Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee (CFSAC) will meet in Washington, DC to discuss various issues relating to safety in the commercial fishing industry. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is temporarily changing the enforcement date of a safety zone for one recurring fireworks display in the Fifth Coast Guard District. This regulation applies to only one recurring fireworks event held in the Metedeconk River in Brick Township, NJ. The fireworks display is normally held on the first Thursday in September, but this year it will be held on July 25th. The safety zone is 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 Delaware River near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the event.

This notice announces the addition of a new Categorical Exclusion (CATEX) for Real Property Disposal under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This CATEX amends the United States Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security NEPA implementing procedures by establishing a new CATEX for real property disposal undertaken by the United States Coast Guard. With this CATEX, the Coast Guard will be able to dispose of real property under certain authorities without preparing an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

The comment period end date listed for the Manatee River Draft Environmental Impact Statement published in the Federal Register on July 5, 2013, was incorrect. This notice inserts the correct ending date for the comment period.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the Arthur Kill AK Railroad Bridge across Arthur Kill, mile 11.6, between Staten Island, New York and Elizabeth, New Jersey. Under this temporary deviation the bridge may remain in the closed position for four days to facilitate scheduled maintenance. This deviation is necessary to facilitate tie and miter rail replacement on the lift span.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a safety zone around the Olympus Tension Leg Platform, Mississippi Canyon Block 807 on the OCS. The purpose of the safety zone is to promote the safety of life and property on the facilities, their appurtenances and attending vessels, and on the adjacent waters within the safety zones. 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 will enforce the safety zone on Lake Michigan within Milwaukee Harbor, Wisconsin for the 2013 Olympic and Sprint Distance National Championships. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters during the 2013 Olympic and Sprint Distance National Championships. During the aforementioned periods, the Coast Guard will enforce restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in a specified safety zone. During the enforcement periods, no person or vessel may enter the safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port, Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Navy Pier Southeast Safety Zone in Chicago Harbor during specified periods from July 3, 2013, through August 31, 2013. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters of the United States immediately prior to, during, and immediately after fireworks events. Enforcement of this safety zone will activate restrictions and control movement of vessels in a specified area immediately prior to, during, and immediately after various fireworks events. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port, Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard proposes aligning its regulations with the 2010 Coast Guard Authorization Act. Before 2010, uninspected commercial barges and uninspected commercial sailing vessels fell outside the scope of a statute requiring the regulation of lifesaving devices on uninspected vessels. Lifesaving devices were required on uninspected commercial barges and sailing vessels only if they carried passengers for hire. The 2010 Act brought uninspected commercial barges and sailing vessels within the scope of the statutory requirement to carry lifesaving devices even if they carry no passengers. The Coast Guard proposes requiring use of wearable personal flotation devices for individuals on board uninspected commercial barges and sailing vessels, and amending several regulatory tables to reflect that requirement. This rulemaking promotes the Coast Guard's marine safety mission.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding Information Collection Requests (ICRs), 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 collections of information: 1625-0049, Waterfront Facilities Handling Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquefied Hazardous Gas (LHG) and 1625-0063, Marine Occupational Health and Safety Standards for Benzene46 CFR 197 subpart C. Our ICRs describe 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 has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule governing the ``I'' Street Drawbridge across the Sacramento River, mile 59.4 at Sacramento, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to make bridge repairs. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard will enforce the special local regulation for the annual Bayview Mackinac Race, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 20, 2013. This special local regulated is necessary to safely control vessel movements in the vicinity of the race and provide for the safety of the general boating public and commercial shipping. During this period, no person or vessel may enter the regulated area without the permission of the Coast Guard Patrol Commander (PATCOM).

