Meloy Channel, U.S. Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, FL; Restricted Area

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is amending the regulations at 33 CFR part 334 to establish a new restricted area in the waters surrounding the U.S. Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Florida (Base Miami Beach). Base Miami Beach is composed of multiple U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) units, both land and waterside. The facility has one of the highest operational tempos in the USCG for both routine and emergency operations. The amendment to the regulations is necessary to enhance the USCG's ability to secure their shoreline to counter postulated threats against their personnel, equipment, cutters, and facilities by providing stand-off corridors encompassing the waters immediately contiguous to Base Miami Beach. The amendment will also serve to protect the general public from injury or property damage during routine and emergency USCG operations and provide an explosive safety arc buffer during periodic transfer of ammunitions between units, including cutters.

Agency Contact: Mr. David Olson, Headquarters, Operations and Regulatory Community of Practice, Washington, DC at 202- 761-4922 or Mr. Jon M. Griffin, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, Regulatory Division, at 904-232-1680.