Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 234 / Friday, December 5, 2014 / Proposed Rules 72157 

11. Indian Tribal Governments 

This proposed rule does not have 

tribal implications under Executive 

Order 13175, Consultation and 

Coordination with Indian Tribal 

Governments, because it would 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. 

12. Energy Effects 

This proposed rule is not a 

‘‘significant energy action’’ under 

Executive Order 13211, Actions 

Concerning Regulations That 

Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 

Distribution, or Use. 

13. Technical Standards 

This proposed rule does not use 

technical standards. Therefore, we did 

not consider the use of voluntary 

consensus standards. 

14. Environment 

We have analyzed this proposed rule 

under Department of Homeland 

Security Management Directive 023–01 

and Commandant Instruction 

M16475.lD, which guide the Coast 

Guard in complying with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321–4370f), and 

have made a preliminary determination 

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 involves the establishment of a 

temporary safety zone. This rulemaking 

is categorically excluded from further 

review under paragraph 34(g) of Figure 

2–1 of the Commandant Instruction. A 

preliminary environmental analysis 

checklist supporting this determination 

and a Categorical Exclusion 

Determination are available in the 

docket where indicated under 

ADDRESSES. We seek any comments or 

information that may lead to the 

discovery of a significant environmental 

impact from this proposed rule. 

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165 

Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation 

(water), Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements, Security measures, 

Waterways. 

For the reasons discussed in the 

preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to 

amend 33 CFR part 165 as follows: 

PART 165—REGULATED NAVIGATION 

AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 165 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 46 U.S.C. 

Chapter 701, 3306, 3703; 50 U.S.C. 191, 195; 

33 CFR 1.05–1, 6.04–1, 6.04–6, 160.5; Pub. L. 

107–295, 116 Stat. 2064; Department of 

Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1. 

■ 2. Add temporary § 165.T05–0718 to 

read as follows: 

§ 165.T05–0718 Safety Zone, Gallant 

Channel; Beaufort, NC. 

(a) Regulated Area. The following area 

is a safety zone: This zone includes the 

waters directly under and 100 yards 

either side of the new U.S. 70 Fixed 

Bridge crossing the Gallant Channel, 

mile 203.8, at Beaufort, North Carolina 

(34°43′16′′ N, 076°41′37′′ W). 

(b) Regulations. The general safety 

zone regulations found in 33 CFR 

165.23 apply to the safety zone created 

by this temporary section, § 165.T05– 

0718. In addition, the following 

regulations apply: 

(1) All vessels requiring greater than 

40 feet horizontal clearance to safely 

transit through the new U.S. 70 Fixed 

Bridge crossing the Atlantic Intracoastal 

Waterway, mile 203.8, at Beaufort, 

North Carolina must contact the work 

supervisor tender on VHF–FM marine 

band radio channels 10 and 13 or at 

(732) 520–5000 two hours in advance of 

intended transit. 

(2) All Coast Guard assets enforcing 

this safety zone can be contacted on 

VHF–FM marine band radio channels 

13 and 16. 

(3) The operator of any vessel within 

or in the immediate vicinity of this 

safety zone shall: (i) Stop the vessel 

immediately upon being directed to do 

so by any commissioned, warrant or 

petty officer on board a vessel 

displaying a Coast Guard Ensign, and 

(ii) Proceed as directed by any 

commissioned, warrant or petty officer 

on board a vessel displaying a Coast 

Guard Ensign. 

(c) Definitions. 

(1) Captain of the Port North Carolina 

means the Commander, Coast Guard 

Sector North Carolina. 

(2) Designated representative means 

any Coast Guard commissioned, 

warrant, or petty officer who has been 

authorized by the Captain of the Port 

North Carolina to assist in enforcing the 

safety zone described in paragraph (a) of 

this section. 

(3) Work Supervisor means the 

contractors’ on site representative. 

(d) Enforcement. The U.S. Coast 

Guard may be assisted by Federal, State 

and local agencies in the patrol and 

enforcement of the zone. 

(e) Enforcement period. This section 

will be enforced daily 7 a.m. to 5:30 

p.m., from January 15, 2015 through 

September 30, 2015 unless cancelled 

earlier by the Captain of the Port. 

Dated: November 17, 2014. 

