Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard proposes establishing a temporary special local regulation in the Captain of the Port Detroit Zone on Lake St. Clair, Harrison Township, Michigan. This special local regulation is intended to restrict vessels from portions of Lake St. Clair during the Harrison Township Grand Prix. This special local regulation is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with powerboat races.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations during the reenactment portion of the ``Chestertown Tea Party Festival'', a marine event to be held on the waters of the Chester River, Chestertown, MD on May 29, 2010. 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 Chester River during the event.

Congress requires that classification societies conducting certain work in the United States must either be full members of International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) or approved by the Coast Guard. In this proposed rule, the Coast Guard proposes application procedures and performance standards that classification societies must meet in order to be approved. Through this proposed rule, the Coast Guard seeks to improve marine safety and environmental protection by assuring the consistency and quality of work conducted by classification societies that review, examine, survey, or certify the construction, repair, or alteration of a vessel in the United States.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Route 3 Bridge across the Passaic River, mile 11.8, at Clifton, New Jersey. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position to protect public safety during bridge maintenance.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone in certain waters of Washington Channel on the Potomac River. The security zone is necessary to provide for the security and safety of life and property of event participants, spectators and mariners during the U.S. Coast Guard Commandant's Change of Command ceremony from 6 a.m. through 5 p.m. on May 25, 2010. Entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Baltimore, Maryland, or his designated representative.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the SR1A Bridge across the Hampton River at mile 0.0, at Hampton, New Hampshire. This temporary deviation allows the SR1A Bridge to remain in the closed position for 10 hours on one day to facilitate bridge maintenance.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a safety zone, on the navigable waters of the lower Colorado River, Laughlin, NV, in support of a fireworks display near the AVI Resort and Casino. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and users of the waterway. Persons and vessels would be prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

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 Lower Mississippi River Waterway Safety Advisory Committee will meet in New Orleans to discuss various issues relating to navigational safety on the Lower Mississippi River and related waterways. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research (ICCOPR) will hold a public meeting in Seattle, Washington to hear comments on the priorities of oil pollution research, including projects in the Arctic environment. This meeting is designed to give the public an opportunity to provide statements as to where the ICCOPR, a Federally mandated committee, should focus their efforts concerning oil pollution research. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard proposes to temporarily change the enforcement period of special local regulations for recurring marine events in the Fifth Coast Guard District. These regulations apply to only two recurring marine events that conduct power boat races. Special local regulations are 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 Western Branch, Elizabeth River, VA, and North Atlantic Ocean, Ocean City, MD during each event.

The Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Advisory Committee (CFIVSAC) will meet in Oakland, CA, to discuss various issues relating to commercial vessel safety in the fishing industry. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the navigable waters in San Francisco Bay CA, in support of the Benchmark Destination Corporate Party Fireworks Display. This safety zone is being established to ensure the safety of participants and spectators from the dangers associated with the 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 his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the navigable waters of Mission Bay in support of the Sea World Summer Nights Fireworks. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and users of the waterway. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone within the Thompson Bay region of the navigable waters of the Colorado River in Lake Havasu, Lake Havasu City, Arizona in support of the Desert Storm Exhibition Run. This temporary safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels and other vessels and users of the waterway. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the Berkley Bridge (I-264), across the Elizabeth River, Eastern Branch, mile 0.4, at Norfolk, VA. The deviation is necessary to facilitate structural repairs to the lift spans. This deviation allows the drawbridge to remain in the closed to navigation position.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this request for comments announces that the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0087, International Ice Patrol Customer Survey. 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 disestablishing the permanent safety zone at Trunkline LNG in Lake Charles, LA and replacing it with a security zone with new boundaries. The Coast Guard is also establishing two additional permanent security zones on the waters of the Calcasieu River for the mooring basins at Cameron LNG in Hackberry, LA and PPG Industries in Lake Charles, LA. The Coast Guard is also disestablishing the Calcasieu River ship channel moving safety zone and replacing it with a moving security zone. The revised moving security zone extends channel edge to channel edge on the Calcasieu Channel and shoreline to shoreline on the Calcasieu River, 2 miles ahead and 1 mile astern of certain designated vessels while in transit on the Calcasieu Channel or Calcasieu River. Meeting, crossing or overtaking situations are not permitted within the security zone unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port. The moving security zone may commence at any point while certain vessels are transiting the Calcasieu Channel or Calcasieu River on U.S. territorial waters (12 nautical miles) in the Captain of the Port (COTP) Port Arthur zone. These security zones are needed to protect vessels, waterfront facilities, the public, and other surrounding areas from destruction, loss, or injury caused by sabotage, subversive acts, accidents, or other actions of a similar nature. Unless exempted under this rule, entry into or movement within these security zones is prohibited without permission from the Captain of the Port or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard announces that it will impose conditions of entry on vessels arriving from the country of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.

The Delaware River and Bay Oil Spill Advisory Committee (DRBOSAC) will meet in Philadelphia, PA to discuss and approve DRBOSAC's report on oil spill prevention and response strategies for the Delaware River and Bay. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone around the DRILLSHIP FRONTIER DISCOVERER, while anchored or deploying and recovering moorings on location in order to drill exploratory wells at various prospects located in the Chukchi and Beaufort Sea Outer Continental Shelf, Alaska, during the 2010 drilling season. The purpose of the temporary safety zone is to protect the DRILLSHIP from vessels operating outside normal shipping channels and fairways. Placing a temporary safety zone around the DRILLSHIP 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 is establishing a temporary safety zone upon certain waters of the Patapsco River, Northwest Harbor and Inner Harbor during the movement of the historic sloop-of-war USS CONSTELLATION on May 27, 2010. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the tow of the vessel from its berth at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, to a point on the Patapsco River near the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland, and its return. This action will restrict vessel traffic in portions of the Patapsco River, Northwest Harbor, and Inner Harbor during the event.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operations of the Rock Island Railroad and Highway Drawbridge across the Upper Mississippi River, Mile 482.9, Rock Island, Illinois. The deviation is necessary to allow the Quad Cities Heart Walkers to cross the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to be maintained in the closed-to- navigation position for two hours from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on May 15, 2010.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the offshore supply vessel GULF TIGER as required by 33 U.S.C. 1605(c) and 33 CFR 81.18.