[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 3, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 34732-34733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16850]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army
Corps of Engineers

33 CFR Part 334


Chesapeake Bay Off Fort Monroe, VA, and Canaveral Harbor Adjacent 
to the Navy Pier at Port Canaveral, FL; Restricted Areas, and Pacific 
Ocean, Hawaii, Danger Zones

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Corps is amending the regulations which establish a 
restricted area in the waters off of Fort Monroe, Virginia, which is 
located at Hampton Roads in the Chesapeake Bay. The purpose of the 
amendment is to increase the size of the restricted area to protect 
sensitive test equipment operated by the Navy in that area. The 
equipment is susceptible to damage by commercial fishing vessels, 
anchoring and dragging. The Corps is amending the regulations which 
establish a restricted area in Canaveral Harbor in the waters adjacent 
to the Navy pier at Port Canaveral, Florida. This amendment concerns 
the replacement of a warning light system in the Canaveral area. The 
change is necessary because the existing rules refer to the display of 
a nonexistent red ball and the Port Canaveral water tower which has 
been dismantled. The marker light has been relocated. The Corps is also 
making several editorial changes to the regulations which establish 
danger zones in the waters offshore of Hawaii. The amendments reflect a 
change in the use of a danger zone and the identity of the Agency 
responsible for enforcement of the regulations. The changes are being 
made as a result of an ongoing review of the regulations.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 2, 1996.

ADDRESSES: HQUSACE, CECW-OR, Washington, D.C. 20314-1000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Ralph Eppard, Regulatory Branch, CECW-OR at (202) 761-1783, or 
questions concerning the Fort Monroe restricted area may be directed to 
Ms. Alice G. Riley of the Norfolk District at (804) 441-7389, and 
questions concerning the Port Canaveral restricted area may be directed 
to Ms. Shirley Stokes of the Jacksonville District at (904) 232-1668.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to its authorities in Section 7 of 
the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1917 (40 Stat. 266; 33 U.S.C. 1) and 
Chapter XIX of the Army Appropriations Act of 1919 (40 Stat. 892; 33 
U.S.C. 3), the Corps is amending the regulations in 33 CFR Part 
334.360, 334.530 and 334.1340.
    The Commanding Officer, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren 
Detachment, Fort Monroe, Virginia has requested an amendment to the 
regulations in 33 CFR 334.360, which establish a restricted area in the 
Chesapeake Bay off Fort Monroe, Virginia. In addition, the Commanding 
Officer, Naval Ordnance Test Unit, Cape Canaveral, Florida, has 
requested an amendment to the restricted area regulations in 33 CFR 
334.530 to delete a reference to a red warning light on a water tower 
and refer in its place to a new warning light system. We published 
these proposed amendments to the regulations in the notice of proposed 
rulemaking section of the Federal Register on February 27, 1996, with 
the comment period expiring on April 12, 1996 (61 FR 7231-7132). We 
received no comments in response to the proposed rule. The Commander, 
Naval Base, Pearl Harbor has requested that minor editorial changes be 
made to the regulations which establish several danger zones in the 
waters offshore of Hawaii to remove obsolete material. The title of the 
danger zone in 33 CFR 1340(a)(4) is changed from ``Aerial bombing and 
naval shore bombardment area, Kahoolawe Island Hawaii'' to ``Submerged 
unexploded ordnance danger zone, Kahoolawe Island, Hawaii'' and the 
enforcing authority in paragraph (c) is changed from ``Commander, Third 
Fleet, Pearl Harbor'' to ``Commander, Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 
96860-5020.'' These amendments to the danger zones in 33 CFR 334.1340 
are being promulgated without being published as proposed rules with 
opportunity for public comment because the changes are editorial in 
nature and since the revisions do not change the boundaries or increase 
or decrease the restrictions on the public's use or entry into the 
designated danger zones, the changes will have practically no effect on 
the public, and accordingly, public comment is unnecessary and 
impractical.

Economic Assessment and Certification

    This final rule is issued with respect to a military function of 
the Defense Department and the provisions of Executive Order 12866 do 
not apply. This final rule has been reviewed under the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (Pub. L. 96-354), which requires the preparation of a 
regulatory flexibility analysis for any regulation that will have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities 
(i.e., small businesses and small governments). The Corps expects that 
the economic impact of the changes to the restricted areas will have 
practically no impact on the public, no anticipated navigational hazard 
or interference with existing waterway traffic and accordingly, 
certifies that this final rule will have no significant economic impact 
on small entities.

National Environmental Policy Act Certification

    An environmental assessment has been prepared for each of these 
actions. We have concluded, based on the minor nature of these 
amendments, that these amendments to danger zones and restricted areas 
will not have a significant impact to the human environment, and 
preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required. 
Copies of the environmental assessment may be reviewed at the District 
Offices listed at the end of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, above.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 334

    Navigation (water), Transportation, Danger Zones.


[[Page 34733]]


    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 33 CFR Part 334 is amended 
as follows:

PART 334--DANGER ZONE AND RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS

    1. The authority citation for Part 334 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 40 Stat. 266 (33 U.S.C. 1) and 40 Stat. 892 (33 
U.S.C. 3).

    2. Section 334.360 is amended by revising paragraphs (a) and (b)(1) 
to read as follows:


Sec. 334.360  Chesapeake Bay off Fort Monroe, Virginia; restricted 
area, U.S. Naval Base and Naval Surface Weapons Center.

    (a) The area. Beginning at latitude 37 deg.01'03'', longitude 
076 deg.17'52''; thence to latitude 37 deg.01'00'', longitude 
076 deg.16'11''; thence to latitude 36 deg.59'43'', longitude 
076 deg.16'11''; thence to latitude 36 deg.59'18'', longitude 
076 deg.17'52''; thence to latitude 37 deg.00'05'', longitude 
076 deg.18'18''; thence north along the seawall to the point of 
beginning.
    (b) The regulations. (1) Anchoring, trawling, fishing and dragging 
are prohibited in the restricted area, and no object, either attached 
to a vessel or otherwise, shall be placed on or near the bottom unless 
authorized by the Facility Manager, Naval Surface Warfare Center, 
Dahlgren Division Coastal Systems Station Detachment, Fort Monroe, 
Virginia.
* * * * *
    3. Section 334.530 is amended by revising paragraph (b)(2) to read 
as follows:


Sec. 334.530  Canaveral Harbor adjacent to the Navy Pier at Port 
Canaveral, Fla.; restricted area.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) The area will be closed when a red square flag (bravo), and 
depending on the status of the hazardous operation, either an amber or 
red beacon, steady burning or rotating, day or night, when displayed 
from any of the three berths along the wharf.
* * * * *
    4. Section 334.1340 is amended by redesignating paragraphs (a)(3) 
and (a)(4) as paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2), respectively, revising the 
heading of newly designated paragraph (a)(2), and revising paragraph 
(c) to read as follows:


Sec. 334.1340  Pacific Ocean, Hawaii; danger zones.

    (a) Danger zones. (1) * * *
    (2) Submerged unexploded ordnance danger zone, Kahoolawe Island, 
Hawaii. * * *
* * * * *
    (c) Enforcing agency. The regulations in this section shall be 
enforced by Commander, Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 96860-5020, and 
such agencies as he/she may designated.

    Dated: June 19, 1996.
Stanley G. Genega,
Major General, U.S. Army, Director of Civil Works.
[FR Doc. 96-16850 Filed 7-2-96; 8:45 am]
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