[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 33, Volume 3]
[Revised as of July 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 33CFR209.138a]

[Page 143-144]
 
                TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS
 
 CHAPTER II--CORPS OF ENGINEERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, DEPARTMENT OF 
                                 DEFENSE
 
PART 209_ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE--Table of Contents
 
Sec.  209.138a  Authorization for exploratory drilling in the Gulf of Santa 

Catalina, Calif.

    (a) Department of the Army authorization is required pursuant to 
section 4(f) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953 (67 Stat. 
462; 43 U.S.C. 1333(f)) in coastal waters and the water covering the 
Outer Continental Shelf. The determination whether or not to issue a 
Department of the Army authorization for structures on the Outer 
Continental Shelf related to exploration of minerals is based upon the 
proposed activities' effect on navigation and national security. All 
other

[[Page 144]]

matters concerning offshore drilling, including environmental 
considerations, are the responsibility of the Department of the 
Interior.
    (b) The following rules have been developed jointly by the Los 
Angeles district engineer and the 11th Coast Guard District, in 
consultation with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Geological 
Survey for drilling in the Gulf of Santa Catalina:
    (1) All drilling with a single tract will be covered by a single 
application.
    (2) Where practicable, applications shall be submitted at least 120 
days in advance of drilling for tracts where drilling is expected to be 
accomplished within the traffic separation scheme, the precautionary 
zone or within 2 nautical miles of a traffic lane.
    (3) Applications shall include the location of any known proposed 
drilling site and the estimated start and completion dates for each. 
Updated information on the plan shall be furnished as soon as available. 
One individual (and alternate) shall be designated by the applicant as 
responsible for maintaining close liaison with all involved agencies.
    (4) Where it is not feasible to perform exploratory work from 
outside the traffic lanes or \1/4\ mile buffer zones, or precautionary 
zone, authorizations will include the following conditions:
    (i) Exploratory vessels within a traffic lane will, to the degree 
practicable, be sited near traffic lane boundaries.
    (ii) Exploratory vessels within one traffic lane, or in the 
precautionary zone, shall be separated by at least 8 nautical miles in 
the direction of the lane axis.
    (iii) Exploratory vessels located within the traffic lanes, or the 
precautionary zone, shall not have their pendant buoys within 3,000 
yards from the pendant buoys of any other vessel.
    (iv) Exploratory rigs and vessels engaged in offshore development 
may have no cables, anchors, buoys, or other associated equipment within 
the traffic lanes, \1/4\ mile buffer zones, or the precautionary zone, 
at a depth of less than 100 feet, unless such equipment is marked with 
class I private aids to navigation in accordance with current Federal 
regulations.

(67 Stat. 462 (43 U.S.C. 1333(f))

[43 FR 28475, June 30, 1978]