Regulated Navigation Area; Columbus Day Weekend, Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL

Federal Register, Volume 77 Issue 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2012)

Federal Register Volume 77, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2012)

Proposed Rules

Pages 43554-43557

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2012-18151

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

Docket No. USCG-2012-0191

RIN 1625-AA11

Regulated Navigation Area; Columbus Day Weekend, Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to establish a regulated navigation area on Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida. The regulated navigation area will be enforced annually from Saturday of the second week through Monday of the third week in October (Columbus Day weekend). The regulated navigation area will include certain waters of Biscayne Bay between Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge and Coon Point on Elliot Key. All vessels within the regulated navigation area would be: required to transit the regulated navigation area at no more than 15 knots; subject to control by the Coast Guard; and required to follow the instructions of all law enforcement vessels in the area. This regulated navigation area is necessary to ensure the safe transit of vessels and to protect persons, vessels, and the marine environment within the regulated navigation area during the Columbus Day weekend.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard on or before August 24, 2012. Requests for public meetings must be received by the Coast Guard August 14, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-

2012-0191 using any one of the following methods:

(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

(2) Fax: (202) 493-2251.

(3) Mail or Delivery: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Deliveries accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is (202) 366-9329.

See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for further instructions on submitting comments. To avoid duplication, please use only one of these three methods.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this proposed rule, call or email Lieutenant Jennifer S. Makowski, Sector Miami Prevention Department, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone (305) 535-8724, email Jennifer.S.Makowski@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Acronyms

DHS Department of Homeland Security

FR Federal Register

NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

1. Public Participation and Request for Comments

   We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting comments and related materials. All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have provided.

   1. Submitting Comments

      If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this rulemaking (USCG-2012-0191), indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online at http://www.regulations.gov, or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online, it will be considered received by the Coast Guard when you successfully transmit the comment. If you fax, hand deliver, or mail your comment, it will be considered as having been received by the Coast Guard when it is received at the Docket Management Facility. We recommend that you include your name and a mailing address, an email address, or a telephone number in the body of your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding your submission.

      To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type the docket number (USCG-2012-0191) in the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.'' Click on ``Submit a Comment'' on the line associated with this rulemaking.

      If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and

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      electronic filing. If you submit comments by mail and would like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-

      addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during the comment period and may change the proposed rule based on your comments.

   2. Viewing Comments and Documents

      To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type the docket number (USCG-2012-0191) in the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.'' Click on Open Docket Folder on the line associated with this rulemaking. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

   3. Privacy Act

      Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

   4. Public Meeting

      We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a request for one, using one of the methods specified under ADDRESSES. Please explain why you believe a public meeting would be beneficial. If we determine that one would aid this rulemaking, we will hold one at a time and place announced by a later notice in the Federal Register.

2. Basis and Purpose

   The legal basis for the proposed rule is the Coast Guard's authority to establish regulated navigation areas and other limited access areas: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 46 U.S.C. Chapter 701, 3306, 3703; 50 U.S.C. 191, 195; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 6.04-1, 6.04-6, 160.5; Public Law 107-

   295, 116 Stat. 2064; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.

   The purpose of the proposed rule is to ensure the safe transit of vessels and to protect persons, vessels, and the marine environment within the regulated navigation area during the Columbus Day weekend.

3. Discussion of Proposed Rule

   The proposed rule would designate a regulated navigation area encompassing certain waters of Biscayne Bay between Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge and Coon Point on Elliot Key in Miami, Florida.

   The regulated navigation area would be enforced from 12:01 p.m. on Saturday of the second week in October through 2 a.m. on Monday of the third week in October (Columbus Day weekend) each year. All vessels within the regulated navigation area would be: (1) Required to transit the area at no more than 15 knots; (2) subject to control by the Coast Guard; and (3) required to follow the instructions of all law enforcement vessels in the area.

   The regulated navigation area is necessary to ensure the safety of the public. The close proximity of numerous vessels transiting that portion of Biscayne Bay encompassed within the proposed regulated navigation area during Columbus Day weekend poses a hazardous condition. The regulated navigation area would result in the transiting of vessels at a safer speed, thereby significantly reducing the threat of vessel collisions. Requiring vessels within the regulated navigation area to transit at no more than 15 knots would also enable law enforcement officials to identify, respond to, query, and stop operators who may pose a hazard to other vessels in the area. Nothing in this regulation would alleviate vessels or operators from complying with all other Federal, state, and local laws in the area, including manatee slow speed zones.

4. 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 or executive orders.

