HYANNIS – The U.S. Coast Guard has reopened public comments on proposed changes to the navigational aids in the Northeast.
The Coast Guard says as a result of the comprehensive public feedback they’ve received to this point, the course of action has changed for more than half of the original Coastal Buoy Modernization Proposal buoys.
A total of 121 aids were removed from the proposed discontinuation, while 71 aids to navigation remain proposed for removal with supporting changes to nearby buoys, and 162 buoys remain proposed for discontinuation without any additional proposed changes.
The public comment period is open until November 15th.
The Coast Guard received nearly 3,000 public comments enabling the agency to assess and adjust proposed changes. Detailed, specific input is a critical part of the Coast Guard’s determination steps to manage the Northeast’s 5,600 federal buoys and beacons.
The CBMP’s main objectives remain to ensure long-term buoy system sustainability at the most navigationally critical locations for mariners while better understanding how navigation practices are changing through tools like GPS location, radar, AIS, electronic charts, and navigation apps. The CBMP update seeks to balance the use of physical aids with other navigation tools.
The Coast Guard is strongly requesting mariners to give feedback before Nov. 15, 2025. When providing feedback, include the size and type of your vessel, how you use the buoys to navigate and the distance at which you start looking for and using it. Responses are only accepted by email at [email protected].
By Jim McCabe, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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