E8-18079. Safety Zone, 2008 Personal Watercraft Challenge, Atlantic Ocean, Fort Lauderdale, FL

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Temporary final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the Atlantic Ocean offshore from Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the 2008 Personal Watercraft Challenge. This temporary safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from entering waters within the zone unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Miami, Florida, or a designated representative. This rule is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters of the United States and protect participants, spectators, and mariner traffic from potential hazards associated with the event.

DATES:

This rule is effective from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. on August 16, 2008.

ADDRESSES:

Documents indicated in this preamble as being available in the docket are part of docket USCG-2008-0433 and are available online at http://www.regulations.gov. They are also available for inspection or copying at two locations: the Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, and at Sector Miami, 100 MacArthur Causeway, Miami Beach, FL 33139 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have questions on this temporary rule, call Senior Chief Ray Johnson, Coast Guard Sector Miami, Florida at [phone]. If you have questions on viewing the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulatory Information

The Coast Guard is issuing this temporary final rule without prior notice and opportunity to comment pursuant to authority under section 4(a) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553(b)). This provision authorizes an agency to issue a rule without prior notice and opportunity to comment when the agency for good cause finds that those procedures are “impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest.” Under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Coast Guard finds that good cause exists for not publishing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) with respect to this rule because notice of this event was not provided to the Coast Guard with sufficient time to publish an NPRM and receive public comment before the event date. Furthermore, good cause exists because this temporary safety zone will not significantly restrict the use of the waterway as all vessels will be able to safely transit around the zone. A Coast Guard Patrol Commander will be available and the Coast Guard will also issue a Broadcast Notice to Mariners. This temporary rule is necessary to ensure the safety of participants, spectators, and the general public on the navigable waters of the United States.

For the same reasons above, 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.

Background and Purpose

Extreme Events is sponsoring the 2008 Personal Watercraft Challenge with approximately 300 personal watercrafts each 9 feet in length. The event will be held between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. on August 16, 2008. The public is invited to attend. The high concentration of event participants, spectators, and the general boating public presents an extra hazard to the safety of life on the navigable waters of the United States. A regulated area encompassing the waters of the Atlantic Ocean is necessary to protect participants as well as spectators from hazards associated with the event.

Discussion of Rule

This rule establishes a temporary safety zone for the 2008 Personal Watercraft Challenge in the Atlantic Ocean. Extreme Events will sponsor the 2008 Personal Watercraft Challenge on Saturday, August 16, 2008 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the Atlantic Ocean offshore in an area from Fort Lauderdale, Florida north to Hillsboro Inlet, Florida. The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in and on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This safety zone includes all waters from the surface to the bottom, encompassed by an imaginary line connecting the following points: 26°15′09″ N, 080°04′57.78″ W; thence to 26°15′08.70″ N, 080°04′47.82″ W; thence to 26°06′20.88″ N, 080°06′01.50″ W; thence to 26°06′20.76″ N, 080°06′11.40″ W; thence returning to origin. All vessels and persons are prohibited from anchoring, mooring, or transiting within this zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Miami, Florida or a designated representative. The safety zone will be in place from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on August 16, 2008.

Regulatory Analyses

We developed this rule after considering numerous statutes and executive orders related to rulemaking. Below we summarize our analyses based on 13 of these statutes or executive orders.

Regulatory Planning and Review

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.

We expect the economic impact of this rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation under the regulatory policies and procedures of DHS is unnecessary. This regulation will only be in effect for a short period of time and the impact on routine navigation is expected to be minimal, since vessels should be able to safely navigate around the zone.

Small Entities

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), we have 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 this zone between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. on August 16, 2008. This safety zone will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities for the following reasons: This rule will only be in effect for a short period of time and the impact on routine navigation is expected to be minimal, since vessels should be able to safely navigate around the zone.

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.

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). The Coast Guard will not retaliate against small entities that question or complain about this rule or any policy or action of the Coast Guard.

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 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 affect 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 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 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. The Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has not designated it as a significant energy action. Therefore, it does not require a Statement of Energy Effects under Executive Order 13211.

Technical Standards

The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) (15 U.S.C. 272 note) directs agencies to use voluntary consensus standards in their regulatory activities unless the agency provides Congress, through the Office of Management and Budget, with an explanation of why using these standards would be inconsistent with applicable law or otherwise impractical. Voluntary consensus standards are technical standards (e.g., specifications of materials, performance, design, or operation; test methods; sampling procedures; and related management systems practices) that are developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies.

This rule does not use technical standards. Therefore, we did not consider the use of voluntary consensus standards.

Environment

We have analyzed this rule under Commandant Instruction M16475.lD and Department of Homeland Security Management Directive 5100.1, which guide the Coast Guard in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f), and have concluded, under the Instruction, that there are no factors in this case that would limit the use of a categorical exclusion under section 2.B.2 of the Instruction. Therefore, this rule is categorically excluded, under figure 2-1, paragraph (34)(g), of the Instruction, from further environmental documentation.

Under figure 2-1, paragraph (34)(g), of the Instruction, an environmental analysis checklist and a categorical exclusion determination are not required for this rule because it concerns an emergency situation of less than 1 week in duration.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

• Harbors
• Marine safety
• Navigation (water)
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Security measures, and Waterways

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard amends 33 CFR part 165 as follows:

PART 165—REGULATED NAVIGATION AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS

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

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1226, 1231; 46 U.S.C. Chapter 701; 50 U.S.C. 191, 195; 33 CFR 1.05-1(g), 6.04-1, 6.04-6 and 160.5; Pub. L. 107-295, 116 Stat. 2064; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.

2. A new temporary § 165.T07-0433 is added to read as follows:

§ 165-T07-0433

Safety Zone, 2008 Personal Watercraft Challenge, Atlantic Ocean, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

(a) Regulated areas. Temporary safety zone for the 2008 Personal Watercraft Challenge in the Atlantic Ocean offshore in an area from Fort Lauderdale, Florida north to Hillsboro Inlet, Florida. The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in and on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This safety zone includes all waters from the surface to the bottom, encompassed by an imaginary line connecting the following points: 26°15′09″ N, 080°04′57.78″ W, thence to 26°15′08.70″ N, 080°04′47.82″ W, thence to 26°06′20.88″ N, 080°06′01.50″ W, thence to 26°06′20.76″ N, 080°06′11.40″ W, thence returning to origin.

(b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section:

Designated representative means Coast Guard Patrol Commanders, including Coast Guard coxswains, petty officers and other officers operating Coast Guard vessels, and Federal, State, and local officers designated by or assisting the Captain of the Port (COTP), Miami, Florida in the enforcement of regulated navigation areas, safety zones, and security zones.

(c) Regulations. (1) In accordance with the general regulations in § 165.23 of this part, no person or vessel may anchor, moor or transit a safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port Miami, Florida or a designated representative. To request permission to enter into a safety zone, the Captain of the Port's designated representative may be contacted on VHF channel 16.

(2) At the completion of scheduled event, and departure of participants from the regulated area, the Coast Guard Patrol Commander may permit traffic to resume normal operations.

(d) Effective Period. This temporary safety zone will be effective between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., Saturday, August 16, 2008.

Dated: July 15, 2008.

J.O. Fitton,

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port Miami, FL.