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This Week at the U.S. Coast Guard — week of June 22, 2026

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Most of the Coast Guard’s 29 actions this week were temporary, event-specific water closures — the kind that keep boaters away from fireworks barges, swimmers, and construction crews for a few hours, then disappear. A handful were proposed rules not yet in effect, and two were emergency or security zones. For the average boater, the takeaway is simple: check local notices before heading out in these areas.

Fireworks displays: temporary safety zones

  • Philadelphia, PA (Delaware River): 300-yard zone around a fireworks barge near Pleasant Hill Park.
  • Toms River, NJ (Mayo Park): 250-yard zone around the launch site.
  • Trenton, MI (Detroit River): 250-yard radius around the launch coordinates.
  • Newport, KY (Ohio River): closure from mile marker 469.5 to 470.5.
  • Louisville, KY (Ohio River): closure from mile marker 602.0 to 605.0 for a June 27 barge launch, lasting 30 minutes.
  • Cincinnati, OH (Ohio River): proposed zone for a September 28 fireworks show; still in the proposal stage, not yet in effect.
  • Put-in-Bay, OH (Lake Erie): 375-yard radius around the fireworks barge; issued as a final rule without public comment because the event date was too close.
  • Lakewood, OH (Lake Erie): 420-foot radius around the launch site at the Solstice Steps.
  • Buffalo, NY (Bell Slip, Outer Harbor): 280-foot radius around the launch point.
  • North Tonawanda, NY (Erie Canal): 210-foot radius around the launch point.
  • Ranier, MN (Rainy Lake): 200-yard zone around the fireworks barge on August 8 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Des Plaines River, IL: 500-foot radius at mile marker 288 on July 3 from 9:15 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  • Los Angeles, CA (Main Channel): 500-foot radius around the fireworks barge for the Cars & Stripes Forever show on June 26, lasting 30 minutes.
  • Dune Acres, IN (Lake Michigan): 300-foot radius around the July 4 launch site.
  • Southern California: multiple zones across the Los Angeles–Long Beach area for July 4 fireworks displays.
  • New York State: several temporary zones on the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, and local bays tied to July fireworks and festivals.

Swims, races, and air shows

  • Straits of Mackinac, MI: waters within 100 yards of the Mackinac Bridge center span closed July 18 from 7 a.m. to noon for a swim event. The Coast Guard noted it received no public comments, so the final rule matches the proposal.
  • Sandusky Bay, OH: closed July 19 from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the Ironman triathlon swim, which involves roughly 2,400 swimmers.
  • Key West, FL: special regulation in effect June 27 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the 50th Annual Swim Around Key West.
  • Jones Beach Air Show, NY (Wantagh/Oyster Bay): zones in effect July 1–6, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, after the Coast Guard identified hazards from aerobatic aircraft and an estimated 2,000 spectator vessels.
  • Detroit area, MI: three separate marine events between July and September, each with restricted entry, transit, and anchoring during set windows.
  • Eastern Great Lakes: recurring annual event zones enforced on set dates; no permanent navigation changes.
  • Northern Great Lakes (Michigan): recurring zones for summer fireworks displays and air shows in July and August.
  • Cleveland, OH (Cuyahoga River): proposed zone for the annual Dragon Boat Festival, one day around the fourth weekend of August; not yet in effect.
  • Kelleys Island, OH (Lake Erie): proposed 100-yard buffer around sailing race participants on August 29; not yet in effect.

Construction and infrastructure work

  • North Bend, OH (Ohio River): mile markers 490 to 500 closed for about one week while Duke Energy replaces overhead power lines.
  • Madison, IN (Ohio River): emergency zone from mile markers 559.0 to 561.0 after power lines fell into the water; issued without a comment period because waiting would have left the area unsafe during repairs.

Military and security zones

  • Ritidian Point, Guam: waters closed for Operation Vigilant Sentry 26, a live-fire missile exercise. The zone extends from the surface to the ocean floor along the designated flight path.
  • Coronado, CA: a 500-yard radius off Breakers Beach closed for one week to protect a visiting VIP party at a government-organized event.

This weekly agency digest is generated from federal records (the Federal Register and Congress.gov) and summarized in plain English. It may simplify or omit detail — follow the linked official sources before relying on any item. Part of The Boring Parts.

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