2017-26830. Special Local Regulation; Gasparilla Marine Parade; Hillsborough Bay; Tampa, FL

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation for the annual Gasparilla Marine Parade on the waters of Hillsborough Bay in the vicinity of Tampa, Florida. This event is expected to attract over 600 spectator craft along the parade route, with approximately 18 vessels participating in the official flotilla. The parade is scheduled to take place annually on the last Saturday in January. This regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of public, the official flotilla, and spectator vessels before, during, and after the conclusion of the parade.

DATES:

Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard on or before January 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-2017-0332 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See the “Public Participation and Request for Comments” portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have questions about this proposed rulemaking, call or email Marine Science Technician First Class Michael D. Shackleford, Sector St. Petersburg Prevention Department, Coast Guard; telephone [phone], email [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Table of Abbreviations

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

DHS Department of Homeland Security

FR Federal Register

NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking

Pub. L. Public Law

§ Section

U.S.C. United States Code

II. Background, Purpose, and Legal Basis

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a special local regulation on the waters of the Hillsborough Bay, Tampa, Florida during the annual Gasparilla Marine Parade. This event is expected to attract over 600 spectator craft along the parade route, with approximately 18 vessels participating in the official flotilla. The parade is scheduled to take place annually on the last Saturday in January. This proposed rulemaking is necessary to ensure the safety of public, the official flotilla, and spectator vessels on these navigable waters of the United States during the Annual Gasparilla Marine Parade. The Coast Guard proposes this rulemaking under authority in 33 U.S.C. 1233.

III. Discussion of Proposed Rule

This rule establishes a temporary special local regulation for the Gasparilla Marine Parade on the waters of Hillsborough Bay in Tampa, Florida annually on the last saturday in January. This special regulation sets forth specific requirements for vessels operating within the regulated area during the period of enforcement.

Persons and vessels not meeting the requirements of this regulation may request authorization to enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area by contacting the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg by telephone at [phone], or a designated representative via VHF radio on channel 16. If authorization to enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area is granted by the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg or a designated representative, all persons and vessels receiving such authorization must comply with the instructions of the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg or a designated representative. The Coast Guard will provide notice of the special local regulations by Local Notice to Mariners, Broadcast Notice to Mariners, and/or on-scene designated representatives.

IV. Regulatory Analyses

We developed this proposed rule after considering numerous statutes and Executive Orders related to rulemaking. Below we summarize our analyses based on a number of these statutes and Executive Orders, and we discuss First Amendment rights of protestors.

A. Regulatory Planning and Review

Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess the costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits. Executive Order 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. This NPRM has not been designated a “significant regulatory action,” under Executive Order 12866. Accordingly, the NPRM has not been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.

The economic impact of this rule is not significant for the following reasons: (1) The special local regulation will be enforced for only nine hours; (2) although certain persons and vessels are prohibited to enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area without authorization from the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg or a designated representative, they may operate in the surrounding area during the enforcement period; (3) the Coast Guard will provide advance notification of the special local regulations to the local maritime community by Local Notice to Mariners and/or Broadcast Notice to Mariners; and (4) persons and vessels not meeting the requirements of this regulation may request authorization to enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area by contacting the Captain of the Port or a designated representative.

B. Impact on Small Entities

The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, as amended, requires Federal agencies to consider the potential impact of regulations on small entities during rulemaking. 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 proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

This rule may affect the following entities, some of which may be small entities: The owners or operators of vessels intending to enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within that portion of Hillsborough Bay, Tampa, FL, encompassed within the special local regulation annually on the last saturday in January. For the reasons stated in section IV.A above, this rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

If you think that your business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction qualifies as a small entity and that this rule would have a significant economic impact on it, please submit a comment (see ADDRESSES) explaining why you think it qualifies and how and to what degree this rule would economically affect it.

Under section 213(a) of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121), we want to assist small entities in understanding this proposed rule. If the rule would affect your small business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction and you have questions concerning its provisions or options for compliance, please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. The Coast Guard will not retaliate against small entities that question or complain about this proposed rule or any policy or action of the Coast Guard.

