Notice2021-14757
Port Access Route Study: Northern New York Bight
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 15, 2021
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentCoast Guard
Abstract
From June 29, 2020, through June 28, 2021, the Coast Guard conducted the Northern New York Bight Port Access Route Study (NNYBPARS) and is now requesting your comments on a draft version of the study report. The goal of the study is 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 District area of responsibility. To accomplish this goal, the Coast Guard has undertaken measures to determine whether existing or additional routing measures are necessary to improve navigation safety due to factors such as planned or potential offshore development, current port capabilities and planned improvements, increased vessel traffic, existing and potential anchorage areas, changing vessel traffic patterns, effects of weather, or navigational difficulty. We seek your comments on the content and development of the report.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 133 (Thursday, July 15, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 133 (Thursday, July 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37339-37340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14757]
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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: Notice of availability of draft report and public meeting;
request for comments.
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SUMMARY: From June 29, 2020, through June 28, 2021, the Coast Guard
conducted the Northern New York Bight Port Access Route Study
(NNYBPARS) and is now requesting your comments on a draft version of
the study report. The goal of the study is 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 District area of responsibility. To accomplish this goal, the
Coast Guard has undertaken measures to determine whether existing or
additional routing measures are necessary to improve navigation safety
due to factors such as planned or potential offshore development,
current port capabilities and planned improvements, increased vessel
traffic, existing and potential anchorage areas, changing vessel
traffic patterns, effects of weather, or navigational difficulty. We
seek your comments on the content and development of the report.
DATES: Your comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on
or before August 30, 2021.
Although the Coast Guard prefers and highly encourages all comments
and related material be submitted directly to the electronic docket, a
public meeting will be held via webinar and teleconference to provide
an opportunity for oral comments about the NNYBPARS draft report on
Friday, July 30, 2020, beginning at 9 a.m. EST.
Additional public meetings dates may be added. Information as to
the date, time, and location of these in person public meetings will be
posted at <a href="https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=PARS">https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=PARS</a> by July 23, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2020-0278 using the Federal portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. See
the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further instructions on
submitting comments.
A virtual public meeting on Friday, July 30, 2020, beginning at 9
a.m. EST, will be held via webinar and teleconference.
Access information for this virtual public meeting will be posted
at <a href="https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=PARS">https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=PARS</a> by July 23, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice,
contact Mr. Craig Lapiejko, Waterways Management at First Coast Guard
District, telephone (617) 223-8351, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4a29382b232d642e64262b3a232f2021250a3f39292d64272326"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1073627179773e743e7c716079757a7b7f50656373773e7d797c">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Table of Abbreviations
ACPARS Atlantic Coast Port Access Route Study
AIS Automatic Identification System
COMDTINST Commandant Instruction
DHS Department of Homeland Security
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
IMO International Maritime Organization
MTS Marine Transportation System
NAD83 North American Datum of 1983
NNYB Northern New York Bight
PARS Port Access Route Study
PWSA Ports and Waterways Safety Act
TSS Traffic Separation Scheme
USCG United States Coast Guard
II. Background and Purpose
The Ports and Waterways Safety Act (46 U.S.C. 70003(c)) requires
the Coast Guard to conduct a Port Access Route Study (PARS), i.e., a
study of potential traffic density and the need for safe access routes
for vessels. Through the study process, the Coast Guard coordinates
with Federal, State, local, tribal and foreign state agencies (as
appropriate) to consider the views of maritime community
representatives, environmental groups, and other interested
stakeholders. The primary purpose of this coordination is, to the
extent practicable, to reconcile the need for safe access routes with
other reasonable waterway uses such as construction and operation of
renewable energy facilities and other uses of the Atlantic Ocean in the
study area.
In 2019, the Coast Guard announced a new study of routes used by
ships to access ports on the Atlantic Coast of the United States in the
Federal Register (84 FR 9541; March 15, 2019). This new study
supplements and builds upon the ACPARS by conducting a series of PARS
to examine ports along the Atlantic Coast that are economically
significant or support military or critical national defense operations
and related international entry and departure transit areas that are
integral to the safe and efficient and unimpeded flow of commerce to/
from major international shipping lanes. The NNYBPARS is one of several
studies being conducted.
On June 29, 2020, the First Coast Guard District 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 District area
of responsibility.
