
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 7, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 61639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21371]



[[Page 61639]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 110

[Docket Number USCG-2016-0132]
RIN 1625-AA01


Anchorage Grounds, Hudson River; Yonkers, NY to Kingston, NY

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; change in comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is changing the comment period on the advance 
notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) it published June 9, 2016, 
regarding anchorage grounds on the Hudson River from Yonkers, NY, to 
Kingston, NY. Comments will now be due on or before December 6, 2016 
instead of September 7, 2016. As of August 29, 2016, the Coast Guard 
has received more than 2,100 public submissions from many interested 
persons commenting on the ANPRM. We are extending the comment period to 
continue encouraging this important public discussion.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received by the Coast 
Guard on or before December 6, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2016-0132 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 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 on this 
document, call or email Mr. Craig Lapiejko, Waterways Management Branch 
at Coast Guard First District, telephone 617-223-8351, email 
craig.d.lapiejko@uscg.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Acronyms

ANPRM Advance notice of proposed rulemaking
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register

A. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking, 
and will consider all comments and material received due on or before 
December 6, 2016. Your comments can help shape the outcome of this 
possible rulemaking. If you submit a comment, please include the docket 
number for this rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each 
suggestion or recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions.
    We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the 
docket, you may review a Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal 
Docket Management System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal 
Register (70 FR 15086).
    Documents mentioned in the ANPRM as being available in the docket, 
and all public comments, will be in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that Web site's 
instructions. For illustrations showing the locations of anchorage 
grounds being considered in the ANPRM, look for the documents in the 
Supporting & Related Material category. Additionally, if you go to the 
online docket and sign up for email alerts, you will be notified when 
comments are posted and if we publish rulemaking documents related to 
the ANPRM.

B. Basis and Purpose

    The Coast Guard is responsible for considering adjustments to 
improve navigational and environmental safety of waterways, including 
those requested by groups of mariners. On June 9, 2016, the Coast Guard 
published an ANPRM in the Federal Register (81 FR 37168) entitled 
Anchorage Grounds, Hudson River; Yonkers, NY, to Kingston, NY. With its 
publication, we initiated the early stage of a methodical and public 
rulemaking process to learn all possible navigational, environmental, 
terrestrial, and other effects of adding anchorages on the Hudson 
River. The ANPRM is a preliminary step, the goal of which is to gather 
information that defines the multiple stakeholder considerations we 
need to incorporate when considering proposed rule for potential 
anchorage grounds. This ANPRM solicitation has generated more than 
2,100 public submissions with comments on the subject from many diverse 
stakeholders. This wide-ranging feedback is very helpful. To continue 
encouraging this important public discussion, we are adding an 
additional 90 days to the comment period.

C. Information Requested

    Public participation is requested to assist in determining the best 
way forward with respect to establishing new anchorage grounds on the 
Hudson River between Yonkers, NY, to Kingston, NY. To aid us in 
developing a possible proposed rule, we seek any comments, whether 
positive or negative, including but not limited to the impacts 
anchorage grounds may have on navigation safety and current vessel 
traffic in this area, the proposed number and size of vessels anchoring 
in each proposed anchorage ground, and the authorized duration for each 
vessel in each proposed anchorage ground. We are also seeking comments 
on any additional locations where anchorage grounds may be helpful on 
the Hudson River or any recommended alterations to the specific 
locations considered in this notice. Please submit any comments or 
concerns you may have in accordance with the ``Public Participation and 
Request for Comments'' section above.

    Dated: August 31, 2016.
Steven D. Poulin,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, First Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2016-21371 Filed 9-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P


