Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (HOGANSAC) and its working groups will meet 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. All meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC). NBSAC advises the Coast Guard on matters related to recreational boating safety.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the NJTRO Lower Hack Bridge across the Hackensack River, mile 3.4, at Jersey City, New Jersey. Under this temporary deviation, in effect for four weekends, July 28 and 29, August 4 and 5, August 11 and 12, and August 18 and 19, 2007, the NJTRO Lower Hack Bridge may remain in the closed position, each Saturday morning from 7 a.m. through each Sunday evening at 7 p.m. Vessels that can pass under the draw without a bridge opening may do so at all times. This deviation is necessary to facilitate aerial cable installation at the bridge.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has approved a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the U.S. 70 Bridge across Beaufort (Gallants) Channel, mile 0.1, at Beaufort, NC, to accommodate the running portion of the annual triathlon.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary special local regulations (SLR) for the Seattle Seafair, Lake Washington, Washington. These special local regulations limit the movement of non-participating vessels in the regulated race area and provide for a viewing area for spectator craft. This rule is needed to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during Seafair. The rule adds four hours to the effective time period each day of enforcement of the existing SLR to accommodate the addition of a fireworks display in this year's Seafair and to promote safety for spectators and participants through consistency in enforcement periods.

By this direct final rule, the Coast Guard is amending the vessel documentation regulations to eliminate the requirement to provide certain original documents to the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) for recording, and to eliminate the additional fee for filing by facsimile. We are undertaking this rulemaking to conform our business practices with similar functions provided by other governmental entities and to allow our customers to avail themselves of better service through electronic filing. This rulemaking is expected to improve efficiency at the NVDC and permit the use of improved information collection technology.

The Coast Guard has amended the regulated navigation area (RNA) for the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) mile marker (MM) 233.9 through South and South West Passes by establishing mandatory check-in procedures for vessels transiting on the waters of the Mississippi River between (MM) 167.5 LMR and 187.9 LMR. This rule is needed to minimize the risk of collisions, allisions, and groundings occurring as a result of vessels meeting unanticipated traffic in the vicinity of Eighty-One Mile Point, MM 178 LMR. This rule requires vessels, subject to the Bridge to Bridge Radiotelephone Act (33 U.S.C. 26), to notify Vessel Traffic Center Lower Mississippi River, New Orleans (VTC New Orleans) prior to entering or getting underway in this section of the RNA.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations during the ``East Coast Boat Racing Club power boat race'', a marine event to be held over the waters of the Chesapeake Bay adjacent to Cape Charles, Virginia. 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 on the Chesapeake Bay in the vicinity of Cape Charles Beach, Cape Charles, Virginia during the event.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association (BBYRA) Full Moon Races, which will temporarily limit the movement of non-participant vessels in Biscayne Bay in Miami, FL. This temporary safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from entering the waters where the event will be held unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Miami, Florida, or designated representative. This regulation is needed to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event to participants, marine spectators and recreational and professional mariner traffic.

The Coast Guard is temporarily establishing security zones around any vessel escorted by one or more Coast Guard, State, or local law enforcement assets within the Captain of the Port Zone Jacksonville, FL. No vessel or person is allowed within 100-yards of an escorted vessel, while within the navigable waters of the Captain of the Port Zone, Jacksonville, FL, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Jacksonville, FL or designated representative. Additionally, all vessels within 500 yards of an escorted vessel in the Captain of the Port Zone Jacksonville, FL will be required to operate at a minimum speed necessary to maintain a safe course. This action is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and facilities from sabotage or other subversive acts, accidents, or other events of a similar nature.

The Coast Guard (USCG) announces the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Commissioning and Homeporting of four National Security Cutters (NSCs) at Coast Guard Island (CGI), Alameda, California. The EA tiers from the USCG's Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Integrated Deepwater System (IDS) Program. The purpose of the proposed action is to replace the four existing 378-foot High Endurance Cutters (WHECs), currently homeported at CGI, with the NSCs. The USCG proposes to replace the WHECs on a one-for-one replacement schedule starting in 2007/2008 and continuing one per year until 2010/ 2011. Availability: Electronic copies of the Final EA and FONSI are available from the Docket Management Facility at the U.S. Department of Transportation's Web site at https://dms.dot.gov using the Coast Guard's docket number USCG-2006-26298.

