Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is issuing policies that will guide Officers In Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMIs) in determining if a Floating Outer Continental Shelf Facility (FOF) is a vessel or a non-vessel. As a result of these changes non-vessel FOFs will no longer receive a Certificate of Inspection (CG Form 841), and personnel serving on these FOFs will no longer be required to hold Merchant Mariner Credentials. In association with these changes, the Coast Guard is canceling USCG District 8 Policy Letter 08-2001, Licensing Requirements for Personnel on Non-Self Propelled Floating OCS Facilities.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone for certain navigable waters of the Atlantic Ocean within a 1000 yard radius of a grounded tug and barge, the SEA EAGLE, on Deerfield Beach containing a cargo of national security interest. This action is necessary to protect the cargo and surrounding waterway from terrorist acts, sabotage or other subversive acts, accidents, or other events of a similar nature. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Miami.

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), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0005, Application and Permit to Handle Hazardous Materials; without change. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

The Coast Guard will enforce a security zone along the Potomac River and Anacostia River, and adjacent waters at Washington, DC, for activities associated with the U.S. President's State of the Union Address before a Joint Session of Congress. The zone will be enforced on March 1, 2022 through the early morning hours on March 2, 2022. This action is necessary to protect government officials, mitigate potential terrorist acts and incidents, and enhance public and maritime safety and security immediately before, during, and after this activity. During the enforcement period, entry into or remaining within the zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his designated representative.

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), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0112, Enhanced Maritime Domain Awareness via Electronic Transmission of Vessel Transit Data; without change. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

The Coast Guard is amending and updating its safety zone regulations for annual events that take place in the Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley area of responsibility (AOR). This action is necessary to update the current list of recurring safety zones with revisions, additional events, and removal of events that no longer take place in the Sector Ohio Valley. When these safety zones are enforced, certain restrictions are placed on marine traffic in specified areas.

The Coast Guard issues this final rule amending its regulations concerning waterfront facilities handling liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied hazardous gas (LHG). The final rule makes the following three changes. First, the final rule revises the Coast Guard's existing regulations to allow waterfront facilities handling LNG as fuel to conduct an operational risk assessment instead of a waterway suitability assessment (WSA) without first obtaining Captain of the Port (COTP) approval. Second, the final rule revises existing regulations to update incorporated technical standards to reflect the most recent published editions. These updated industry standards only apply to waterfront facilities handling LNG and LHG that are constructed, expanded, or modified under a contract awarded after the implementation date of the final rule. Third, for waterfront facilities handling LNG that must comply with the WSA requirements, the final rule requires these facilities to provide information to the Coast Guard regarding the nation of registry for vessels transporting natural gas that are reasonably anticipated to be servicing the facilities, and the nationality or citizenship of officers and crew serving on board those vessels.

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), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0001, Report of Marine Casualty & Chemical Testing of Commercial Vessel Personnel; without change. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a special local regulation for a recurring marine event on Lake Washington the first Satruday of May each year. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters during the marine event. This proposed rulemaking would restrict vessel traffic in the designated area during the event unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Puget Sound or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary, 500-yard radius, moving security zone for certain Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier (LNGC) within the Corpus Christi Ship Channel and La Quinta Channel. The security zone is needed to protect the vessel and the marine environment from potential hazards created by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cargo aboard the vessel. Entry of vessels or persons into the zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Potomac River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of persons, and the marine environment from the potential safety hazards associated with construction operations at the new Governor Harry W. Nice/Senator Thomas ``Mac'' Middleton Memorial (US-301) Bridge, which will occur from 8 p.m. on January 22, 2022, through 8 p.m. on February 4, 2022. This rule will prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Maryland-National Capital Region or a designated representative.

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), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0086, The Great Lakes Pilotage; without change. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

This final rule makes non-substantive technical, organizational, and conforming amendments to existing Coast Guard regulations. This rule is a continuation of our practice of periodically issuing rules to keep our regulations up-to-date and accurate. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within the points defined below during a series of rocket launches out of Cape Canaveral, FL. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by space vehicles being launched in a direction resulting in a southerly or polar orbit trajectory. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Jacksonville.