S. R. Murtagh, 

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the 

Port North Carolina. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28604 Filed 12–4–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

33 CFR Part 167 

[USCG–2014–0941] 

Port Access Route Study: In the 

Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait and Bering 

Sea 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of study; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: This study is a continuation 

of and an expansion of scope to the Port 

Access Route Study (PARS) the Coast 

Guard announced in 2010. Based on 

comments received from the 2010 notice 

the Coast Guard has developed a 

potential vessel routing system for the 

area. The Coast Guard requests 

comments on how consolidating vessel 

traffic into a defined vessel routing 

system may impact or benefit the region. 

The goal of the study is to help reduce 

the risk of marine casualties and 

increase the efficiency of vessel traffic 

in the region. The recommendations of 

the study may lead to future rulemaking 

action or appropriate international 

agreements. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before June 3, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: 

Schematic of proposed vessel routing 

system: A chart showing the Coast 

Guard’s proposed two-way route can be 

downloaded from http://

www.regulations.gov, type ‘‘USCG– 

2014–0941’’ into the search bar and 

click search, next to the displayed 

search results click ‘‘Open Docket 

Folder’’, which will display all 

comments and documents associated 

with this docket. 

Comment submission: You may 

submit comments identified by docket 

number USCG–2014–0941 using any 

one of the following methods: 


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72158 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 234 / Friday, December 5, 2014 / Proposed Rules 

(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

(2) Fax: 202–493–2251. 

(3) Mail: Docket Management Facility 

(M–30), U.S. Department of 

Transportation, West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590– 

0001. 

(4) Hand delivery: Same as mail 

address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. The telephone number 

is 202–366–9329. 

To avoid duplication, please use only 

one of these four methods. See the 

‘‘Public Participation and Request for 

Comments’’ portion of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 

below for instructions on submitting 

comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If 

you have questions on this notice of 

study, call or email LT Kody Stitz, 

Seventeenth Coast Guard District (dpw); 

telephone (907) 463–2270; email 

Kody.J.Stitz@uscg.mil or Mr. David 

Seris, Seventeenth Coast Guard District 

(dpw); telephone (907) 463–2267; email 

David.M.Seris@uscg.mil. If you have 

questions on viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, call Cheryl F. 

Collins, Program Manager, Docket 

Operations, telephone 202–366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation and Request for 

Comments 

We encourage you to participate in 

this study by submitting comments and 

related materials. All comments 

received will be posted without change 

to http://www.regulations.gov and will 

include any personal information you 

have provided. 

Submitting Comments 

If you submit a comment, please 

include the docket number for this 

notice of availability (USCG–2014– 

0941), indicate the specific section of 

this document to which each comment 

applies, and provide a reason for each 

suggestion or recommendation. You 

may submit your comments and 

material online (via http://

www.regulations.gov) or by fax, mail, or 

hand delivery, but please use only one 

of these means. If you submit a 

comment online via 

www.regulations.gov, it will be 

considered received by the Coast Guard 

when you successfully transmit the 

comment. If you fax, hand deliver, or 

mail your comment, it will be 

considered as having been received by 

the Coast Guard when it is received at 

the Docket Management Facility. We 

recommend that you include your name 

and a mailing address, an email address, 

or a telephone number in the body of 

your document so that we can contact 

you if we have questions regarding your 

submission. 

To submit your comment online, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, type 

‘‘USCG–2014–0941’’ into the search bar 

and click search, next to the displayed 

search results click ‘‘Comment Now’’, 

which will open the comment page for 

this study. If you submit your comments 

by mail or hand delivery, submit them 

in an unbound format, no larger than 8.5 

by 11 inches, suitable for copying and 

electronic filing. If you submit 

comments by mail and would like to 

know that they reached the Facility, 

please enclose a stamped, self-addressed 

postcard or envelope. We will consider 

all comments and material received 

during the comment period. 

Viewing Comments and Documents 

To view comments, as well as 

documents mentioned in this preamble 

as being available in the docket, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, type 

‘‘USCG–2014–0941’’ into the search bar 

and click search, next to the displayed 

search results click ‘‘Open Docket 

Folder’’, which will display all 

comments and documents associated 

with this docket. You may also visit the 

Docket Management Facility in Room 

W12–140 on the ground floor of the 

Department of Transportation West 

Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. We have an 

agreement with the Department of 

Transportation to use the Docket 

Management Facility. 

Privacy Act 

Anyone can search the electronic 

form of comments received into any of 

our dockets by the name of the 

individual submitting the comment (or 

signing the comment, if submitted on 

behalf of an association, business, labor 

union, etc.). You may review a Privacy 

Act notice regarding our public dockets 

in the January 17, 2008, issue of the 

Federal Register (73 FR 3316). 

