Temporary Waterside Security Zone at Boston

 

The Captain of the Port (COTP) Boston is establishing a temporary waterside security zone at the John Joseph Moakley Court House, Boston MA for the court proceedings of the Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

The security zone will be effective and enforced starting on January 5, 2015 and will continue until the trial is complete, and if necessary, during the sentencing phase.

This security zone encompasses all U.S. navigable waters, from surface to bottom, within 500 yards of the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse (Moakley Courthouse) in Boston, MA. However, the COTP hereby grants vessels permission to enter this 500 yard security zone as long as such vessels proceed through the area with caution and operate at a speed no faster than that speed necessary to maintain a safe course, and remain beyond 100 yards of the Moakley Courthouse. No person or vessel may come within 100 yards of the Moakley Courthouse under any conditions unless given express permission from the COTP or the COTP's designated representatives.

The Coast Guard published a notice of proposed rulemaking on November 20, 2014, Federal Register volume 79, 69078, to establish a permanent security zone within Sector Boston's Captain of the Port (COTP) Zone for a 500 yard security zone, but granting vessels permission to enter the security zone as long as such vessels remain beyond 250 yards of the Moakley Courthouse, unless given express permission from the COTP or the COTP's designated representatives. They feel they need more time to adequately address the comments received on the NPRM relating to the impact that 250 yard restriction on vessels will have on businesses, so accordingly, the COTP has elected to establish the above temporary rule with a 100 yard restriction vice 250 yard restriction.

Source: U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Boston