Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is temporarily changing the enforcement period for a special local regulation for one recurring marine event in the Fifth Coast Guard District, specifically, the ``Ocean City Maryland Offshore Grand Prix,'' hydroplane races on the North Atlantic Ocean near Ocean City, Maryland. The event consists of approximately 50 V- hull and twin-hull inboard hydroplanes racing in heats counter- clockwise around an oval race course, this regulation is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic in portions of the North Atlantic Ocean near Ocean City, Maryland during the event.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation in Galveston Bay in the vicinity of Kemah, Texas. This temporary special local regulation is necessary to provide for the safety of swimmers participating in the Memorial Hermann Kemah Triathlon. All vessels will be prohibited from transiting in or near the area except as specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations during the ``Swim Across the Potomac River'' swimming competition, to be held on the waters of the Potomac River on July 8, 2012. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to temporarily restrict vessel traffic in a portion of the Potomac River during the event.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the specified waters of Bayou Casotte, Pascagoula, Mississippi. This action is necessary for the protection of persons and vessels on navigable waters during the launch of the Crowley Barge 750-2, particularly small craft in the area that risk being swamped. Entry into, transiting or anchoring in this zone is prohibited to all vessels, mariners, and persons unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Mobile or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in certain waters of the Magothy River, in Sillery Bay, Maryland. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of life, property and the environment. This safety zone restricts the movement of vessels throughout the regulated area during The Bumper Bash, held annually on the fourth Saturday of July.

The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period for the temporary interim rule that established a temporary security zone for Kaunakakai Harbor, including the entrance channel and offshore area adjacent to the channel's entrance during the arrival and departure of the Passenger Vessel Safari Explorer in Kaunakakai Harbor, Molokai, Hawaii. The effective period for this temporary security zone began on January 19, 2012 and ends on May 15, 2012. The Coast Guard held informal public meetings regarding the interim rule. Following the public meetings, the Coast Guard prepared a written synopsis of the public comments received at the public meetings. This synopsis may be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov under docket number USCG-2011- 1159. During this additional comment period, the Coast Guard invites comments on how the temporary interim rule can be improved.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Bridge across the Columbia River, mile 105.6, at Vancouver, WA. This deviation is necessary to accommodate maintenance of the train signaling system scheduled for April 30, 2012. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for the duration of the maintenance activity.

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: 1625-0033, Display of Fire Control Plans for Vessels and 1625-0047, Plan Approval and Records for Vital System Automation. 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 is establishing special local regulations during the ``Potomac River Sharkfest Swim'' amateur swim, a marine event to be held on the waters of the Potomac River on June 2, 2012. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to temporarily restrict vessel traffic in a portion of the Potomac River during the event.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation for a portion of Gulfport Lake in Gulfport, MS. This action is necessary for the safeguard of participants and spectators, including all crews, vessels, and persons on navigable waters during the Smokin The Lake high speed boat races on May 5 and 6, 2012. Entry into, transiting or anchoring in this area is prohibited to all vessels not registered with the sponsor as participants or not part of the regatta patrol, unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Mobile or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Special Local Regulation for the annual National Maritime Week Tugboat Races in Elliott Bay, WA from 12 p.m. through 4:30 p.m. on May 12, 2012. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of all participants and spectators from the inherent dangers associated with these types of races which includes large wakes. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter or remain in the regulated area except for participants in the event, supporting personnel, vessels registered with the event organizer, and personnel or vessels authorized by the Coast Guard Patrol Commander.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation for a portion of the Black Warrior River, from mile 340.5 to mile 341.0, Tuscaloosa, AL. This action is necessary for the safeguard of participants and spectators, including all crews, vessels, and persons on navigable waters during the Jr. League of Tuscaloosa Dragon Boat Races. Entry into, transiting or anchoring in this area is prohibited to all vessels not registered with the sponsor as participants or not part of the regatta patrol, unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Mobile or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce Special Local Regulations for the Blessing of the Fleet in Bayou La Batre, AL from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. on May 6, 2012. This action is necessary for the safety of participants and spectators, including all crews, vessels, and persons on navigable waters during the Blessing of the Fleet, Bayou La Batre. During the enforcement period, entry into, transiting or anchoring in the regulated area 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 (COTP) Mobile or the designated Coast Guard Patrol Commander.

