Ohio Valley or designated representative.

The Coast Guard is temporarily changing the enforcement date of the special local regulation for the recurring powerboat race known as the Sunset Lake Hydrofest, held in the waters of the Sunset Lake, adjacent to Wildwood Crest, New Jersey. The change of enforcement date for the special local regulation is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action will restrict vessel traffic in the waters of Sunset Lake adjacent to Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, during the event.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Pyro Spectaculars USS MIDWAY Museum firework display safety zone on August 28, 2014. This marine event occurs on the navigable waters of San Diego Bay, immediately to the west of the USS MIDWAY, in San Diego, California. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, safety vessels, 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 is extending the public comment period on its draft change to Navigation and Inspection Circular (NVIC) 01-13.

The Coast Guard is removing the existing drawbridge operation regulation for the Pinellas Bayway Structure ``C'' Bridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway mile 114, St Petersburg Beach, Florida. The drawbridge was replaced with a fixed bridge in 2014 and the operating regulation is no longer applicable or necessary.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating schedule that governs the Pinellas Bayway Structure ``E'' (SR 679) Bridge, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway mile 113.0, St. Petersburg Beach, FL. This proposal would extend the time period when the bridge is subject to periodic openings. During this extended time period the bridge will not open on demand.