Public Meeting 

The Coast Guard will hold public 

meeting(s) if there is sufficient demand 

to warrant holding a meeting. You must 

submit a request for one on or before 

Month Day, Year (30 days from publish 

date) using one of the four methods 

specified under ADDRESSES. Please 

explain why you believe a public 

meeting would be beneficial. If we 

determine that a public meeting would 

aid in the study, we will hold a meeting 

at a time and place announced by a later 

notice in the Federal Register. 

Definitions 

The following definitions (except 

‘‘Regulated Navigation Area’’) are from 

the International Maritime 

Organization’s (IMO’s) publication 

‘‘Ships’ Routeing’’ Tenth Edition 2010 

and should help you review this notice: 

Area to be avoided (ATBA) means a 

routing measure comprising an area 

within defined limits in which either 

navigation is particularly hazardous or 

it is exceptionally important to avoid 

casualties and which should be avoided 

by all ships, or certain classes of ships. 

Deep-water route means a route 

within defined limits, which has been 

accurately surveyed for clearance of sea 

bottom and submerged obstacles as 

indicated on the chart. 

Inshore traffic zone means a routing 

measure comprising a designated area 

between the landward boundary of a 

traffic separation scheme and the 

adjacent coast, to be used in accordance 

with the provisions of Rule 10(d), as 

amended, of the International 

Regulations for Preventing Collisions at 

Sea, 1972 (COLREGS). 

Precautionary area means a routing 

measure comprising an area within 

defined limits where ships must 

navigate with particular caution and 

within which the direction of traffic 

flow may be recommended. 

Recommended route means a route of 

undefined width, for the convenience of 

ships in transit, which is often marked 

by centerline buoys. 

Recommended track is a route which 

has been specially examined to ensure 

so far as possible that it is free of 

dangers and along which vessels are 

advised to navigate. 

Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) 

means a water area within a defined 

boundary for which regulations for 

vessels navigating within the area have 

been established under 33 CFR part 165. 

Roundabout means a routing measure 

comprising a separation point or 

circular separation zone and a circular 

traffic lane within defined limits. Traffic 

within the roundabout is separated by 

moving in a counterclockwise direction 

around the separation point or zone. 

Separation zone or separation line 

means a zone or line separating the 

traffic lanes in which ships are 

proceeding in opposite or nearly 

opposite directions; or separating a 

traffic lane from the adjacent sea area; 

or separating traffic lanes designated for 

particular classes of ship proceeding in 

the same direction. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 234 / Friday, December 5, 2014 / Proposed Rules 72159 

Traffic lane means an area within 

defined limits in which one-way traffic 

is established. Natural obstacles, 

including those forming separation 

zones, may constitute a boundary. 

Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) 

means a routing measure aimed at the 

separation of opposing streams of traffic 

by appropriate means and by the 

establishment of traffic lanes. 

Two-way route means a route within 

defined limits inside which two-way 

traffic is established, aimed at providing 

safe passage of ships through waters 

where navigation is difficult or 

dangerous. 

Vessel routing system means any 

system of one or more routes or routing 

measures aimed at reducing the risk of 

casualties; it includes traffic separation 

schemes, two-way routes, recommended 

tracks, areas to be avoided, no anchoring 

areas, inshore traffic zones, 

roundabouts, precautionary areas, and 

deep-water routes. 

Background and Purpose 

Requirement for Port Access Route 

Studies 

Under the Ports and Waterways Safety 

Act (PWSA) (33 U.S.C. 1223(c)), the 

Commandant of the Coast Guard may 

designate necessary fairways and traffic 

separation schemes (TSSs) to provide 

safe access routes for vessels proceeding 

to and from U.S. ports. 

Port Access Route Study to Date 

The Coast Guard announced a port 

access route study in the Federal 

Register on November 8, 2010 (75 FR 

68568). The purpose of the PARS was to 

solicit public comments on whether a 

vessel routing system such as a fairway 

or TSS was needed and if it could 

increase vessel safety in the area. The 

2010 PARS was limited geographically 

in scope to a section of water extending 

approximately 100 nautical miles north 

of the Bering Strait into the Chukchi Sea 

to approximately 30 nautical miles 

south of St. Lawrence Island in the 

Bering Sea. At that time the Coast Guard 

did not propose a specific vessel routing 

system, but instead sought more general 

comments about whether a vessel 

routing system was needed or advisable 

in the study area. The Coast Guard 

received twenty five comments, and 

after reviewing them, determined that a 

vessel route needed to be proposed so 

more specific comments and concerns 

could be gathered and evaluated before 

determining if a routing system would 

be beneficial. The Coast Guard further 

determined that the study area should 

include a larger geographic area than 

was initially studied before finalizing 

the study and publishing the results. 

