Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard will enforce the City of Mobile New Year's Eve Celebration safety zone in the Mobile Channel, Mobile, AL from 11:30 p.m. December 31, 2013 until 12:30 a.m. January 1, 2014. This safety zone has been implemented in past years but the fireworks display will move to a new location in the Mobile Channel beginning with the December 31, 2013 display. This safety zone is necessary for the safeguard of participants and spectators, including all crews, vessels, and persons on navigable waters during the City of Mobile New Year's Eve Celebration fireworks display. During the enforcement period, entry into, transiting or anchoring in the Safety Zone is prohibited to all vessels not registered with the sponsor as participants or official patrol vessels, unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Mobile or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard seeks public comment on a petition that requests the Coast Guard to initiate a rulemaking to address the problem of overhead clearance (air-draft) accidents. In its petition, which calls for vessel masters to be provided with accurate vertical air draft information, a maritime organization has described 16 overhead clearance accidents that it says were avoidable and that resulted in damage to or destruction of waterway infrastructure and inconvenienced the public. The Coast Guard will consider all comments received in response to this notification in determining whether or not to initiate the requested rulemaking.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Clinton Railroad Drawbridge across the Upper Mississippi River, mile 518.0, at Clinton, Iowa. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner time to perform preventive maintenance that is essential to the continued safe operation of the drawbridge. This deviation allows the bridge to open on signal if at least 24 hours advance notice is given.

A working group of the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will meet to work on Task Statement 80, concerning crew training requirements onboard vessels subject to the International Code of Safety for ships using gases or low flash-point fuels (IGF Code). This meeting will be open to the public.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK) Dock Railroad Bridge across Passaic River, mile 5.0, between Newark and Harrison, New Jersey. This deviation allows the AMTRACK Dock Bridge, mile 5.0, across the Passaic River to remain closed during the Super Bowl XLVIII weekend to facilitate the movement of more than 150,000 visitors, guests and area residents to various public events and activities in New York and New Jersey.

The Coast Guard will enforce the 1,000 foot safety zone in the navigable waters of the Sacramento River in Sacramento, CA on December 31, 2013 during the Sacramento New Years Eve Fireworks Display. The fireworks display will occur from 9 p.m. to 9:20 p.m. on December 31, 2013 for the annual Sacramento New Years Eve Fireworks Display. This action is necessary to control vessel traffic and to help protect the safety of event participants and spectators. During the enforcement period, unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring in the safety zone, unless authorized by the Patrol Commander (PATCOM).

In accordance with Coast Guard regulations, INVISTA, S.a.r.l. has submitted a Letter of Intent and Preliminary Waterway Suitability Assessment to the Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Port Arthur, TX regarding the company's plans to construct, own and operate a waterfront facility handling and storing Liquefied Hazardous Gas (LHG) at its Orange, Texas facility. The Coast Guard is notifying the public of this action to solicit public comments on the proposed increase in LHG marine traffic on the Sabine-Neches Waterway.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary safety zones in the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay near the breakwater in Alameda, CA in support of Google's Night at Sea Fireworks Displays on December 7, 2013 and December 14, 2013. These safety zones are established to help protect the participants and spectators from the dangers associated with pyrotechnics. Unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or remaining in the safety zones without permission of the Captain of the Port or their designated representative.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval of a revision to the following collection of information: 1625-0102, National Response Resource Inventory. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comments by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay off of Spinnaker Point near Sausalito, CA in support of the Sausalito Lighted Boat Parade Fireworks Display on December 14, 2013. This safety zone is established to help protect participants and spectators 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 or their designated representative.

The Coast Guard is amending the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to reflect changes it has made to the boundaries of Sector Baltimore's and Sector Hampton Roads' Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zones. These conforming amendments are necessary to ensure the CFR accurately reflects these boundary changes that were made November 22, 2013. These amendments are not expected to have a substantive impact on the public.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation that governs the U.S. Highway 90 bridge across Chef Menteur Pass, mile 2.8, at New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. The deviation is necessary to affect repairs and maintenance that is required for safe operation of the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain closed to navigation for 18 consecutive days, except that the bridge will open twice daily during the middle 14 days of the repair period.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Mission Bay Parade of Lights special local regulations during this year's parade held on December 14, 2013. This event occurs on Mission Bay in San Diego, CA. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, sponsor vessels of the parade, 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 has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the S.R. 74 Bridge, across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW), mile 283.1, at Wrightsville Beach, NC. This deviation is necessary to accommodate the 2014 Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Full and Half Marathon. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position during the race.

