83_FR_5619 83 FR 5592 - Regulated Navigation Areas; Harbor Entrances Along the Coast of Northern California

83 FR 5592 - Regulated Navigation Areas; Harbor Entrances Along the Coast of Northern California

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 27 (February 8, 2018)

Page Range5592-5593
FR Document2018-02503

The Coast Guard requests public comments on the potential establishment of Regulated Navigation Areas (RNAs) at the harbor entrance bars to Crescent Harbor, Humboldt Bay, Noyo River, and Morro Bay. In order to mitigate potential hazards and provide transparent communication with all mariners during hazardous weather conditions, this proposed RNA regulation would provide predictable protocols to mariners for potential restriction to traffic and conditions that prohibit vessels from entering a specified area surrounding each bar during hazardous weather conditions unless authorized by Commander, District Eleven or a designated representative. We seek your comments on what you believe to be the potential benefit or possible negative impact if we were to establish RNAs at these harbor entrances. We welcome all suggestions, ideas, and solutions for maintaining mariner and vessel safety during adverse weather and sea conditions at these harbor entrances.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 27 (Thursday, February 8, 2018) 
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 27 (Thursday, February 8, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5592-5593]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02503]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[Docket Number USCG-2017-0338]


Regulated Navigation Areas; Harbor Entrances Along the Coast of 
Northern California

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard requests public comments on the potential 
establishment of Regulated Navigation Areas (RNAs) at the harbor 
entrance bars to Crescent Harbor, Humboldt Bay, Noyo River, and Morro 
Bay. In order to mitigate potential hazards and provide transparent 
communication with all mariners during hazardous weather conditions, 
this proposed RNA regulation would provide predictable protocols to 
mariners for potential restriction to traffic and conditions that 
prohibit vessels from entering a specified area surrounding each bar 
during hazardous weather conditions unless authorized by Commander, 
District Eleven or a designated representative. We seek your comments 
on what you believe to be the potential benefit or possible negative 
impact if we were to establish RNAs at these harbor entrances. We 
welcome all suggestions, ideas, and solutions for maintaining mariner 
and vessel safety during adverse weather and sea conditions at these 
harbor entrances.

DATES: Your comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on 
or before March 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2017-0338 using the Federal portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See 
the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
notice of inquiry, call or email Lieutenant Colleen Ryan, Coast Guard 
District Eleven, Waterways Management; telephone 510-437-5984, email 
Colleen.M.Ryan@uscg.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Table of Abbreviations

CFR Code of Federal Regulations
COTP Captain of the Port
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
RNA Regulated Navigation Area
U.S.C. United States Code
Sec.  Section Symbol

II. Background and Purpose

    Since 1998 COTP San Francisco and COTP Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/
LB) have issued various navigation safety advisories and created 
numerous emergency safety zones to mitigate risk to mariners and their 
vessels transiting the Crescent Harbor, Humboldt Bay, Noyo River, and 
Morro Bay harbor entrances during hazardous bar conditions. These 
emergency safety zones promulgated policies and procedures for closing 
the bar to vessel traffic, while also providing parameters and 
procedures for waiver requests. The use and application of emergency 
safety zones to accomplish the required risk mitigation does not 
provide advance notice, consistency, or predictability of Coast Guard 
actions to mariners; nor do safety zones allow for the promulgation of 
additional safety requirements to mitigate risk of necessary transits 
of the harbor bars. The RNAs under consideration would define the 
parameters and implementation procedures for restricting access to the 
applicable areas during hazardous conditions and define safety 
requirements for vessels operating within the RNAs.
    The current protocols for restricting traffic in the vicinity of 
the Crescent City, Humboldt Bay, Noyo River, and Morro Bay harbor bar 
entrances are insufficient and do not provide consistency and 
predictability to the mariner, or allow for the establishment of bar 
crossing safety measures. The existing warning promulgation process is 
comprised of emergency safety zone implementation which, due to the 
emergent nature of heavy weather does not allow for advance notice and 
does not adequately ensure the safety of persons and vessels operating 
in those areas during heavy weather. Bars along the northern California 
coast experience severe wave, sea, and current conditions similar to 
the conditions that have contributed to various marine casualties along 
the northern Pacific coast. Coast Guard and National Transportation 
Safety Board (NTSB) casualty investigations identified a need for 
specific regulations to mitigate these risks to ensure the safety of 
the mariners and vessels operating in the vicinity of bars (see NTSB, 
Safety Recommendation M-05-009 at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/_layouts/ntsb.recsearch/Recommendation.asp:Rec=M-05-009).
    On October 17, 2005, in a written response to the NTSB M-05-009 
recommendation, the Coast Guard articulated its intention to develop 
written policies for transiting west coast bars and inlets. We consider 
access restrictions within a defined RNA to be the best method to 
ensure mariner and vessel safety when adverse weather and sea 
conditions make crossing the bar at harbor entrances especially 
dangerous. In November 2009, the Thirteenth Coast Guard District 
published a final rule (74 FR 59098, Nov. 17, 2009) to mitigate bar 
transit risks that addressed NTSB recommendations M-05-009 and M-05-
010. The Eleventh Coast Guard District is considering drafting a 
proposal for a rule similar to 33 CFR 165.1325 to provide 
predictability to local mariners regarding restrictions on navigation 
in the vicinity of Crescent City, Humboldt Bay, Noyo River, and Morro 
Bay harbor bar entrances based on weather, sea, tide, and river 
conditions. Such a regulation would establish predictable sea and 
weather conditions that will set a ``Go/No-go'' standard for 
restricting recreational, commercial fishing, and passenger vessel 
access to the RNA.

