96-13998. Special Local Regulations: Fort Myers Beach Offshore Grand Prix; Fort Myers Beach, FL  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 5, 1996)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 28502-28503]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-13998]
    
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
    33 CFR Part 100
    
    [CGD07-96-005]
    RIN 2115-AE46
    
    
    Special Local Regulations: Fort Myers Beach Offshore Grand Prix; 
    Fort Myers Beach, FL
    
    AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing permanent special local 
    regulations for the Fort Myers Offshore Grand Prix. This event will be 
    held annually during the first Saturday and Sunday of June, between 12 
    p.m. and 3 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time). Historically, there have been 
    approximately 170 participant and spectator craft. The resulting 
    congestion of navigable channels creates an extra or unusual hazard in 
    the navigable waters. These regulations are necessary to provide for 
    the safety of life on navigable waters during the event.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: July 5, 1996.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LTJG T. Stuhlreyer, project officer, 
    Coast Guard Group St. Petersburg, FL at (813) 824-7533.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Regulatory History
    
        On March 20, 1996, the Coast Guard published a notice of proposed 
    rulemaking entitled [CGD07-96-005] in the Federal Register (61 FR 
    11354). The Coast Guard received no written or oral comments during the 
    proposed rulemaking comment period. A public hearing was not requested 
    and one was not held.
    
    Discussion of Regulations
    
        These regulations are needed to provide for the safety of life 
    during the Fort Myers Beach Offshore Grand Prix. These regulations are 
    intended to promote safe navigation on the waters off Fort Myers Beach 
    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 Grand Prix poses 
    a safety concern, which is addressed in these special local 
    regulations. These regulations will not permit anchoring shoreward of 
    the shoreside legs of the racecourse, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the 
    first Saturday and Sunday of June. Spectator craft will be permitted 
    near the race area but will be required to stay clear of the race 
    lanes. These regulations will permit anchoring for spectators seaward 
    of the seaside legs of the racecourse, but only in the designated 
    spectator area defined in paragraph (b) of the regulations. All vessel 
    traffic, not involved with the Fort Myers Beach Offshore Grand Prix, 
    exiting Matanzas Pass between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. will exit the marked 
    channel at Matanzas Pass Channel daybeacon #3 (26 deg.25.9' N, 
    82 deg.58.2' W, LLNR 16365) and #4 (26 deg.26.1' N, 82 deg.57.8' W, 
    LLNR 16370), and will proceed in a southwesterly direction seaward of 
    the designated spectator area defined in paragraph (b) of these 
    regulations, taking action to avoid a close-quarters situation until 
    the vessel finally is past and clear of the racecourse. All coordinates 
    referenced use datum: NAD 83. All vessel traffic, not involved with the 
    Fort Myers Beach Offshore Grand Prix, exiting Big Carlos Pass between 
    11 a.m. and 3 p.m. will proceed in a southwesterly direction seaward of 
    the designated spectator area defined in paragraph (b) of these 
    regulations, taking action to avoid a close-quarters situation until 
    finally past and clear of the racecourse.
    
    Regulatory Evaluation
    
        This rule 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 
    rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation under paragraph 
    10e of the regulatory policies and procedures of DOT is unnecessary. 
    These regulations will last for only 4 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 action 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 that this action will not have a significant economic 
    impact on a substantial number of small entities.
    
    Collection of Information
    
        These 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 
    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 
    action and has concluded that preparation of an Environmental Impact 
    Statement is not necessary. An Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
    No Significant Impact are available in the docket for inspection or 
    copying. The
    
    [[Page 28503]]
    
    Coast Guard has concluded that this action will not significantly 
    affect the quality of the human environment.
    
    List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100
    
        Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and record keeping 
    requirements, Waterways.
    
    Proposed Regulations
    
        For reasons set out in the preamble, the Coast Guard amends 33 CFR 
    Part 100 as follows:
    
    PART 100--[AMENDED]
    
        1. The authority citation for Part 100 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1233; 49 CFR 1.46 and 33 CFR 100.35.
    
