Special Local Regulations, Upper Mississippi River, Mile Markers 839 to 840 St. Paul, MN

Published date14 June 2019
Citation84 FR 27743
Record Number2019-12484
SectionProposed rules
CourtCoast Guard
Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 115 (Friday, June 14, 2019)
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 115 (Friday, June 14, 2019)]
                [Proposed Rules]
                [Pages 27743-27745]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2019-12484]
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                DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
                Coast Guard
                33 CFR Part 100
                [Docket Number USCG-2019-0437]
                RIN 1625-AA08
                Special Local Regulations, Upper Mississippi River, Mile Markers
                839 to 840 St. Paul, MN
                AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
                ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
                -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary Special
                Local Regulation for the navigable waters of the Upper Mississippi
                River between mile marker (MM) 839 and MM 840 in St. Paul, MN on
                September 7, 2019 in order to provide for the safety of life on these
                waters during a Red Bull Flugtag event. This proposed rulemaking would
                prohibit persons and vessels from entering and operating between MM 839
                and MM 840 of the Upper Mississippi River during the event unless
                authorized by the Captain of the Port Upper Mississippi River (COTP) or
                a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed
                rulemaking.
                DATES: Comments and related material must be received by the Coast
                Guard on or before July 15, 2019.
                ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
                2019-0437 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation and Request for
                Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further
                instructions on submitting comments.
                [[Page 27744]]
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this
                proposed rulemaking, call or email Lieutenant Commander Christian
                Barger, Waterways Management Division, Sector Upper Mississippi River,
                U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 314-269-2560, email
                [email protected].
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                I. Table of Abbreviations
                CFR Code of Federal Regulations
                COTP Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi River
                DHS Department of Homeland Security
                FR Federal Register
                NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking
                Sec. Section
                U.S.C. United States Code
                II. Background, Purpose, and Legal Basis
                 On May 15, 2019, Red Bull North America notified the Coast Guard
                that it will be holding a Red Bull Flugtag event on the Upper
                Mississippi River at Harriett Island Park in St. Paul, MN from 11 a.m.
                to 4 p.m. on September 7, 2019. Flugtag is a homemade, non-powered
                flying machine competition. Contestants launch their machines from a 22
                feet high platform built over the Upper Mississippi River. Potential
                hazards from this event include the temporary installation of a
                structure along the right descending bank of the river, temporary
                channel obstructions until the Flugtag machines are recovered from the
                river, and the presence of debris and persons in the water within the
                event perimeter. The Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi River
                (COTP) has determined that the potential hazards associated with the
                event would be a safety concern for persons and vessels in proximity of
                the event area. The purpose of this rulemaking is to ensure the safety
                of persons and vessels on these navigable waters before, during, and
                after the scheduled event. The Coast Guard is proposing this rulemaking
                under authority in 46 U.S.C. 70034 (previously 33 U.S.C. 1231).
                III. Discussion of Proposed Rule
                 The COTP proposes to establish Special Local Regulations from 10
                a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 7, 2019. The Special Local Regulations
                would be in effect for all navigable waters of the Upper Mississippi
                River between Mile Marker (MM) 839 and MM 840. The duration of the zone
                is intended to ensure the safety of vessels and these waters before,
                during, and after the scheduled 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. competition. No
                vessel or person would be permitted to enter the regulated area without
                obtaining permission from the COTP or a designated representative. The
                regulatory text we are proposing appears at the end of this document.
                IV. 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 and Executive orders and
                we discuss First Amendment rights of protestors.
                A. Regulatory Planning and Review
                 Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess the
                costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if
                regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize
                net benefits. Executive Order 13771 directs agencies to control
                regulatory costs through a budgeting process. This NPRM has not been
                designated a ``significant regulatory action,'' under Executive Order
                12866. Accordingly, the NPRM has not been reviewed by the Office of
                Management and Budget (OMB), and pursuant to OMB guidance it is exempt
                from the requirements of Executive Order 13771.
                 This regulatory action determination is based on the size,
                location, and duration of the proposed rule. The safety zone would
                restrict navigation on a one mile stretch of the Mississippi River from
                MM 839 to MM 840 for seven hours on one day. Additionally, this
                regulatory action will permit persons and vessels to seek permission to
                enter the regulated area from the COTP on a case-by-case basis.
                B. Impact on Small Entities
                 The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, as
                amended, requires Federal agencies to consider the potential impact of
                regulations on small entities during rulemaking. 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
                proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a
                substantial number of small entities.
                 While some owners or operators of vessels intending to transit the
                safety zone may be small entities, for the reasons stated in section
                IV.A above, this proposed rule would not have a significant economic
                impact on any vessel owner or operator.
