This Week at the U.S. Coast Guard — week of July 20, 2026

The Coast Guard issued 15 actions this week, nearly all of them temporary water-safety rules tied to summer events — fireworks shows, open-water swims, triathlons, and festivals — that keep recreational boaters away from race courses, launch areas, and crowded stretches of water. The remaining items cover bridge operations, dredging zones, and minor record-keeping updates.

Keeping boaters clear of races and festivals

• Atlantic City Triathlon (August 9, 2026): The Coast Guard established safety and movement regulations for the event’s water portions.
• Swim Across America, Chicago: A safety zone was set up around Ohio Street Beach in Chicago Harbor to keep boat traffic away from swimmers on Lake Michigan.
• Fairport Harbor triathlon, Lake Erie: A temporary rule limits who can enter certain waters off Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park to keep boaters and swimmers separated during the August event.
• Beaufort Water Festival, South Carolina: Special local regulations are in effect July 17–26, 2026, to manage water traffic during the festival, plus a separate set for the July 25 air show.
• San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta, California: Temporary regulated areas were created in parts of San Pedro Bay where entry is prohibited without permission, keeping boats away from race courses.
• Chicago Ducky Derby: A temporary safety zone covers the main branch of the Chicago River between the Michigan Avenue Bridge and Columbus Drive Bridge to prevent interference with the event.
• Pier 66, Seattle: A temporary safety zone extends 100 yards from the pier in Elliott Bay on July 21, 2026, to manage traffic around a waterfront event.

Fireworks launch buffers

• Buffalo, New York: A temporary safety zone surrounds the Outer Harbor during a planned fireworks display.
• New Baltimore, Michigan: A safety zone covers a 420-foot radius around Brandenburg Park on Anchor Bay in Lake St. Clair.
• Avon Lake, Ohio: A temporary zone creates a buffer around an over-water fireworks display on Lake Erie.

Ports and waterway traffic

• Lehigh Valley Drawbridge, New Jersey: The Coast Guard updated operating regulations for the drawbridge across Newark Bay between Newark and Bayonne. The change affects who physically controls the bridge movement, with the aim of improving efficiency for both maritime and land traffic.
• Delaware River, Pennsylvania: Three temporary safety zones were established near Marcus Hook, covering parts of the Marcus Hook Range, Anchorage 7, and Anchorage 9 near the entrance to Mantua Creek, while dredging work is performed.

Administrative housekeeping

• Expired temporary zones: The Coast Guard published a list of temporary safety and security zones that had already been put into effect but expired before they could be officially printed in the Federal Register, so a public record of them now exists.
• Hamburg Beach Blast: A correction was issued to a previous notice covering safety zones in the Eastern Great Lakes to fix the documented dates for the event.

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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.