Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2 (Pub. L. 92-463), the Secretary of Homeland Security has renewed the charter for the Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) for 2 years from August 17, 2007, until August 17, 2009. CTAC is a Federal advisory committee under 5 U.S.C. App. 2 (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770). This Committee advises the Coast Guard on safe and secure transportation and handling of hazardous materials in bulk on U.S.-flag vessels and barges in U.S. ports and waterways.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (NOSAC). NOSAC provides advice and makes recommendations to the Coast Guard on matters affecting the offshore industry.

The Coast Guard proposes the establishment of a 1000 foot safety zone around a fireworks display for the North Carolina Holiday Flotilla occurring on November 24, 2007, in the vicinity of Motts Channel/Banks Channel and Wrightsville Beach, NC. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic on Motts Channel. This safety zone is necessary to protect mariners from the hazards associated with fireworks displays.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has approved a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the new Woodrow Wilson Memorial (I-95) Bridge, mile 103.8, across Potomac River between Alexandria, Virginia and Oxon Hill, Maryland. This deviation allows the new drawbridge to remain closed-to-navigation from 7 a.m. beginning on September 17, 2007 until and including 11:59 p.m. on October 19, 2007, to facilitate completion of concrete pours for the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge construction project.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Beach Channel Railroad Bridge across Jamaica Bay, mile 6.7, at New York, New York. Under this temporary deviation, in effect for four weekends in September, the Beach Channel Railroad Bridge may remain in the closed position on Saturdays and Sundays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. This deviation is necessary to facilitate bridge track repairs.

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) requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0108, Standard Numbering System for Undocumented Vessels. Before submitting this ICR to OMB, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

The National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) and its subcommittees on boats and associated equipment, prevention through people, and recreational boating safety strategic planning will meet to discuss issues relating to recreational boating safety. All meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the proposed bridge across the Amite River Diversion Canal, mile 3.37, located in Sections 32 and 33, Township 9 South, Range 4 West, near Head of Island, Livingston Parish, Louisiana. The hearing will focus on the issue concerning the vertical clearance of the proposed bridge, which will measure 22.4 feet at Mean High Water, elevation 3.0 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD). Comments regarding impacts that the proposed bridge project may have on navigation of the Amite River Diversion Canal and the environment will be of particular relevance to the Coast Guard's bridge permitting responsibilities.

On January 19, 2007, the Coast Guard published an interim rule with request for comments, which revised the regulated navigation area in Savannah, Georgia, to address changes in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tankship mooring locations following the creation of two new berths within a slip at the Southern LNG facility on the Savannah River. The final rule only addressed facility and vessel requirements when an LNG vessel was underway or moored parallel to the navigational channel outside of the slip. The interim rule was necessary to describe requirements for three different potential mooring situations following the LNG facilities expansion. This final rule adopts the interim rule requirements without change for the following mooring situations at the LNG facility: An LNG tankship moored outside of the slip, one or more LNG tankships moored inside the slip, and LNG tankships moored both inside and outside of the slip.

The Coast Guard has changed the drawbridge operation regulations that govern the operation of the Washington Street S136 Bridge at mile 0.0, across the Norwalk River, Norwalk, Connecticut. This final rule allows the bridge to remain in the closed position to facilitate the annual Norwalk River Fun Run held on the first Saturday in December, with a rain date for the next day in the event of inclement weather. This final rule is necessary for the safety of the race participants and to facilitate the running of the annual Fun Run Race.

The Coast Guard is correcting an oversight to the operating schedule of the Beach Channel railroad bridge across Jamaica Bay, mile 6.7, at Queens, New York, published on December 4, 2006 in the Federal Register. We are also correcting a paragraph designation in the operating schedule for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge across the Potomac River between Oxon Hill, Maryland and Alexandria, Virginia.

