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The Coast Guard is conducting a Port Access Route Study (PARS) 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 Northern New York Bight PARS (NNYBPARS) will consider 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. Vessel routing measures, which include traffic separation schemes, two-way routes, recommended tracks, deep-water routes, precautionary areas, and areas to be avoided, are implemented to reduce the risk of marine casualties. The recommendations of the study may subsequently be implemented through rulemakings or in accordance with international agreements.

Comments and related material must be received on or before August 28, 2020.

Although the Coast Guard prefers and highly encourages all comments and related material be submitted directly to the electronic docket, two virtual public meetings will be held via webinar and teleconference to provide an opportunity for oral comments about the NNYBPARS on Thursday, July 30, 2020, beginning at 9 a.m. EST, and on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, beginning at 6 p.m. EST. All comments and related material submitted must be received by the Coast Guard on or before August 28, 2020. 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.

You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-2020-0278 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov. See the “Public Participation and Request for Comments” portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further instructions on submitting comments.

The virtual public meeting on Thursday, July 30, 2020, beginning at 9 a.m. EST, will be held via webinar and teleconference.

The virtual public meeting on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, beginning at 6 p.m. EST, will be held via webinar and teleconference.

Access information for these virtual public meetings will be posted at https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=PARS by July 23, 2020.

If you have questions about this notice of study, call or email Mr. Craig Lapiejko, First Coast Guard District (dpw), U.S. Coast Guard; telephone (617) 223-8351, email craig.d.lapiejko@uscg.mil.

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official publications, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These publications remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.