Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is proposing a supplemental change to its notice of proposed rulemaking for modifying the Cortez and Anna Maria drawbridge operating regulations. This supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking is necessary to address written concerns from the public regarding the original notice of proposed rulemaking and oral comments received during a public meeting. Additionally, city officials from Anna Maria, Brandenton Beach and Longboat Key contributed their input to this rulemaking in an effort to relieve vehicular congestion on the above bridges.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Nationwide Automatic Identification System (NAIS) final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). The NAIS is being implemented pursuant to the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, and will include installation of Automatic Identification System (AIS) equipment and related support systems on and around communications towers or other structures along 95,000 miles of coastline and inland rivers. The project will enable detection and identification of vessels carrying (AIS) equipment to enhance maritime domain awareness.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend 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 the life and property of the maritime public from the hazards posed by fireworks displays. Entry into or movement within these proposed zones during the enforcement periods is prohibited without approval of the appropriate Captain of the Port.

The Coast Guard announces supplemental guidance for owners and operators of small passenger vessels to avoid operation in environmental conditions that are inappropriate for their vessels. The Coast Guard is requesting public comments on this notice.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of the Caloosahatchee River, Florida in the vicinity of the Cape Coral Bridge while repair operations are being conducted. This rule is necessary to ensure the safety of the construction workers and mariners on the navigable waters of the United States.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for fiscal year 2007 grants and cooperative agreements from national, nongovernmental, nonprofit public service organizations. The Boating Safety Financial Assistance Program is listed in section 97.012 of the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. These grants and cooperative agreements would be used to fund projects on various subjects promoting recreational boating safety on a national scope. This notice provides information about the grant and cooperative agreement application process and some of the subjects of particular interest to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating regulations for the New Youngs Bay, Old Youngs Bay, and the Lewis and Clark River Drawbridges near Astoria, Oregon. This change is requested by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), owner of the bridges, due to reduced demand for draw openings.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation (SLR) for the ChampBoat Grand Prix of Savannah, a speed boat race occurring on the Savannah River. The regulated area is defined as all waters located between the width of the Savannah River bounded on the northern end by the U. S. Highway 17 (Talmadge) Bridge across the Savannah River and on the southern end by a line drawn at 146 degrees True from Day Board 62 on the left descending bank of the Savannah River. This special local regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of commercial and recreational vessels and personnel within the regulated area.

This document provides the times and locations of for the additional public meetings which will be held by the Coast Guard to discuss issues relating to the proposed permanent safety zones located in the Great Lakes to conduct live gunnery training exercises. These meetings will be open to the public and are in addition to the four currently scheduled public meetings.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has temporarily changed the regulation governing the operation of the State Route 23 vertical lift span drawbridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (Algiers Alternate Route), mile 3.8, at Belle Chasse, Louisiana. This temporary final rule is issued to facilitate movement of vehicular traffic for the New Orleans Open House 2006 Air Show, to be held at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base at Belle Chasse, Louisiana.

At the request of the County of Nassau of the State of New York, the Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone that will close the channel at the Bayville Bridge at Mile 0.1, Mill Neck Creek, in the Town of Oyster Bay from 7 a.m. October 2, 2006, through 6 p.m. October 26, 2006, in order for the County to conduct necessary rehabilitation and construction operations on the bridge. The zone will temporarily close all waters within a one hundred (100) yard radius of the Bayville Bridge. This temporary safety zone is necessary for the safety of life and to protect the maritime community transiting the area from the potential safety hazards associated with the rehabilitation and construction operations on the bridge, which will include barge-mounted crane operations, replacement of the roadway grating, structural steel repair, and repair of the bridge fender system. The channel closure temporarily prohibits passage into or movement within this portion of Mill Neck Creek, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP), Long Island Sound or the COTP's designated representative.

