Notice2022-28482
Port Access Route Study: Approaches to Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts
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
January 3, 2023
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentCoast Guard
Abstract
On March 31, 2022, the Coast Guard published a notice of study and request for comments announcing commencement of an Approaches to Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts Port Access Route Study (MNMPARS). This notice announces the availability of a draft report for public review and comment. The Coast Guard is seeking public comments on the content, proposed routing measures, and development of the report. The recommendations of this study may lead to future rulemakings or appropriate international agreements.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 1 (Tuesday, January 3, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83-85]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-28482]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2022-0047]
Port Access Route Study: Approaches to Maine, New Hampshire, and
Massachusetts
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability of draft report; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: On March 31, 2022, the Coast Guard published a notice of study
and request for comments announcing commencement of an Approaches to
Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts Port Access Route Study
(MNMPARS). This notice announces the availability of a draft report for
public review and comment. The Coast Guard is seeking public comments
on the content, proposed routing measures, and development of the
report. The recommendations of this study may lead
[[Page 84]]
to future rulemakings or appropriate international agreements.
DATES: All comments and related material must be received on or before
February 2, 2022. 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-
2022-0047 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>). See the ``Public Participation and Request for
Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further
instructions on viewing the draft report and submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this
notice, call or email LTJG Thomas Davis, First Coast Guard District
(dpw), U.S. Coast Guard: telephone (617) 223-8632, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c1928c83ec85f083aeb2b5aeafec8c8f8c9180939281b4b2a2a6efaca8ad"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="11425c533c5520537e62657e7f3c5c5f5c4150434251646272763f7c787d">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Table of Abbreviations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
MNMPARS Approaches to Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts Port
Access Route Study
PARS Port Access Route Study
TSS Traffic Separation Scheme
USCG United States Coast Guard
II. Background and Purpose
Under section 70003 of title 46 of the United States Code (46
U.S.C. 70003(c)), the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) may
designate necessary fairways and traffic separation schemes (TSSs) to
provide safe access routes for vessels proceeding to and from U.S.
ports. The designation of fairways and TSSs recognizes the paramount
right of navigation over all other uses in the designated areas.
Before establishing or adjusting fairways or TSSs, the USCG must
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 USCG must coordinate with federal,
state, tribal, and foreign state agencies (where appropriate) and
consider the views of maritime community representatives, environmental
groups, and other 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
anchorages, construction, operation of renewable energy facilities,
marine sanctuary operations, commercial and recreational activities,
and other uses.
On March 31, 2022, the Coast Guard commenced an Approaches to
Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts Port Access Route Study
(MNMPARS) by publishing a notice of study and request for comments in
the Federal Register (87 FR 18800). The purpose of the MNMPARS is to
evaluate the adequacy of existing vessel routing measures and determine
whether additional vessel routing measures are necessary for port
approaches to Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts and international
and domestic transit areas in the First Coast Guard District area of
responsibility.
On June 28, 2022, the First Coast Guard District published a 60-day
Notification of Inquiry and Public Meetings; request for comments (87
FR 38418). This supplemental notice announced a schedule for six public
meetings and sought additional public comments concerning more specific
navigational safety issues. The notification requested responses to
several general and port-specific questions that were based on analysis
of historical traffic data and public comments received from the
original Notice of Study. Of the six public meetings, four were
conducted in both in-person and virtual formats, one was in-person
only, and one was virtual only.
During both comment periods a total of 30 comments were submitted
by representatives of the maritime community, Federal and State
governmental agencies, environmental groups, non-governmental
organizations, and other stakeholders. Comments were provided during
public meetings, via email, and submitted directly to the electronic
docket. Oral comments provided during public meetings can be viewed in
the individual meeting recordings posted to the ``Documents'' section
of the public docket.
The USCG is opening this third MNMPARS comment period to facilitate
transparent public feedback on the content and findings included in the
draft report of this study.
III. Information Requested
The USCG is seeking all public comments on the content and
recommendations contained in the study draft report. All comments
received will be reviewed and considered before a final version of the
PARS is announced in the Federal Register.
IV. Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to participate in the study process by commenting
on the content and development of the draft report.
A. Viewing the draft version of the report: To view the draft
version of the MNMPARS report in the docket, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, and insert ``USCG-2022-0047'' in the ``search
box''. Click ``Search''. Then, scroll to find the document entitled
``DRAFT REPORT Approaches to Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts
Port Access Route Study'' 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-2022-0047'' in the ``search
box.'' Click ``Search''. Then scroll to find the most recent ``notice''
entitled ``Port Access Route Study: Approaches to Maine, New Hampshire,
and Massachusetts'' and 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> 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
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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 browsed 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-2022-0047'' in the
``search box.'' Click ``Search.'' Then scroll down to and click on the
most recent ``notice'' entitled ``Port Access Route Study: Approaches
to Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.'' 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).
V. Future Actions
Any comments received by the comment period end date will be
reviewed and considered before the final report of the MNMPARS is
announced in the Federal Register.
This notice is published under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).
Dated: December 22, 2022.
J. W. Mauger,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, First Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2022-28482 Filed 12-30-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
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