The Commander Fifth Coast Guard District has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the US 50 Bridge, over Isle of Wight (Sinepuxent) Bay, mile 0.5, at Ocean City, MD. The deviation is necessary to accommodate the 10th annual ``Island 2 Island'' Half Marathon. This deviation allows the drawbridge to remain in the closed position to vessels during the race.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the swing of the Route 70/Harkers Island Bridge, across The Straights, mile 0.6, Harkers Island, NC. This deviation is necessary to facilitate coupling repair on the Route 70/ Harkers Island Bridge. This temporary deviation allows the swing bridge to remain in the closed to navigation position.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone within Milwaukee Harbor, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Milwaukee Harbor due to 4 fireworks displays at Discovery World Pier. This safety zone is necessary to protect the surrounding public and vessels from the hazards associated with these fireworks displays.

The Coast Guard is issuing this Interim Rule to address two omissions from the regulatory text of the Safety zone and Regulated Navigation Area in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Romeoville, IL. These omissions include requirements for the regulated navigation area that vessels must be greater than twenty feet in length and must not be a personal or human powered watercraft of any kind (e.g. jet skis, wave runners, kayaks, row boats, etc.). This revision is intended to make the regulatory text consistent with the discussion of the rule as originally published in the Federal Register on December 12, 2011.

The United States Coast Guard is announcing that it will no longer maintain a watch on 2182 kHz, will no longer guard the Digital Selective Calling (DSC) channel 2187.5 kHz, and will no longer transmit Marine Information Broadcasts on 2670 kHz. The minimal use of these channels by mariners for distress and safety coupled with antenna site deterioration, costly upkeep, and extensive maintenance required to support the medium frequency (MF) system have led to a Coast Guard decision to terminate the MF services and direct the public mariner to use more modern safety and distress services which can be more reliably received by the Coast Guard.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the US 70/ Alfred C. Cunningham Bridge across the Trent River, mile 0.0, at New Bern, NC. The deviation allows the bridge draw span to remain in the closed to navigation position to accommodate the free movement of pedestrians and vehicles during the annual Mumfest celebration.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone encompassing certain waters of Baltimore Harbor. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during a fireworks display launched from barges located within Baltimore Harbor at Baltimore, MD on September 5, 2013. This safety zone is intended to protect the maritime public in a portion of Baltimore Harbor.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone around the Skagit River Bridge located in Mount Vernon, WA. This action is necessary to protect vessels and persons from dangers associated with the collapse of the Interstate 5 Skagit River Bridge and to ensure the safety of the emergency response, salvage, and construction crews on scene. The safety zone will prohibit any person or vessel from entering or remaining in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all waters of the Ohio River, surface to bottom, extending from Ohio River mile 469.4 to mile 470.0. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect commercial and recreational vessels from fireworks fallout associated with the City of Bellevue Beach Park Concert fireworks display. During the period of enforcement, no vessels may be located within this Coast Guard regulated area and entry into this Coast Guard regulated area is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Ohio Valley or other designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce various special local regulations for annual regattas and marine parades in the Captain of the Port Detroit zone from 9:00 a.m. on June 21, 2013 through 7:00 p.m. on July 28, 2013. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and immediately after regattas or marine parades. Enforcement of these special local regulations rule will establish restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in specified areas immediately prior to, during, and immediately after regattas or marine parades. During the enforcement periods, no person or vessel may enter the regulated areas without permission of the Captain of the Port.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs two Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) bridges: The Fremont Bridge, mile 2.6, and the University Bridge, mile 4.3, all crossing the Lake Washington Ship Canal at Seattle, WA. The deviation is necessary to accommodate the ``See Jane Run Women's Half Marathon.'' This deviation allows the bridges to remain in the closed position to accommodate the safe movement of event participants.

The Coast Guard will enforce various safety zones for annual marine events in the Captain of the Port Detroit zone from 9:30 p.m. on June 20, 2013 through 11:59 p.m. on August 31, 2013. Enforcement of these zones is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and immediately after associated marine events. During the aforementioned period, the Coast Guard will enforce restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in a specified area immediately prior to, during, and immediately after fireworks events. During each enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the respective safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port.

A working group of the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will meet to work on Task Statement 82, entitled ``The review and submittal of recommendations for proposed revisions to forms CG-719K, Merchant Mariner Credential Medical Evaluation Report and CG-719K/E, Merchant Mariner Evaluation of Fitness for Entry Level Ratings.'' This meeting will be open to the public.