[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 123 (Thursday, June 26, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 37970-37972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16014]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers

33 CFR Part 334


United States Navy Restricted Area, Naval Weapons Station Earle, 
Sandy Hook Bay, NJ

AGENCY: United States Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is amending its regulations 
to establish a restricted area in waters adjacent to Naval Weapons 
Station Earle.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 28, 2003.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CECW-OR, 441 G Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20314-1000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Frank Torbett, Headquarters 
Regulatory Branch, Washington, DC at (202) 761-

[[Page 37971]]

4618, or Mr. Richard L. Tomer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York 
District, Regulatory Branch, at (212) 264-3996.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to its authorities in section 7 of 
the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1917 (40 Stat. 266; 33 U.S.C. 1) and 
chapter XIX, of the Army Appropriations Act of 1919 (40 Stat. 892; 33 
U.S.C. 3) the Corps is amending the restricted area regulations in 33 
CFR part 334 by adding section 334.102 to establish a restricted area 
in waters adjacent to Naval Weapons Station Earle at Sandy Hook Bay, 
Township of Middletown, New Jersey.
    This amendment will close off an open area in Sandy Hook Bay within 
the following coordinates: latitude 40[deg]25'55.6'' N, longitude 
074[deg]04'31.4'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]26'54.0'' N, longitude 
074[deg]03'53.0'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]26'58.0'' N, longitude 
074[deg]04'03.0'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]27'56.0'' N, longitude 
074[deg]03'24.0'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]27'41.7'' N, longitude 
074[deg]02'45.0'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]28'23.5'' N, longitude 
074[deg]02'16.6'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]28'21.2'' N, longitude 
074[deg]01'56.0'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]28'07.9'' N, longitude 
074[deg]02'18.6'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]27'39.3'' N, longitude 
074[deg]02'38.3'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]27'28.5'' N, longitude 
074[deg]02'10.4'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]26'29.5'' N, longitude 
074[deg]02'51.2'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]26'31.4'' N, longitude 
074[deg]02'55.4'' W; thence to latitude 40[deg]25'27.1'' N, longitude 
074[deg]03'39.7'' W longitude; and thence along the shoreline to the 
point of origin (NAD 83).
    These coordinates correct a small error in the coordinates in the 
proposed notice, but the change to the size and shape of the restricted 
area is considered to be negligible. The Department of the Navy plans 
to install buoys along these coordinates to outline the Restricted 
Area. These regulations are necessary to safeguard Navy vessels and 
United States Government facilities from sabotage and other subversive 
acts, accidents, or incidents of similar nature. These regulations are 
also necessary to protect the public from potentially hazardous 
conditions which may exist as a result of Navy use of the area.

Procedural Requirements

a. Review Under Executive Order 12866

    This rule is issued with respect to a military function of the 
Defense Department and the provisions of Executive Order 12866 do not 
apply.

b. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This rule has been reviewed under the Regulatory Flexibility Act 
(Pub. L. 96-354) which requires the preparation of a regulatory 
flexibility analysis for any regulation that will have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities (i.e., small 
businesses and small governments). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
expects that the economic impact of this restricted area would have 
practically no impact on the public, no anticipated navigational hazard 
or interference with existing waterway traffic and accordingly, 
certifies that this amendment will have no significant economic impact 
on small entities.

c. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act

    The New York District has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) 
for this action. We have concluded, based on the minor nature of this 
change to the restricted area regulations, that this action will not 
have a significant impact to the quality of the human environment, and 
preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required. 
The EA may be reviewed at the New York District office listed at the 
end of FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, above.

d. Unfunded Mandates Act

    This rule does not impose an enforceable duty among the private 
sector and, therefore, is not a Federal private sector mandate and is 
not subject to the requirements of section 202 or 205 of the Unfunded 
Mandates Act. We have also found under section 203 of the Act, that 
small governments will not be significantly and uniquely affected by 
this rulemaking.

e. Submission to Congress and the General Accounting Office

    Pursuant to section 801(a)(1)(A) of the Administrative Procedure 
Act, as amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness 
Act of 1996, the Army has submitted a report containing this rule to 
the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller 
General of the General Accounting Office. This rule is not a major rule 
within the meaning of section 804(2) of the Administrative Procedure 
Act, as amended.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 334

    Danger zones, Marine safety, Navigation (water), Restricted areas, 
Waterways.

0
For the reasons set out in the preamble, the U.S. Army Corps amends 33 
CFR part 334 as follows:

PART 334--DANGER ZONE AND RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS

0
1. The authority citation for part 334 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 40 Stat. 266 (33 U.S.C. 1) and 40 Stat. 892 (33 
U.S.C. 3).

0
2. Section 334.102 is added to read as follows:


Sec.  334.102  Sandy Hook Bay, Naval Weapons Station EARLE, Piers and 
Terminal Channel, Restricted Area, Middletown, New Jersey.

    (a) The area. All of the navigable waters within the area bounded 
by these coordinates:

Latitude 40[deg]25'55.6'' N, longitude 074[deg]04'31.4'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]26'54.0'' N, longitude 074[deg]03'53.0'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]26'58.0'' N, longitude 074[deg]04'03.0'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]27'56.0'' N, longitude 074[deg]03'24.0'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]27'41.7'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'45.0'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]28'23.5'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'16.6''W; thence to
Latitude 40[deg]28'21.2'' N, longitude 074[deg]01'56.0'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]28'07.9'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'18.6'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]27'39.3'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'38.3'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]27'28.5'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'10.4'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]26'29.5'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'51.2'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]26'31.4'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'55.4'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]25'27.1'' N, longitude 074[deg]03'39.7''W longitude;
and thence along the shoreline to the point of origin (NAD 83).


The Department of the Navy plans to install buoys along these 
coordinates to outline the Restricted Area.

    (b) The regulation. (1) Except as set forth in subparagraph (b)(2), 
no persons, unauthorized vessels or other unauthorized craft may enter 
the restricted area at any time;
    (2) Vessels are authorized to cross the Terminal Channel provided 
that there are no naval vessels then transiting the channel bounded by:

Latitude 40[deg]27'41.7'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'45.0'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]28'23.5'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'16.6'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]28'21.2'' N, longitude 074[deg]01'56.0'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]28'07.9'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'18.6'' W; thence 
to
Latitude 40[deg]27'39.3'' N, longitude 074[deg]02'38.3'' W); and (3) 
No person may swim in the Restricted Area.


[[Page 37972]]


    (c) Enforcement. The regulation in this section, promulgated by the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, shall be enforced by the Commanding 
Officer, Naval Weapons Station Earle, and/or other persons or agencies 
as he/she may designate.

    Dated: June 5, 2003.
Lawrence A. Lang,
Acting Chief, Operations Division, Directorate of Civil Works.
[FR Doc. 03-16014 Filed 6-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-92-P