01-22397. Special Local Regulations for Marine Events; Milwaukee River, Milwaukee, WI

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION:

Temporary final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary special local regulations for the Milwaukee River Challenge crew boat races, an event to be held on the waters of the Milwaukee River, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic in the Milwaukee River, Milwaukee, Wisconsin during the event.

DATES:

This rule is effective from 12 m. (noon) until 6 p.m. (local) on September 22, 2001.

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 [CGD09-01-119] and are available for inspection or copying at U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Milwaukee, 2420 S. Lincoln Memorial Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53207 from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

LCDR Timothy Sickler, Port Operations Chief, Marine Safety Office Milwaukee, 2420 South Lincoln Memorial Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53207. The phone number is [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulatory Information

A notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) was not published for this regulation. Under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Coast Guard finds that good cause exists for not publishing an NPRM and for making this rule effective less than 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. The Coast Guard received the permit request for special local regulations on August 1, 2001. We were notified of the need for special local regulations with insufficient time to publish an NPRM, allow for comments, and publish a temporary final rule prior to the event on September 22, 2001.

Background and Purpose

On September 22, 2001, Laacke and Joys Inc. will sponsor the Milwaukee River Challenge crew boat races from 12 m. (noon) until 6 p.m. on the waters of the Milwaukee River, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A fleet of spectator vessels is expected to gather near the event site to view the crew boat races. Normal river traffic will be shut down for a period of six hours between the Chicago Street and Humboldt Avenue bridges. Except for participants in the Milwaukee River Challenge crew boat races and persons or vessels authorized by the Patrol Commander, no person or vessel may enter or remain in the regulated area.

The regulated area for the boat races will encompass all waters of the Milwaukee River and the adjacent shoreline between the Chicago Street and Humboldt Avenue bridges.

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 Transportation (DOT) (44 FR 11040, February 26, 1979).

We expect the economic impact of this temporary final rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation under paragraph 10(e) of the regulatory policies and procedures of DOT is unnecessary.

Although this regulation prevents traffic from transiting a portion of the Milwaukee River during the event, the effect of this regulation will not be significant due to the limited duration that the regulated area will be in effect and the extensive advance notifications that will be made to the maritime community via the Local Notice to Mariners, marine information broadcasts, and area newspapers so mariners can adjust their plans accordingly.

Small Entities

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), we 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 will affect the following entities, some of which may be small entities: the owners or operators of vessels intending to transit or anchor in the vicinity of the Milwaukee River, Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 12 m. (noon) until 6 p.m. (local) on September 22, 2001.

The effect of this regulation will not be significant because of the limited duration that the regulated area will be in effect and the extensive advance notifications that will be made to the maritime community via the Local Notice to Mariners, marine information broadcasts, and area newspapers so mariners can adjust their plans accordingly.

Assistance for Small Entities

Under section 213(a) of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121), we offer to assist small entities in understanding the rule so that they can better evaluate its effects on them and participate in the rulemaking process. 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 U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Milwaukee. (See ADDRESSES.)

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 would 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 concern 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. 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(h) of Commandant Instruction M16475.1C, this rule is categorically excluded from further environmental documentation. A written categorical exclusion determination is available in the docket for inspection or copying where indicated under ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

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

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

PART 100—MARINE EVENTS

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

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1233 through 1236; 49 CFR 1.46; 33 CFR 100.35.

2. A new temporary § 100.35-T09-996 is added to read as follows:

§ 100.35-T09-996

Milwaukee River, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

(a) Definitions.

(1) Coast Guard Patrol Commander. The Coast Guard Patrol Commander is a commissioned, warrant, or petty officer who has been designated by the Commander, Coast Guard Group Milwaukee.

(2) Official patrol. The Official Patrol is any vessel assigned or approved by Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Office Milwaukee with a commissioned, warrant, or petty officer on board and displaying a Coast Guard ensign.

(3) Regulated area. All waters of the Milwaukee River and adjacent shoreline between the Chicago Street bridge and the Humboldt Avenue bridge.

(b) Special local regulations.

(1) Except for persons or vessels authorized by the Coast Guard Patrol Commander, no person or vessel may enter or remain in the regulated area.

(2) The operator of any vessel in the regulated area shall:

(i) Stop the vessel immediately when directed to do so by any official patrol, including any commissioned, warrant or petty officer on board a vessel displaying a Coast Guard ensign.

(ii) Proceed as directed by any official patrol, including any commissioned, warrant or petty officer on board a vessel displaying a Coast Guard ensign.

(c) Effective period. From 12 m. (noon) until 6 p.m. on September 22, 2001.

Dated: August 28, 2001.

K.A. Carlson,

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District.