Vessel Routing Comments to Date 

The Coast Guard received twenty five 

public comments during the open 

comment period associated with the 

2010 announcement. Nearly all of the 

comments that addressed vessel routing 

were supportive of the Coast Guard 

creating and implementing some form of 

vessel routing measure in the area. 

Since no specific routing measure was 

proposed in 2010, the comments 

received did note that precise concerns 

and impacts could only be identified 

after a specific route or measure was 

proposed. 

Reopening of the Comment Period 

This Federal Register notice 

announces the Coast Guard’s intent to 

continue the PARS started in 2010, 

expand the study area and release the 

Coast Guard’s proposed vessel routing 

system for comment. The Coast Guard’s 

goal of the study remains the same in 

that the study is focused on gathering 

factual and relevant information to aid 

the Coast Guard in reducing the risk of 

marine casualties and increasing the 

efficiency of vessel traffic in the region. 

The study will assess whether the 

creation of a vessel routing system is 

advisable to increase the predictability 

of vessel movements, which may 

decrease the potential for collisions, oil 

spills, and other events that could 

threaten the marine environment. 

Based on comments received to date 

there is a general sense that a designated 

traffic route could improve traffic 

predictability thereby reducing marine 

casualties and oil spills; however, a few 

comments received did note that a 

designated traffic route (depending on 

location) could adversely impact 

subsistence hunting, marine mammals 

and other wildlife more so than widely 

dispersed vessel traffic. Therefore, the 

Coast Guard puts forth a potential twoway route as a starting point for 

analyzing where to put a vessel traffic 

route should one be deemed needed and 

beneficial to the region. 

The Coast Guard will analyze vessel 

traffic density, agency and stakeholder 

experience in vessel traffic management, 

navigation, ship handling, the effects of 

weather, impacts to subsistence 

hunting, impacts to marine mammals 

and other wildlife concerns into the 

decision making process of the study. 

We encourage you to participate in the 

study process by submitting comments 

in response to this notice. 

The expanded study area is described 

as an area bounded by a line connecting 

the following geographic positions: 

• 67°30′ N, 168°58′37′′ W; 

• 67°30′ N, 167°30′ W; 

• 54°50′ N, 164°40′ W; 

• 54°03′ N, 166°25′ W; 

• 63°20′ N, 173°43′ W; thence 

following the Russian Federation/

United States maritime boundary line to 

the first geographical position. 

The proposed ship routing measures 

are described as follows: 

(1) A four nautical mile wide, twoway route extending from Unimak Pass 

in the Aleutian Islands that proceeds 

Northward through the Bering Sea and 

Bering Strait before terminating in the 

Chukchi Sea. 

(2) A four nautical mile wide, twoway route extending from a location 

North of the Western side of St. 

Lawrence Island and near the U.S./

Russian Federation maritime border, 

then proceeding Northeast to a junction 

with the first two way route located to 

the West of King Island. 

(3) A total of four precautionary areas, 

each circular and 8 nautical miles wide 

in diameter. Three of these 

precautionary areas will be located at 

the starting/ending points of the twoway routes, and the fourth will be 

located at the junction of the 

recommended two-way routes. 

See the ADDRESSES section for where 

to obtain a copy of the chart showing 

the exact location of the proposed route. 

Timeline, Study Area, and Process of 

this PARS: The Seventeenth Coast 

Guard District will conduct this PARS. 

The study will continue upon 

publication of this notice and may take 

24 months to complete. 

We will publish the results of the 

PARS in the Federal Register. It is 

possible that the study may validate the 

status quo (no routing measures) and 

conclude that no changes are necessary. 

It is also possible that the study may 

recommend one or more changes to 

enhance navigational safety and the 

efficiency of vessel traffic management. 

The recommendations may lead to 

future rulemakings or appropriate 

international agreements. 

Dated: November 14, 2014. 

D. B. Abel, 

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, 

Seventeenth Coast Guard District. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28672 Filed 12–4–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 


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