C. Collection of Information

This proposed rule would not call for a new collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).

D. Federalism and Indian Tribal Governments

A rule has implications for federalism under Executive Order 13132, Federalism, if it has a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government. We have analyzed this proposed rule under that Order and have determined that it is consistent with the fundamental federalism principles and preemption requirements described in Executive Order 13132.

Also, this proposed rule does not have tribal implications under Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments, because it would 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. If you believe this proposed rule has implications for federalism or Indian tribes, please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above.

E. 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 (adjusted for inflation) or more in any one year. Though this proposed rule would not result in such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this rule elsewhere in this preamble.

F. Environment

We have analyzed this proposed rule under Department of Homeland Security Management Directive 023-01 and Commandant Instruction M16475.lD, which guide the Coast Guard in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f), and have made a preliminary determination that this action is one of a category of actions that do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. This rule involves a special local regulation issued in conjunction with a regatta or marine parade. This rule is categorically excluded from further review under paragraph (34) (h) of Figure 2-1 of Commandant Instruction M16475.lD. We seek any comments or information that may lead to the discovery of a significant environmental impact from this proposed rule.

G. Protest Activities

The Coast Guard respects the First Amendment rights of protesters. Protesters are asked to contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to coordinate protest activities so that your message can be received without jeopardizing the safety or security of people, places, or vessels.

V. Public Participation and Request for Comments

We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking, and will consider all comments and material received during the comment period. Your comments can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation.

We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted using http://www.regulations.gov,, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions.

We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the docket, you may review a Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal Docket Management System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal Register (70 FR 15086).

Documents mentioned in this NPRM as being available in the docket, and all public comments, will be in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website's instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a final rule is published.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100

• Marine safety
• Navigation (water)
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Waterways

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to amend 33 CFR part 100 as follows:

PART 100—SAFETY OF LIFE ON NAVIGABLE WATERS

1. The authority citation for part 100 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1233.

2. Revise § 100.734 to read as follows:

§ 100.734

Special Local Regulation; Gasparilla Marine Parade; Hillsborough Bay; Tampa, FL.

(a) Regulated area. A regulated area is established consisting of the following waters of Hillsborough Bay and its tributaries north of 27°51′18″ N and south of the John F. Kennedy Bridge: Hillsborough Cut “D” Channel, Seddon Channel, Sparkman Channel and the Hillsborough River south of the John F. Kennedy Bridge. All coordinates referenced use datum: NAD 83.

(b) Regulations. (1) Entrance into the regulated area is prohibited to all commercial marine traffic from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST on the day of the event.

(2) The regulated area will include a 100 yard Safety Zone around the vessel JOSE GASPAR while docked at the Tampa Yacht Club until 6 p.m. EST on the day of the event.

(3) The regulated area is a “no wake” zone.

(4) All vessels within the regulated area shall stay 50 feet away from and give way to all officially entered vessels in parade formation in the Gasparilla Marine Parade.

(5) When within the marked channels of the parade route, vessels participating in the Gasparilla Marine Parade may not exceed the minimum speed necessary to maintain steerage.

(6) Jet skis and vessels without mechanical propulsion are prohibited from the parade route.

(7) Vessels less than 10 feet in length are prohibited from the parade route unless capable of safely participating.

(8) Vessels found to be unsafe to participate at the discretion of a present Law Enforcement Officer are prohibited from the parade route.

(9) Northbound vessels in excess of 65 feet in length without mooring arrangement made prior to the date of the event are prohibited from entering Seddon Channel unless the vessel is officially entered in the Gasparilla Marine Parade.

(10) Vessels not officially entered in the Gasparilla Marine Parade may not enter the parade staging area box within the following coordinates: 27°53′53″ N, 082°27′47″ W; 27°53′22″ N, 082°27′10″ W; 27°52′36″ N, 082°27′55″ W; 27°53′02″ N, 082°28′31″ W.

(c) Enforcement period. This rule will be enforced from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. annually on the last Saturday in January.

Holly L. Najarian,

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port Saint Petersburg.