Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone on the waters of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida during 2012 Fleet Week. 2012 Fleet Week will take place from Wednesday, April 25, 2012 through Monday, April 30, 2012. The security zone will encompass the main shipping channel into Port Everglades Harbor and the Intracoastal Waterway through Port Everglades Harbor. The security zone will be enforced while U.S. Navy vessels participating in 2012 Fleet Week transit into and out of Port Everglades. The security zone is necessary to ensure the safety and security of U.S. Navy vessels, the public, and surrounding waterway from terrorist acts, sabotage or other subversive acts, accidents, or other causes of a similar nature. Entering or remaining in this security zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Miami or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of Matlacha Pass in the vicinity of the Matlacha Bridge in Matlacha, Florida. The safety zone will be enforced during construction of the Matlacha Bridge from Monday, March 12, 2012 through Tuesday, April 10, 2012. The safety zone is necessary to protect life and property on navigable waters of the United States during the Matlacha Bridge construction. 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 St. Petersburg or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations during the swim segment of the ``Ironman 70.3 National Harbor'' triathlon, a marine event to be held on the waters of the Potomac River in Prince George's County, Maryland on August 5, 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 and National Harbor Access Channel during the event.

The Coast Guard is changing the regulations that govern the operation of the S189 Bridge over Blackwater River, mile 9.2, at South Quay, VA. The new rule will change the current regulation requiring a 24-hour advance notice and allow the bridge to remain in the closed position for the passage of vessels. There have been no requests for openings in 11 years.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of 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 Quad Cities Live Uncommon Walk to cross the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to be maintained in the closed-to-navigation position for two hours.

The Coast Guard will enforce a segment of the Safety Zone; Brandon Road Lock and Dam to Lake Michigan including Des Plaines River, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Chicago River, Calumet-Saganashkee Channel on all waters of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal from Mile Marker 295.7 to Mile Marker 297.0 at various times from May 1, 2012 until June 6, 2012. This action is necessary to protect the waterways, waterway users, and vessels from hazards associated with the Army Corp of Engineers' barrier testing operations. During these tests, the Army Corp of Engineers' will conduct various safety tests to include barge effects and field strength at depth measurement. During any of the below listed enforcement periods, entry into, transiting, mooring, laying-up or anchoring within the enforced area of this safety zone by any person or vessel is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Lake Michigan, or his or her designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations on the waters of Charleston Harbor in Charleston, South Carolina during Charleston Race Week, a series of sailboat races. The races are scheduled to take place on Friday, April 20, 2012, through Sunday, April 22, 2012. Approximately 170 sailboats are anticipated to participate in the races, and approximately 40 spectator vessels are expected to attend the event. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters of the United States during the races. The special local regulations consist of three race areas. Except for those person and vessels participating in the sailboat races, persons and vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the race areas unless 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 Hardin Drawbridge across the Illinois Waterway, mile 21.6, at Hardin, Illinois. The deviation is necessary to replace the main gear case that operates the lift span. The gear case has been making noise indicating possible failure. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position while the existing gear box is replaced with one recently fabricated.

The Coast Guard proposes establishing temporary regulations in the Port of Hampton Roads, Virginia for Operation Sail (OPSAIL) 2012 Virginia activities. This regulation is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters before, during, and after OPSAIL 2012 Virginia events. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic movement in portions of Chesapeake Bay, Hampton Roads, the James River and Elizabeth River.

The Coast Guard proposes to adopt a temporary special local regulation and temporary security zones, during, and after the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemoration events in the Port of Boston, Massachusetts, to be held between June 28, 2012 and July 6, 2012. These regulations are necessary to promote the safe navigation of vessels and the safety of life and property during the heavy volume of vessel traffic expected during this event.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations on the Savannah River in Savannah, Georgia during the Savannah Tall Ships Challenge. The Savannah Tall Ships Challenge will take place from Thursday, May 3, 2012 through Monday, May 7, 2012. Approximately 15 vessels are anticipated to participate in the event. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on navigable waters of the United States during the event. The special local regulations establish the following three areas: Mooring zones; buffer zones; and a staging area. First, mooring zones will be established around vessels participating in the Savannah Tall Ships Challenge while the vessels are moored at their mooring locations along the right and left descending banks of the Savannah River in Savannah, Georgia. Second, buffer zones will be established around vessels participating in the Savannah Tall Ships Challenge as they transit from their mooring locations on the Savannah River to the staging area. Third, a staging area will be established, where vessels participating in the Savannah Tall Ships Challenge will congregate before commencing their voyage to the next port as part of the 2012 Tall Ships Challenge. Persons and vessels that are not participating in the Savannah Tall Ships Challenge are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the mooring zones, buffer zones, or staging area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Savannah or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is announcing its intent to enter into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with General Dynamics C4 Systems, Inc. (General Dynamics), to test, evaluate, and document the strengths and weaknesses of at least one technical approach for exchanging asset position, status, and brief collaborative messages between the Coast Guard Incident Command Staff (ICS), deployed Coast Guard and non-Coast Guard personnel, and other mobile assets which are engaged within an ICS managed, Incident of National Significance Response. While the Coast Guard is currently considering partnering with General Dynamics, we are soliciting public comment on the nature of and participation of other parties in the proposed CRADA. In addition, the Coast Guard also invites other potential participants to submit proposals for consideration in similar CRADAs.

