Safety Zone: Vessel Launches, Bath Iron Works, Kennebec River, Bath, Maine

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard is establishing a 150-yard radius safety zone around the Bath Iron Works facility dry dock in Bath, Maine to be activated when the dry dock is deployed and positioned in its dredged basin hole near the center of the Kennebec River. This safety zone is needed to protect the maritime community from the possible hazards to navigation associated with positioning a 700-foot dry dock near the center of the river to launch and recover large vessels.

DATES:

This rule is effective August 1, 2002.

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 CGD01-01-155 and are available for inspection or copying at Marine Safety Office Portland, 103 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine 04101 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) R. F. Pigeon, Port Operations Department, Captain of the Port, Portland, Maine at (207) 780-3251.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulatory Information

On December 26, 2001, we published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled “Safety Zone; Vessel Launches, Bath Iron Works, Kennebec River, Bath, ME” in the Federal Register (66 FR 66380). We received no letters commenting on the proposed rule. No public hearing 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. Any delay in the establishment of this rule would be contrary to the public interest as this safety zone is necessary immediately to ensure the safety of the maritime community during vessel launches currently scheduled for the beginning of August. Bath Iron Works has informed the Coast Guard that they will be using the dry dock several times in the near future, beginning August 2, 2002, as they complete work on several large vessels. It is necessary to make this rule effective in less than 30 days after publication in order to protect the maritime community from the possible hazards to navigation associated with positioning a 700-foot dry dock near the center of the Kennebec River to launch and recover large vessels.

Background and Purpose

The Bath Iron Works facility in Bath, Maine acquired a 700-foot dry dock to aid in vessel launchings and repairs. This dry dock needs to be pulled away from shore and placed in a dredged basin near the center of the Kennebec River, approximately 0.5 nm south of the new Bath-Woolwich Bridge and just to the east of Trufant Ledge, in order to submerge and be able to launch and recover vessels. To accomplish this a series of permanent anchors and submerged chains in the river is used. It is necessary to restrict vessel movement in this area during deployment to protect mariners from this system and any associated vessels involved with the deployment.

This rule establishes a permanent moving safety zone around the dry dock when it is being moved from its moored position at the Bath Iron Works facility to its deployed location in the dredged basin of the Kennebec River, and from its deployed location back to its mooring.

This rule also establishes a permanent safety zone around the dry dock while it is in its deployed position in the waters of the Kennebec River. This safety zone restricts entry into the waters of the Kennebec River within a 150-yard radius of the dry dock. This safety zone is needed to protect the maritime community from the possible dangers and hazards to navigation associated with positioning a 700-foot dry dock near the center of the Kennebec River to launch and recover large vessels.

Discussion of Comments and Changes

The Coast Guard received no comments for this rulemaking. Only one change has been made to the proposed rule in this final rulemaking. The NPRM for this rule proposed to redesignate 33 CFR § 165.103 as § 165.108 and designate this rule as § 165.103. The Coast Guard, in the interim, has revised § 165.103. Rather than moving and revising § 165.103 we will add a new section designated as § 165.104.

Regulatory Evaluation

This proposed 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 Transportation (DOT)(44 FR 11040, February 26, 1979). 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 DOT is unnecessary for the following reasons: This safety zone would only be activated when the dry dock is relocated to its launch and recovery position, and during vessel launch and recovery; the safety zone only restricts movement in a portion of the Kennebec River allowing vessels to safely navigate around the zone without delay; the maritime community will be notified of the restrictions via broadcast notice to mariners; and there will be advanced coordination of vessel traffic around the safety zone to minimize the effect on commercial vessel traffic.

Small Entities

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612) we have considered whether this proposal 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.

For the reasons addressed under Regulatory Evaluation above, the Coast

Guard expects the impact of this regulation to be minimal and certifies under 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that this final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

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 contains no collection of information requirements 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 section 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 tribe, 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. It has not been designated by the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs as a significant energy action. Therefore, it does not require a Statement of Energy Effects under Executive Order 13211.

Environment

We have considered the environmental impact of this rule and concluded that, under Figure 2-1, paragraph 34(g) of Commandant Instruction M16475.1D, this rule is categorically excluded from further environmental documentation. A “Categorical Exclusion Determination” is available in the docket for inspection or copying where indicated under ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

• Harbors
• Marine safety
• Navigation (water)
• Reporting and record keeping requirements
• Security measures
• Waterways

For the reasons set out in the preamble, the Coast Guard amends 33 CFR Part 165 as follows:

PART 165 REGULATED NAVIGATION AREA AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS

1. The authority citation for part 165 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 50 U.S.C. 191; 33 CFR 1.05-1(g), 6.04-1, 6.04-6 and 160.5; 49 CFR 1.46.

2. Add § 165.104 to read as follows: