§ 165.T09-1247 - Regulated Navigation Area and Safety Zone, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Romeoville, IL.

(a) Regulated Navigation Area. The following is a Regulated Navigation Area: All waters of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Romeoville, IL located between mile marker 295.0 (approximately 1.1 miles south of the Romeo Road Bridge) and mile marker 297.5 (approximately 1.3 miles northeast of the Romeo Road Bridge).

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

Designated representatives means the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan and Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Unit Chicago.

Red flag barge means any barge certificated to carry any hazardous material in bulk.

Hazardous material means any material as defined in 46 CFR 150.115.

Bow boat means a towing vessel capable of providing positive control of the bow of a tow containing one or more barges, while transiting the regulated navigation area. The bow boat must be capable of preventing a tow containing one or more barges from coming into contact with the shore and other moored vessels.

(2) Regulations. (i) The general regulations contained in 33 CFR 165.13 apply.

(ii) All up-bound and down-bound barge tows that contain one or more red flag barges transiting through the regulated navigation area must be assisted by a bow boat until the entire tow is clear of the regulated navigation area.

(iii) Vessels engaged in commercial service, as defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(5), may not pass (meet or overtake) in the regulated navigation area and must make a SECURITE call when approaching the regulated navigation area to announce intentions and work out passing arrangements on either side.

(iv) Commercial tows transiting the regulated navigation area must be made up with wire rope to ensure electrical connectivity between all segments of the tow.

(v) All vessels are prohibited from loitering between the Romeo Road Bridge (approximate mile marker 296.18) and mile marker 296.7 (aerial pipeline located approximately 0.51 miles north east of Romeo Road Bridge).

(vi) Vessels may enter the waters between the Romeo Road Bridge (approximate mile marker 296.18) and mile marker 296.7 (aerial pipeline located approximately 0.51 miles north east of Romeo Road Bridge) for the sole purpose of transiting to the other side and must maintain headway throughout the transit. All vessels and persons are prohibited from dredging, laying cable, dragging, fishing, conducting salvage operations, or any other activity, which could disturb the bottom of the canal in the area located between the Romeo Road Bridge (approximate mile marker 296.18) and mile marker 296.7 (aerial pipeline located approximately 0.51 miles north east of Romeo Road Bridge).

(vii) All personnel on open decks must wear a Coast Guard approved Type I personal flotation device while in the waters between the Romeo Road Bridge (approximate mile marker 296.18) and mile marker 296.7 (aerial pipeline located approximately 0.51 miles north east of Romeo Road Bridge).

(viii) Vessels may not moor or lay up on the right or left descending banks of the waters between the Romeo Road Bridge (approximate mile marker 296.18) and mile marker 296.7 (aerial pipeline located approximately 0.51 miles north east of Romeo Road Bridge).

(ix) Towboats may not make or break tows if any portion of the towboat or tow is located in the waters between the Romeo Road Bridge (approximate mile marker 296.18) and mile marker 296.7 (aerial pipeline located approximately 0.51 miles north east of Romeo Road Bridge).

(3) Compliance. All persons and vessels must comply with this section and any additional instructions or orders of the Ninth Coast Guard District Commander, or his designated representatives.

(4) Waiver. For any vessel, the Ninth Coast Guard District Commander, or his designated representatives, may waive any of the requirements of this section, upon finding that operational conditions or other circumstances are such that application of this section is unnecessary or impractical for the purposes of vessel and mariner safety.

(b) Safety Zone. (1) The following area is a safety zone: All waters of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal located between mile marker 296.0 (approximately 958 feet south of the Romeo Road Bridge) and mile marker 296.7 (aerial pipeline located approximately 0.51 miles north east of Romeo Road Bridge).

(2) Notice of enforcement or suspension of enforcement. The Captain of the Port Lake Michigan will enforce the safety zone established by this section only upon notice. Captain of the Port Lake Michigan will cause notice of the enforcement of this safety zone to be made by all appropriate means to effect the widest publicity among the affected segments of the public including publication in the Federal Register as practicable, in accordance with 33 CFR § 165.7(a). Such means of notification may also include but are not limited to, Broadcast Notice to Mariners or Local Notice to Mariners. The Captain of the Port Lake Michigan will issue a Broadcast Notice to Mariners and Local Notice to Mariners notifying the public when enforcement of these safety zones is suspended.

(3) Regulations. (i) In accordance with the general regulations in section 165.23 of this part, entry into, transiting, or anchoring within this safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan, or his on-scene representative.

(ii) This safety zone is closed to all vessel traffic, except as may be permitted by the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or his on-scene representative.

(iii) The “on-scene representative” of the Captain of the Port is any Coast Guard commissioned, warrant or petty officer who has been designated by the Captain of the Port to act on his behalf. The on-scene representative of the Captain of the Port will be aboard either a Coast Guard or Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel. The Captain of the Port or his on-scene representative may be contacted via VHF Channel 16.

(4) Vessel operators desiring to enter or operate within the safety zone shall contact the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or his on-scene representative to obtain permission to do so. Vessel operators given permission to enter or operate in the safety zone must comply with all directions given to them by the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or his on-scene representative.