[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 68 (Monday, April 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18996-18997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07469]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2020-0278]


Port Access Route Study: Northern New York Bight

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Supplemental notice of study, request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is seeking additional information related to 
the notice of study that was published on June 29, 2020, regarding the 
Northern New York Bight Port Access Route Study (NNYBPARS). Following a 
review of the comments and materials received, we identified several 
areas of additional inquiry related to the study. We invite your 
comments and responses to the proposed questions and information 
requests.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received on or before May 
12, 2021. Commenters should be aware that the electronic Federal Docket 
Management System will not accept comments after midnight Eastern 
Daylight Time on the last day of the comment period.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2020-0278 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal 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 about this 
supplemental notice of study, call or email Mr. Craig Lapiejko, First 
Coast Guard District (dpw), U.S. Coast Guard; telephone (617) 223-8351, 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Table of Abbreviations

ACPARS Atlantic Coast Port Access Route Study
ANPRM Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
AIS Automatic Identification System
COMDTINST Commandant Instruction
DHS Department of Homeland Security
NNYBPARS Northern New York Bight Port Access Route Study
OCS Outer Continental Shelf
PARS Port Access Route Study
TSS Traffic Separation Scheme
U.S.C. United States Code
USCG United States Coast Guard
VMS Vessel Monitoring System
VTR Vessel Trip Report

II. Background and Purpose

    On June 29, 2020, the Coast Guard published a Notice of Study and 
public meetings; request for comments entitled ``Port Access Route 
Study (PARS): Northern New York Bight'' in the Federal Register (85 FR 
38907) to evaluate the adequacy of existing vessel routing measures and 
determine whether additional vessel routing measures are necessary for 
port approaches to New York and New Jersey and international and 
domestic transit areas in the First Coast Guard District area of 
responsibility. This undertaking is required by 46 U.S.C. 70003, which 
calls for the Coast Guard to conduct a PARS prior to establishing 
fairways or traffic separation schemes (TSSs).
    The public was afforded a 60-day comment period, and two public 
meetings were held via teleconference and webinar to receive public 
input. The Coast Guard received 24 comments in response to our Federal 
Register Notice, public meetings and other outreach efforts. A 
preliminary review of the comments and related materials

[[Page 18997]]

received identified additional opportunities for inquiry. For instance, 
obtaining additional vessel traffic and activities data would help 
inform several aspects of the study. In this notice, we also seek 
responses supplying quantitative data or suggesting other authoritative 
sources that specifically address the items listed in section III.
    All comments and supporting documents are available in a public 
docket and can be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov, In the 
``Search'' box insert ``USCG-2020-0278'' and click ``Search.'' Click 
the ``Open Docket Folder'' in the ``Actions'' column.

III. Information Requested

    Where possible and pertinent, please provide sources, citations and 
references to back up or justify your responses. Also, for all 
pertinent responses, please provide a detailed explanation of how you 
arrived at your conclusion and the underlying assessment that supports 
your conclusion. Finally, for all numerical responses please provide us 
with sufficient information to recreate your calculations. We seek 
public feedback on the following items:
    a. The Coast Guard is conducting the NNYBPARS in accordance with 
COMDTINST 16003.2B, Marine Planning to Operate and Maintain the Marine 
Transportation System (MTS) and Implement National Policy. The 
instruction is available at https://media.defense.gov/2019/Jul/10/2002155400/-1/-1/0/CI_16003_2B.PDF. The Coast Guard requests 
information applicable to 1) PARS objectives and 2) data and other 
information to assist the Coast Guard conduct the NNYBPARS.
    1. PARS Objectives;
    i. Determine present traffic density; `
    ii. Determine potential traffic density;
    iii. Determine if existing vessel routing measures are adequate;
    iv. Determine if existing vessel routing measures require 
modifications;
    v. Determine the type of modifications;
    vi. Define and justify the needs for new vessel routing measures;
    vii. Determine the type of new vessel routing measures; and
    viii. Determine if the usage of the vessel routing measures must be 
mandatory for specific classes of vessels.
    2. Data and other information;
    i. Vessel traffic characteristics and trends (both existing and 
potential), including traffic volume, size and types of vessels, 
potential interference with the flow of commercial traffic, presence of 
any unusual cargoes, and other similar information;
    ii. Fishing activity;
    iii. Recreational boating traffic;
    iv. Commercial ferry traffic;
    v. Military activities;
    vi. Existing and potential outer continental shelf (OCS) resource 
development activities;
    vii. Environmental information and factors which may be impacted by 
potential or amended vessel routing measures;
    viii. Underway and projected dredging projects;
    ix. Port development activities;
    x. Native American Tribal activities and impacts of potential or 
amended vessel routing measures;
    xi. Economic (costs and benefits) effects and impacts; and
    xii. Any additional information that arises as a result of public 
comments.
    b. The Coast Guard is utilizing automatic information system (AIS) 
data, vessel monitoring system (VMS) data, vessel trip report (VTR) 
data, and fisheries observer data to conduct the NNYBPARS. The Coast 
Guard requests maritime community representatives provide any 
additional info that may assist the Coast Guard conduct the NNYBPARS.
    c. Do maritime community representatives anticipate impacts to 
navigation as a result of planned or potential future developments, 
whether in port, inshore or offshore in the areas within or directly 
adjacent to the Northern New York Bight (please explain and be specific 
as possible)?
    1. How will vessel navigation routes change as a result of planned 
or potential future developments?
    2. Do maritime community representatives request additional routing 
measures other than those that currently exist or are being proposed 
via the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) in the Federal 
Register (85 FR 37034, June 19, 2020) related to planned or potential 
future developments (please explain and be as specific as possible)?
    d. The Coast Guard received numerous comments in response to our 
Federal Register Notice, public meetings and other outreach efforts 
requesting various fairway widths (i.e. 4 NM, 5 NM, 9 NM), to extend 
current traffic separation schemes, or to identify historical anchorage 
locations.
    1. The Coast Guard requests maritime community representatives 
provide evidence of why routing measures need to be of the requested 
width.
    2. The Coast Guard requests maritime community representatives 
provide evidence for the need to extend traffic separation schemes in 
the Northern New York Bight area out to the OCS.
    3. The Coast Guard requests maritime community representatives 
specifically identify historical anchorages that are requested to be 
federally recognized. Please provide coordinates.

IV. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to participate in this study by submitting 
comments and related materials through the Federal portal at https://www.regulations.gov. In your submission, please include the docket 
number for this notice of inquiry and provide a reason for each 
suggestion or recommendation. If your material cannot be submitted 
using https://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions.
    We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to https://www.regulations.gov will include any personal information you have 
provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this 
document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, 
March 11, 2020).
    Documents mentioned in this notice of inquiry as being available in 
the docket, and public comments, will be in our online docket at 
https://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that 
website's instructions. We review all comments received, but we may 
choose not to post off-topic, inappropriate, or duplicate comments that 
we receive. If you visit the online docket and sign up for email 
alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or if a final 
rule is published.
    This notice is published under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: April 2, 2021.
T.G. Allan Jr.,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, First Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2021-07469 Filed 4-9-21; 8:45 am]
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