[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 63 (Thursday, April 2, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16116-16118]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8259]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[CGD01-97-004]
RIN 2115-AA97


Security Zone: Dignitary Arrival/Departure Logan International 
Airport, Boston, MA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a permanent, four-sector 
security zone on the waters around Logan International Airport, above 
the Callahan Tunnel, Sumner Tunnel, Ted Williams Tunnel, and around any 
designated vessel, to protect the President, Vice President and 
visiting heads of foreign states or foreign governments during their 
arrival, departure and transits to and from Logan International 
Airport.

DATES: This rule is effective on June 1, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The comments and other material referred to in this preamble 
are available for inspection or copying at the Marine Safety Office, 
Boston, MA, during normal working hours between the hours of 7:30 a.m. 
and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LT Michael H. Day or MSTC Daniel J. 
Dugery, Coast Guard Marine Safety Office, Boston, MA; telephone (617) 
223-3000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulatory History

    On January 8, 1998, the Coast Guard published a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking titled ``Security Zone: Dignitary Arrival/Departure Logan 
International Airport, Boston, MA'' in the Federal Register (63 FR 
1089). The comment period ended March 9, 1998. The Coast Guard received 
two letters commenting on this proposal. These comments have been 
incorporated into this final rule. No public hearing was requested and 
none was held.

Background and Purpose

    Boston Massachusetts is visited by the President or Vice President 
of the United States, or visiting heads of foreign states or foreign 
governments an average of 24 times per year. Often these visits are on 
short notice. The President, Vice President, and visiting heads of 
foreign states or foreign governments require Secret Service 
protection. The President, Vice President, and visiting heads of 
foreign states or foreign governments arrive at Logan International 
Airport and then transit to locations throughout Boston by car or boat. 
Due to the sensitive nature of these visits, a security zone is needed. 
Standard security procedures are enacted to ensure the proper level of 
protection to prevent sabotage or other subversive acts, accidents, or 
other activities of a similar nature. In the past, temporary security 
zones were requested by the U.S. Secret Service with limited notice for 
preparation by the U.S. Coast Guard. This regulation establishes a 
permanent four-sector security zone that can be activated upon the 
request of the U.S. Secret Service pursuant to their authority under 18 
U.S.C. 3056. The security zone sections will be as follows:
    Sector one will go into effect 15 minutes prior to the scheduled 
landing or takeoff of the aircraft carrying the President, Vice 
President, or visiting heads of foreign states or foreign governments 
at Logan International Airport. Sector one will preclude all vessels 
from approaching within three hundred yards of the Logan International 
Airport shoreline, bound on the west by a line drawn between positions 
42 deg.22'45''N, 071 deg.01'05''W and 42 deg.21'48''N, 071 deg.01'45''W 
(NAD 1983).
    Sector two will go into effect 15 minutes before the vehicle 
carrying the President, Vice President, or visiting heads of foreign 
states or foreign governments enters the Callahan Tunnel or Sumner 
Tunnel. Sector two may preclude vessels, as necessary, from entering an 
area of the main ship channel, Boston Inner Harbor, fifty yards in all 
directions from a point directly above the Callahan Tunnel or the 
Sumner Tunnel.
    Sector three will go into effect 15 minutes before the vehicle 
carrying the President, Vice President, or visiting heads of foreign 
states or foreign governments enters the Ted Williams Tunnel. Sector 
three may preclude vessels, as necessary, from entering an area of the 
main ship channel, Boston Inner Harbor, fifty yards in all directions 
from a point directly above the Ted Williams Tunnel.
    Sector four will go into effect 15 minutes before the President, 
Vice President, or visiting heads of foreign states or foreign 
governments board the designated transport vessel. Sector four will 
preclude all vessels from approaching within three hundred yards in all 
directions from the designated vessel transporting the dignitaries 
between Logan International Airport and any location in Boston Harbor.

[[Page 16117]]

    The activation of a particular sector of this security zone will be 
announced via Safety Marine Information Broadcasts and/or by locally 
issued notices.

Discussion of Comments and Changes

    Responses to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking provided a number of 
specific comments on the proposed rule. The letters expressed concern 
over the potential impact this rule could have on the port community.
    One comment expressed a concern of local shipping agencies that 
this rule would close the waters over the Callahan Tunnel, Sumner 
Tunnel, and Ted Williams Tunnel for extended periods of time. In 
response to this comment, the wording of sections two and three of the 
security zone has been changed from ``will preclude all vessels'' to 
``may preclude vessels, as necessary.'' In the past, when enforcing a 
temporary security zone over these tunnels, the Coast Guard vessel(s) 
on scene had the option whether to allow vessels to transit through the 
temporary security zone or to close the waterway to all vessel 
transits. This option remains.
    Another comment expressed concern that the security zone around the 
designated transport vessel moving the President, Vice President, or 
visiting heads of foreign states or foreign governments could cause 
obstructions and delays to commercial deep draft vessels transiting 
Boston Inner harbor.
    Discussions with the U.S. Secret Service and an examination of past 
temporary security zone enforcement practices has shown that transport 
vessels moving the President, Vice President, or visiting heads of 
foreign states or foreign governments across the harbor have allowed 
commercial vessels to transit through the area rather than impede the 
transit of a commercial vessel.
    The last comment indicated that a security zone, two hours in 
duration, would place an unnecessary delay on vessels transiting the 
port. In view of this comment, the wording under Regulatory Evaluation 
has been changed from ``less than two hour duration'' to ``less than 
one half-hour duration.'' This reflects the average time temporary 
security zones have been in effect for inbound and outbound transits to 
Logan Airport.