The Coast Guard is changing the drawbridge operation regulations governing the operation of the Beach Channel railroad bridge across Jamaica Bay, mile 6.7, at Queens, New York. This final rule requires the Beach Channel bridge to remain in the closed position during the morning and afternoon commuter rush hours from 6:45 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. In addition, obsolete language shall also be removed from the existing regulatory text. This rule is expected to help facilitate commuter rail traffic while continuing to meet the present and anticipated needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of Puget Sound including the waters of Tacoma Narrows, WA. New power lines are being strung over the Tacoma Narrows Waterway. This may pose a significant threat to public safety, to vessels and their occupants transiting the Tacoma Narrows Waterway. The Coast Guard is establishing this zone to ensure the safety of all persons and vessels transiting the Tacoma Narrows Waterway. Entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Puget Sound or his designated representatives.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Amtrak Dock Bridge across the Passaic River at mile 5.0, at Harrison, New Jersey. Under this temporary deviation, the bridge may remain in the closed position for six weekends from October 13, 2006 through November 20, 2006. This deviation is necessary to facilitate scheduled bridge maintenance.

The Coast Guard amends its regulations for documenting lease- financed vessels that have a ``coastwise endorsement'' (i.e., vessels used in trade and passenger service within the U.S. or between U.S. ports and those used in dredging and towing in U.S. waters). The vessels affected by this proposal are owned by foreign owned or controlled U.S. companies, where there is a ``demise charter'' to a U.S. citizen (i.e., an agreement for the charterer to assume responsibility for operating, crewing, and maintaining the vessel as if the charterer owned it).

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations during the ``Red Bull Flugtag Baltimore'', a marine event to be held October 21, 2006 on the waters of the Patapsco River, Inner Harbor, Baltimore, 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 Baltimore Inner Harbor during the event.

The Coast Guard is announcing that it is adding three more public meetings to its current schedule of public meetings to discuss issues relating to the proposed permanent safety zones located in the Great Lakes to conduct live gunnery training exercises. These meetings will be open to the public and are in addition to the four currently scheduled public meetings.

The Coast Guard is changing the drawbridge operation regulations of four Cape May County Bridge Commission bridges: The Townsend Inlet Bridge, at mile 0.3 in Avalon; the County of Cape May Bridge, at mile 0.7, across Great Channel between Stone Harbor and Nummy Island; the Ocean Drive Bridge, at mile 1.0, across Grassy Sound Channel in North Wildwood; and the Two-Mile Bridge, at NJICW mile 112.2, across Middle Thorofare in Wildwood Crest, in NJ. This final rule will allow the bridges to remain in the closed position at particular dates and times to accommodate the Ocean Drive Marathon. Vessels that can pass under the bridges without a bridge opening may do so at all times.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Harvey Canal Railroad Bascule Bridge across the Harvey Canal, mile 0.2 (Gulf Intracoastal Canal, mile 0.2 west of Harvey Lock, near Gretna, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. This deviation provides for the bridge to remain closed to navigation for 60 consecutive hours to conduct scheduled maintenance to the drawbridge.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary special local regulations for the Sunfish World Championship Regatta located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The event will run from October 1, 2006 through October 6, 2006. This Regulation is necessary to ensure safety and security during this international event, while also reducing the impact to commercial traffic in Charleston Harbor.

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 at mile 0.3, between Chelsea and East Boston, Massachusetts. Under this temporary deviation, the bridge may remain in the closed position from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., on October 10, 2006. This deviation is necessary to facilitate scheduled bridge maintenance.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations during the ``Poquoson Seafood Festival Workboat Races'', a marine event to be held October 15, 2006 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 is proposing a supplemental change to its notice of proposed rulemaking for modifying the Stickney Point (SR 72) drawbridge operating regulation. This proposal addresses changes based on comments received from a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published on December 21, 2005, and a test deviation that was held from April 24, 2006 until July 21, 2006.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the regulations governing the Venetian Causeway (West) drawbridge, Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, mile 1088.6, and Venetian Causeway (East) drawbridge, Biscayne Bay, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida. This proposed rule will require these drawbridges to open on signal, except that from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays the drawbridges will open on the hour and half-hour. This proposed rule will change the individual Federal holiday dates and align it with all Federal holidays.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this request for comments announces that the Coast Guard is forwarding two Information Collection Requests (ICRs), abstracted below, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to request an extension of their approval of the following collections of information. The ICRs are: (1) 1625- 0104, Barges Carrying Bulk Hazardous Materials; and (2) 1625-0110, Maritime Identification CredentialsTitle 33 CFR Part 125. Our ICRs describe the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comment by OIRA ensures that we impose only paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.