Notice2023-11878
Port Access Route Study: The Pacific Coast From Washington to California
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
June 5, 2023
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentCoast Guard
Abstract
The Coast Guard announces the availability of the study results of the Pacific Coast Port Access Route Study. This study evaluated safe access routes for the movement of vessel traffic proceeding to or from ports or places along the western seaboard of the United States. As a result of the study data and public input, the Coast Guard recommends the establishment of voluntary shipping fairways ("fairway") for coastwise and nearshore vessel traffic to promote the safe, unobstructed navigation of vessels in the study area.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 107 (Monday, June 5, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 107 (Monday, June 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 36607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11878]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2021-0345]
Port Access Route Study: The Pacific Coast From Washington to
California
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability of study.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of the study
results of the Pacific Coast Port Access Route Study. This study
evaluated safe access routes for the movement of vessel traffic
proceeding to or from ports or places along the western seaboard of the
United States. As a result of the study data and public input, the
Coast Guard recommends the establishment of voluntary shipping fairways
(``fairway'') for coastwise and nearshore vessel traffic to promote the
safe, unobstructed navigation of vessels in the study area.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document
call or email LCDR Sara Conrad, Coast Guard Pacific Area (PAC-54), U.S.
Coast Guard; telephone (510) 437-3813, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#de8dbfacbff09bf09db1b0acbfba9eabadbdb9f0b3b7b2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="386b594a59167d167b57564a595c784d4b5b5f16555154">[email protected]</span></a> or
Mr. Tyrone Conner, Eleventh Coast Guard District (dpw), U.S. Coast
Guard; telephone (510) 437-2968, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9fcbe6edf0f1fab1d3b1dcf0f1f1faeddfeaecfcf8b1f2f6f3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="603419120f0e054e2c4e230f0e0e051220151303074e0d090c">[email protected]</span></a> or Mr.
John Moriarty, Thirteenth Coast Guard District (dpw), U.S. Coast Guard;
telephone (206) 220-7274, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1f5570777131593152706d767e6d6b665f6a6c7c7831727673"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="773d181f195931593a18051e1605030e3702041410591a1e1b">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Ports and Waterways Safety Act, (PWSA)(46 U.S.C. 70003(c)(1)),
authorizes the Commandant of the Coast Guard to designate necessary
fairways and traffic separations schemes (TSSs) to provide safe access
routes for vessels proceeding to and from United States 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, 46 U.S.C. 70003(c)(1)
requires the Coast Guard to study potential traffic density and assess
the need for safe access routes for vessels. During this process, the
Coast Guard considers the views of the maritime community,
environmental groups, and other stakeholders to reconcile the need for
safe access routes with reasonable waterway uses. See 46 U.S.C.
70003(c)(3).
On July 28, 2021, the Coast Guard announced that the Coast Guard
Pacific Area Command would conduct a Pacific Coast Port Access Route
Study (PAC-PARS). 86 FR 40791. The study area encompassed all vessel
traffic patterns approaching and departing major ports along the west
coast to include all current Traffic Separation Schemes and vessel
maneuvering along the Pacific Coast from Washington to California and
all federal navigable waters out to the EEZ. The PAC-PARS was focused
on vessel traffic and navigation mitigation techniques to improve and
support safe navigation transits within the major Pacific Coast Ports
and the United States EEZ.
The PAC-PARS aimed to enhance navigational safety by examining
existing shipping routes and waterway uses and, to the extent
practicable, reconciling the paramount right of navigation within
designated port access routes with other waterway uses such as the
development of aquaculture farms, offshore renewable energy, commercial
space ports/re-entry sites, marine sanctuaries, ports supporting
Panamax vessels, potential LNG ports and additional commercial vessel
traffic.
On August 26, 2022, the Coast Guard published a draft study
containing recommended routing measures and requested public comments.
After examining stakeholder responses to the draft recommendations,
analyzing current and historical vessel traffic, fishing vessel
information, agency and stakeholder experience in vessel traffic
management, navigation, ship handling, and effects of weather, the
study determined that there is a need to establish voluntary fairways
for coastwise and nearshore vessel traffic to promote safety of
navigation in the study area. As part of the PAC-PARS Final Report,
which is available for public review in this docket, charts of the
recommended fairways are included as Appendices I, II, and III.
Examples of public notice and outreach documents are included in
Appendices IV-X. Two vessel traffic analyses, for coastal waters and
port approaches, are included as Enclosures 1 and 2, respectively.
Earlier Federal Register announcements associated with this effort are
included as Enclosures 3-5. Enclosure 6 contains the Public Comments
adjudication included in the Draft Study. Finally, the three
recommendation memorandums from each Coast Guard command involved in
this study are provided in Enclosures 7, 8, and 9.
The Final Study, appendices, and enclosures can also be found at
the Coast Guard Navigation Center website Port Access Route Studies
[bond] Navigation Center (<a href="http://uscg.gov">uscg.gov</a>).
This notice is issued under authority of 46 U.S.C. 70003(c)(1).
Dated: May 25, 2023.
A.J. Tiongson,
Vice Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Pacific Area.
[FR Doc. 2023-11878 Filed 6-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
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