Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay, off Treasure Island, CA in support of a fireworks display on February 10, 2024. The safety zone is necessary to protect persons, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards caused by pyrotechnics. Unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, or remaining in the safety zone without the permission of the Captain of the Port San Francisco or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing two temporary safety zones on the waters of the Delaware River, in portions of Marcus Hook Range and Anchorage 7 off Marcus Hook Range. The safety zones temporarily restrict vessel traffic from transiting or anchoring in portions of the Delaware River while maintenance dredging is being conducted within the Delaware River. The safety zones are needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from hazards created by dredging operations. Entry of vessels or persons into these zones is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) or his designated representatives.

The Coast Guard is modifying a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railroad Bridge, across the Okeechobee Waterway (OWW), mile 7.41, at Stuart, Florida. This modification tests an alternate temporary deviation to determine if the updated mobile application and simplified drawbridge opening requirements are reliable and predictable and will meet the reasonable needs of navigation and competing modes of transportation given the increase in railway activity. The Coast Guard is seeking comments from the public regarding this deviation.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone in the navigable waters of Suisun Bay, off Concord, CA, in support of explosive handling operations at Military Ocean Terminal Concord, CA (MOTCO), on February 2, 2024, through February 9, 2024. This safety zone is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential explosion within the explosive arc. The safety zone is open to all persons and vessels for transitory use, but vessel operators desiring to anchor or otherwise loiter within the safety zone must obtain permission of the Captain of the Port (COTP) San Francisco or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard announced a series of public meetings to solicit feedback on the potential environmental impact of shipping safety fairways along the Atlantic coast. The time of two of the meetings has been changed. This notice announces the new times for the Norfolk and virtual public meetings. The email address for the Coast Guard's point of contact with regard to the Atlantic coast fairways has also been updated.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 1,000-yard radius of the M/V HOS WARLAND, HOS INNOVATOR, and, or HOS MYSTIQUE. Operations are planned to relocate unexploded ordinance (UXO) in the Atlantic Ocean, within 12 miles of the shores of the State Military Reservation, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by these operations. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Virgina or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce a security zone for all navigable waters within 400 yards of the Left Descending Bank (LDB) of the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Mile Marker (MM) 94.4 to MM 95.1, Above Head of Passes (AHP), New Orleans, LA. This security zone is necessary to provide security and protection for visiting personnel during the events related to the Mardi Gras celebration. No person or vessel may enter this security zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port New Orleans (COTP) or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters of the Choctawhatchee Bay where unexploded ordnances were discovered and a moving safety zone around vessels relocating any unexploded ordnance from Choctawhatchee Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. The safety zone is needed to protect mariners from the hazards associated with unexploded ordnance clearance operations. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP), Sector Mobile, or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for a fireworks display at ``The Wharf DC,'' in Washington, DC, on March 23, 2024 or, if necessary, due to inclement weather, on March 24, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation, ``Safety Zones; Fireworks Displays within the Fifth Coast Guard District,'' identifies the precise location. During the enforcement period, vessels may not enter, remain in, or transit through the safety zone unless authorized to do so by the COTP or his representative, and vessels in the vicinity must comply with directions from the Patrol Commander or any Official Patrol displaying a Coast Guard ensign.