This document amends Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations to increase the monthly rates of basic educational assistance payable under the Montgomery GI BillSelected Reserve (MGIB-SR) program for fiscal years 2005 and 2006 in accordance with statutory requirements, increase the percentage of basic educational assistance payable to reservists pursuing apprenticeship or other on- the-job training in accordance with the Veterans Benefits Act of 2004, and remove obsolete education break-pay provisions.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) announces that it intends to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) on the Future of the Long Range Aids to Navigation (LORAN) Program. The current system (LORAN-C) is a low frequency hyperbolic radionavigation system approved for use in the U.S. Coastal Confluence Zone (CCZ) and as a supplemental air navigation aid. LORAN-C provides navigation, location, and timing services for both civil and military air, land, and marine users in the CONUS and Alaska. The PEIS will evaluate the environmental effects of alternative futures for the LORAN-C Program, and aid the USCG in its decision on whether to terminate or continue to operate and invest in the LORAN-C system. Publication of this notice begins a scoping process that will identify and determine the scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the PEIS. This notice requests public participation in the scoping process, establishes a public comment period, and provides information on how to participate.

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 re- instatement, with change, of a previously-approved collection of information: 1625-0089, National Recreational Boating Survey. Before submitting this ICR to OMB, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations during the ``Poquoson Seafood Festival Workboat Races'', a marine event to be held October 14, 2007 on the waters of the Back River, Poquoson, Virginia. 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 Back River during the event.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish temporary special local regulations during the ``Cambridge Offshore Challenge'', a marine event to be held over 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 Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the United States Coast Guard (Coast Guard), issues this final rule to extend compliance dates for the redesignation of secure areas. The Coast Guard is delaying the date by which facilities wishing to redefine their secure areas must submit an amendment to their facility security plan. Amendments to facility security plans are now due by September 4, 2007.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Lake Huron, St. Ignace, MI. This zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Lake Huron during the Mackinac Bridge 50th Anniversary Celebration July 28, 2007 fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone encompassing the navigable waters of Onondaga Lake, Liverpool, NY. This safety zone is necessary to ensure the safety of spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with a Power Boat Race. This safety zone restricts vessel traffic from a portion of Onondaga Lake, Liverpool, NY.

The Coast Guard is implementing special local regulations for annual Marine Events in the Captain of the Port Detroit Zone during June and July, 2007. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on navigable waters during these events. These special local regulations will restrict vessel traffic from a portion of the Captain of the Port Detroit Zone.

The Coast Guard will enforce Special Local Regulations for the Port Huron to Mackinac Island Race. This action is necessary to safely control vessel movements in the vicinity of the race and provide for the safety of the general boating public and commercial shipping. During this period, no person or vessel may enter the regulated area without the permission of the Coast Guard Patrol Commander.

This notice announces a teleconference of the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC). The purpose of the teleconference is for MERPAC to discuss and prepare recommendations for the Coast Guard concerning its notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Biometric Reader Requirements.

This rule makes non-substantive amendments throughout titles 33 and 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations, in order to align with changes in the Coast Guard's internal organization that resulted from the Coast Guard's recent sector realignment. The amendments typically describe the boundaries of sectors, marine inspection zones, and Captain of the Port zones; describe the reporting relationship between various field units; or reflect a change in the identity of the field unit that is responsible for a particular matter. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the Westport PAL Fireworks in Westport, CT. The safety zone is necessary to protect the life and property of the maritime community from the hazards posed by the fireworks display. Entry into or movement within this safety zone during the enforcement period is prohibited without approval of the Captain of the Port, Long Island Sound.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the Port Jefferson Fireworks on East Beach in Port Jefferson, NY. The safety zone is necessary to protect the life and property of the maritime community from the hazards posed by the fireworks display. Entry into or movement within this safety zone during the enforcement period is prohibited without approval of the Captain of the Port, Long Island Sound.