Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Long Beach Bridge across Reynolds Channel, mile 4.7, at Long Beach, New York. This deviation is necessary in order to facilitate an annual fireworks display and allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for one hour.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Hood Canal Floating Drawbridge across Hood Canal (Admiralty Inlet), mile 5.0, near Port Gamble, WA. This deviation is necessary to accommodate replacement of the draw span operating equipment. The deviation allows the bridge to open the draw half-way, 300 feet; as opposed to a full opening, which is 600 feet. The deviation also requires the draw to open on signal if at least four hours notice is given.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone on the South Branch of the Chicago River and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Chicago, IL. This action is necessary to protect spectators, participants, and vessels from the hazards associated with the Tough Cup, a crew regatta event. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Arthur Kill (AK) Railroad Bridge across the Arthur Kill, mile 11.6, at Staten Island, New York and Elizabeth, New Jersey. This temporary deviation is necessary to allow the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position to facilitate structural inspections.

The Coast Guard is modifying the operating schedule that governs the West 79th Street Bridge across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway mile 1084.6, Miami, FL and the operating schedule that governs the East 79th Street Bridge across Miami Beach Channel, Miami, FL. This action will place the East and West 79th Street Bridges across Miami Beach Channel and Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Miami, FL on a twice an hour opening schedule between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. This action is intended to reduce vehicular traffic caused by these bridges opening on demand.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation for certain waters of the Detroit River, Trenton Channel, Wyandotte, MI. This action is necessary and is intended to ensure safety of life on navigable waters to be used for a rowing event immediately prior to, during, and immediately after this event. This regulation requires vessels to maintain a minimum speed for safe navigation and maneuvering.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that governs the Ashley River Bridges across the Ashley River, miles 2.4 and 2.5 at Charleston, SC. This proposed rule would require a bridge tender to be present during the daytime hours only from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily for on signal openings. All other times would require 12 hours advance notification. This modification would provide some relief to vehicle traffic congestion and would have little to no effect on navigation.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend its Great Lakes Regulated Navigation Areas to include one additional regulated navigation area in Green Bay, Wisconsin and safety zones in the Lake Erie Islands and Saginaw Bay, MI. These zones will apply during the winter months and are necessary to protect waterway users, vessels, and mariners from hazards associated with winter conditions and navigation.

The Coast Guard will enforce the special local regulations for the Conch Republic Navy Parade and Battle in Key West, Florida, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on April 28, 2017. Our regulation for Recurring Marine Events in Captain of the Port Key West Zone identifies the regulated area for this event. During the enforcement period no person or vessel may enter into, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area without approval from the Captain of the Port Key West or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations for certain waters of the Tred Avon River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters located between Bellevue, MD and Oxford, MD, during a swim event on June 10, 2017. This rulemaking will prohibit persons and vessels from entering the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland- National Capital Region or the Coast Guard Patrol Commander.

The Coast Guard is establishing a 500-yard temporary safety zone on in vicinity of Naval Base Kitsap, Elwood Point; Bremerton, WA. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the unexploded ordnance detonation being conducted by the U.S. Navy. The safety zone will prohibit any person or vessel from entering or remaining in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or a Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation controlling movement of vessels for certain waters of Lake Ferguson, Greenville, MS. This rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during a paddling event on April 22, 2017. This regulation prohibits entry by all vessels, mariners, and persons into the event area, an approximate 300-yard stretch of Lake Ferguson extending approximately 150-yards west from the Greenville boat launch. All vessels transiting Lake Ferguson west-northwest of the regulated area will be limited to slowest speed for safe navigation to minimize wake unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Memphis or an on-scene representative.