The Coast Guard is altering the operating schedule that governs the Metro-North (SAGA) Bridge, across the Saugatuck River, mile 1.1, at Westport, CT. The bridge owner, Metro-North (MNR), submitted a request on May 5, 2022, to modify the regulation to align with the Metro-North ``WALK'' Bridge train schedule and avoid bridge openings during peak transit hours. It is expected that this change to the regulations will better serve the needs of the community while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard is altering the operating schedule that governs the Metro-North (Devon) Bridge, across the Housatonic River, mile 3.9, at Stratford, CT. The bridge owner, Metro-North (MNR), submitted a request on May 5, 2022 to modify the regulation by aligning with the Metro-North ``WALK'' Bridge train schedule and avoid bridge openings during peak transit hours. It is expected that this change to the regulations will better serve the needs of the community while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Coast Guard, as the lead agency, announces its intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement that will evaluate the potential environmental consequences of the Coast Guard's Proposed Action to establish shipping safety fairways and other routing measures along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. While vessels are not required to use them, fairways are designed to keep traditional navigation routes free from fixed structures that could impact navigation safety and impede other shared offshore activities. This Notice of Intent is intended to solicit feedback on preliminary alternatives to help the Coast Guard narrow the scope of the PEIS. The Coast Guard intends to host three in-person meetings and one virtual scoping public meeting to provide additional information to the public and to solicit input on potential issues, concerns, and reasonable alternatives that should be considered in the PEIS.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish shipping safety fairways (``fairways'') along the Atlantic Coast of the United States, identified in the Atlantic Coast Port Access Route Study. Fairways would preserve the safe and reliable transit of vessels along well- established traffic patterns and routes. While vessels are not required to use them, fairways are designed to keep traditional navigation routes free from fixed structures that could impact navigation safety and impede other shared offshore activities. The Coast Guard recognizes that there is increasing interest in offshore commercial development, including offshore renewable energy installations, and believes this development is best served by the establishment of consistent and well- defined fairways. The proposed fairways would help ensure that offshore developments remain viable by allowing developers to construct and maintain installations without risk of impeding vessel traffic. The Coast Guard is also proposing to establish traffic separation schemes and precautionary areas along the Atlantic coast to further improve navigation safety.

The Coast Guard will enforce a special local regulation for the Gasparilla Invasion and Parade on January 27, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for recurring marine events within the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg identifies the regulated area for this event in Tampa, FL. During the enforcement periods, no person or vessel may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area unless authorized by the Coast Guard Patrol Commander or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 1 nautical mile radius of the M/V GENIUS STAR XI. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a fire onboard the M/V GENIUS STAR XI. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Western Alaska.

The U. S. Coast Guard announces the availability of recommendations from the National Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee (NCFSAC). The Committee met in September 2023 and sent eight recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security. The U.S. Coast Guard issues this Notice as the mechanism for receiving public comments and requests public comments on the recommendations.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 1 nautical mile radius of the M/V GENIUS STAR XI. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a fire onboard the M/V GENIUS STAR XI. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Western Alaska.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Pacific Ocean. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Westport, Washington, during a fireworks display on January 1, 2024. This regulation prohibits persons and vessels from entering the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Columbia River or a designated representative.

The National Chemical Transportation Safety Advisory Committee (Committee) will conduct a series of subcommittee meetings over two days in League City, TX, and a full committee meeting in Texas City, TX to discuss matters relating to the safe and secure marine transportation of hazardous materials. The subcommittee meetings will also be available by videoconference for those unable to attend in person, however the full committee meeting will be held in person only. All meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is updating its user fees for seagoing towing vessels that are 300 gross tons or more and revising user fees for other inspected towing vessels. The Coast Guard is issuing these updates because it is required to establish and maintain a fair fee for its 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 final rule, owners and operators of vessels using the Alternate Compliance Program, Streamlined Inspection Program, or the Towing Safety Management System options will pay a lower fee than vessels that use the traditional Coast Guard inspection option.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for a recurring firework event taking place December 31, 2023, in the Los Angeles-Long Beach Captain of the Port Zone. This action is necessary and intended to provide for the safety of life and property on navigable waterways during these events. During the enforcement period, the operator of any vessel in the regulated area must comply with directions from the Patrol Commander or any official patrol vessels displaying a Coast Guard ensign.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 105-foot radius of a pedestrian bridge and the surrounding Erie Canal in North Tonawanda, NY. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Eastern Great Lakes.

The Coast Guard is considering establishing an anchorage ground near Rice Island, Oregon in the Columbia River. We are considering this action after receiving requests suggesting that this anchorage ground is necessary to provide for the safe anchoring of commercial vessels in the navigable waters of the Lower Columbia River. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The rule makes non-substantive changes to Coast Guard regulations in association with a change in the Coast Guard's internal organization. The purpose of this rule is to reflect that U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie has been renamed U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern Great Lakes. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters of Laguna de Lobina within a 50-yard radius of Culebra Bridge due to structural damage to the bridge. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the damaged bridge. Entry of persons and vessels from into the safety zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port San Juan or a designated representative.