Fwd: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking-Ellis Island Bridge Security Zone

[Nancy Brous]

I encourage all area human-powered boaters to submit comments on the restoring navigability to the channel behind Ellis Island for human powered boats.  Transiting behind Ellis Island provides safer passage for small human powered crafts in many cases, which makes the area safer for all mariners.  Removing or changing the security zone around the bridge that connects Ellis Island to the mainland will not mean that human-powered boats are required to take that route, but it will make it legal for them to do so.

Please follow the links below for more information and to submit comments.

The deadline is MAY 21, 2018!

If anyone has trouble accessing the Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 77 / Friday, April 20, 2018 / Proposed Rules 17513 through the link below, please let me know back-channel and I will try to send it to you.

Thanks and happy Spring!

NB for NYCWTA/HRWA

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pundt, Kristina H MST1 <Kristina...@uscg.mil>
Date: Fri, Apr 20, 2018 at 12:30 PM
Subject: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking-Ellis Island Bridge Security Zone


Good Day,

The Ellis Island Bridge security zone NPRM was published in today's Federal
Register (attached).  Comments must be received by May 21, 2018. You may
submit comments through the docket number "USCG-2016-0799" at the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov/. 

The attachment has also been posted to
https://homeport.uscg.mil/port-directory/new-york > Waterway Management >
Coast Guard Advisory Notices section.

Very Respectfully,

MST1 Kristina Pundt
U.S. Coast Guard
Sector New York
Waterways Management
212 Coast Guard Drive
Staten Island, NY 10305
Ph: 718-354-4352

[Nancy Brous]

As some have pointed out, there are indeed quite limiting restrictions on vessel length, times of day, and days of the week that human powered vessels might be able to pass under the Ellis Island bridge.  

Please mention this in your comments, perhaps stressing that many if not most sea kayaks used in the harbor are longer than 16’, Whitehall gigs and OC-6’s are considerably longer, and that these recreational vessels are operated on weekedays and sometimes after dusk, times which may pose greater risk due to trafficnor visibility to all vessels sharing the main channel.   Thus navigability of the western channel at those times may be even more important for the safety of all vessels operating in the area.

Unfortunately, we were caught off guard finding these restrictions inserted in the text (we understand this was added by an agency other than the USCG) after lobbying for many years for this rule change for the safety of all human powered craft and other vessels using this highly trafficked area.

If human powered boaters fail to submit comments in favor of eliminating the “temporary” security zone because they feel the proposed rule is too restrictive, the security zone will simply remain in place, as is.  Our hope is that if enough people point out the issues that make the proposed rule, as currently written, less effective, that the rule can be changed.

If you think human powered boats should be allowed to pass under the bridge between NJ and Eliis Island, please take the time to submit detailed comments.