The Coast Guard has modified a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the I695 Bridge, at mile 1.0, across Curtis Creek, Baltimore, MD. This modified deviation is necessary to remove, repair and replace the inner and outer loop locking bar and couplings. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to- navigation position.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Chapel Street Bridge across the Mill River, mile 0.4 at New Haven, Connecticut. This deviation is necessary to complete mortar and fender repairs as well as structural steel work. This deviation allows the bridge to open for the passage of vessels upon 2 hours of advance notice.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Ohio River, surface to bottom, extending from miles 803.5 to 804.5. This temporary safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Henderson, KY, during the Henderson Breakfast Lions Club Tri-Fest fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Ohio Valley or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the subject safety zone for the Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce's Monongahela 4th of July Celebration on the Monongahela River, from mile marker (MM) 32.0 to MM 33.0, extending the entire width of the river. The zone is needed to protect vessels transiting the area and event spectators from the hazards associated with the Celebration's land-based firework display. During the enforcement period, entry into, transiting, or anchoring in the safety zone is prohibited to all vessels not registered with the sponsor as participants or official patrol vessels, unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Pittsburgh (COTP) or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary regulated area during the inbound and outbound transit of the tall ships participating in the Festival of Sail to be held on the waters of Coos Bay. This action is necessary to safeguard participants and spectators from the hazards associated with the limited maneuverability of tall ships and to ensure public safety during their transit. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations for certain waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters located between Sandy Point, Anne Arundel County, MD and Kent Island, Queen Anne's County, MD, during a paddling event on April 29, 2017. This rulemaking will prohibit persons and vessels from entering the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or Coast Guard Patrol Commander.

The Coast Guard is publishing this notice to satisfy a requirement of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century that a detailed accounting of the projects, programs, and activities funded under the national recreational boating safety program provision of the Act be published annually in the Federal Register. This notice specifies the funding amounts the Coast Guard has committed, obligated, or expended during fiscal year 2016, as of September 30, 2016. In 1999, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century made $5 million per year available for the payment of Coast Guard expenses for personnel and activities directly related to coordinating and carrying out the national recreational boating safety program. In 2005, the law was amended, and the amount was increased to $5.5 million. In 2015, the law was amended again which resulted in the consolidation of the $5.5 million and the two percent amount made available under 46 U.S.C. Chapter 131, Section 13107(2). For Fiscal Year 2016 the amount allocated to the Coast Guard under Public Law 114-94, Section 10001(2) was $7.7 million.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Henry Ford Avenue railroad bridge across Cerritos Channel, mile 4.8 at Long Beach, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to replace the operating machinery of the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Stratford Avenue Bridge across Yellow Mill Channel, mile 0.3 at Bridgeport, Connecticut. This deviation is necessary to complete electrical repairs, install new rebar and concrete, repair/replace structural steel, and retrofit navigation lighting. This deviation allows the bridge to remain fully closed for two weeks followed by a two-week period during which the bridge will open for vessels upon 72 hours of advance notice.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend the regulations established for recurring marine events and fireworks displays that take place within the Fifth Coast Guard District area of responsibility. This proposed rule would revise the listing of events that informs the public of regularly scheduled marine parades, regattas, other organized water events, and fireworks displays that require additional safety measures provided by regulations. Through this rulemaking, the list of recurring marine events requiring special local regulations or safety zones would be updated with revisions, additional events, and removal of events that no longer take place in the Fifth Coast Guard District. When these regulations are enforced, certain restrictions are placed on marine traffic in specified areas. This rulemaking project promotes efficiency by eliminating the need to produce a separate rule for each individual recurring event, and serves to provide notice of the known recurring events requiring a special local regulation or safety zone throughout the year. This proposed rule would also remove regulations that are no longer effective or required. We invite your comments on this rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is issuing this interim rule to update the table of outboard engine weights used in calculating safe loading capacities and required amounts of flotation material. The engine weight table was last updated in 1984, and the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 requires that we update the table to reflect a specific standard.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify its calculations for hourly pilotage rates on the Great Lakes by accounting for the ``weighting factor,'' which is a multiplier that can increase the pilotage costs for larger vessels traversing areas in the Great Lakes by a factor of up to 1.45. While the weighting factor has existed for decades, it has never been included in any of the previous ratemaking calculations. We propose to add steps to our rate-setting methodology to adjust hourly rates downwards by an amount equal to the average weighting factor, so that when the weighting factor is applied, the cost to the shippers and the corresponding revenue generated for the pilot associations will adjust to what was originally intended. We note that until a final rule is produced, the 2016 rates will stay in effect, even if a final rule is not published by the start of the 2017 season.