§ 165.T08-1000 Safety Zones; Panama City, Pensacola, 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) Pensacola site. All waters from surface to bottom encompassed within the following coordinates connecting a line from Point 1, thence to Point 2, thence to Point 3, and thence to point 4, connecting back to Point 1:

(2) Panama City site. All waters from surface to bottom encompassed within the following coordinates connecting a line from Point 1, thence to Point 2, thence to Point 3, and thence to point

4, connecting back to Point 1:

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

(b) Definitions. As used in this section—

Designated representative means a Coast Guard Captain of the Port Sector Mobile; Coast Guard Patrol Commanders including Coast Guard coxswains, petty officers and other officers operating a Coast Guard vessel; Coast Guard Representatives in the Merrill Operations Center; and other officers designated by the Captain of the Port Sector Mobile or assisting the Captain of the Port Sector Mobile in the enforcement of the safety zones.

Reentry services means

(1) 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

(2) 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 Captain of the Port Sector Mobile or a designated representative, except as provided in paragraph (d)(3).

(d) Enforcement periods.

(1) To the extent possible, at least two days before a reentry vehicle splashdown, the Captain of the Port Sector Mobile or designated representative will inform the public of the activation of the three safety zones described in paragraph (a) of this section by Broadcast Notice to Mariners on VHF–FM channel 16, and/or Safety Marine Information Broadcast (as appropriate) for at least two days before the splashdown.

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

(3) After a reentry vehicle splashdown, the Captain of the Port Sector Mobile or a designated representative will grant general permission to come no closer than three 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 Captain of the Port Sector Mobile 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.

[USCG–2022–0995, 88 FR 13319, Mar. 3, 2023]