[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 84 (Tuesday, April 30, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 18944-18946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10557]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 110

[CGD07-95-033]
RIN 2115-AA98


Special Anchorage Areas; Herb River, Thunderbolt, GA; Bull River, 
Savannah, GA; South Channel Savannah River East, Savannah, GA; South 
Channel Savannah River West, Savannah, GA; Calibogue Sound, Hilton 
Head, SC; May River, Hilton Head, SC

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing six temporary special 
anchorage areas during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. These special 
anchorage areas become effective on July 4, 1996, at 7 a.m. EDT 
(Eastern Daylight Time), and terminate on August 5, 1996, at 11 p.m. 
EDT. The Coast Guard expects a significant number of spectator vessels 
to participate in the festivities surrounding the 1996 Olympic Games. 
By designating special anchorage areas the Coast Guard expects to 
minimize the problems associated with a large congestion of boaters in 
the area.

EFFECTIVE DATES: This rule is effective at 7 a.m. EDT, on July 4, 1996, 
and terminates at 11 p.m. EDT, on August 5, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Copies of documents referenced in this document are 
available for inspection or copying from Marine Safety Office, 
Savannah, 222 W. Ogelthorpe Avenue, Suite 402, Savannah, Georgia 
between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. A copy of the environmental assessment is available from CEU 
Miami, 909 S.E. 1st Ave., Miami, Florida 33131.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
LT J. Simmerman, project officer for the Captain of the Port, or BMC P. 
Webber, Marine Safety Office Savannah at Tel: (912) 652-4353, between 
the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday, except 
holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Regulatory History

    On October 13, 1995, the Coast Guard published a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register (60 FR 53317) entitled 
``Special Anchorage Areas; Herb River, Thunderbolt, GA; Bull River, 
Savannah, GA; South Channel Savannah River East, Savannah, GA; South 
Channel Savannah River West, Savannah, GA; Calibogue Sound, Hilton 
Head, SC; May River, Hilton Head, SC'' (CGD07-95-033). Three comments 
were received in response to the NPRM.

Discussion of Comments and Changes

    All of the comments received addressed the proposed May River 
special anchorage area, proposed Sec. 110.T72e(f). These comments 
addressed concerns that establishment of the May River anchorage as 
proposed would not allow for safe navigation of recreational and 
commercial vessels by residents who live along the May River west of 
the proposed anchorage area. Based on these comments, proposed 
Sec. 110.T72e(f) has been modified in this final rule to decrease the 
anchorage area, restricting the anchorage area to the southern half of 
the May River. This change in area will allow for safe passage of 
commercial and recreational vessels in the northern side of the 
channel. The description of the May River anchorage area now appears in 
Sec. 110.72e(a)(6). Additionally, an

[[Page 18945]]

effective date paragraph has been added to the section to make it clear 
that these special anchorage areas will only be in effect from July 4, 
1996 until August 5, 1996.

Discussion of Regulations

    Approximately 1,000 to 2,000 spectator vessels are expected to 
arrive and participate in the festivities of the 1996 Olympic sailing 
competition. The Coast Guard is establishing six special anchorage 
areas to alleviate the problems of a large congestion of recreational 
boats in a small area. By designating these special anchorages, the 
Coast Guard anticipates minimizing the associated problems with 
security and pollution, as well as the commercial congestion that a 
large influx of boaters might cause in the area. Vessels no more than 
sixty-five feet in length when anchored at any special anchorage area 
are not required to carry or exhibit the white anchor lights normally 
required by the Navigation Rules. These special anchorage regulations 
will be effective from July 4, 1996, at 7 a.m. EDT, until August 5, 
1996, 11 p.m. edt.
    Six special anchorage areas are being established in the following 
locations: (1) Herb River; from the mouth of the Herb River to just 
before Country Club Creek. (2) Bull River; south from the Bull River 
Bridge to the mouth of Lazaretto Creek. (3) The South Channel of the 
Savannah River west; extending from Elba Island Cut southeast to the 
Fort Pulaski Bridge. (4) The South Channel of the Savannah River east; 
extending from Fort Pulaski Bridge east to the entrance of Lazaretto 
Creek. (5) Calibogue Sound; south of the entrance of Harbourtown to 
Braddock Point. (6) May River; west of buoy 4 in the vicinity of Bass 
Creek to buoy 5 prior to the mouth of Bull Creek.

Regulatory Evaluation

    This rule is not a significant regulatory action under section 3(f) 
of Executive Order 12866 and does not require an assessment of 
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 
rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation under paragraph 
10e of the regulatory policies and procedures of DOT is unnecessary.

