§ 165.T07-0806 Safety Zones in Reentry Sites; Jacksonville, Daytona, Cape Canaveral, Tampa, and Tallahassee, Florida.

(a) Location. The coordinates used in this paragraph are based on the World Geodetic System (WGS) 1984. The following areas are safety zones:

(1) Jacksonville site. All waters from surface to bottom encompassed within a line connecting the following points: Point 1, thence to Point 2, thence to Point 3, thence to Point 4, and then back to Point 1.

(2) Daytona site. All waters from surface to bottom encompassed within a line connecting the following points: Point 1, thence to Point 2, thence to Point 3, thence to Point 4, and then back to Point 1.

(3) Cape Canaveral site. All waters from surface to bottom encompassed within a line connecting the following points: Point 1, thence to Point 2, thence to Point 3, thence to Point 4, and then back to Point 1.

(4) Tampa site. All waters from surface to bottom encompassed within a line connecting the following points: Point 1, thence to Point 2, thence to Point 3, thence to Point 4, and then back to Point 1.

(5) Tallahassee site. All waters from surface to bottom encompassed within a line connecting the following points: Point 1, thence to Point 2, thence to Point 3, and then back to Point 1.

(b) Definitions. As used in this section—

District Commander means Commander of the Seventh Coast Guard District.

Captain of the Port means the Captain of the Port of Jacksonville, the Captain of the Port of Savannah, or the Captain of the Port of St. Petersburg.

Designated representative means a Coast Guard Patrol Commander, including a Coast Guard coxswain, petty officer, or other officer operating a Coast Guard vessel; Coast Guard Representatives in the Merrill Operations Center; and other officers designated by the District Commander of the Seventh Coast Guard District or cognizant COTP.

Reentry Services means activities involved in the preparation of a reentry vehicle and payload, crew (including crew training), government astronaut, or space flight participant, if any, for reentry; and the conduct of a reentry.

Reentry vehicle means a vehicle designed to return from Earth orbit or outer space to Earth, or a reusable launch vehicle designed to return from Earth orbit or outer space to Earth, substantially intact.

Space Support Vessel means any vessel engaged in the support of space activities. These vessels are typically approximately 170 feet in length, have a forward wheelhouse, and are equipped with a helicopter pad and lifting crane.

Splashdown means the landing of a reentry vehicle into a body of water.

(c) Regulations.

(1) Because the safety zones described in paragraph (a) of this section are within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, only U.S.-flagged vessels are subject to enforcement. All foreign-flagged vessels are encouraged to remain outside the safety zones.

(2) In accordance with the general regulations in 33 CFR part 165, subpart C, no U.S.-flagged vessel may enter the safety zones described in paragraph (a) of this section unless authorized by the District Commander, COTP, or designated representative, except as provided in paragraph (d)(3) of this section.

(d) Notification of enforcement.

(1) To the extent feasible, the District Commander, COTP, or designated representative will inform the public of the activation of the five safety zones described in paragraph (a) of this section by Notice of Enforcement published in the Federal Register at least two days before the splashdown.

(2) To the extent possible, twenty-four hours before a reentry vehicle splashdown, the District Commander, COTP, or designated representative will inform the public if one of the five safety zones described in paragraph (a) will remain activated until announced by Broadcast Notice to Mariners on VHF–FM channel 16, and/or Marine Safety Information Bulletin (as appropriate) that the safety zone is no longer subject to enforcement.

(3) After a reentry vehicle splashdown, the District Commander, COTP, or designated representative will grant general permission to come no closer than 3 nautical miles of any reentry vehicle or space support vessel engaged in the recovery operations, within the activated safety zone described in paragraph (a) of this section.

(4) Once a reentry vehicle, and any personnel involved in reentry service, are removed from the water and secured onboard a space support vessel, the District Commander, COTP, or designated representative will issue a Broadcast Notice to Mariners on VHF–FM channel 16 announcing the activated safety zone is no longer subject to enforcement.

(e) Effective period. This section is effective from January 1, 2023, through February 4, 2024.

[USCG–2022–0806, 87 FR 78869, Dec. 23, 2022]