The Coast Guard is establishing a Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) at the Zidell Waterfront Property located on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. This RNA is necessary to preserve the integrity of an engineered sediment cap as part of an Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) required remedial action. This RNA will prohibit activities that could disturb or damage the engineered sediment cap.

The Navigation Safety Advisory Council (NAVSAC) will meet on April 17-18, 2012, in Arlington, Virginia to discuss matters relating to maritime collisions, ramming, groundings, Inland and International Rules of the Road, navigation regulations and equipment, routing measures, marine information, diving safety, and aids to navigation systems. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone in the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay, Alameda, CA within the San Francisco Captain of the Port (COTP) Zone. The security zone is necessary to ensure the safety of the USCGC STRATTON commissioning ceremony.

The United States Coast Guard published a direct final rule in the Federal Register on December 14, 2011 (76 FR 77712) revising regulations for the inspection and certification of seagoing barges to align with the language of the applicable statues. That document inadvertently transposed the titles of two tables in our amendatory instructions. Additionally, the Coast Guard is republishing the vessel inspection tables that rule amends in their entirety, so that the format of the tables is consistent with current Federal Register format requirements.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Navy Pier Southeast Safety Zone in Chicago Harbor during various periods from May 19, 2012 through June 30, 2012. 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 establish restrictions upon, 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 zones without permission of the Captain of the Port, Sector Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard is advising the public of its intent to finalize regulations previously published as an interim final rule on December 22, 1993. The interim final rule was published to reduce the risk of oil spills, improve vessel oil spill response capabilities, and minimize the impact of oil spills on the environment, but certain portions of the interim final rule were never published as a final rule. Because of the lapse in time since the interim final rule's publication, the Coast Guard is seeking comments from the public before finalizing those portions of the interim final rule.

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 an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0048, Vessel Reporting Requirements. 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 Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Metro North (Peck) Bridge across the Pequonnock River, mile 0.3, at Bridgeport, Connecticut. The deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position to facilitate miter rail repair.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish temporary special local regulations on the navigable waters of Narragansett Bay and Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, for the Ocean State Tall Ships Festival 2012. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on the navigable waters of Narragansett Bay and Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, during the Ocean State Tall Ships Festival on July 6-9, 2012. These temporary special local regulations would restrict vessel traffic in portions of Narragansett Bay and Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Sector Southeastern New England.

The National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) will meet on April 13-14, 2012, in Arlington, Virginia, to discuss issues relating to recreational boating safety. The meetings will be open to the public.

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: 1625-0012, Certificate of Discharge to Merchant Mariners and 1625-0040, Application for Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate Evaluation Report, Small Vessel Sea Service Form, DOT/USCG Periodic Drug Testing Form, and Merchant Mariner Evaluation of Fitness for Entry Level Ratings. 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 revising the list of permanent safety zones established for fireworks displays at various locations within the geographic boundary of the Fifth Coast Guard District. This action is necessary to protect life and property of the maritime public from hazards posed by fireworks displays. Entry into or movement within these zones during the enforcement periods is prohibited without approval of the appropriate Captain of the Port.

The Coast Guard is amending its regulations on ballast water management by establishing a standard for the allowable concentration of living organisms in ships' ballast water discharged in waters of the United States. The Coast Guard is also amending its regulations for engineering equipment by establishing an approval process for ballast water management systems. These new regulations will aid in controlling the introduction and spread of nonindigenous species from ships' ballast water in waters of the United States.