[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 136 (Wednesday, July 16, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38042-38043]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18266]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 100
[CGD07-97-031]
RIN 2115-AE46
Special Local Regulations: Hurricane Offshore Classic, St.
Petersburg, FL
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to establish permanent special local
regulations for the Hurricane Offshore Classic. This event will be held
annually during the third Saturday and Sunday of August, between 11
a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). There will be
approximately 400 participants and spectator craft. The resulting
congestion of navigable channels creates an extra or unusual hazard in
the navigable waters. These regulations are necessary to provide for
the safety of life of navigable waters during the event.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before 20 days after date of
August 5, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to U.S. Coast Guard Group St.
Petersburg, 600 8th Ave. S.E., St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5099, or
may be delivered to the Operations Department at the same address
between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal
holidays. The telephone number is (813) 824-7533. Comments will become
a part of the public docket and will be available for copying and
inspection at the same address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LTJG B. V. Howard, Coast Guard Group
St. Petersburg, FL at (813) 824-7533.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Request for Comments
The Coast Guard encourages interested persons to participate in
this rulemaking by submitting written views, data, or arguments.
Persons submitting comments should include their names, addresses,
identify this rulemaking (CGD07-97-031), and the specific section of
this proposal to which their comments apply, and give reasons for each
comment.
The Coast Guard will consider all comments received during the
comment period. The regulations may be changed in view of the comments
received. All comments received before the expiration of the comment
period will be considered before final action is taken on this
proposal. No public hearing is planned, but one may be held if the
written requests for a hearing are received, and it is determined that
the opportunity to make oral presentations will add to the rulemaking
process.
Discussion of Regulations
The proposed regulations are needed to provide for the safety of
life during the Hurricane Offshore Classic. These regulations are
intended to promote safe navigation on the waters off St. Petersburg
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 Hurricane
Offshore Classic poses a safety concern, which is addressed in these
special local regulations. No anchoring will be permitted west of turns
1 and 4 nor west of turns 2 and 3, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT.
Approximately 300 spectator craft will be permitted near the race area,
but will be required to stay clear of the race lanes. The proposed
regulations would also permit anchoring for spectators north of the
northern straightaway and south of the southern straightaway, but only
in the designated spectator area defined in 2(b)(2) below.
All vessel traffic, not involved in the Hurricane Offshore Classic,
entering or exiting the Vinoy Basin between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. EDT must
transit around the race course, taking action to avoid a close-quarters
situation until finally past and clear of the racecourse. All vessel
traffic, not involved with the Hurricane Offshore Classic, transiting
the area off Coffeepot Bayou, The Pier, and Bayboro Harbor should
exercise extra caution and take action to avoid a close-quarters
situation until finally past and clear of the racecourse.
Regulatory Evaluation
This proposal 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. The proposed regulation would last for only 4 hours each
day for two days.
[[Page 38043]]
Small Entities
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the
Coast Guard must consider whether this proposed rule, if adopted, will
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities. ``Small entities'' include small businesses, not-for-profit
organizations that are independently owned and operated and are not
dominant in their fields, and governmental jurisdictions with
populations of less than 50,000.
Therefore, the Coast Guard certifies under 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that
this proposed rule, if adopted, would not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities as the regulations
would only be in effect for approximately four hours each day for two
days each year. If, however, you think that your business or
organization qualifies as a small entity and that this proposed rule
will have a significant economic impact on your business or
organization, please submit a comment (see ADDRESSES) explaining why
you think it qualifies and in what way and to what degree this proposed
rule will economically affect it.
Collection of Information
These proposed 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 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
proposal consistent with Section 2.B.2 of Commandant Instruction
M16475.1B. In accordance with that section, this proposed 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 where indicated under ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100
Marine Safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Waterways.
Proposed Regulations
In consideration of the foregoing, the Coast Guard proposes to
amend Part 100 of Title 33, Code of Federal Regulations, 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 new section 100.728 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 100.728 Annual Hurricane Offshore Classic, St. Petersburg, FL.
(a) Regulated Area. The regulated area is formed by a line drawn
from position 27 deg.46.9'N, 082 deg.37.45'W (onshore at North Shore
Park) east southeast to position 27 deg.46.39'N, 082 deg.32.65'W;
thence due south to position 27 deg.44.67'N, 082 deg.32.65'W; thence
due west to position 27 deg.44.67'N, 082 deg.37.45'W (onshore just
south of Lassing Park). All coordinates referenced use datum: NAD 83.
(b) Special Local Regulations. (1) The regulated area is an idle
speed, ``no wake'' zone. (2) Spectator craft will be permitted near the
race area, but will be required to stay clear of the race lanes.
Anchoring for spectator craft is permitted north of the northern
straightaway and south of the southern straightaway, but only in the
designated spectator area between 27 deg.46.62'N, 082 deg.37.00'W to
27 deg.46.80'N, 082 deg.34.72'W and 27 deg.46.52'N, 082 deg.37.00'W to
27 deg.46.70'N, 082 deg.34.72'W for the northern area and
27 deg.46.25'N, 082 deg.37.00'W to 27 deg.45.90'N, 082 deg.34.72'W and
27 deg.46.15'N, 082 deg.37.00'W to 27 deg.45.80'N, 082 deg.34.72'W for
the southern area. All coordinates referenced use Datum: NAD 83. No
anchoring will be permitted west of turns 1 and 4 nor west of turns 2
and 3, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. edt.
(3) All vessel traffic not involved in the Hurricane Offshore
Classic entering or exiting the Vinoy Basin between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
edt must transit around the race course, taking action to avoid a
close-quarters situation until finally past and clear of the
racecourse.
(4) All vessel traffic not involved with the Hurricane Offshore
Classic transiting the area off Coffeepot Bayou, The Pier, and Bayboro
Harbor should exercise extra caution and take action to avoid a close-
quarters situation until finally past and clear of the racecourse which
encompasses the area from position 27 deg.46.9'N, 082 deg.37.45'W
(onshore at North Shore Park) east southeast to position
27 deg.46.39'N, 082 deg.32.65'W; thence due south to position
27 deg.44.67'N, 082 deg.32.65'W; thence due west to position
27 deg.44.67'N, 082 deg.37.45'W (onshore just south of Lassing Park).
All coordinates referenced use Datum: NAD 83.
(5) Entry into the regulated area shall be in accordance with this
regulation. Spectator vessels will at all times stay in the spectator
areas defined in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.
(c) Effective Dates. This section is effective at 10 a.m. and
terminates at 6 p.m. edt annually for two days during the third
Saturday and Sunday of August.
Dated: July 1, 1997.
Norman T. Saunders,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 97-18266 Filed 7-15-97; 8:45 am]
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