   1. Regulatory Planning and Review

      This proposed rule is not a significant regulatory action under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review, as supplemented by Executive Order 13563, Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review, and does not require an assessment of potential costs and benefits under section 6(a)(3) of Executive Order 12866 or under section 1 of Executive Order 13563. The Office of Management and Budget has not reviewed it under those Orders. The economic impact of this proposed rule is not significant for the following reasons: (1) The regulated navigation area would be enforced for less than 28 hours each year; (2) although, during the enforcement period, vessels would be required to transit the area at no more than 15 knots, be subject to control by the Coast Guard, and be required to follow the instructions of all law enforcement vessels in the area, the regulated navigation area does not prohibit vessels from transiting the area; (3) vessels would still be able operate in surrounding waters that are not encompassed within the regulated navigation area without the restrictions imposed by the regulated navigation area; and (4) advance notification of the regulated navigation area would be made to the local maritime community via Local Notice to Mariners and Broadcast Notice to Mariners.

   2. Impact on Small Entities

      Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), we have considered the impact of this proposed rule on small entities. The Coast Guard certifies under 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that this proposed rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

      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 proposed rule may affect the following entities, some of which may be small entities: the owners or operators of vessels intending to transit the regulated navigation area from 12:01 p.m. on Saturday of the second week in October through 2 a.m. on Monday of the third week in October (Columbus Day weekend) each year. For the reasons discussed in the Regulatory Planning and Review section above, this proposed rule would 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 proposed 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 proposed rule would economically affect it.

   3. Assistance for Small Entities

      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 proposed 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

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      listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above. 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.

   4. Collection of Information

      This proposed rule would call for no new collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).

   5. Federalism

      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 determined that this rule does not have implications for federalism

   6. 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.

   7. 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 proposed rule would not result in such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this proposed rule elsewhere in this preamble.

   8. Taking of Private Property

      This proposed rule would not cause a taking of private property or otherwise have taking implications under Executive Order 12630, Governmental Actions and Interference with Constitutionally Protected Property Rights.

   9. Civil Justice Reform

      This proposed 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.

   10. Protection of Children From Environmental Health Risks

       We have analyzed this proposed rule under Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks. This proposed rule is not an economically significant rule and would not create an environmental risk to health or risk to safety that might disproportionately affect children.

   11. Indian Tribal Governments

       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.

   12. Energy Effects

       This proposed rule is not a ``significant energy action'' under Executive Order 13211, Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use 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.

   13. Technical Standards

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

   14. 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 (NEPA) (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 proposed rule is categorically excluded under paragraph 34(g) of Figure 2-1 of the Commandant Instruction. This proposed rule involves establishing a regulated navigation area, as described in paragraph 34(g) of the Commandant Instruction, which will be enforced for less than 28 hours each year. A preliminary environmental analysis checklist supporting this determination is available in the docket where indicated under ADDRESSES. We seek any comments or information that may lead to the discovery of a significant environmental impact from this proposed rule.

5. List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

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

   For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to amend 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. 1231; 46 U.S.C. Chapter 701, 3306, 3703; 50 U.S.C. 191, 195; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 6.04-1, 6.04-6, 160.5; Pub. L. 107-295, 116 Stat. 2064; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.

   2. Revise Sec. 165.779 to read as follows:

      Sec. 165.779 Regulated Navigation Area; Columbus Day Weekend, Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL.

      (a) Regulated Area. The regulated navigation area encompasses all waters of Biscayne Bay between Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge and Coon Point, Elliot Key contained within an imaginary line connecting the following points: beginning at Point 1 in position 25deg44'49'' N, 80deg12'04'' W; thence southwest to Point 2 in position 25deg30'00'' N, 80deg15'48'' W; thence southeast to Point 3 in position 25deg28'22'' N, 80deg15'00'' W; thence east to Point 4 in position 25deg28'23'' N, 80deg12'53'' W; thence northeast to Point 5 in position 25deg30'00'' N, 80deg12'06'' W; thence west to Point 6 in position 25deg30'00'' N, 80deg13'17'' W; thence northwest to Point 7 in position 25deg30'53'' N, 80deg13'21'' W; thence northeast to Point 8 in position 25deg43'57'' N, 80deg10'01'' W; thence back to origin. All coordinates are North American Datum 1983.

      (b) Definition. The term ``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 Miami in the enforcement of the regulated area.

      (c) Regulations. (1) All vessels within the regulated area are required to transit

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      at no more than 15 knots, are subject to control by the Coast Guard, and must follow the instructions of designated representatives.

      (2) At least 48 hours prior to each enforcement period, the Coast Guard will provide notice of the regulated area through advanced notice via Local Notice to Mariners and Broadcast Notice to Mariners. The Coast Guard will also provide notice of the regulated area by on-scene designated representatives.

      (d) Enforcement period. This rule will be enforced from 12:01 p.m. on Saturday of the second week through 2 a.m. on Monday of the third week in October (Columbus Day weekend) each year.

      Dated: June 20, 2012.

      William D. Baumgartner,

      Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District.

      FR Doc. 2012-18151 Filed 7-24-12; 8:45 am

      BILLING CODE 9110-04-P