[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 151 (Monday, August 5, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40513-40515]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19749]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 100

[CGD07-96-045]
RIN 2115-AE46


Special Local Regulations; City of Palm Beach, FL

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

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SUMMARY: Temporary special local regulations are being established for 
the Palm Beach Offshore Grand Prix. The event will be held on August 
10-11, 1996, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). The 
race will take place in the Atlantic Ocean from Singer Island out to 
two and a half nautical miles offshore. During the event, race boats 
will be competing at high speeds with numerous spectator craft in the 
area, creating an extra or unusual hazard in the navigable waterways. 
Therefore, these regulations are needed to provide for the safety of 
life on navigable waters during the event.


[[Page 40514]]


EFFECTIVE DATES: This section is effective on August 10-11, 1996, from 
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
QM2 S.E. Fowler, project officer, U.S. Coast Guard Group Miami, Florida 
at (305) 535-4448.

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 less than 30 days after 
publication. Following normal rulemaking procedures would have been 
impracticable, as there was not sufficient time remaining after the 
date of the event was finalized to publish proposed rules in advance of 
the event or to provide for a delayed effective date.

Discussion of Regulations

    Temporary special local regulations are being established for the 
Palm Beach Offshore Grand Prix. The event will be held on August 10-11, 
1996, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT. The Palm Beach Offshore Grand Prix 
Festival Inc. is sponsoring a high speed power boat race with 
approximately sixty race boats, ranging in length from 24 to 50 feet, 
participating in the event. The race will take place in the Atlantic 
Ocean from Singer Island out to two and a half nautical miles offshore. 
Several hundred spectator craft are anticipated in the area to watch 
the racing events. Due to the numerous spectator craft and race boats, 
these regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on 
the navigable waterways.
    The first regulated area is established within the following 
points:

(a) 26-49.39N, 080-02.22W
(b) 26-49.39N, 080-00.92W
(c) 26-47.41N, 080-01.21W
(d) 26-46.80N, 080-01.35W
(e) 26-46.80N, 080-01.90W

All coordinates referenced use datum: NAD 1983. This area is effective 
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT, on August 10, 1996.
    A second regulated area is establish within the following points:

(a) 26-49.39N, 080-02.22W
(b) 26-49.39N, 079-59.32W
(c) 26-49.05N, 079-59.32W
(d) 26-47.38N, 080-01.23W
(e) 26-46.80N, 080-01.35W
(f) 26-46.80N, 080-01.90W

All coordinates referenced use datum: NAD 1983. This second regulated 
area is effective from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT, on August 11, 1996.
    Entry into these regulated areas by other than event participants 
is prohibited unless otherwise authorized by the Patrol Commander. The 
Patrol Commander is a commissioned, warrant, or petty officer of the 
United States Coast Guard who has been designated by the Commander, 
Coast Guard Group Miami, Florida. At the completion of scheduled races 
and departure of participants from the regulated area, traffic may 
resume normal operations. At the discretion of the Patrol Commander, 
between scheduled racing events, traffic may be permitted to resume 
normal operations. A succession of not fewer than 5 short whistle or 
horn blasts from a patrol vessel will be the signal for any and all 
vessels to take immediate steps to avoid collision. The display of an 
orange distress smoke signal from a patrol vessel will be the signal 
for any and all vessels to stop immediately.

Regulatory Evaluation

    This regulation 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. Entry into the regulated areas is 
prohibited for only 7 hours on each day of the event.
    Since the impact of this rule is expected to be minimal, the Coast 
Guard certifies that it will not have a significant economic impact on 
a substantial number of small entities.

Collection of Information

    These regulations contain no collection of information requirements 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Federalism

    This rule 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 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 
determined that it will not significantly affect the quality of the 
human environment. An environmental assessment and finding of no 
significant impact have been prepared and are available for inspection 
and copying from QM2 S. Fowler, Coast Guard Group Miami, Florida, (305) 
535-4448. As a condition to the permit, the applicant is required to 
educate the operators of participant craft and spectator craft 
regarding the possible presence of manatees/sea turtles and the 
appropriate precautions to take if the animals are sighted.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100

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

    Regulations: In consideration of the foregoing, the Coast Guard 
amends 33 CFR Part 100 as follows:

PART 100--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for part 100 continues to read as 
follows:

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

    2. A temporary Sec. 100.35T96-045 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 100.35T96-045  Palm Beach Offshore Grand Prix; Palm Beach, FL.

    (a) Regulated Areas--(1) Regulated Area 1: The regulated area 
corner points are established as follows:

(i) 26-49.39N, 080-02.22W
(ii) 26-49.39N, 080-00.92W
(iii) 26-47.41N, 080-01.21W
(iv) 26-46.80N, 080-01.35W

(v) 26-46.80N, 080-01.90W
All coordinates referenced use datum: NAD 1983.
    (2) Regulated Area 2: The regulated area corner points established 
as follows:

(i) 26-49.39N, 080-02.22W
(ii) 26-49.39N, 079-59.32W
(iii) 26-49.05N, 079-59.32W
(iv) 26-47.38N, 080-01.23W
(v) 26-46.80N, 080-01.35W
(vi) 26-46.80N, 080-01.90W

All coordinates referenced use datum: NAD 1983.
    (b) Definitions--(1) Patrol Commander. Patrol Commander is a 
commissioned, warrant, or petty officer of the United States Coast 
Guard who has been designated by the commander, Coast Guard Group 
Miami, Florida.
    (c) Effective dates--(1) Regulated Area 1. This regulated area is 
effective from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT, on August 10, 1996.
    (2) Regulated Area 2. This regulated area is effective from 9 a.m. 
to 4 p.m. EDT, on August 11, 1996.

[[Page 40515]]

    (d) Special local regulations--(1) Entry into the regulated areas 
by other than event participants is prohibited unless otherwise 
authorized by the Patrol Commander. At the completion of scheduled 
races and departure of participants from the regulated area, traffic 
may resume normal operations. At the discretion of the Patrol 
Commander, between scheduled racing events, traffic may be permitted to 
resume normal operations.
    (2) A succession of not fewer than 5 short whistle or horn blasts 
from a patrol vessel will be the signal for any and all vessels to take 
immediate steps to avoid collision. The display of an orange distress 
smoke signal from a patrol vessel will be the signal for any and all 
vessels to stop immediately.

    Dated: July 11, 1996.
John W. Lockwood,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard 
District.
[FR Doc. 96-19749 Filed 8-2-96; 8:45 am]
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