Small Entities

    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the 
Coast Guard considered whether this rule will have a significant effect 
on a substantial number of small entities. ``Small entities'' may 
include (1) small businesses and not for profit organizations that are 
independently owned and operated and are not dominant in their fields 
and (2) governmental jurisdictions with populations of less than 
50,000.
    Over 1100 athletes and coaches representing over 80 countries, over 
300 competition vessesls, as well as approximately 1,000 to 2,000 
support and spectator vessels are expected to arrive and participate in 
the festivities of the 1996 Olympic yatching competition. The special 
anchorage areas described in this rule will be established for a 
limited time period to help accommodate this large volume of spectator 
vessels in the port of Savannah. The boundaries of the anchorage areas 
have been tailored to reduce congestion while still allowing for safe 
navigation of the waterways by commercial and recreational vessels.
    For the reasons discussed above, the Coast Guard certifies under 
section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. et seq.) 
that this rule will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities.

Collection of Information

    This rule contains 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 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 and has determined pursuant to Section 2.B.2. of Commandant 
Instruction M16475.1B, that this action is categorically excluded from 
further environmental documentation.
    A Categorical Exclusion Determination and Categorical Exclusion 
Checklist are available in the docket for inspection or copying at the 
location listed in ADDRESSES. In addition the environmental analysis 
above, an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) has been issued for the area during the 1996 Olympic 
Yachting Competition. A copy of the EA and FONSI is available for 
copying and inspection at the location listed in ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 110

    Anchorage grounds.

Final Regulations

    In consideration of the foregoing, Part 110 of Title 33, Code of 
Federal Regulations, is amended as follows:

PART 110--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for Part 110 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 33 U.S.C. 471, 2030, 2035, and 2071; 49 CFR 1.46 and 
33 CFR 1.05-1(g). Section 110.1a and each section listed in 110.1a 
are also issued under 33 U.S.C. 1223 and 1231.

    2. A new temporary Sec. 110.72e is added to read as follows:


Sec. 110.72e  Savannah Olympic Anchorage Areas, GA.

    (a) Anchorage Areas. The following locations are special anchorage 
areas (All coordinates referenced used Datum: NAD 1983):
    (1) Herb River Anchorage. The waters in Herb River within the area 
bounded at latitude 32 deg.01'.2'' N, extending south to a line at 
latitude 32 deg.00'.0'' N.
    (2) Bull River Anchorage. The waters of Bull River within the area 
bounded at latitude 32 deg.02'.2'' N, east to a line at latitude 
31 deg.59'.7'' N across Bull River.
    (3) South Channel of the Savannah River West Anchorage. The waters 
of the South Channel of the Savannah River lying between latitude 
32 deg.04'.1'' N, extending east to a line of longitude 080 deg.54'.9'' 
W in the vicinity of the Fort Pulaski Bridge.
    (4) South Channel of the Savannah River East Anchorage. The waters 
of the South Channel of the Savannah River lying east of the Fort 
Pulaski Bridge, beginning at longitude 080 deg.54'.9'' W, extending 
east to longitude 080 deg.53'.9'' W across South Channel.
    (5) Calibogue Sound Anchorage. The waters of Calibogue Sound lying 
within the following coordinates, the area west of the west shore of 
Hilton Head Island; starting at

32 deg.08'12.0'' N, 080 deg.48'55.0'' W; thence to,
32 deg.08'12.0'' N, 080 deg.49'13.0'' W; thence to,
32 deg.06'50.0'' N, 080 deg.49'55.0'' W; thence to,
32 deg.06'50.0'' N, 080 deg.49'43.0'' W; back north on the west shore 
of Hilton Head Island to the point of beginning.

    (6) May River Anchorage. The waters of May River within the 
following

[[Page 18946]]

coordinates, the area north of the north shore of Bull Island; 
beginning at

32 deg.11'45.0'' N, 080 deg.48'03.0'' W; thence to,
32 deg.11'52.0'' N, 080 deg.48'02.0'' W; thence to,
32 deg.12'00.0'' N, 080 deg.48'17.0'' W; thence to,
32 deg.12'19.0'' N, 080 deg.49'35.0'' W; thence to,
32 deg.12'09.0'' N, 080 deg.49'43.0'' W; back east along the north 
shore of Bull Island to the point of beginning.

    (b) Effective dates. This section is effective on July 4, 1996, at 
7 a.m. EDT, and terminates on August 5, 1996, at 11 p.m. EDT.

    Dated: April 23, 1996.
Roger T. Rufe, Jr.,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 96-10557 Filed 4-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M