III. Information Requested

    Through this request for information, the Coast Guard seeks 
comments and information for agency consideration and to inform any 
future establishment of RNAs that would create bar closure conditions 
as well as regulate vessel bar transits during hazardous bar conditions 
for all recreational, commercial fishing, and passenger vessels. The 
Coast Guard requests and encourages open discussion and candid feedback 
on the possibility of establishing RNAs for Crescent City, Humboldt 
Bay, Noyo River, and Morro Bay harbor bar entrances. The following 
considerations warrant special attention:
     Weather and sea conditions at the bars that the maritime 
community considers a risk to safe navigation for

[[Page 5593]]

recreational vessels, passenger vessels, fishing vessels and deep draft 
vessel;
     The economic impact of bar closures and restrictions on 
the maritime community; and
     Preferred methods of notification for bar restrictions and 
closures.

IV. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal portal at 
http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted using 
http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions. In your submission, please include the docket number for 
this notice of inquiry and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation.
    We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the 
docket, visit http://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice.
    All public comments will be available in our online docket at 
http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that 
website's instructions.
    This document is issued under authority of 33 U.S.C. 1231.

    Dated: February 1, 2018.
James B. Pruett,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard 
District.
[FR Doc. 2018-02503 Filed 2-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P

5592 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 27 / Thursday, February 8, 2018 / Proposed Rules 866–538–1247 or direct-dial telephone 1– Comments’’ portion of the the northern California coast experience 514–855–2999; fax 514–855–7401; email SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for severe wave, sea, and current conditions ac.yul@aero.bombardier.com; internet http:// further instructions on submitting similar to the conditions that have www.bombardier.com. You may view this comments. contributed to various marine casualties service information at the FAA, Transport Standards Branch, 1601 Lind Avenue SW, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If along the northern Pacific coast. Coast Renton, WA. For information on the you have questions about this notice of Guard and National Transportation availability of this material at the FAA, call inquiry, call or email Lieutenant Colleen Safety Board (NTSB) casualty 425–227–1221. Ryan, Coast Guard District Eleven, investigations identified a need for Waterways Management; telephone specific regulations to mitigate these Issued in Renton, Washington, on January risks to ensure the safety of the mariners 510–437–5984, email Colleen.M.Ryan@ 26, 2018. and vessels operating in the vicinity of uscg.mil. Michael Kaszycki, bars (see NTSB, Safety Recommendation Acting Director, System Oversight Division, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: M–05–009 at http://www.ntsb.gov/ Aircraft Certification Service. I. Table of Abbreviations investigations/AccidentReports/_ [FR Doc. 2018–02088 Filed 2–7–18; 8:45 am] CFR Code of Federal Regulations layouts/ntsb.recsearch/ BILLING CODE 4910–13–P COTP Captain of the Port Recommendation.asp:Rec=M-05-009). DHS Department of Homeland Security On October 17, 2005, in a written FR Federal Register response to the NTSB M–05–009 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND RNA Regulated Navigation Area recommendation, the Coast Guard SECURITY U.S.C. United States Code articulated its intention to develop § Section Symbol written policies for transiting west coast Coast Guard II. Background and Purpose bars and inlets. We consider access Since 1998 COTP San Francisco and restrictions within a defined RNA to be 33 CFR Part 165 the best method to ensure mariner and COTP Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB) [Docket Number USCG–2017–0338] have issued various navigation safety vessel safety when adverse weather and advisories and created numerous sea conditions make crossing the bar at Regulated Navigation Areas; Harbor emergency safety zones to mitigate risk