The Towing Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) and its working groups will meet as required to discuss various issues relating to shallow-draft inland and coastal waterway navigation and towing safety. All meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary special local regulations during the ``Cambridge Offshore Challenge,'' a marine event to be held on the waters of the Choptank River at Cambridge, Maryland. These 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 the Choptank River during the event.

The Coast Guard has recertified the Cook Inlet Regional Citizen's Advisory Council for the period covering September 1, 2007, through August 31, 2008. Under the Oil Terminal and Oil Tanker Environmental Oversight Act of 1990, the Coast Guard may certify on an annual basis an alternative voluntary advisory group in lieu of a regional citizens' advisory council for Cook Inlet, Alaska. This advisory group monitors the activities of terminal facilities and crude oil tankers under the Cook Inlet Program established by the statute.

In the final rule with this same title published October 18, 2006, we noted that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had not approved a collection-of-information associated with the amendments by Sec. Sec. 68.65, 68.70, 68.75, 68.100, 68.107, and 68.109, to the collection-of-information requirements for vessel owners and charterers applying to engage in the coastwise trade under the lease financing provisions of 46 U.S.C. 12119 (formerly 46 U.S.C. 12106(e)). OMB has since approved that collection-of-information and the portions of the rule with these requirements are effective August 29, 2007.

This notice informs the public about new requirements of revised Annex I of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78), their associated entry into force dates, and compliance requirements for U.S. vessels that are subject to the Convention.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has approved a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the Onslow Beach Swing Bridge, at AICW mile 240.7, in Camp Lejeune, NC. This deviation allows the drawbridge to remain closed-to-navigation from 8 a.m. on September 11, 2007 until and including 8 a.m. on September 13, 2007, and from 8 a.m. on September 25, 2007 until and including 8 a.m. on September 27, 2007, to facilitate mechanical repairs.

The Coast Guard is proposing to change the special local regulations for the Head of the Connecticut Regatta by moving the regulated area of the race from the southern tip of Gildersleeve Island and Light Number 87 to the northern tip of Gildersleeve Island and Light Number 87. This regulation is needed to better protect race participants from recreational and commercial vessel traffic.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone in certain waters of the Upper Potomac River surrounding the motor vessel Odyssey III, a 230-foot passenger vessel. This action is necessary in order to ensure the security of high-ranking public officials and safeguard the public at large against terrorist acts or incidents during activities associated with a dinner cruise held in conjunction with the Global Air Chiefs Conference, in Washington, DC, on September 23, 2007. This rule prohibits vessels and people from entering the security zone and requires vessels and persons in the security zone to depart the zone, unless specifically exempt under the provisions in this rule or granted specific permission from the Coast Guard Captain of the Port Baltimore, Maryland, or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary special local regulations during the ``Annapolis Triathlon'', an event to be held September 9, 2007 on the waters of Spa Creek and the Severn River at Annapolis, MD. 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 Severn River and Spa Creek during the Annapolis Triathlon swimming event.

The Coast Guard proposes to change a permanent security zone in waters adjacent to the island of Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Review of this established zone indicates that its scope is overly-broad and that it imposes an unnecessary and unsustainable enforcement burden on the Coast Guard. This proposed change is intended to narrow the zone's scope so it more accurately reflects current enforcement needs.

This rule makes non-substantive changes throughout Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to Coast Guard navigation and navigable water regulations. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Navy Pier Southeast Safety Zone in Chicago Harbor during August 2007 through January 2008. This action is necessary to protect vessels and people from the hazards associated with fireworks displays. This safety zone will restrict vessel traffic from a portion of the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan Zone.

The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations during the ``Wilmington YMCA Triathlon'' swim to be held September 29, 2007, on the waters of Wrightsville Channel, Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. The effect will be to restrict general navigation in the regulated area for the safety of participants and vessels transiting the event area.

The Coast Guard is temporarily revising the security zones in the Port of Tampa, East Bay, Rattlesnake, Sunshine Skyway Bridge and Big Bend for the purpose of providing counter-surveillance, intrusion detection and response measures. Entry into these zones will be prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.