For now, work continues on waterway projects with funding from FY23, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and additional supplemental funding. We look forward to progress on the FY24 appropriations bills prior to our annual meeting November 13-15, but we need to identify a new Speaker of the House first.

In the meantime, below is a chart showing the current funding for the AIWW/IWW and NJIWW in the president’s budget and House and Senate bills.

One month to go until the AIWA Annual Meeting on November 13-15. Early registration and the hotel room block ends on October 13.

The agenda has a number of great topics, but we wanted to highlight the keynote address by Colonel Brad Morgan, District Commander of the Wilmington District. We are excited about his participation and all of our federal partners!

In addition, we will host a panel led by Dr. Todd Bridges on Nature Based Solutions, and American Cruise Lines will share information about the recent completion of their coastal catamarans specifically designed for inland waterways. Plus much more!

More information is available on the annual meeting website here. Please make your plans soon to join us in Wilmington. We look forward to seeing you next month!

The Coast Guard is revising a temporary safety zone encompassing the Causton Bluff Bridge, on the Wilmington River, Savannah, GA. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters for the planned demolition and removal of structural components of the original bridge, in preparation of the construction of a new span. This rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Savannah or a designated representative.

On September 15, 2023, the Coast Guard published a temporary interim rule (TIR) with requests for comment. The TIR established a temporary safety zone encompassing the Causton Bluff Bridge, on the Wilmington River, Savannah, GA. When the rule was published, the Coast Guard immediately began receiving comments on the safety zone posted on the docket and emails sent directly to the Coast Guard. In order to address the concerns raised by the commenters, the Coast Guard made the determination not to enforce the original TIR until an updated enforcement schedule could be published through a new TIR. This new TIR takes into consideration the 24 comments received thus far on the previous TIR and revises the existing safety zone to provide the public with a schedule that equitably balances the needs of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GA DOT) and the waterway users.

1. Dates:  This temporary interim rule is effective without actual notice from October 3, 2023 through November 30, 2023. For the purposes of enforcement, actual notice will be used from October 2, 2023, until October 3, 2023. Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or before October 18, 2023.
2. Public Participation and Request for Comments:  We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking and will consider all comments and material received during the comment period. Your comment can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. Submitting comments. We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal Decision-Making Portal. To do so, go to https://www.regulations.gov, type USCG–2023–0466 in the search box and click ‘‘Search.’’ Next, look for this document in the Search Results column, and click on it. Then click on the Comment option. If you cannot submit your material by using the Federal Decision-Making Portal, call or email the person in the point of contact below for alternate instructions.
3. Point of Contact:  If you have questions on this rule, call or email LTJG Anthony Harris, Office of Waterways Management, Marine Safety Unit Savannah, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 912–652–4353 ext. 240, Anthony.E.Harris@uscg.mil.

– U.S. Coast Guard District Seven