[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 237 (Wednesday, December 10, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 65021-65022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32259]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 100

[CGD07-97-062]
RIN 2115-AE46


Special Local Regulations; Puerto Rico PRO-TOUR Offshore Race, 
Fajardo, PR

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

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SUMMARY: Special Local Regulations are being adopted for the Puerto 
Rico PRO-TOUR Offshore Race. The event will be held from 1 p.m. to 2:30 
p.m. Atlantic Standard Time (AST) on December 14, 1997 in the waters of 
Rada Fajardo, due East of Villa Marine, Fajardo, Puerto Rico. These 
regulations are needed to provide for the safety of life on navigable 
waters during the event.

DATES: These regulations become effective from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 
AST, December 14, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LT. D. L. GARRISON at (787) 729-6800, 
ext. 227.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background and Purpose

    The event requiring these regulations is the Puerto Rico PRO-TOUR 
Offshore Race. These will be 20 high speed offshore power boats racing 
on a fixed course offshore Fajardo, Puerto Rico. The 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. These 
regulations are required to provide for the safety of life on the 
navigable waters during the running of the PRO-TOUR Offshore Race.
    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 in less than 30 days from the date of 
publication. The permit application was received by the unit less than 
six weeks before the scheduled date for the event.

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)(f) 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 proposal to be so minimal that a full 
Regulatory Evaluation under paragraph 10e of the regulated policies and 
procedures of DOT is unnecessary.. Entry into this area is prohibited 
for only 4 hours on the day of the event.

Small Entities

    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the 
Coast Guard must consider whether this rule will have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. ``Small 
entities'' include small

[[Page 65022]]

businesses, not-for-profit organizations that are independently owned 
and operated and are not dominant in their field and governmental 
jurisdictions with populations of less than 50,000.
    Therefore, the Coast Guard certifies under section 605(b) that this 
rule will not have a significant economic impact upon a substantial 
number of small entities as these regulation will only be in effect for 
approximately 4 hours in a limited area off Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

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 action has been analyzed in accordance with the principles and 
criteria contained in Executive Order 12612, and it has been determined 
that this 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 in the docket 
for inspection and copying.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100

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

Temporary Regulations

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Coast Guard amends 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 temporary section 100.35T-07-062 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 100.35T-07-062  Puerto Rico PRO-TOUR Offshore Race; Fajardo, 
Puerto Rico.

    (a) Definitions:
    (1) Regulated Area. A regulated area is established for the waters 
of Rada Fajardo, due East of Villa Marine, Fajardo, Puerto Rico, in an 
area bounded by 18-20.0N, 065-37.2W, then North to 18-22.4N, 065-37.2W, 
then Northeast to 18-23.2N, 065-36.1W, then Southeast to 18-22.0N, 065-
34.8W, then South to 18-20.0N, 065-34.8W and back to origin. All 
coordinates referenced use Datum: NAD 1983.
    (2) Coast Guard Patrol Commander. The Coast Guard Patrol Commander 
is a commissioned, warrant, or petty officer of the Coast Guard who has 
been designated by the Commander, Coast Guard Section, Greater 
Antilles.
    (b) Special Local Regulations.
    (1) Entry into the regulated area by other than event participants 
is prohibited, unless otherwise authorized by the Patrol Commander. 
Spectator craft are required to remain in a spectator area to be 
established by the event sponsor west of Isle Palominos. After 
termination of the Puerto Rico PRO-TOUR Offshore Race on December 14, 
1997, all vessels may resume normal operation. At the discretion of the 
Patrol Commander, between scheduled racing events, traffic may be 
permitted to resume normal operations.
    (2) Temporary buoys will be used to delineate the course.
    (c) Dates. This section becomes effective from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 
p.m. AST, on December 14, 1997.

    Dated: December 1, 1997.
R.C. Olsen, Jr.,
Captain U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District, 
Acting.
[FR Doc. 97-32259 Filed 12-9-97; 8:45 am]
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