33 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter A - GENERAL

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 420-foot radius of the launch site located near the mouth of the Vermilion River, Vermilion, OH. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Lake Erie and the Vermilion River during the Festival of the Fish fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect mariners and vessels from the potential hazards associated with a fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Buffalo.

The Coast Guard will enforce various safety zones for annual marine events in the Captain of the Port Detroit zone from 9 p.m. on June 23, 2018 through 11 p.m. on July 5, 2018. Enforcement of these zones is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and immediately after these fireworks events. During the aforementioned period, the Coast Guard will enforce restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in a specified area immediately prior to, during, and immediately after fireworks events. During each enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the respective safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters on the Buffalo River, Buffalo, NY. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from portions of the Buffalo River during the Hope Chest Buffalo Niagara Dragon Boat Festival. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect mariners and vessels from the navigational hazards associated with this event. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Buffalo.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 280-foot radius of a portion of the Detroit River, Grosse Ile, MI. This zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from potential hazards associated with the Grosse Ile Fireworks.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters of the Lewis River near Ridgefield, WA. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters during a fireworks display on June 30, 2018. This regulation prohibits persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Columbia River or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters of Corpus Christi Bay near the Corpus Christi Marina in Corpus Christi, TX. The safety zone is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the City of Corpus Christi's Big Bang Fireworks event. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Burnside Bridge across the Willamette River, mile 12.4, at Portland, OR. The deviation is necessary to accommodate bridge repairs and upgrades. This deviation allows the double bascule bridge to operate one side only in single leaf mode.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Hutchinson River Parkway Bridge across the Hutchinson River, mile 0.9 at New York, New York. This deviation is necessary to allow the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position to facilitate structural repairs.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the navigable waters of the Ohio River from mile marker 27.8 to mile marker 28.2 near the Vanport Highway Bridge. The safety zone is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a cargo movement near the Vanport Highway Bridge in Vanport, PA. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the twin, SR 529 Highway Bridge, north bound, across Steamboat Slough, mile 1.2, near Marysville, WA. The deviation is necessary to accommodate painting and preservation. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the maintenance period to allow safe movement of the work crew.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation on the waters of the Boca Ciego Bay in the vicinity of Gulfport, Florida, during the Gulfport Grand Prix High Speed Boat Race. Approximately 50 boats, 16 feet in length, traveling at speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour are expected to participate. Additionally, it is anticipated that 20 spectator vessels will be present along the race course. The special local regulation is necessary to protect the safety of race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public on navigable waters of the United States during the event. The special local regulation will establish two regulated areas: (1) A race area where all non-participant persons and vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg (COTP) or a designated representative; and (2) a buffer zone where designated representatives may control vessel traffic as deemed necessary by the COTP St. Petersburg or a designated representative based upon prevailing weather conditions.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Seaboard System (CSX) Railroad Bridge across the Okeechobee Waterway (St. Lucie Canal), mile 28.2, at Indiantown, FL. The deviation is necessary to accommodate the replacement of the main drive gears on the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain closed to navigation during replacement operations.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the Chicago Harbor, Chicago, IL near the Adler Planetarium on June 26, 2018. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters of the United States immediately prior to, during, and after a fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the Captain of the Port Detroit Zone on Lake Erie, in the vicinity of Luna Pier, MI. This Zone is intended to restrict vessels from portions of the Lake Eire for the Freedom Festival Fireworks Display. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Detroit, or his designated representative. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays.

The Coast Guard is amending its safety zones regulation for Annual Events in the Captain of the Port Buffalo Zone. This amendment updates 12 permanent safety zones and adds 12 new permanent safety zones. These amendments and additions are necessary to protect spectators, participants and vessels from the hazards associated with annual maritime events, including fireworks displays, boat races, and air shows.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Severn River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters of the Severn River at Sherwood Forest, MD, during a fireworks display on July 3, 2018 (with alternate date of July 6, 2018). This action will prohibit persons and vessels from entering the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the Captain of the Port Detroit Zone on the Maumee River in the vicinity of Toledo, Ohio. This Zone is intended to restrict vessels from portions of the Maumee River for the Thunder over Toledo Fireworks Display. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Detroit, or his designated representative. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Broadway Bridge across the Harlem River, mile 6.8, at Bronx, New York. This temporary deviation is necessary to allow the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position to facilitate replacement of the middle track.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Long Beach Bridge across Reynolds Channel, mile 4.7, and the Loop Parkway Bridge across Long Creek, mile 0.7, at Nassau County, New York. This deviation is necessary to facilitate a fireworks display and allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for two and a half hours.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Harry Kelley Bridge (Route 50), over Isle of Wight (Sinepuxent) Bay, mile 0.5 at Ocean City, MD. The deviation is necessary to accommodate Ocean City Air Show. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in their closed-to-navigation position.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone for the Rice's Landing Riverfest from June 8 through June 9, 2018, to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Eighth Coast Guard District identifies the regulated area for this event in Rice's Landing, PA. During the enforcement periods, entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh (COTP) or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of the Upper Mississippi River between mile markers 179 and 180, extending the entire width of the river. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on these navigable waters near the St. Louis Gateway Arch grounds during an air show practice and an air show/fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect persons and property from potential damage and safety hazards during the air show evolutions. Entry into the safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi River or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for a fireworks display taking place over Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Beach, VA, on July 3, 2018. This action is necessary to ensure safety of life on navigable waterways during the fireworks display. Our regulation for Recurring Marine Events within the Fifth Coast Guard District identifies the regulated area for this fireworks display event. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the 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 Granite Avenue Bridge across Neponset River, mile 2.5, at Boston, Massachusetts. This deviation is necessary to facilitate the McKeon Post Scholarship Road Race and allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for two hours.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for a one-mile stretch of the navigable waters on of the Cumberland River, near the U.S. 68/KY 80 Lake Barkley Bridge-Henry R. Lawrence Memorial Bridge in Canton, KY. The safety zone is needed to protect persons, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the demolition of the bridge pier. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Ohio Valley or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone around vessels involved in Coast Guard training exercises in Hood Canal, WA from July 9, 2018 through July 13, 2018, unless cancelled sooner by the Captain of the Port. This is necessary to ensure the safety of the maritime public and vessels participating in these exercises. During the enforcement period, entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or her Designated Representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters of the Cooper River in North Charleston, SC. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of the general public, spectators, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards during a fireworks display. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston (COTP) or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.