harbor entrances especially dangerous. Entrances Along the Coast of Northern to mariners and their vessels transiting In November 2009, the Thirteenth Coast California the Crescent Harbor, Humboldt Bay, Guard District published a final rule (74 Noyo River, and Morro Bay harbor FR 59098, Nov. 17, 2009) to mitigate bar AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. transit risks that addressed NTSB entrances during hazardous bar ACTION: Request for comments. conditions. These emergency safety recommendations M–05–009 and zones promulgated policies and M–05–010. The Eleventh Coast Guard SUMMARY: The Coast Guard requests District is considering drafting a public comments on the potential procedures for closing the bar to vessel traffic, while also providing parameters proposal for a rule similar to 33 CFR establishment of Regulated Navigation 165.1325 to provide predictability to Areas (RNAs) at the harbor entrance and procedures for waiver requests. The use and application of emergency safety local mariners regarding restrictions on bars to Crescent Harbor, Humboldt Bay, navigation in the vicinity of Crescent zones to accomplish the required risk Noyo River, and Morro Bay. In order to City, Humboldt Bay, Noyo River, and mitigation does not provide advance mitigate potential hazards and provide Morro Bay harbor bar entrances based notice, consistency, or predictability of transparent communication with all on weather, sea, tide, and river Coast Guard actions to mariners; nor do mariners during hazardous weather conditions. Such a regulation would safety zones allow for the promulgation conditions, this proposed RNA establish predictable sea and weather of additional safety requirements to regulation would provide predictable conditions that will set a ‘‘Go/No-go’’ mitigate risk of necessary transits of the protocols to mariners for potential standard for restricting recreational, harbor bars. The RNAs under restriction to traffic and conditions that commercial fishing, and passenger consideration would define the prohibit vessels from entering a vessel access to the RNA. parameters and implementation specified area surrounding each bar procedures for restricting access to the III. Information Requested during hazardous weather conditions applicable areas during hazardous unless authorized by Commander, Through this request for information, conditions and define safety District Eleven or a designated the Coast Guard seeks comments and requirements for vessels operating representative. We seek your comments information for agency consideration within the RNAs. on what you believe to be the potential The current protocols for restricting and to inform any future establishment benefit or possible negative impact if we traffic in the vicinity of the Crescent of RNAs that would create bar closure were to establish RNAs at these harbor City, Humboldt Bay, Noyo River, and conditions as well as regulate vessel bar entrances. We welcome all suggestions, Morro Bay harbor bar entrances are transits during hazardous bar conditions ideas, and solutions for maintaining insufficient and do not provide for all recreational, commercial fishing, mariner and vessel safety during consistency and predictability to the and passenger vessels. The Coast Guard adverse weather and sea conditions at mariner, or allow for the establishment requests and encourages open these harbor entrances. of bar crossing safety measures. The discussion and candid feedback on the daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS DATES: Your comments and related existing warning promulgation process possibility of establishing RNAs for material must reach the Coast Guard on is comprised of emergency safety zone Crescent City, Humboldt Bay, Noyo or before March 12, 2018. implementation which, due to the River, and Morro Bay harbor bar ADDRESSES: You may submit comments emergent nature of heavy weather does entrances. The following considerations identified by docket number USCG– not allow for advance notice and does warrant special attention: 2017–0338 using the Federal portal at not adequately ensure the safety of • Weather and sea conditions at the http://www.regulations.gov. See the persons and vessels operating in those bars that the maritime community ‘‘Public Participation and Request for areas during heavy weather. Bars along considers a risk to safe navigation for VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:37 Feb 07, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\08FEP1.SGM 08FEP1

