AGENCY:
Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION:
Temporary final rule.
SUMMARY:
The Coast Guard is temporarily altering the effective period of the safety zone defined in 33 CFR 165.162 for the annual New York Super Boat Race. This temporary rule changes the effective date for this safety zone from Sunday, September 11, 2005 to Saturday, September 10, 2005. This action is required to protect life on navigable waters during the event.
DATES:
This rule is effective from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 10, 2005.
ADDRESSES:
Comments and material received from the public, as well as documents indicated in this preamble as being available in the docket, are part of docket CGD01-05-027 and are available for inspection or copying at the Waterways Management Division, Coast Guard Sector New York, 212 Coast Guard Drive, Staten Island, NY 10305 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Commander B. Willis, Waterways Management Division, Coast Guard Sector New York at (718) 354-4220.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulatory Information
On July 29, 2005, we published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled Safety Zone; New York Super Boat Race, Hudson River, New York in the Federal Register (70 FR 43815). We received no comments on the proposed rule. No public meeting was requested, and none was held.
Under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Coast Guard finds that good cause exists for making this rule effective less than 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. If this rule were made effective 30 days after publication, then this rule would be void because it would become effective after the date of the event.
Background and Purpose
The Coast Guard received the annual application to hold the New York Super Boat Race on the waters of the Hudson River. With this application, the event sponsor requested that the event be permitted to take place on Saturday, September 10, 2005 rather than the usual Sunday following Labor Day, which falls on September 11, 2005. The temporary deviation from the permanent regulation was requested to avoid interfering with the events scheduled in the area associated with the observance of 9-11.
Discussion of Comments and Changes
We received no letters commenting on the proposed rule and no changes have been made to the proposed rule as published.
Regulatory Evaluation
This rule is not a “significant regulatory action” under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review, and does not require an assessment of potential costs and benefits under section 6(a)(3) of that Order. The Office of Management and Budget has not reviewed it under that Order. It is not “significant” under the regulatory policies and procedures of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The Coast Guard expects the economic impact of this rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory evaluation under paragraph 10e of the regulatory policies and procedures of DHS is unnecessary. Although this regulation prevents traffic from transiting a portion of the Lower Hudson River during the race, the effect of this regulation will not be significant for several reasons: It is an annual event with local support, the volume of commercial vessel traffic transiting the Lower Hudson River on a Saturday is similar to that on a Sunday and less than half of the normal weekday traffic volume; pleasure craft desiring to view the event will be directed to designated spectator viewing areas outside the safety zone; pleasure craft can take an alternate route through the East River and the Harlem River; the duration of the event is limited to six hours; extensive advisories will be made to the affected maritime community by Local Notice to Mariners, Safety Voice Broadcast, and facsimile notification. Additionally, commercial ferry traffic will be authorized to transit around the perimeter of the safety zone for their scheduled operations at the direction of the Patrol Commander.
Small Entities
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), we have considered whether this rule would have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The term “small entities” comprises small businesses, not-for-profit organizations that are independently owned and operated and are not dominant in their fields, and governmental jurisdictions with populations of less than 50,000.
The Coast Guard certifies under 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that this rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. This rule affects the following entities, some of which might be small entities: the owners or operators of vessels intending to transit or anchor in a portion of the Hudson River from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 10, 2005. This rule does not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities for the reasons stated in the Regulatory Evaluation section above.
Assistance for Small Entities
Under section 213(a) of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121), we offered to assist small entities in understanding the rule so that they could better evaluate its effects on them and participate in the rulemaking process.
Small businesses may send comments on the actions of Federal employees who enforce, or otherwise determine compliance with, Federal regulations to the Small Business and Agriculture Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman and the Regional Small Business Regulatory Fairness Boards. The Ombudsman evaluates these actions annually and rates each agency's responsiveness to small business. If you wish to comment on actions by employees of the Coast Guard, call 1-888-REG-FAIR (1-888-734-3247).
Collection of Information
This rule calls for no new collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).
Federalism
A rule has implications for federalism under Executive Order 13132, Federalism, if it has a substantial direct effect on State or local governments and would either preempt State law or impose a substantial direct cost of compliance on them. We have analyzed this rule under that Order and have determined that it does not have implications for federalism.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1531-1538) requires Federal agencies to assess the effects of their discretionary regulatory actions. In particular, the Act addresses actions that may result in the expenditure by a State, local, or tribal government, in the aggregate, or by the private sector of $100,000,000 or more in any one year. Though this rule will not result in such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this rule elsewhere in this preamble.
Taking of Private Property
This rule will not effect a taking of private property or otherwise have taking implications under Executive Order 12630, Governmental Actions and Interference with Constitutionally Protected Property Rights.
Civil Justice Reform
This rule meets applicable standards in sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform, to minimize litigation, eliminate ambiguity, and reduce burden.
Protection of Children
We have analyzed this rule under Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks. This rule is not an economically significant rule and does not create an environmental risk to health or risk to safety that may disproportionately affect children.
Indian Tribal Governments
This rule does not have tribal implications under Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments, because it does not have a substantial direct effect on one or more Indian tribes, on the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian tribes.
Energy Effects
We have analyzed this rule under Executive Order 13211, Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use. We have determined that it is not a “significant energy action” under that order because it is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866 and is not likely to have a significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use of energy. The Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has not designated it as a significant energy action. Therefore, it does not require a Statement of Energy Effects under Executive Order 13211.
Technical Standards
The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) (15 U.S.C. 272 note) directs agencies to use voluntary consensus standards in their regulatory activities unless the agency provides Congress, through the Office of Management and Budget, with an explanation of why using these standards would be inconsistent with applicable law or otherwise impractical. Voluntary consensus standards are technical standards (e.g., specifications of materials, performance, design, or operation; test methods; sampling procedures; and related management systems practices) that are developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies.
This rule does not use technical standards. Therefore, we did not consider the use of voluntary consensus standards.
Environment
We have analyzed this rule under Commandant Instruction M16475.lD, which guides the Coast Guard in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f), and have concluded that there are no factors in this case that would limit the use of a categorical exclusion under section 2.B.2 of the Instruction. Therefore, this rule is categorically excluded, under figure 2-1, paragraph (34)(g), of the Instruction, from further environmental documentation. A final “Environmental Analysis Check List” and a final “Categorical Exclusion Determination” are available in the docket where indicated under ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165
- Harbors
- Marine safety
- Navigation (water)
- Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
- Security measures
- Waterways
For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard temporarily amends 33 CFR part 165 as follows:
PART 165—REGULATED NAVIGATION AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS
1. The authority citation for part 165 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1226, 1231; 46 U.S.C. Chapter 701; 50 U.S.C. 191; 195; 33 CFR 1.05-1(g), 6.04-1, 6.04-6, and 160.5; Pub. L. 107-295, 116 Stat 2064; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.
2. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 10, 2005, suspend § 165.162(c) and add § 165.162(d) to read as follows:
(d) Effective Period. This section is in effect from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 10, 2005.
Dated: August 29, 2005.
Glenn A. Wiltshire,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, New York.
[FR Doc. 05-17832 Filed 9-8-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P