Notice2022-06228
Port Access Route Study: Seacoast of New Jersey Including Offshore Approaches to the Delaware Bay, Delaware
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
March 24, 2022
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentCoast Guard
Abstract
The Coast Guard announces the completion of the Port Access Route Study for the Seacoast of New Jersey Including Offshore Approaches to the Delaware Bay, Delaware. The study examined existing shipping routes and waterway uses, to include the potential for offshore energy development, in the study area to evaluate the need for establishing or changing existing vessel routing measures. This notice summarizes the study's recommendation.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16759-16760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06228]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket Number USCG-2020-0172]
Port Access Route Study: Seacoast of New Jersey Including
Offshore Approaches to the Delaware Bay, Delaware
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the completion of the Port Access
Route Study for the Seacoast of New Jersey Including Offshore
Approaches to the Delaware Bay, Delaware. The study examined existing
shipping routes and waterway uses, to include the potential for
offshore energy development, in the study area to evaluate the need for
establishing or changing existing vessel routing measures. This notice
summarizes the study's recommendation.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this
notice or study, call or email Mr. Matthew Creelman, Marine Planner at
Fifth Coast Guard District, telephone (757) 398-6225, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c489a5b0b0aca1b3ea8fea87b6a1a1a8a9a5aaf684b1b7a7a3eaa9ada8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="35785441415d50421b7e1b764750505958545b0775404656521b585c59">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Table of Abbreviations
ACPARS Atlantic Coast Ports Access Route Study
BOEM Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
IMO International Maritime Organization
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
OREI Offshore Renewable Energy Installation
PARS Port Access Route Study
SAR Search and Rescue
USCG United States Coast Guard
II. Background and Purpose
We conducted this Port Access Route Study (PARS) following a Notice
of Study, published in the Federal Register on May 5, 2020. There was a
60-day public comment period, as well as other outreach efforts
identified in Section C of the study. During the comment period the
USCG received 32 comments in response to the notice.
We conducted two (2) public meetings, as published in the Federal
Register (85 FR 64507), on September 13, 2020. Audio recordings of both
meetings are contained in the public docket as annotated in Section C
of the study.
On September 24, 2021, we published a Notice of Availability of the
draft study in the Federal Register (86 FR 53089) with a 30-day public
comment period and a request for public comment.
During the 30-day public comment period, the USCG received 15
comments in response to our draft study. All comments and supporting
documents are available in the public docket and can be viewed at
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. To view documents, in the ``Search'' box
insert ``USCG-2020-0172'' and click ``Search''.
The goal of the study is to enhance navigational safety in the
study area by examining existing shipping routes and waterway uses. We
have undertaken measures to (1) determine what, if any, navigational
safety concerns exist with vessel transits in the study area; (2)
determine whether to recommend changes to enhance navigational safety
by examining existing shipping routes and all other waterway uses; and
(3) reconcile any other proposed changes with other reasonable waterway
uses.
III. Study Recommendations
The recommendations of this PARS are based on the data analysis for
historical vessel traffic patterns, comments received to the docket,
public outreach, and consultation with other government agencies and
stakeholders. Recommendations in the study include:
1. Submit proposals to the IMO to create precautionary areas
offshore from the entrance to the Delaware River where shipping safety
fairways and traffic separation schemes intersect.
2. Submit proposals to the IMO to extend the Traffic Separation
Schemes in the approach to the Delaware River beyond any OREI lease
areas adjacent to the approaches.
3. Submit a proposal to the IMO to extend the two-way route along
the New Jersey coast across the entrance of the Delaware Bay and along
the Delaware coast.
4. Amend the proposed Shipping Safety Fairways along the Atlantic
Coast to separate the Cape Charles to Montauk Point Fairway into a Cape
Charles to Delaware Bay Fairway and a Barnegat to Narragansett Fairway.
5. Create a New Jersey to New York Fairway and include this in the
Shipping Safety Fairways along the Atlantic Coast.
6. Establish a Fairway Anchorage adjacent to the Southeastern
Traffic Separation Scheme to accommodate future needs for safe
anchorage around OREI.
[[Page 16760]]
IV. Summary of Changes
Recommendations in Section F were expanded to include a general
notice to mariners on navigation safety around OREI.
The table of coordinates was removed in an effort to avoid
confusion. Detailed coordinates for proposed routing measures,
fairways, and anchorage grounds will be announced in future
rulemakings.
A statement acknowledging the impact of OREI on SAR was included in
Section F to address future actions necessary to ensure operational
units revise plans to incorporate in the future.
A section summarizing comments to the draft report from the public
was added as a new Section G and subsequent sections were re-labeled to
incorporate this addition.
V. Future Actions
The USCG will continue to serve as a NEPA cooperating agency to the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's (BOEM) environmental review of each
proposed OREI project. In that role, the USCG will evaluate the
navigational safety risks of each proposal on a case-by-case basis.
The final study will be submitted to the Coast Guard's Office of
Navigation Systems (CG-NAV-2) for consideration and to inform the Coast
Guard's ongoing efforts to establish shipping safety fairways along the
Atlantic Coast, which can be found at 85 FR 37034.
The final study is available for viewing and download from the
Federal Register docket at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> or the USCG
Navigation Center website at <a href="https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=PARSReports">https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=PARSReports</a>.
Dated: March 18, 2022.
Laura M. Dickey,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2022-06228 Filed 3-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
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