Legal Status
Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard was established by act of January 28, 1915 (14 U.S.C. 1) and became a component of the Department of Transportation on April 1, 1967, pursuant to the Department of Transportation Act of October 15, 1966. Following the enactment of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, The Coast Guard was transferred from Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003 (116 Stat. 2135).
The Coast Guard protects the public, the environment, and U.S. economic interests in the Nation's ports and waterways, along the coast, on international waters, or in any maritime region, as required, to support national security. Among its duties are: search and rescue operations in and over the high seas and navigable waters, maritime law enforcement, marine inspection and licensing, pilotage of the Great Lakes, protection of the marine environment by enforcing the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, ensuring the safety and security of ports and anchorages, maintaining the management of waterways, providing navigational aids, and regulating the construction, maintenance and operation of bridges and causeways across navigable waters.
- Agency URL:
- http://www.uscg.mil/
- Parent Agency
- Homeland Security Department
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Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)-Reader Requirements
The Coast Guard is issuing a final rule to require owners and operators of certain vessels and facilities regulated by the Coast Guard to conduct electronic inspections of Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWICs) as an access control measure. This final rule also implements recordkeeping requirements and security plan amendments...
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Commercial Fishing Vessels-Implementation of 2010 and 2012 Legislation
The Coast Guard is extending, for 90 days, the period for submitting public comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). The extension responds to a request made by the public.
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Inspection of Towing Vessels
The Coast Guard is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on June 20, 2016 (81 FR 40004). The document issued safety regulations governing the inspection, standards, and safety management systems of towing vessels. In that document there are errors in three regulations that refer to the date July 20, 2016. This rule...
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Inspection of Towing Vessels
The Coast Guard announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the collection of information described in the Inspection of Towing Vessels final rule published on June 20, 2016. In that rule, which establishes safety regulations governing the inspection, standards, and safety management systems of towing vessels, we stated...
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Commercial Fishing Vessels-Implementation of 2010 and 2012 Legislation
The Coast Guard proposes to align its commercial fishing industry vessel regulations with the mandatory provisions of 2010 and 2012 legislation passed by Congress that took effect upon enactment. The alignments would change the applicability of current regulations, and add new requirements for safety equipment, vessel examinations, vessel safety...
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Special Local Regulation; Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa
The Coast Guard proposes to establish a permanent special local regulation for the Annual Fautasi Ocean Challenge canoe race in Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa. This annual event historically occurs during the weeks of Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving Day. This action is necessary to safeguard the participants and spectators, including all crews,...
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Safety Zones; San Francisco, CA
The Coast Guard proposes to amend, add, and delete several permanent safety zones located in the Captain of the Port San Francisco zone that are established to protect public safety during annual firework displays. These amendments will update listed events to accurately reflect the firework display locations. This proposed rulemaking would...
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Security Zones; Annual Events in the Captain of the Port Detroit Zone-North American International Auto Show, Detroit River, Detroit MI
The Coast Guard will enforce a security zone associated with the North American International Auto Show, Detroit River, Detroit, MI. This security zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of the Detroit River in order to ensure the safety and security of participants, visitors, and public officials at the North American International...
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Safety zone; Tennessee River, Mile 446.0 to 454.5
The Coast Guard proposes to establish a safety zone for all waters of the Tennessee River, beginning at mile marker 446.0 and ending at mile marker 454.5 during periods of high water flow. High water flow is determined by flow rates that have reached or exceeded 100,000 cubic feet per second at Chickamauga lock and dam on the Tennessee River at...
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Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee
The Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee will meet on February 28, March 1, and March 2, 2017, in Houston, TX to discuss committee matters relating to the safe and secure marine transportation of hazardous materials. These meeting will be open to the public.
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Security Zone; Potomac River and Anacostia River, and Adjacent Waters; Washington, DC
The Coast Guard will enforce a security zone along the Potomac River and Anacostia River, and adjacent waters at Washington, DC, for activities associated with the 58th Presidential Inauguration. The zone will be enforced on the days leading up to and through the cessation of activities associated with the 58th Presidential Inauguration taking...
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Update to Alternative Planning Criteria (APC) National Guidelines
The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period on the draft Alternative Planning Criteria (APC) National Guidelines. The available draft is the same as that which was made available for comment in May 2016. The APC Guidelines would provide the maritime industry with updated information on the development and submission of an APC request made...
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Special Local Regulation; Mavericks Surf Competition, Half Moon Bay, CA
The Coast Guard proposes to revise a special local regulation in the navigable waters of Half Moon Bay, CA, near Pillar Point in support of the Mavericks Surf Competition, an annual invitational surf competition held at the Mavericks Break. We are proposing this revision to improve the regulation by making it clearer and to have it better...
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Anchorage Regulations: Special Anchorage Areas; Marina del Rey Harbor, Marina del Rey, CA
The Coast Guard is amending the shape and reducing the size of the special anchorage area in Marina del Rey Harbor, Marina del Rey, California. Additionally, the Coast Guard is clarifying the language in the note section of the existing regulation. This action is necessary as it will create sufficient navigable water around the anchorage...
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Special Local Regulation; Manatee River; Bradenton, FL
The Coast Guard proposes to establish a special local regulation for certain waters of the Manatee River during the Bradenton Area River Regatta. This action is necessary to protect the safety of race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public on these navigable waters of the United States during the event. The special...