The Coast Guard proposes changing the regulation governing six bridges across Bayou Lafourche, south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW). Currently, these bridges remain closed to navigation at various times on weekdays during the school year. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD), in conjunction with the Lafourche Parish Council, would like to change the beginning date of the regulation to coincide with the change in the beginning of the school year. All other aspects of the regulation will remain the same. These changes will alleviate any confusion that the bridge tenders and mariners may have as to the bridge schedule now that the school year begins earlier than the regulation effective date.

The Coast Guard proposes establishing a safety zone on the navigable waters of the Atlantic Ocean in Ocean City, MD. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the 2012 Ocean City Air Show. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic movement to protect mariners from the hazards associated with air show events.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone extending out approximately 3,000 feet from the South shores of Lake Pontchartrain adjacent to the East bank of the Lakefront Airport runways. This safety zone is necessary to protect persons and vessels from the potential safety hazards associated with high-speed aerobatic displays by the participants of the 1812 Blue Angels Air Show, during the War of 1812 Commemoration. The Air Show includes a 12,000' x 3,000' aerobatic display area and requires the surface of the water to be sterile of non-participants.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of the Hudson River in the vicinity of Rhinecliff, NY for a fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays. This rule is intended to restrict all vessels from a portion of the Hudson River before, during, and immediately after the fireworks event.

The Coast Guard is withdrawing its correction published on March 29, 2012, to a direct final rule published on December 14, 2011 and withdrawn on April 6, 2012. The correction was published to correct an inadvertent transposition in the titles of two tables in our amendatory instructions and to publish vessel inspection tables in their entirety so that the format of the tables would be consistent with current Federal Register format requirements. The direct final rule was withdrawn on April 6, 2012, because we received two adverse comments and the direct final rule will not become effective as scheduled. Therefore, we must also withdraw the vessel inspection tables published as part of the correction because they are not consistent with the current regulatory text.

The Coast Guard is establishing four separate security zones on both the waters and waterfront area of Chicago Harbor and the Chicago River. These temporary security zones are intended to restrict vessels, regardless of the mode of propulsion, and people from certain land and water areas in Chicago Harbor and the Chicago River during the NATO Summit and associated events, which will be held in Chicago from May 16, 2012, through May 24, 2012. These security zones are necessary to protect visiting government officials and dignitaries from the potential dangers associated with a large scale, international political event.

The Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District, has issued temporary deviations from the regulations governing the operation of the following two bridges that span across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida: The East Sunrise Boulevard (SR 838) Bridge, mile 1062.6; and the East Las Olas Bridge, mile 1064. The deviations are necessary due to the high volume of vessel and vehicle traffic anticipated during the Lauderdale Air Show. With the exception of opening for passage of public vessels of the United States, vessels in distress, and tugs with tows, the bridges will not open in the evening during during the Lauderdale Air Show.

The Coast Guard is temporarily changing the enforcement periods of three permanent safety zone regulations for recurring air and water shows that occur within the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan zone. These regulations apply to only the enforcement periods of three recurring Air and Water Shows. These safety zones are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during these potentially dangerous events. This action is intended to notify the public about the temporary changes to the published enforcement periods for these three events.

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 collection of information: 1625-0035, Title 46 CFR Subchapter Q: Lifesaving, Electrical, Engineering and Navigation Equipment, Construction and Materials & Marine Sanitation Devices (33 CFR part 159). Additionally, the U.S. Coast Guard requests an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0079, Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1995 and 1997 Amendments to the International Convention. 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 proposes to establish a drawbridge operating schedule for the Maple-Oregon and Michigan Street Bridges across the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, at miles 4.17 and 4.3, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The establishment of this schedule is necessary due to the construction of the Maple-Oregon Street Bridge and the completed rehabilitation of the Michigan Street Bridge. The proposed regulation also confirms the winter drawbridge schedules for all three drawbridges over Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, including the two bridges above and the Bayview Bridge at mile 3.0.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone around the Vigor Marine Dry Dock, located in Everett, WA. This action is necessary to prevent maritime traffic from colliding with a sunken dry dock and associated debris, and to ensure the safety of the salvage crews on scene. It will do so by prohibiting vessels from entering or remaining in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard is amending its regulation requiring safety zones in the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan zone. This rule will amend, establish, or delete the rules that restrict vessels from portions of water areas during events that pose a hazard to public safety. The safety zones amended or established by this rule are necessary to protect spectators, participants, and vessels from the hazards associated with various maritime events.