        2. A new section 100.717 is added to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 100.717  Annual Fort Myers Beach Offshore Grand Prix; Fort Myers, 
    FL.
    
        (a) Regulated Area. The regulated area is formed by a line drawn 
    from the start/finish position, at the Fort Myers Beach pier 
    (26 deg.28.07' N, 81 deg.58.30' W), thence to position 26 deg.26.08' N, 
    81 deg.55.29' W, thence to position 26 deg.24.76' N, 81 deg.54.68' W, 
    thence to position 26 deg.23.74' N, 81 deg.55.10' W, thence to position 
    26 deg.23.91' N, 81 deg.55.40' W, thence to position 26 deg.24.94' N, 
    81 deg.55.24' W, thence to position 26 deg.26.93' N, 81 deg.58.53' W, 
    thence to position 26 deg.27.32' N, 81 deg.58.16' W, thence back to the 
    start/finish position, at the Fort Myers Beach pier (26 deg.28.07, 
    81 deg.58.30' W). All coordinates referenced use datum: NAD 83.
        (b) Special local regulations. (1) No vessel may anchor shoreward 
    of the shoreside boundaries of the regulated area, from 11 a.m. to 3 
    p.m. edt.
        (2) Spectator craft will be permitted to anchor seaward of the 
    seaside boundaries of the regulated area, in the spectator area formed 
    by a line drawn from the position 29 deg.26.54' N, 81 deg.58.12' W, 
    thence to position 28 deg.25.06' N, 81 deg.55.42' W, thence to position 
    26 deg.24.45' N, 81 deg.55.50' W, thence to position 26 deg.26.54' N, 
    81 deg.58.30' W, thence back to position 29 deg.26.54' N, 81 deg.58.12' 
    W, and in the spectator area formed by a line drawn from the position 
    26 deg.25.06' N, 81 deg.54.18' W, thence to position 26 deg.23.47' N, 
    81 deg.54.00' W, thence to position 25 deg.24.05' N, 81 deg.54.47' W, 
    thence back to position 26 deg.25.06' N, 81 deg.54.18' W. All 
    coordinates referenced use datum: NAD 83.
        (3) All vessel traffic, not involved with the Fort Myers Beach 
    Offshore Grand Prix, exiting Matanzas Pass between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. 
    will exit the marked channel at Matanzas Pass Channel daybeacon #3 
    (26 deg.25.9' N, 82 deg.58.2' W, LLNR 16365) and #4 (26 deg.26.1' N, 
    82 deg.57.8' W, LLNR 16370), and shall proceed in a southwesterly 
    direction seaward of the spectator area defined in paragraph (b)(2) of 
    this section, taking action to avoid a close-quarters situation until 
    finally past and clear of the racecourse. All coordinates referenced 
    use datum: NAD 83.
        (4) All vessel traffic, not involved with the Fort Myers Beach 
    Offshore Grand Prix, exiting Big Carlos Pass between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. 
    edt will exit the pass in a southwesterly direction seaward of the 
    spectator area defined in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, taking 
    action to avoid a close-quarters situation with the spectator craft 
    until finally past and clear of the racecourse. All coordinates 
    referenced use datum: NAD 83.
        (5) Entry into the regulated area shall be in accordance with this 
    regulation. Spectator vessels shall stay seaward of the seaside legs of 
    the racecourse at all times in the spectator areas defined in paragraph 
    (b)(2) of this section.
        (c) Effective Dates. This section is effective at 11 a.m. and 
    terminates at 3 p.m. edt annually during the first Saturday and Sunday 
    of June.
    
        Dated: May 22, 1996.
    Roger T. Rufe, Jr.,
    Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard 
    District.
    [FR Doc. 96-13998 Filed 6-4-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4910-14-M
    
    

Document Information

Published:
06/05/1996
Department:
Transportation Department
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
96-13998
Dates:
July 5, 1996.
Pages:
28502-28503 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
CGD07-96-005
RINs:
2115-AE46: Regatta Regulations
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2115-AE46/regatta-regulations
PDF File:
96-13998.pdf
CFR: (1)
33 CFR 100.717