[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 76 (Thursday, April 18, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16885-16886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9603]



 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 76 / Thursday, April 18, 1996 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 16885]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 100

[CGD07-96-021]
RIN 2115-AE46


Special Local Regulations; Augusta Southern National Drag Boat 
Races; Augusta, GA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is proposing to establish permanent special 
local regulations for the Augusta Southern National Drag Boat Races. 
This event will be held annually on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and 
Sunday during the third week in July, between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern 
Daylight Time. Historically, there have been approximately 160, 16-18 
foot, drag boats racing two vessels per heat on a quarter mile long 
course on that portion of the Savannah River at Augusta, GA, between 
U.S. Highway 1 (Fifth St) Bridge at mile marker 199.45 and Eliot's Fish 
Camp at mile marker 197. The boats will be competing at high speeds and 
at close range. The nature of the event and the closure of the Savannah 
River creates an extra or unusual hazard in the navigable waters. These 
proposed regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on 
navigable waters during the event. By establishing these proposed 
permanent regulations, the Coast Guard expects to give better notice of 
requirements related to marine events, and also avoid the recurring 
costs of publication related with temporary regulations. However, the 
establishment of these proposed permanent regulations would not relieve 
the event organizers from applying for an annual marine event permit.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 20, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Group 
Charleston, 196 Tradd Street, Charleston, SC 29401, or may be delivered 
to operations office at the same address between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is (803) 724-7621. Comments will become a part of the public 
docket and will be available for copying and inspection at the same 
address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ENS M.J. DaPonte, Assistant Operations Officer, Coast Guard Group 
Charleston, South Carolina at (803) 724-7621.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages interested persons to participate in 
this rulemaking by submitting written views, data, or arguments. 
Persons submitting comments should include their names, addresses, 
identify the notice (CGD07-96-021) and the specific section of this 
proposal to which their comments apply, and give reasons for each 
comment. The Coast Guard will consider all comments received during the 
comment period. The regulations may be changed in view of the comments 
received. All comments received before the expiration of the comment 
period will be considered before final action is taken on this 
proposal.
    No public hearing is planned, but one may be held if the written 
requests for a hearing are received, and it is determined that the 
opportunity to make oral presentations will add to the rulemaking 
process.

Discussion of Proposed Regulations

    The proposed regulations are needed to provide for the safety of 
life during Augusta Southern National Drag Boat Races. These 
regulations are intended to promote safe navigation on the waters off 
Augusta on the Savannah River 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 Drag Boat Races poses a safety concern, which is 
addressed in these proposed special local regulations. The proposed 
regulations would not permit the entry or movement of spectator vessels 
and other nonparticipating vessel traffic between the U.S. Highway 
Route 1 (Fifth Street) Bridge at mile marker 199.45 and Eliot's Fish 
Camp at mile marker 197 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. annually, on Thursday, 
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the third week in July. The 
proposed regulations would permit the movement of spectator vessels and 
other nonparticipants after the termination of race each day, and 
during intervals between scheduled events at the discretion of the 
Coast Guard Patrol Commander.

Regulatory Evaluation

    This proposal 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 
proposed rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation under 
paragraph 10e of the regulatory policies and procedures of DOT is 
unnecessary. The proposed regulation would last for only 14 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 proposal 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 under 5 U.S.C. 605 (b) that this proposal, if adopted, 
would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities.

Collection of Information

    These proposed 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

[[Page 16886]]

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 
proposal consistent with Section 2.B.2. of Commandant Instruction 
M16475.1B. In accordance with that section, this proposed action has 
been environmentally assessed (EA completed), and the Coast Guard has 
concluded that it will not significantly affect the quality of the 
human environment. An environmental assessment and a finding of no 
significant impact have been prepared and are available in the docket 
for inspection or copying where indicated under ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100

    Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and record keeping 
requirements, Waterways.

Proposed Regulations

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Coast Guard proposes to 
amend 33 CFR part 100 as follows:
    1. The authority citation for Part 100 continues to read as 
follows:

PART 100--[AMENDED]

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

    2. A new section 100.709 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 100.709  Annual Augusta Southern National Drag Boat Races; 
Savannah River, Augusta, GA.

    (a) Definitions.
    (1) Regulated Area. The regulated area is formed by a line drawn 
directly across the Savannah River at the U.S. Highway 1 (Fifth Street) 
Bridge at mile marker 199.45 and directly across the Savannah River at 
Eliot's Fish Camp at mile marker 197. The regulated area encompasses 
the width of the Savannah River between these two lines.
    (2) Coast Guard Patrol Commander. The Coast Guard Patrol Commander 
will be commissioned, warrant, or petty officer who will be designated 
by the Commander, Coast Guard Group Charleston, South Carolina.
    (b) Special local regulations.
    (1) Entry into the regulated area is prohibited to all non-
participants.
    (2) After termination of the Augusta Southern National Drag Boat 
Races each day, and during intervals between scheduled events, at the 
discretion of the Coast Guard Patrol Commander, all vessels may resume 
normal operations.
    (c) Effective Dates. This section is effective at 6 a.m. and 
terminates at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time annually on Thursday, 
Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the third week of July, unless 
otherwise specified in the Seventh Coast Guard District Local Notice to 
Mariners.

    Dated: March 21, 1996.
Roger T. Rufe, Jr.,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 96-9603 Filed 4-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M