Coast Guard – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing regulated navigation areas (RNA) covering the St. Marys Entrance Channel, portions of the Cumberland Sound, and the Atlantic Ocean that will be in effect whenever any Navy submarine (foreign or domestic) is escorted by the Coast Guard and operating within the jurisdictional waters of the Sector Jacksonville Captain of the Port Zone. These RNAs are necessary to help ensure the safety and security of submarines, their Coast Guard escorts, and the public. The RNAs will do so by requiring all persons and vessels located within an RNA to follow lawful orders and/or directions given to them by Coast Guard designated representatives. Additionally, these RNAs will supersede the current temporary safety/security zone for Cumberland Sound, Georgia and St. Marys River Entrance Channel.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Broadway Bridge across the Willamette River, mile 11.7, at Portland, OR. The deviation is necessary to accommodate the Portland Race for the Roses event. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position to facilitate the safe movement of event participants across the bridge.

The Coast Guard is seeking comments and information concerning a proposal to change the operating schedule for the Bridge of Lions across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, St. Augustine, Florida. The City of St. Augustine is concerned that vehicle traffic is becoming exponentially worse with each passing season and that on-demand bridge openings are contributing to vehicle traffic backups. The proposed modification would extend the twice an hour draw opening period from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and preclude the bridge draw from opening at 3:30 p.m. on weekends and Federal holidays.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Smith Point Bridge across Narrow Bay, mile 6.1, at Smith Point Park, New York. This deviation is necessary in order to facilitate the Smith Point Triathlon Road Race and allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for two hours.

This notice informs the public that the Coast Guard has recertified the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (PWSRCAC) as an alternative voluntary advisory group for Prince William Sound, Alaska. This certification allows the PWSRCAC to monitor the activities of terminal facilities and crude oil tankers under the Prince William Sound Program established by statute.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for Conrad Industries Hull C-1148. We are issuing this notice because its publication is required by statute.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Housatonic River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Milford and Stratford, CT, during the United Illuminating Company Housatonic River Crossing Project from April 26, 2017 to May 4, 2017, and from July 29, 2017 to August 3, 2017. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit entry of vessels or people into the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Long Island Sound or a designated representative. The safety zone will only be enforced during cable pulling operations or other instances which may create a hazard to navigation. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on certain waters of the Indian River in Titusville, Florida during the 2017 TICO Warbird Air Show. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters surrounding the event. This regulated area will prohibit persons and vessels from entering in, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Jacksonville or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville received a Letter of Intent (LOI) and Waterways Suitability Assessment (WSA) for a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility construction project in Jacksonville, Florida. The LOI and WSA for Eagle LNG were submitted by Rodino, Inc. The Coast Guard requests comments on the proposed construction of this LNG facility, as defined by 33 CFR 127.005.

The Coast Guard will enforce a special local regulation on the Black Warrior River extending the entire width of the channel from mile marker 339.0 to mile marker 341.5 in Tuscaloosa, AL on March 25, 2017, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during the Rowing Competition marine event. Our regulation for Recurring Marine Events in Captain of the Port Mobile Zone identifies the regulated area for this rowing event. During the enforcement period, no vessel may transit this regulated area without approval from the Captain of the Port or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Galveston Causeway Railroad Vertical Lift Bridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), mile 357.2 West of Harvey Locks (WHL), at Galveston, Galveston County, Texas. The deviation is necessary to conduct cable lubing and maintenance on the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the down position for two four-hour periods, on five consecutive days during day-light hours.

The Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee and its working groups will meet to discuss matters relating to medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, and merchant mariners' documents, medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels, medical examiner education, and medical research. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge which carries US 17 across the Cape Fear River, mile 26.8, at Wilmington, NC. The deviation is necessary to facilitate routine biennial maintenance and inspection of the lift span for the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that governs the Route 82 Bridge (East Haddam Swing Bridge) across the Connecticut River, mile 16.8, at East Haddam, Connecticut. The bridge owner submitted a request to reduce scheduled openings of the span for recreational vessels in the boating season and to allow the bridge owner to require six hours notice for bridge openings at night in the winter season. It is expected this change to the regulations will better serve the needs of the community while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Seventeenth Coast Guard District has concluded the Port Access Route Study (PARS) of the Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait and Bering Sea and announces the availability of the report. The Coast Guard is also requesting comments on the preliminary findings contained in the report. Any comments received will be reviewed and considered as the Coast Guard deliberates advancing the recommendations from this study forward into a domestic rulemaking or international agreement.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation on the Black Warrior River extending the entire width of the river from mile marker 339.0 to mile marker 341.5 in Tuscaloosa, AL. The special local regulation is needed to protect the persons participating in the NCAA Collegiate Rowing Competition marine event. This rulemaking restricts transit into, through and within the regulated area unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Mobile.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish two safety zones on the navigable waters of Newtown Creek, NY. The first safety zone is within 500 feet of the two barges and assist vessels to be used for the removal and loading of the existing center span from the Kosciuszko Bridge at mile 2.1. The second is from approximately 370 yards south (upstream) of the Kosciuszko Bridge at mile 2.1 and Newtown Creek's confluence with the East River at mile 0.0 during transport of the existing center span to an offsite location. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters during the lowering and securing of the existing bridge's center span onto two barges within the Federal navigation channel and during the barge's outbound transit through Newtown Creek to the East River tentatively scheduled during April-May, 2017. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zones unless authorized by the Captain of the Port New York or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend the Miami Anchorage. The Miami Anchorage would be divided into two separate anchorage areas. This action is necessary to reduce potential damage to threatened coral posed by anchoring vessels. We invite your comments on this supplemental proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is modifying the operating regulation that governs the Bayview (State Route 42/57) Bridge, Mile 3.0, Maple-Oregon Bridge, Mile 4.17, and Michigan Street Bridge, Mile 4.3, all over Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal in Sturgeon Bay, WI, to allow testing of the remote operation equipment for all three drawbridges. The operating schedules are not changing. The three drawbridges will be remotely operated by a single tender throughout the 2017 navigation season with request for comments from all stakeholders on the safety and effectiveness of the remote operation arrangement.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the U.S. 70 (Alfred A. Cunningham) Bridge across the Trent River, mile 0.0, at New Bern, NC. The deviation is necessary to accommodate the free movement of pedestrians and vehicles during the 2017 Neuse River Bridge Run. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position.

The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance (COAC) was issued for the TUG CLAYTON W MORAN. We are issuing this notice because its publication is required by statute.

The Coast Guard announces its intent to enter into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Mack Boring & Parts Co (hence forth referred to as Mack) to evaluate and test the advantages, disadvantages, required technology enhancements, performance, costs, and other issues associated with diesel outboard engine technology. A test schedule has been proposed in which Mack will provide and install two of their diesel outboard engines onto a selected Coast Guard boat platform; the Coast Guard Research and Development Center (R&D Center) will outfit the platform with the necessary instrumentation to monitor power, speed, and fuel consumption; and a Coast Guard field unit will operate the boat for performance testing over a six-month period to collect information on reliability, maintenance requirements, and availability data. While the Coast Guard is currently considering partnering with Mack the agency is soliciting public comment on the possible nature of and participation of other parties in the proposed CRADA. In addition, the Coast Guard also invites other potential non-Federal participants to propose similar CRADAs.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee. The Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee provides advice and makes recommendations on matters relating to the safe and secure marine transportation of hazardous materials insofar as they relate to matters within the United States Coast Guard's jurisdiction.

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 approval of a new collection of information: 1625New, Maritime Transportation System Recovery Essential Elements of Information. 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 extends the deadline for accepting applications for membership on the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee. The Committee advises the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on matters and actions concerning activities directly involved with or in support of the exploration of offshore mineral and energy resources insofar as they relate to matters within Coast Guard jurisdiction. Applicants selected for service on the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee via this solicitation will not begin their respective terms until January 31, 2018.