[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 76 (Thursday, April 18, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16885-16886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9603]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 76 / Thursday, April 18, 1996 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 16885]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 100
[CGD07-96-021]
RIN 2115-AE46
Special Local Regulations; Augusta Southern National Drag Boat
Races; Augusta, GA
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is proposing to establish permanent special
local regulations for the Augusta Southern National Drag Boat Races.
This event will be held annually on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday during the third week in July, between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Time. Historically, there have been approximately 160, 16-18
foot, drag boats racing two vessels per heat on a quarter mile long
course on that portion of the Savannah River at Augusta, GA, between
U.S. Highway 1 (Fifth St) Bridge at mile marker 199.45 and Eliot's Fish
Camp at mile marker 197. The boats will be competing at high speeds and
at close range. The nature of the event and the closure of the Savannah
River creates an extra or unusual hazard in the navigable waters. These
proposed regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on
navigable waters during the event. By establishing these proposed
permanent regulations, the Coast Guard expects to give better notice of
requirements related to marine events, and also avoid the recurring
costs of publication related with temporary regulations. However, the
establishment of these proposed permanent regulations would not relieve
the event organizers from applying for an annual marine event permit.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 20, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Group
Charleston, 196 Tradd Street, Charleston, SC 29401, or may be delivered
to operations office at the same address between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone
number is (803) 724-7621. Comments will become a part of the public
docket and will be available for copying and inspection at the same
address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ENS M.J. DaPonte, Assistant Operations Officer, Coast Guard Group
Charleston, South Carolina at (803) 724-7621.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Request for Comments
The Coast Guard encourages interested persons to participate in
this rulemaking by submitting written views, data, or arguments.
Persons submitting comments should include their names, addresses,
identify the notice (CGD07-96-021) and the specific section of this
proposal to which their comments apply, and give reasons for each
comment. The Coast Guard will consider all comments received during the
comment period. The regulations may be changed in view of the comments
received. All comments received before the expiration of the comment
period will be considered before final action is taken on this
proposal.
No public hearing is planned, but one may be held if the written
requests for a hearing are received, and it is determined that the
opportunity to make oral presentations will add to the rulemaking
process.
Discussion of Proposed Regulations
The proposed regulations are needed to provide for the safety of
life during Augusta Southern National Drag Boat Races. These
regulations are intended to promote safe navigation on the waters off
Augusta on the Savannah River during the races by controlling the
traffic entering, exiting, and traveling within these waters. The
anticipated concentration of spectator and participant vessels
associated with the Drag Boat Races poses a safety concern, which is
addressed in these proposed special local regulations. The proposed
regulations would not permit the entry or movement of spectator vessels
and other nonparticipating vessel traffic between the U.S. Highway
Route 1 (Fifth Street) Bridge at mile marker 199.45 and Eliot's Fish
Camp at mile marker 197 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. annually, on Thursday,
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the third week in July. The
proposed regulations would permit the movement of spectator vessels and
other nonparticipants after the termination of race each day, and
during intervals between scheduled events at the discretion of the
Coast Guard Patrol Commander.
Regulatory Evaluation
This proposal is not a significant regulatory action under Section
3(f) of the Executive Order 12866 and does not require an assessment of
the potential costs and benefits under Section 6 (a)(3) of that Order.
It has been exempted from review by the Office of Management and Budget
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
proposed rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation under
paragraph 10e of the regulatory policies and procedures of DOT is
unnecessary. The proposed regulation would last for only 14 hours each
day of the event.
Small Entities
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the
Coast Guard must consider whether this proposal will have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. ``Small
entities'' include independently owned and operated small businesses
that are not dominant in their field and that otherwise qualify as
``small business concerns'' under Section 3 of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 632).
For reasons set forth in the above Regulatory Evaluation, the Coast
Guard certifies under 5 U.S.C. 605 (b) that this proposal, if adopted,
would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of
small entities.
Collection of Information
These proposed regulations contain no collection of information
requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et
seq.).
Federalism
This action has been analyzed in accordance with the principles and
[[Page 16886]]
criteria contained in Executive Order 12612, and it has been determined
that the rulemaking does not have sufficient Federalism implications to
warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
Environmental Assessment
The Coast Guard has considered the environmental impact of this
proposal consistent with Section 2.B.2. of Commandant Instruction
M16475.1B. In accordance with that section, this proposed action has
been environmentally assessed (EA completed), and the Coast Guard has
concluded that it will not significantly affect the quality of the
human environment. An environmental assessment and a finding of no
significant impact have been prepared and are available in the docket
for inspection or copying where indicated under ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100
Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and record keeping
requirements, Waterways.
Proposed Regulations
In consideration of the foregoing, the Coast Guard proposes to
amend 33 CFR part 100 as follows:
1. The authority citation for Part 100 continues to read as
follows:
PART 100--[AMENDED]
Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1233; 49 CFR 1.46 and 33 CFR 100.35.
2. A new section 100.709 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 100.709 Annual Augusta Southern National Drag Boat Races;
Savannah River, Augusta, GA.
(a) Definitions.
(1) Regulated Area. The regulated area is formed by a line drawn
directly across the Savannah River at the U.S. Highway 1 (Fifth Street)
Bridge at mile marker 199.45 and directly across the Savannah River at
Eliot's Fish Camp at mile marker 197. The regulated area encompasses
the width of the Savannah River between these two lines.
(2) Coast Guard Patrol Commander. The Coast Guard Patrol Commander
will be commissioned, warrant, or petty officer who will be designated
by the Commander, Coast Guard Group Charleston, South Carolina.
(b) Special local regulations.
(1) Entry into the regulated area is prohibited to all non-
participants.
(2) After termination of the Augusta Southern National Drag Boat
Races each day, and during intervals between scheduled events, at the
discretion of the Coast Guard Patrol Commander, all vessels may resume
normal operations.
(c) Effective Dates. This section is effective at 6 a.m. and
terminates at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time annually on Thursday,
Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the third week of July, unless
otherwise specified in the Seventh Coast Guard District Local Notice to
Mariners.
Dated: March 21, 1996.
Roger T. Rufe, Jr.,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 96-9603 Filed 4-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M