                 If you think that your business, organization, or governmental
                jurisdiction qualifies as a small entity and that this 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 rule would economically affect it.
                 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 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 listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
                section. 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.
                C. Collection of Information
                 This proposed rule would not call for a new collection of
                information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-
                3520).
                D. Federalism and Indian Tribal Governments
                 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
                have determined that it is consistent with the fundamental federalism
                principles and preemption requirements described in Executive Order
                13132.
                 Also, 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. If
                you believe this proposed rule has implications for federalism or
                Indian tribes, please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER
                INFORMATION CONTACT section.
                E. 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
                [[Page 27745]]
                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
                (adjusted for inflation) or more in any one year. Though this proposed
                rule would not result in such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects
                of this rule elsewhere in this preamble.
                F. Environment
                 We have analyzed this proposed rule under Department of Homeland
                Security Directive 023-01 and Environmental Planning COMDTINST 5090.1
                (series), which guide the Coast Guard in complying with the National
                Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (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 involves the
                establishment of Special Local Regulations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on
                September 7, 2019. The Special Local Regulations would be effective on
                all navigable waters of the Upper Mississippi River between MM 839 and
                MM 840. Normally such actions are categorically excluded from further
                review under paragraph L60(a) in Table 3-1 of U.S. Coast Guard
                Environmental Planning Implementing Procedures 5090.1. A preliminary
                Record of Environmental Consideration 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.
                G. 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.
                V. Public Participation and Request for Comments
                 We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking,
                and will consider all comments and material received during the comment
                period. Your comment can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. If
                you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this
                rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which
                each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or
                recommendation.
                 We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking
                Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be
                submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate
                instructions.
                 We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted
                without change to https://www.regulations.gov and will include any
                personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the
                docket, visit https://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice.
                 Documents mentioned in this NPRM as being available in the docket,
                and all public comments, will be in our online docket at https://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website's
                instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up
                for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a
                final rule is published.
                List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100
                 Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and recordkeeping
                requirements, Waterways.
                 For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard is
                proposing to amend 33 CFR part 100 as follows:
                PART 100--SAFETY OF LIFE ON NAVIGABLE WATERS
                0
                1. The authority citation for part 100 continues to read as follows:
                 Authority: 46 U.S.C. 70041; 33 CFR 1.05-1.
                0
                2. Add Sec. 100.T08-0437 to read as follows:
                Sec. 100.T08-0437 Special Local Regulations; Upper Mississippi
                River, Mile Markers 839 to 840 St. Paul, MN
                 (a) Location. The following Special Local Regulations are in effect
                for all navigable waters of the Upper Mississippi River between mile
                marker (MM) 839 and MM 840.
                 (b) Period of enforcement. This section will be enforced from 10
                a.m. through 5 p.m. on September 7, 2019.
                 (c) Regulations. (1) The Coast Guard may patrol the event area
                under the direction of a designated Coast Guard Patrol Commander. The
                Patrol Commander may be contacted on Channel 16 VHF-FM (156.8 MHz) by
                the call sign ``PATCOM.''
                 (2) All persons and vessels not registered with the sponsor as
                participants or official patrol vessels are considered spectators. The
                ``official patrol vessels'' consist of any Coast Guard, state or local
                law enforcement and sponsor provided vessels assigned or approved by
                the Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi River, to patrol the
                event.
                 (3) Spectator vessels desiring to transit the regulated area may do
                so only with prior approval of the Patrol Commander and when so
                directed by that officer and will be operated at a no wake speed in a
                manner which will not endanger participants in the event or any other
                craft.
                 (4) No spectator shall anchor, block, loiter, or impede the through
                transit of participants or official patrol vessels in the regulated
                area during the effective dates and times, unless cleared for entry by
                or through an official patrol vessel.
                 (5) The Patrol Commander may forbid and control the movement of all
                vessels in the regulated area. When hailed or signaled by an official
                patrol vessel, a vessel shall come to an immediate stop and comply with
                the directions given. Failure to do so may result in expulsion from the
                area, citation for failure to comply, or both.
                 (6) Any spectator vessel may anchor outside the regulated area
                specified in Table 1 of this section, but may not anchor in, block, or
                loiter in a navigable channel.
                 (7) The Patrol Commander may terminate the event or the operation
                of any vessel at any time it is deemed necessary for the protection of
                life or property.
                 (8) The Patrol Commander will terminate enforcement of the special
                regulations at the conclusion of the event.
                S.A. Stoermer,
                Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi
                River.
                [FR Doc. 2019-12484 Filed 6-13-19; 8:45 am]
                 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
                

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