[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 29 (Tuesday, February 14, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 10558-10559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02934]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[Docket Number USCG-2016-0799]
RIN 1625-AA87


Safety and Security Zones; New York Marine Inspection and Captain 
of the Port Zone

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; reopening of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period for the 
Advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) it published on November 
3, 2016, regarding the modification of the security zone between 
Liberty State Park and Ellis Island. In response to public requests, 
the Coast Guard is extending the comment period until April 17, 2017.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received by the Coast 
Guard on or before April 17, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2016-0799 using the Federal eRulemaking 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 on this 
document, call or email MST1 Kristina Pundt, Waterways Management at 
U.S. Coast Guard Sector New York, telephone (718) 354-4352, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Acronyms

ANPRM Advance notice of proposed rulemaking
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register

A. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking, 
and

[[Page 10559]]

will consider all comments and material received due on or before April 
17, 2017. Your comments can help shape the outcome of this possible 
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, indicate the specific question number to 
which each comment applies and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
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.
    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, you may review a Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal 
Docket Management System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal 
Register (70 FR 15086).
    Documents mentioned in the ANPRM as being available in the docket, 
and all public comments, will be in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that Web site's 
instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up 
for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted and if 
we publish rulemaking documents related to the ANPRM.

B. Basis and Purpose

    The Coast Guard is responsible for considering adjustments to 
improve navigational and environmental safety of waterways, including 
those requested by groups of mariners. On November 3, 2016, the Coast 
Guard published an ANPRM in the Federal Register (81 FR 76545) 
entitled, ``Safety and Security Zone; New York Marine Inspection Zone 
and Captain of the Port Zone.'' With its publication, we initiated the 
early stage of a methodical and public rulemaking process to learn all 
possible navigational, environmental, terrestrial, and other effects 
caused by a modification of the security zone around the Ellis Island 
Bridge. The ANPRM is a preliminary step, the goal of which is to gather 
information that defines the multiple stakeholder considerations we 
need to incorporate when considering a proposed rule for modification 
of the security zone around the Ellis Island Bridge. To continue 
encouraging this important public discussion, we are adding an 
additional 60 days to the comment period.

C. Information Requested

    Public participation is requested to assist in determining the best 
way forward with respect to modifying the existing security zone 
surrounding the Ellis Island Bridge. To aid us in developing a possible 
proposed rule, we seek any comments, whether positive or negative, 
including but not limited to, the impacts the existing security zone 
surrounding the Ellis Island Bridge has on navigational safety.
    Please submit comments or concerns you may have in accordance with 
the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' section above.
    We are also seeking comments on the current vessel traffic and the 
types of vessels that transit in this area.

    Dated: December 27, 2016.
M.H. Day,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port New York.
[FR Doc. 2017-02934 Filed 2-13-17; 8:45 am]
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