Regulatory Evaluation

    This 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 not been reviewed 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 is unnecessary. 
The Coast Guard anticipates that this security zone will be activated 
an average of 24 times per year. Costs resulting from these 
regulations, if any, will be minor and have no significant adverse 
financial effect on vessel operators as the activation of any one of 
the sectors of this security zone will be less than one half-hour 
duration. Deep draft vessel traffic, fishing vessels, and tour boats 
may experience slight delays in departures or arrivals, however, the 
delays are minimal relative to the highly significant national security 
interest in protecting the President, Vice President, and visiting 
heads of foreign states or foreign governments visiting Boston.

Small Entities

    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the 
Coast Guard must consider whether this proposal will have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. ``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.
    For the reasons addressed under the Regulatory Evaluation above, 
the Coast Guard finds that this rule will not have a significant impact 
on a substantial number of small entities.

Collection of Information

    This rule contains 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 this rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to 
warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

Environment

    The Coast Guard has considered the environmental impact of this 
rule and concluded that, under section 2.B.2.e.(34)(g) of Commandant 
Instruction M16475.1B (as revised by 59 FR 38654, July 29, 1994), this 
rule is categorically excluded from further environmental 
documentation. A Categorical Exclusion Determination and an 
Environmental Analysis Checklist are included in the docket.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

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

    For reasons set out in the preamble, the Coast Guard amends 33 CFR 
Part 165 as follows:

PART 165--REGULATED NAVIGATION AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS

    1. The authority citation for 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. Section 165.113, is added to read as follows:


Sec. 165.113  Security zone: Dignitary arrival/departure Logan 
International Airport, Boston, MA

    (a) Location. The permanent security zone consists of four sectors 
that may be activated in part, or in whole, upon the request of the 
U.S. Secret Service. These zones are for the protection of the 
President or Vice President of the United States, as well as visiting 
heads of foreign states or foreign governments arriving at, or 
departing from, Logan International Airport and as determined by the 
transit route across Boston Harbor. The security zone will be as 
follows:
    (1) Sector one will go into effect 15 minutes prior to the 
scheduled landing or takeoff of the aircraft carrying either the 
President, Vice President, or visiting heads of foreign states or 
foreign governments at Logan International Airport. Sector one will 
preclude all vessels from approaching within three hundred yards of the 
Logan International Airport shoreline, bound on the west by a line 
drawn between positions 42 deg.22'45''N, 071 deg.01'05''W and 
42 deg.21'48''N, 071 deg.01'45''W (NAD) 1983).
    (2) Sector two will go into effect 15 minutes before the vehicle 
carrying the President, Vice President, or visiting heads of foreign 
states or foreign governments enters the Callahan Tunnel or Sumner 
Tunnel. Sector two may preclude vessels, as necessary, from entering an 
area of the main ship channel, Boston Inner Harbor; fifty yards in all 
directions from a point directly above the Callahan Tunnel or Sumner 
Tunnel.
    (3) Sector three will go into effect 15 minutes before the vehicle 
carrying the President, Vice President, or visiting

[[Page 16118]]

heads of foreign states or foreign governments enters the Ted Williams 
Tunnel. Sector three may preclude vessels, as necessary, from entering 
an area of the main ship channel, Boston Inner Harbor, fifty yards in 
all directions from a point directly above the Ted Williams Tunnel.
    (4) Sector four will go into effect 15 minutes before the 
President, Vice President, or visiting heads of foreign states or 
foreign governments board the designated transport vessel. Sector four 
will preclude all vessels from approaching within three hundred yards 
in all directions from the designated vessel transporting the 
President, Vice President, or visiting heads of foreign states or 
foreign governments between Logan International Airport and any 
location in Boston Harbor.
    (5) The activation of a particular sector of this security zone 
will be announced via Safety Marine Information Broadcasts and/or by 
locally issued notices.
    (b) Regulations. (1) The general regulations covering security 
zones contained in 33 CFR 165.33 apply.
    (2) All persons and vessels shall comply with the instructions of 
the Coast Guard Captain of the Port or the designated on scene patrol 
personnel. Coast Guard patrol personnel include commissioned, warrant, 
and petty officers of the Coast Guard. Upon being hailed by a Coast 
Guard vessel via siren, radio, flashing light, or other means, the 
operator of a vessel shall proceed as directed.

    Dated: March 18, 1998.
J. L. Grenier,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Boston, Massachusetts.
[FR Doc. 98-8259 Filed 4-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-M