Safety Zone; Chevron GENESIS SPAR Outer Continental Shelf Facility, Green Canyon Block 205A, Gulf of America
The Coast Guard is proposing to disestablish a safety zone around the GENESIS SPAR facility, previously located in Green Canyon Block 205A on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) i...
The Coast Guard is proposing to disestablish a safety zone around the GENESIS SPAR facility, previously located in Green Canyon Block 205A on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of America. The GENESIS SPAR facility was decommissioned and fully removed by the Chevron Corporation in June of 2024. This proposed rulemaking would disestablish the permanent safety zone and remove the regulatory text of
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33 CFR 147.825. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.
DATES:
Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard on or before September 8, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
To submit comments and view available documents, go to
www.regulations.gov
and search for USCG-2026-0827.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
If you have questions about this proposed rule, contact Mr. Steven Wilkes, Heartland District Western Rivers & Waterways Division, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone (206) 815-1119, or email
Steven.D.Wilkes2@uscg.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Table of Abbreviations
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking
OCS Outer Continental Shelf
§ Section
U.S.C. United States Code
II. Background and Authority
On September 25, 2025, the Chevron Corporation notified the Coast Guard's Heartland District that they decommissioned and fully removed the GENSIS SPAR facility, previously located in Green Canyon Block 205A. The Chevron Corporation stated that the permanent safety zone associated with the facility and listed in 33 CFR 147.825 was no longer needed and requested that it be disestablished. Therefore, the District Commander is proposing the disestablishment of this safety zone under the authority in 46 U.S.C. 70034.
III. Discussion of the Rule
This proposed rule would disestablish a permanent safety zone on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the deepwater area of the Gulf of America at Green Canyon Block 205A.
IV. Regulatory Analyses
We developed this proposed rule after considering numerous statutes and Executive orders related to rulemaking. Below we summarize our analyses based on a number of these statutes and Executive orders.
A. Impact on Small Entities
The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, as amended, requires Federal agencies to consider the potential impact of regulations on small entities during rulemaking. The term “small entities” comprises small businesses, not-for-profit organizations that are independently owned and operated and are not dominant in their fields, and governmental jurisdictions with populations of less than 50,000. Section 605 of the RFA allows an agency to certify a rule, in lieu of preparing an analysis, if the rulemaking is not expected to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The Coast Guard certifies under 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that this proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities for the following reasons.
By disestablishing a permanent safety zone that is no longer needed, all vessel traffic will be able to safely transit this previously regulated area free of restrictions.
If you think that your business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction qualifies as a small entity and that this proposed rule would have a significant economic impact on it, please submit a comment (see
ADDRESSES
) explaining why you think it qualifies and how and to what degree this proposed rule would economically affect it.
Under section 213(a) of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121), if this proposed rule will affect your small business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction and you have questions, contact the person listed in the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section. Small businesses may send comments to the Small Business and Agriculture Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman and the Regional Small Business Regulatory Fairness Boards by calling 1-888-REG-FAIR (1-888-734-3247).
B. Collection of Information
This proposed rule will not call for a new collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).
C. Federalism and Indian Tribal Governments
We have analyzed this proposed rule under Executive Order 13132, Federalism, and have determined that it is consistent with the fundamental federalism principles and preemption requirements described in that Order.
Also, this proposed rule does not have tribal implications under Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments, because it does not have a substantial direct effect on one or more Indian tribes, on the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian tribes.
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
As required by The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1531-1538), the Coast Guard certifies that this proposed rule will not result in an annual expenditure of $100,000,000 or more (adjusted for inflation) by a State, local, or tribal government, in the aggregate, or by the private sector.
E. Environment
We have analyzed this proposed rule under Department of Homeland Security Directive 023-01, Rev. 1, associated implementing instructions, and Environmental Planning COMDTINST 5090.1 (series), which guide the Coast Guard in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321et seq.), and have determined that this action is one of a category of actions that do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment.
This proposed rule is a safety zone. It is categorically excluded from further review under paragraph L60(b) of Appendix A, Table 1 of DHS Instruction Manual 023-01-001-01, Rev. 1.
V. Public Participation and Request for Comments
We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking and will consider all comments and material received during the comment period. Your comment can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation.
Submitting comments.
We encourage you to submit comments at
www.regulations.gov.
To do so, go to
www.regulations.gov,
type USCG-2026-0827 in the search box and click “Search.” Next, look for this document in the Search Results column, and click on it. Then click on the Comment option. If you cannot submit your material by using
www.regulations.gov,
call or email the person in the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this proposed rule for alternate instructions.
Viewing material in the docket.
To view available documents, find the docket as described in the previous paragraph, and then select “Supporting & Related Material” in the Document Type column. We will post public comments in our online docket. Additional information is on the
www.regulations.gov
Frequently Asked Questions web page.
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Personal information.
We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to
www.regulations.gov
will include any personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and submissions to the docket in response to this document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, March 11, 2020).