§ 165.506 — Safety Zones; Fireworks Displays In The Uscg East District

(a) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section:

Event Patrol Commander or Event PATCOM means a commissioned, warrant, or petty officer of the Coast Guard who has been designated by the respective Coast Guard Sector—COTP to enforce these regulations.

Official patrol means any vessel assigned or approved by the respective Captain of the Port (COTP) with a commissioned, warrant, or petty officer on board and displaying a Coast Guard ensign, or any state or local law enforcement vessel approved by the COTP in accordance with current local agreements.

(b) Applicability. This section applies to the safety zones listed in paragraph (h) of this section.

(c) Enforcement periods and COTP notification to the public. The COTP for the area where an event will be held will annually notify the public of each enforcement of a safety zone in paragraph (h) of this section by all appropriate means to affect the widest publicity among the affected public, including by Local Notices to Mariners and by Broadcast Notice to Mariners over VHF-FM marine band radio. The announcement will contain the details of the fireworks display, including the date(s) and time(s) of the enforcement period of the regulation with respect to that safety zone and the affected geographical area. Broadcasts may be made for these events beginning 24 to 48 hours before the event is scheduled to begin. The enforcement period(s) for each safety zone in paragraph (h) of this section is subject to change, but the duration of enforcement will remain the same, or nearly the same, total amount of time as stated in its table. An event may be conducted on the day following the date listed in paragraph (h) of this section in the case of inclement weather. Unless the COTP notifies the public otherwise, the safety zones in paragraph (h) of this section will be enforced from 5:30 p.m. on the date listed in paragraph (h) to 1 a.m. the date following the last date listed in paragraph (h) for an event.

(d) Regulations. (1) The general regulations contained in 33 CFR 165.23 apply.

(2) Vessels may not enter, remain in, or transit through the safety zones during enforcement unless authorized to do so by the COTP or the Event PATCOM.

(3) The Coast Guard may assign an official patrol to each fireworks display listed in paragraph (h) of this section. For each fireworks display assigned a patrol, a Coast Guard Event Patrol Commander (Event PATCOM) will be assigned to oversee the patrol. All persons and vessels must comply with the instructions of the Coast Guard COTP, Event PATCOM, or the official patrol. Upon being hailed by a U.S. Coast Guard vessel by siren, radio, flashing light or other means, the operator of a vessel must proceed as directed.

(e) Warning signs. (1) The pyrotechnic operator, or the agent of a professional pyrotechnics company, contracted by an event sponsor to conduct the fireworks display must ensure that a warning sign is affixed to the port and starboard side of the floating platform and visible each day the safety zone will be enforced. For a shore-based launch site, the pyrotechnic operator must ensure a warning sign is visible 3 feet above the ground level, on a post immediately adjacent to the shoreline, facing the water each day the safety zone will be enforced.

(2) The warning sign in paragraph (e)(1) of this section will be labeled “FIREWORKS—DANGER—STAY AWAY”. The sign must be: Diamond shaped, sized 4 feet by 4 feet, have a white background, and have a 3-inch orange retro-reflective border. The word “DANGER” must be in 10-inch black block letters centered on the sign. The words “FIREWORKS” and “STAY AWAY” must be in 6-inch black block letters placed above and below the word “DANGER”.

(f) Postponement or cancellation. The COTP or Event PATCOM may order the postponement or cancellation of a fireworks display at any time if, in their sole discretion, it is determined that the display cannot be conducted in a safe manner.

(g) Contact information. The public should contact the Coast Guard COTP for the area in which the event is occurring if they have questions about these safety zones. Contact information is listed below. For a description of the geographical area of each Coast Guard Sector—Captain of the Port zone, please see 33 CFR 3.25.

(1) Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay—Captain of the Port Zone, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: (215) 271-4940, email: D05-smb-secdelbay-WWM@uscg.mil.

(2) Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region—Captain of the Port Zone, Baltimore, Maryland: (410) 576-2525, email: D05-DG-SectorMD-NCR-MarineEvents@uscg.mil.

(3) Coast Guard Sector Virginia—Captain of the Port Zone, Portsmouth, Virginia: (757) 483-8567; email: D05-DG-SECTORVA-WTRWAY@uscg.mil.

(4) Coast Guard Sector North Carolina—Captain of the Port Zone, Wilmington, North Carolina: (910) 343-3882, email: ncmarineevents@uscg.mil.

(h) Tables to § 165.506(h). All coordinates listed reference Datum NAD 1983. As noted in paragraph (c) of this section, the enforcement period for each of the listed safety zones is subject to change.

(1) Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay—COTP Zone

Table 1 to Paragraph (h)(1)

(2) Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region—COTP Zone

Table 2 to Paragraph (h)(2)

(3) Coast Guard Sector Virginia—COTP Zone

Table 3 to Paragraph (h)(3)

(4) Coast Guard Sector North Carolina—COTP Zone

Table 4 to Paragraph (h)(4)