The Coast Guard is establishing two temporary, 500-yard radius, moving security zones for certain Liquefied Natural Gas Carriers (LNGC) within the Corpus Christi Ship Channel and La Quinta Channel. The security zones are needed to protect the vessels and the marine environment from potential hazards created by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cargo aboard the vessels. Entry of vessels or persons into these zones is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Potomac River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of persons, and the marine environment from the potential safety hazards associated with construction operations at the new Governor Harry W. Nice/Senator Thomas ``Mac'' Middleton Memorial (US-301) Bridge, which will occur from 8 p.m. on January 15, 2022 through 8 p.m. on January 22, 2022. This rule will prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Maryland-National Capital Region or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a regulated navigation area (RNA) at the NW Natural PGM Site on the Willamette River in Portland, OR. This action is necessary to preserve the integrity of an engineered sediment cap as part of an Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) required remedial action. This regulation prohibits persons and vessels from activities in the RNA that could disturb or damage the engineered sediment cap unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Columbia River or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is proposing to update its user fees for seagoing towing vessels that are 300 gross tons or more and to revise user fees for other inspected towing vessels. The Coast Guard is proposing these updates because we are required to establish and maintain a fair fee for our vessel inspection services and to separate the fees for inspection options that involve third-party auditors and surveyors from inspection options that do not involve third parties. Under this proposed rule, vessels using the Alternate Compliance Program, Streamlined Inspection Program, or the Towing Safety Management System options would pay a lower fee than vessels that use the traditional Coast Guard inspection option.

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 an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0032, Vessel Inspection Related Forms and Reporting Requirements; without change. 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 establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Lower Mississippi River (LMR), between Mile Marker 636 and 655. The safety zone is needed to protect persons, property, and the marine environment from the potential safety hazards associated with rock placement operations in the vicinity of Modoc, AR. Entry of persons or vessels into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Lower Mississippi River or a designated representative.

On September 17, 2021, the Coast Guard published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to replace the existing safety zone in Captain of the Port (COTP) zone Jacksonville, Offshore Cape Canaveral, Florida with a regulated navigation area (RNA). Changes in the type and size of launch vehicles, rocket component recovery methods, and the increased frequency of launches now pose variable risks to marine traffic and require a more flexible regulatory tool. After considering comments received from the public, the Coast Guard is making modifications to the regulated area in the proposed rule. This supplemental notice requests comments on the revised proposal.

The First Coast Guard District announces the completion of the Northern New York Bight Port Access Route Study (NNYBPARS). The study was conducted to evaluate the adequacy of existing vessel routing measures and determine whether additional vessel routing measures are necessary for port approaches to New York and New Jersey and international and domestic transit areas in the First Coast Guard District's area of responsibility. To accomplish this goal, the First Coast Guard District has undertaken measures to determine whether existing or additional routing measures are necessary to improve navigation safety due to factors such as planned or potential offshore development, current port capabilities and planned improvements, increased vessel traffic, existing and potential anchorage areas, changing vessel traffic patterns, effects of weather, or navigational difficulty. The NNYBPARS final report is available for viewing and download from the Federal Register docket at https://www.regulations.gov or the Coast Guard Navigation Center website at https:// www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=PARSReports.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, between mile markers 19 and 20. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by pipelines that will be removed from the floor of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is extending the comment period by 45 days for the notice of proposed rulemaking, ``Updates to Marine Engineering Standards,'' published on October 19, 2021, which proposes to incorporate by reference updated marine engineering standards and eliminate outdated or unnecessarily prescriptive regulations. We are extending the comment period to allow the public more time to comment on the proposed rulemaking. The comment period is now open through February 3, 2022.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone in the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay near the Ferry Plaza in San Francisco, CA for the San Francisco New Year's Eve Fireworks Display in the Captain of the Port, San Francisco area of responsibility during the dates and times noted below. This action is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from the dangers associated with pyrotechnics. During the enforcement period, unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or remaining in the safety zone, unless authorized by the Patrol Commander (PATCOM) or other federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies on scene to assist the Coast Guard in enforcing the regulated area.