The Coast Guard is increasing a portion of an existing San Diego Bay security zone at Naval Base Point Loma to support the construction of a new Naval fuel pier. Concurrent with the construction of the new pier, the Coast Guard is also establishing a new security zone at the Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command to protect the relocated marine mammal program throughout the temporary construction process. The security zone modifications are intended to restrict vessels from portions of the San Diego Bay in order to ensure the safety and security of Naval assets. Both security zones will safeguard Naval assets, such as vessels, property and waterfront facilities from destruction, loss or injury from sabotage or other subversive acts. No persons or vessel may enter or remain in the security zones without permission of the Captain of the Port, the Commander of Naval Base Point Loma, the Commander of the Naval Mine Anti Submarine Warfare Command, and the Commander of Naval Region Southwest, or a designated representative of those individuals.

The Coast Guard is establishing a regulated navigation area (RNA) on the Piscataqua River near Portsmouth, NH. This temporary final rule places speed restrictions on all vessels transiting the navigable waters of the Piscataqua River, Portsmouth, NH near the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard between Henderson Point Light on Seavey Island and Badgers Island Buoy 14. This rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters during ongoing dive operations.

The Coast Guard issued a notice in the Federal Register of October 23, 2013, concerning new measures to reduce the risks of oil spills in oil transfer operations from or to a tank vessel. In response to public comments requesting an extension of the original comment period ending on November 22, 2013, the Coast Guard is reopening the comment period for an additional 30 days.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a special local regulation on the waters of Lake Dora in Tavares, Florida during the Tavares Winter Thunder Vintage Race Regatta, a series of high-speed boat races. The event is scheduled for January 17 through 19, 2014. Approximately 60 vessels are anticipated to participate in the races. This proposed special local regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of life on navigable waters of the United States during the races. The special local regulation would establish two areas: A race area, where all persons and vessels, except those participating in the races, are prohibited from entering, transiting, anchoring, or remaining; and a buffer zone around the race area, where all persons and vessels, except those enforcing the buffer zone or authorized participants and vessels transiting to the race area, are prohibited from entering, transiting, anchoring, or remaining, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Jacksonville or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in Key West, Florida, during the Bone Island Triathlon on Saturday, January 25, 2014. The safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Key West or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard (USCG) announces the availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the Nationwide Use of High Frequency (HF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Sound Navigation and Ranging (SONAR) Technology and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The USCG is proposing the nationwide use of active SONAR technologies that operate at frequencies of 50 kiloHertz (kHz) and greater from fixed and mobile platforms. Active SONAR technology would be used in support of USCG missions to locate, image, and classify submerged/underwater targets of interest (TOI). The PEA is a program- level document that will provide the USCG with management-level analysis of the potential impacts of each alternative on the human and natural environments.

The Coast Guard is temporarily modifying the operating schedule that governs the U.S. 101 Umpqua river swing bridge, mile 11.1, at Reedsport, OR. The rule change is necessary to accommodate Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) extensive bridge maintenance and restoration efforts. The bridge is currently scheduled to open on signal if at least two hours notice is given. The ODOT will only open the bridge with a minimum of six hours notice and will limit the openings to twice daily; once in the morning and once in the evening.

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 bridge owner time to perform preventive maintenance and critical repairs that are essential to the continued safe operation of the drawbridge. The work is scheduled in the winter, when the impact on navigation is minimal, instead of scheduling the work at other times in the year, when river traffic is prevalent. This deviation allows the bridge to be maintained in the closed-to-navigation position for 77 days.

The Coast Guard issues this final rule to remove from its regulations on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) activities a reference to the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) and a related TWIC definition and recordkeeping reference because they are inconsistent with a requirement in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. These regulations deal with the employment of personnel on the OCS to U.S. citizens or resident aliens. The TWIC reference incorrectly provides that a TWIC alone may be accepted by an employer as sufficient evidence of the TWIC holder's status as a U.S. resident alien, as that term is defined. This rule clarifies the regulations.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the navigable waters of the Oakland Estuary just north of the Park Street Bridge in Alameda, CA in support of the Oakland Estuary Closure for the Vessel Removal Project on November 4, 2013 through November 22, 2013. This safety zone is established to ensure the safety of workers, mariners, and other vessels transiting the area from the dangers associated with cranes operating under heavy loads in close proximity to both sides of the Oakland Estuary. 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 or their designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes requiring cargo securing manuals (CSMs) on vessels of 500 gross tons or more traveling on international voyages and carrying cargo that is other than solid or liquid bulk cargo. The proposed regulations would authorize recognized classification societies or other approval authorities to review and approve CSMs on behalf of the Coast Guard. They would also prescribe when and how the loss or jettisoning of cargo at sea must be reported. The proposed regulations would help fulfill U.S. treaty obligations and could help prevent or mitigate the consequences of vessel cargo loss. This rulemaking promotes the Coast Guard's maritime safety and stewardship missions.