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 27 / Thursday, February 8, 2018 / Proposed Rules 5593 recreational vessels, passenger vessels, portions of the submittals that modify The CAA requires periodic review of the fishing vessels and deep draft vessel; the District’s Ambient Air Quality air quality criteria—the science upon • The economic impact of bar Standards regulation, as incorporated which the standards are based—and the closures and restrictions on the into the SIP. The revisions to the SIP standards themselves. EPA’s regulatory maritime community; and that EPA is proposing to approve provisions that govern the NAAQS are • Preferred methods of notification pertain to changes to the District’s air found at 40 CFR 50—National Primary for bar restrictions and closures. quality standards for fine particulate and Secondary Ambient Air Quality matter (PM2.5) and ozone to reflect the Standards. In this rule, EPA is IV. Public Participation and Request for 2012 PM2.5 and 2015 ozone national proposing to approve the portions of the Comments ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). revisions to the Jefferson County air We encourage you to submit EPA is proposing to approve these quality regulations 1 addressing comments through the Federal portal at portions of the SIP revisions because the Regulation 3.01, Ambient Air Quality http://www.regulations.gov. If your Commonwealth has demonstrated that Standards, in the Kentucky SIP, material cannot be submitted using they are consistent with the Clean Air submitted by the Commonwealth on http://www.regulations.gov, contact the Act (CAA or Act). EPA will act on the December 21, 2016, and August 29, person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION other portions of the December 21, 2016, 2017. Regulation 3.01 is amended 2 by CONTACT section of this document for and August 29, 2017, submittals in a updating air quality standards in alternate instructions. In your separate action. Section 7 for PM2.5 and ozone to reflect submission, please include the docket DATES: Written comments must be the most recent NAAQS, removing the number for this notice of inquiry and received on or before March 12, 2018. numbering of the subsections in Section provide a reason for each suggestion or ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 7, and making textual modifications to recommendation. identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R04– the footnotes. The SIP submittals We accept anonymous comments. All OAR–2017–0550 at https:// amending the Jefferson County comments received will be posted www.regulations.gov. Follow the online regulations to incorporate the most without change to http:// instructions for submitting comments. recent PM2.5 and ozone NAAQS can be www.regulations.gov and will include Once submitted, comments cannot be found in the docket for this rulemaking any personal information you have edited or removed from Regulations.gov. at www.regulations.gov and are provided. For more about privacy and EPA may publish any comment received summarized below. the docket, visit http:// to its public docket. Do not submit www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice. II. EPA’s Analysis of Kentucky’s electronically any information you Submittal All public comments will be available consider to be Confidential Business in our online docket at http:// Information (CBI) or other information On December 14, 2012 (78 FR 3086), www.regulations.gov and can be viewed whose disclosure is restricted by statute. EPA promulgated a revised primary by following that website’s instructions. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, annual PM2.5 NAAQS, strengthening it This document is issued under etc.) must be accompanied by a written from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter authority of 33 U.S.C. 1231. comment. The written comment is (mg/m3) to 12.0 mg/m3, and retained the Dated: February 1, 2018. considered the official comment and existing primary 24-hour PM2.5 standard should include discussion of all points at 35 mg/m3. Accordingly, in the August James B. Pruett, you wish to make. EPA will generally 29, 2017, SIP submittal, the District Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting not consider comments or comment revised Regulation 3.01, Ambient Air Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District. contents located outside of the primary Quality Standards, to update the [FR Doc. 2018–02503 Filed 2–7–18; 8:45 am] submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or primary air quality standard for PM2.5 to BILLING CODE 9110–04–P other file sharing system). For be consistent with the NAAQS that were additional submission methods, the full promulgated by EPA in 2012. EPA has EPA public comment policy, reviewed this change to the Jefferson ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION County regulation for PM2.5 and has information about CBI or multimedia AGENCY made the determination that this change submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit is consistent with federal regulations. 40 CFR Part 52 On October 1, 2015 (80 FR 65292), https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/ [EPA–R04–OAR–2017–0550; FRL–9974–24– commenting-epa-dockets. EPA promulgated revised 8-hour Region 4] primary and secondary ozone NAAQS, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: strengthening both from 0.075 parts per Air Plan Approval; KY; Fine Particulate Madolyn Sanchez, Air Regulatory Matter and Ozone NAAQS Revisions Management Section, Air Planning and 1 In 2003, the City of Louisville and Jefferson Implementation Branch, Air, Pesticides County governments merged and the ‘‘Jefferson AGENCY: Environmental Protection and Toxics Management Division, U.S. County Air Pollution Control District’’ was renamed Agency (EPA). Environmental Protection Agency, the ‘‘Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District.’’ However, each of the regulations in the ACTION: Proposed rule. Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, Jefferson County portion of the Kentucky SIP still Georgia 30303–8960. Ms. Sanchez can has the subheading ‘‘Air Pollution Control District SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection be reached via telephone at (404) 562– of Jefferson County.’’ Thus, to be consistent with Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve 9644 or via electronic mail at the terminology used in the SIP, EPA refers daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS portions of State Implementation Plan throughout this notice to regulations contained in sanchez.madolyn@epa.gov. the Jefferson County portion of the Kentucky SIP as (SIP) revisions submitted by the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: the ‘‘Jefferson County’’ regulations. Commonwealth of Kentucky, through 2 The District refers to the revised version of the Kentucky Division for Air Quality, I. Background Regulation 3.01 in its December 21, 2016, submittal on December 21, 2016 and August 29, Sections 108 and 109 of the CAA as ‘‘Version 6’’ and the revised version of Regulation 3.01 in its August 29, 2017, submittal as 2017, on behalf of the Louisville Metro govern the establishment, review, and ‘‘Version 7.’’ Upon EPA’s final approval of changes Air Pollution Control District (District). revision, as appropriate, of the NAAQS to Regulation 3.01, the text of the regulation in the EPA is proposing to approve the to protect public health and welfare. SIP will reflect Version 7. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:37 Feb 07, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\08FEP1.SGM 08FEP1


Document Created: 2018-02-08 00:16:21
Document Modified: 2018-02-08 00:16:21
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionRequest for comments.
DatesYour comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or before March 12, 2018.
ContactIf you have questions about this notice of inquiry, call or email Lieutenant Colleen Ryan, Coast Guard District Eleven, Waterways Management; telephone 510-437-5984, email [email protected]
FR Citation83 FR 5592 
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