[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15327-15328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06424]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2016-0165]


Port Access Route Study (PARS): In Nantucket Sound

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of study; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is conducting a Port Access Route Study (PARS) 
to determine whether it should revise existing regulations to improve 
navigation safety in Nantucket Sound due to factors such as increased 
vessels traffic, changing vessel traffic patterns, weather conditions, 
or navigational difficulty.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received on or before June 
20, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, or view documents noted to be 
available in the docket, and comments made in response to this notice 
using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (http://www.regulations.gov), 
docket USCG-2016-0165.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. 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.
    A. Submitting Comments: You may submit your comments and material 
online via http://www.regulations.gov. Type ``USCG-2016-0165'' 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. We 
will consider all comments and material received during the comment 
period.
    B. 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-2016-0165'' 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 study.
    C. Public Meeting: The Coast Guard may hold public meeting(s) if 
there is sufficient public interest. You must submit a request for one 
on or before April 12, 2016. You may submit your request for a public 
meeting online via http://www.regulations.gov. 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.
    D. 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).

II. Definitions

    The following definitions (except ``Regulated Navigation Area'') 
are from the International Maritime Organization's (IMO's) publication 
``Ships' Routing'' 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

[[Page 15328]]

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.
    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.

III. Background and Purpose

    A. Section 310 of the 2015 Coast Guard Authorization Act, Public 
Law 114-120 signed by the President on February 8, 2016, directs the 
Commandant of the Coast Guard to complete and submit to the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a Port Access Route Study (PARS) of Nantucket Sound using the 
standards and methodology of the Atlantic Coast Port Access Route 
Study, to determine whether the Coast Guard should revise existing 
regulations to improve navigation safety in Nantucket Sound due to 
factors such as increased vessel traffic, changing vessel traffic 
patterns, weather conditions, or navigational difficulty. The Atlantic 
Coast Port Access Route Study contained in the ``marine planning 
guidelines'' of the Study are included in the docket for this notice.
    B. The purpose of this notice is to announce commencement of this 
PARS and to solicit public comments. We encourage you to participate in 
the study process by submitting comments in response to this notice. 
Comments should address impacts to navigation in Nantucket Sound 
resulting from factors such as increased vessel traffic, changing 
vessel traffic patterns, weather conditions, or navigational 
difficulty.

IV. This PARS: Timeline, Study Area, and Process

    The First Coast Guard District will conduct this PARS. The study 
will commence upon publication of this notice and may take 10 months to 
complete.
    The study area is described as Nantucket Sound, an area bounded by 
a line connecting the following geographic positions, including the 
entrance and exit routes to the sound but not the individual harbors.
     41[deg]41' N., 070[deg]00' W.;
     41[deg]20' N., 070[deg]00' W.;
     41[deg]16' N., 070[deg]15' W.
     41[deg]28' N., 070[deg]40' W.; and
     41[deg]34' N., 070[deg]40' W.;
    An illustration showing the study area is available in the docket.
    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 address 
navigational safety and the efficiency of vessel traffic management. 
The recommendations may lead to future rulemakings or appropriate 
international agreements.
    This notice is published under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: March 10, 2016.
L. L. Fagan,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, First Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2016-06424 Filed 3-21-16; 8:45 am]
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