[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 140 (Friday, July 19, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 37714-37715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18329]



[[Page 37714]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[COTP Los Angeles-Long Beach 96-003]
RIN 2115-AA97


Safety Zone; San Pedro Bay, CA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to establish a moving safety zone 
around any liquefied hazardous gas tank vessel (LGH T/V) while the 
vessel is anchored, moored, or underway within the Los Angeles-Long 
Beach port area. The safety zone will take effect upon the entry of any 
LHG T/V into the waters within three (3) miles outside of the Federal 
breakwater bounding San Pedro Bay, and will remain in effect until the 
LHG T/V leaves the said three (3) mile limit. Entry into this zone will 
be prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Los Angeles-
Long Beach. Prohibiting vessel traffic from entering these moving 
safety zones will reduce the likelihood of a collision or explosion 
involving a liquefied hazardous gas carrier.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 17, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed to: Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast 
Guard Marine Safety Office Los Angeles-Long Beach, 165 N. Pico Avenue, 
Long Beach, CA 90802.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lieutenant Mark T. Cunningham, Chief, Port Safety and Security 
Division, Marine Safety Office Los Angeles-Long Beach, 165 N. Pico 
Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802; phone: (310) 980-4454 or fax: (310) 980-
4415.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested persons are invited to 
participate in this rulemaking by submitting written views, data or 
arguments. Persons submitting comments should include their names and 
addresses, identify this notice (COTP Los Angeles-Long Beach 96-003) 
and the specific section of this proposal to which their comments 
apply, and should give reasons for each comment within their 
correspondence. The proposed rules may be changed in light of comments 
received. No public hearing is planned, but one may be held if written 
requests are received and it is determined that the opportunity to make 
oral presentations will aid the rulemaking process.

Discussion of Proposed Regulations

    Liquefied hazardous gas tank vessels (LHG T/V) periodically transit 
and moor in Los Angeles-Long Beach port areas to load butane at the 
AmeriGas facility at Los Angeles Berth 120. For each LHG T/V arrival 
and departure, the Captain of the Port Los Angeles-Long Beach has 
exercised his authority and established a temporary safety zone around 
the vessel. These transits are occuring with increasing frequency. The 
Captain of the Port is proposing a regulation which would establish a 
moving safety zone around each LHG T/V while it is in the port area to 
protect the public and port waterways and resources from the hazards 
associated with the transport and transfer of liquefied hazardous gas.
    The following areas would be established as safety zones during the 
specified conditions:
    (1) The waters within a 500 yard radius around a liquefied 
hazardous gas tank vessel (LHG T/V), while the vessel is anchored at a 
designated anchorage area either inside or outside of the Federal 
breakwater bounding San Pedro Bay;
    (2) The waters and land area within 50 yards of a LHG T/V, while 
the vessel is moored at any berth within the Los Angeles or Long Beach 
port area, inside the Federal breakwater;
    (3) The waters 1000 yards ahead of and within 500 yards of all 
other sides of a LHG T/V, while the vessel is underway on the waters 
inside the Federal breakwater bounding San Pedro Bay, or within the 
waters three (3) miles outside of the Federal breakwater.
    Entry into this zone will be prohibited subject to the following 
exceptions:
    (1) When entry is authorized by the Captain of the Port Los 
Angeles-Long Beach; or
    (2) Vessels already moored or anchored when the LHG T/V safety zone 
is in effect are not required to get underway to avoid entering into 
the safety zone boundaries detailed above.
    The Coast Guard will issue a Broadcast Notice to Mariners advising 
the marine community of any LHG T/V transits. Once activated, Coast 
Guard and Los Angeles Harbor Patrol escort vessels will enforce the 
safety zone around the LGH vessels.

Regulatory Evaluation

    This proposed 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 regulation to be so minimal that a full 
Regulatory Evaluation under paragraph 10(e) of the regulatory policies 
and procedures of the Department of Transportation is unnecessary.

Small Entities

    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the 
Coast Guard must consider the economic impact on small entities of a 
rule for which a general notice of proposed rulemaking is required. 
``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. The Coast Guard will broadcast 
scheduled transits, enabling other companies with vessels transiting in 
the area to adjust their vessel movements accordingly, causing minimal 
economic impact. Since the economic impact of this proposal is expected 
to be minimal, the Coast Guard certifies that, if adopted, it will not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.

Collection of Information

    This regulation contains no collection of information requirements 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Federalism

    The Coast Guard has analyzed this regulation under the principles 
and criteria contained in Executive Order 12612 and has determined that 
this rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant 
the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

Environmental Assessment

    The Coast Guard considered the environmental impact of this 
regulation and concluded that under paragraph 2.B.2 of Commandant 
Instruction M16475.1B, as revised in 59 FR 38654, July 29, 1994, it 
will have no significant environmental impact and it is categorically 
excluded from further environmental documentation. A categorical 
exclusion determination and environmental analysis checklist are 
included in the docket.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

    Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and 
recordkeeping

[[Page 37715]]

requirements, Security measures, Waterways.

Proposed Regulation

    In consideration of the foregoing, subpart F of part 165 title 33, 
Code of Federal Regulations, is proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 165--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for 33 CFR part 165 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 50 U.S.C. 191; 33 CFR 1.05-1(g), 
6.04-1, 6.04-6, and 160.5; 49 CFR 1.46.

    2. A new Sec. 165.1101 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 165.1101  Safety Zone: San Pedro Bay, CA.

    (a) Location. The following areas are established as safety zones 
during the specified conditions:
    (1) The waters within a 500 yard radius around a liquefied 
hazardous gas tank vessel (LHG T/V) while the vessel is anchored at a 
designated anchorage area either inside or outside of the Federal 
breakwater bounding San Pedro Bay;
    (2) The waters and land area within 50 yards of a LHG T/V, while 
the vessel is moored at any berth within the Los Angeles or Long Beach 
port area, inside the San Pedro Bay breakwater;
    (3) The waters 1000 yards ahead of and within 500 yards of all 
other sides of a LHG T/V, while the vessel is underway on the waters 
inside the Federal breakwater bounding San Pedro Bay, or within the 
waters three (3) miles outside of the Federal breakwater.
    (b) Regulations. In accordance with the general regulations in 
Sec. 165.23 of this part, entry into, transit through, or anchoring 
within this zone is prohibited subject to the following exceptions:
    (1) Entry may be authorized by the Captain of the Port; or
    (2) Vessels already anchored or moored when the LHG safety zone is 
in effect are not required to get underway to avoid entering into the 
safety zone boundaries as listed above.
    (c) Notice. The Captain of the Port will notify the maritime 
community of periods during which this safety zone will be in effect 
via Broadcast Notice to Mariners.

    Dated: April 17, 1996.
E.E. Page,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Los Angeles-Long Beach, 
California.
[FR Doc. 96-18329 Filed 7-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M