Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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

The Coast Guard announces its decision to not initiate a rulemaking addressing an expanded hull identification number (HIN). The Coast Guard's decision-making process included consideration of comments submitted in response to its request for comments on the costs and benefits of expanding the existing 12-character HIN in order to provide additional information identifying vessels.

The Coast Guard proposes establishing a temporary safety zone for all waters of the Upper Mississippi River, Mile 842.0 to 839.5, extending the entire width of the river. This safety zone is needed to protect participants and event personnel during the swim leg of the OptumHealth Half Iron Triathlon occurring in the Upper Mississippi River. Entry into this zone would be prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Upper Mississippi River or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend the listing of permanent safety zones to ensure public safety during annual firework displays at various locations in the Eleventh Coast Guard District. These amendments will standardize the safety zone language, update listed events, delete events that are no longer occurring, add new unlisted annual fireworks events to the regulations, and standardize the format for all tables in these four sections. When these safety zones are activated, and thus subject to enforcement, this rule would limit the movement of vessels within the established firework display area.

This document provides required notice of substantive rules issued by the Coast Guard and temporarily effective between February 2008 and October 2010, that expired before they could be published in the Federal Register. This document lists temporary safety zones, security zones, special local regulations, drawbridge operation regulations and regulated navigation areas, all of limited duration and for which timely publication in the Federal Register was not possible.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Keokuk Drawbridge across the Upper Mississippi River, mile 364.0, at Keokuk, Iowa. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner time to perform the needed maintenance and repairs to the bridge that is essential to the continued safe operation of the drawbridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position for thirty days.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding an 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: 1625-0008, Regattas and Marine Parades. 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 Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the Route 675 Bridge across Pocomoke River, mile 15.6, at Pocomoke City, MD. The deviation restricts the operation of the draw span to facilitate mechanical repairs.

This document corrects the preamble to a proposed rule published in the Federal Register of January 27, 2011 (76 FR 4833), regarding security zones for cruise ships in the Port of San Diego, California. This correction clarifies when a preliminary environmental analysis checklist will be available in the docket.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Upper Hack Bridge across the Hackensack River, mile 6.9, at Secaucus, New Jersey. The deviation is necessary for electrical rehabilitation. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Route 1 & 9 Bridge across the Passaic River, mile 1.8, at Jersey City, New Jersey. The deviation is necessary for bridge painting. This deviation allows the bridge owner to require a two-hour advance notice for bridge openings and several short duration bridge closures.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the P.J. McArdle Bridge across the Chelsea River, mile 0.3, between Chelsea and East Boston, Massachusetts. The deviation is necessary to facilitate a public event. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn, New York. This rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on the navigable waters. This rule is intended to restrict unauthorized persons and vessels from traveling through or conducting underwater activities within a portion of Gravesend Bay until recently discovered military munitions are rendered safe and removed from the area.

The Coast Guard is withdrawing its notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), to change the operation of the Alameda County and the Army Corps of Engineers owned drawbridges crossing the Oakland Inner Harbor Tidal Canal, between Oakland and Alameda, California. The proposed change would have allowed the drawbridges to open for vessels upon four hours advance notice for openings between the hours 4:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. daily. With the exception of Federal Holidays, openings at all other times would have been on signal except during interstate rush hours, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, when the drawbridges need not be opened for vessels. The proposed change was requested by Alameda County to reduce the drawbridge staffing requirements during periods of reduced openings. The NPRM is being withdrawn because of the opposing comments received from the various sources including the primary waterway users that transit the drawbridges.

Pursuant to Section 912 of the 2010 Coast Guard Authorization Act, the Coast Guard is reviewing its policy regarding standard rules for the use of force for self-defense of vessels of the United States and is requesting comments on the current policy.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the CSX Railroad Swing Span Bridge across Chickasaw Creek, mile 0.0, in Mobile, Alabama. The deviation is necessary to replace railroad ties on the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain closed for nine hours with a one-hour mid-day opening on February 8 and 9, 2011.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Newburyport US1 Bridge across the Merrimack River, at mile 3.4, between Newburyport and Salisbury, Massachusetts. The deviation is necessary to paint the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position.

Pursuant to Section 904 of the 2010 Coast Guard Authorization Act, the Coast Guard announces the availability of a draft policy regarding distant water tuna fleet vessels manning exemption eligibility and safety requirements. We request your comments on the Safety Requirements and Manning Exemption Eligibility on Distant Water Tuna Fleet Vessels.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the Towing Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC). This Committee advises the Coast Guard on matters relating to shallow-draft inland and coastal waterway navigation and towing safety.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend its regulation to establish permanent safety zones for hydroplane races taking place on various dates within Puget Sound, WA. This supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking changes the proposed regulation from establishing safety zones under 33 CFR part 165 to establishing a special local regulation under 33 CFR part 100, removes the duplicative Port Angeles race area and adds a race area in Lake Sammamish to the designated hydroplane race areas within the Captain of the Port, Puget Sound area of responsibility. When this proposed special local regulation is activated, and thus subject to enforcement, this rule would limit the movement of non-participating vessels within the regulated race areas while hydroplane races are taking place. This rule is needed to provide effective control over these events while ensuring the safety of the maritime public.

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 296.1 to Mile Marker 296.7 daily from 7 a.m. through 11 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on January 18-22, 2011; January 24-26, 2011; January 31, 2011; February 1-5, 2011; February 7-12, 2011; and on February 14-19, 2011. This enforcement action will also occur from 7 a.m. on January 27, 2011 through 7 a.m. on January 29, 2011. This action is necessary to protect the waterways, waterway users, and vessels from hazards associated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' operational and safety testing of the dispersal barrier IIB, which helps control the spread of aquatic nuisance species that have the potential of devastating the waters of the Great Lakes. During the enforcement period, 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 Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (``HOGANSAC'' or ``the Committee'') and its working groups will meet in Texas City, Texas and Houston, Texas to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation, area projects impacting safety on the Houston Ship Channel, and various other navigation safety matters in the Galveston Bay area. These meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard announces the release of Maritime Security (MARSEC) Directive 104-6 (Rev 5). This Directive only applies to U.S. flagged vessels subject to the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) on international voyages through or in designated high risk waters, and provides additional counter-piracy guidance and mandatory measures for these vessels operating in these areas where acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships are prevalent. MARSEC Directive 104-6 (Rev 5) also includes an annex that provides specific direction for vessels operating around the Horn of Africa. MARSEC Directives are designated Sensitive Security Information (SSI) and are not subject to public release.

The Coast Guard is removing a security zone on the navigable waters of San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA. The existing zone is around the former Fleet Industrial Supply Center Pier. The pier is no longer owned by the U.S. Navy and the existing security zone is no longer necessary to provide for the security of the U.S. Naval vessels, their crews, and the public from sabotage or other subversive acts, accidents, criminal actions, or other causes of a similar nature.

The Coast Guard is establishing moving security zones for certain vessels for which the Captain of the Port, Port Arthur deems enhanced security measures necessary. In addition, it is establishing security zones encompassing the mooring basins of LNG carriers while they are moored at the Golden Pass LNG facility in Sabine, TX and/or the Sabine Pass LNG facility located in Cameron Parish, LA.