[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 23, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17841-17842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9880]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 100

[CGD07-96-028]
RIN 2115-AE46


Special Local Regulations: River Race Augusta; Augusta, GA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing temporary Special Local 
Regulations for the River Race Augusta. This event will be held from 7 
a.m. to 5 p.m. est (eastern standard time) on May 17, 18, and 19, 1996. 
There will be approximately seventy-five participants racing 16 to 18 
foot outboard power boats on that portion of the Savannah River at 
Augusta, Georgia, 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 on a prescribed course. 
The nature of the event and the closure of the Savannah River creates 
an extra or unusual hazard in the navigable waters. These temporary 
regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on 
navigable waters during the event.

EFFECTIVE DATES: This rule is effective from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern 
standard time on May 17, 18, and 19, 1996.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553, a notice of 
proposed rulemaking has not been published for these regulations and 
good cause exists for making them effective in less than 30 days from 
the date of publication. Following normal rulemaking procedures would 
have been impractical. The information to hold the event was not 
received until April 4, 1996, and there was not sufficient time 
remaining to publish proposed rules in advance of the event or to 
provide for a delayed effective date.

Discussion of Regulations

    The temporary regulations are needed to provide for the safety of 
life during River Race Augusta. 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 River Race poses 
a safety concern, which is addressed in these special local 
regulations. The temporary regulations will 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 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
est, on May 17, 18 and 19, 1996. The temporary regulations will permit 
the movement of spectator vessels and other non-participants 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 rulemaking 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. These temporary regulations will 
last for only 10 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 action 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 action will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Collection of Information

    These temporary 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 
criteria contained in Executive Order 12612, and it has been determined 
that

[[Page 17842]]

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 
action consistent with section 2.B.2. of Commandant Instruction 
M16475.1B. In accordance with that section, this 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.
List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100
    Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Waterways.
Temporary Final Regulations
    In consideration of the foregoing, Part 100 of Title 33, Code of 
Federal Regulations, is amended as follows:
PART 100--[AMENDED]
    1. The authority citation for Part 100 continues to read as 
follows:

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

    2. A temporary Sec. 100.35-T96-028 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 100.35-T96-028  River Race Augusta; 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 
is a commissioned, warrant or petty officer of the Coast Guard who has 
been 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 River Race Augusta 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 7 a.m. and 
terminates at 5 p.m. EST on May 17, 18 and 19, 1996, unless otherwise 
specified in the Seventh Coast Guard District Local Notice to Mariners.

    Dated: April 10, 1996.
P.J. Cardaci,
Captain U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District, 
Acting.
[FR Doc. 96-9880 Filed 4-22-96; 8:45 am]
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