The public was afforded a 60-day comment period, and two virtual
public meetings were held via teleconference and webinar to receive
public input. The Coast Guard received 25 comments to this document in
response to our Federal Register Notice, public meetings and other
outreach efforts. All comments and supporting documents to this
document are available in a public
[[Page 37340]]
docket and can be viewed at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
On April 12, 2021, we published a supplemental notice of study;
request for comments entitled ``Port Access Route Study (PARS):
Northern New York Bight'' in the Federal Register (86 FR 18996) seeking
additional information.
The public was afforded a 30-day comment period. The Coast Guard
received five comments to this document in response to our Federal
Register Notice, and other outreach efforts. All comments and
supporting documents to this document are available in a public docket
and can be viewed at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
During both comment periods a total of 30 comments were submitted
by representatives of the maritime community, wind energy developers,
non-governmental organizations, Federal and State governmental
agencies, and private citizens.
Of the thirty comments, fourteen requested additional routing
measures be established, twelve expressed concerns that wind farm
installations will negatively affect vessel's marine radar performance,
eight requested setback/buffer zones, six requested anchorages be
designated, six requested additional meetings, three requested
alteration of existing routing measures, and three requested expanding
Vessel Traffic Services.
A synopsis of the comments and copies of the Coast Guard's Public
outreach can be found in the report. The Coast Guard is opening this
third and final NNYBPARS comment period to facilitate transparent
public discussions on the information above as well as the draft report
findings to date.
III. Information Requested
Do you agree or disagree with the draft report's recommendations,
propose actions, or continued actions, and if so, why?
V. Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to comment on the content and development of the
report through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
A. Viewing the draft version of the report: To view the draft
version of the NNYBPARS report in the docket, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, and insert ``USCG-2020-0278'' in the ``search
box.'' Click ``Search''. Then scroll down looking of the document
entitled ``DRAFT REPORT Northern New York Bight PARS June 29, 2021''
under the document type ``Supporting & Related Material.''
B. Submitting Comments: To submit your comment online, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, and insert ``USCG-2020-0278'' in the ``search
box.'' Click ``Search''. Then click ``Comment.'' The ``Comment'' button
can be found on the following pages:
<bullet> Docket Details page when a document within the docket is
open for comment,
<bullet> Document Details page when the document is open for
comment, and
<bullet> Document Search Tab with all search results open for
comment displaying a ``Comment'' button.
Clicking ``Comment'' on any of the above pages will display the
comment form. You can enter your comment on the form, attach files
(maximum of 20 files up to 10MB each), and choose whether to identify
yourself as an individual, an organization, or anonymously. Be sure to
complete all required fields depending on which identity you have
chosen. Once you have completed all required fields and chosen an
identity, the ``Submit Comment'' button is enabled. Upon completion,
you will receive a Comment Tracking Number for your comment. For
additional step by step instructions, please see the Frequently Asked
Questions page on <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> or by clicking <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/faq">https://www.regulations.gov/faq</a>.
We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> and will include any personal information you have
provided. For more about privacy and submissions to the docket in
response to this document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records
notice (85 FR 14226, March 11, 2020).
We review all comments and materials received during the comment
period, but we may choose not to post off-topic, inappropriate, or
duplicate comments that we receive.
C. How do I find and browse for posted comments on <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>.
On the previous version of <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>, users browse for comments
on the Docket Details page. However, since comments are made on
individual documents, not dockets, new <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a> organizes
comments under their corresponding document. To access comments and
documents submitted to this draft version of the study report go to
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, and insert ``USCG-2020-0278'' in the
``search box.'' Click ``Search''. Then scroll down to and click on the
``notice'' entitled ``Port Access Route Study: Notice of availability
of draft report and public information session; request for comments.''
This will open to the ``Document Details'' page. Then click on the
``Browse Comments'' tab. On the comment tab, you can search and filter
comments. Note: If no comments have been posted to a document, the
``Comments'' tab will not appear on the Document Details page.
D. If you need additional help navigating the new <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>.
For additional step by step instructions to submit a comment or to view
submitted comments or other documents please see the Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs) at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov/faqs">http://www.regulations.gov/faqs</a> or call or email
the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
document for alternate instructions.
E. 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, system of records notice regarding DHS's eRulemaking in
the March 11, 2020, issue of the Federal Register (85 FR 14226).
VI. Future Actions
Any comments received will be reviewed and considered before a
final version of the NNYBPARS is announced in the Federal Register.
This notice is published under the authority of 46 U.S.C. 70004 and
5 U.S.C. 552(a).
Dated: June 28, 2021.
T.G. Allan Jr.,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, First Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2021-14757 Filed 7-13-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE P
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