[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 120 (Thursday, June 23, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 36363-36365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12461]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers

33 CFR Part 334


United States Marine Corps Restricted Area; Broad River and 
Beaufort River and tributaries, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris 
Island, South Carolina

AGENCY: United States Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

[[Page 36364]]


ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The Corps of Engineers is proposing regulations to establish a 
restricted area around the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD), Parris 
Island, South Carolina including areas within the Broad River, the 
Beaufort River, Battery Creek, Archers Creek, Ballast Creek and Ribbon 
Creek in the vicinity of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, 
South Carolina. The MCRD restricted area will surround Parris Island 
and Horse Island and the causeways in between. The purpose of these 
regulations is to provide effective security in the vicinity of the 
Marine Corps Recruit Depot.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 25, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Attn: CECW-MVD (David B. Olson), 441 G Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20314-1000, or by e-mail to 
[email protected]. Electronic comments should be submitted 
in ASCII format or portable document format to ensure that those 
comments can be read. Electronic files should avoid the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or 
viruses. Consideration will be given to all comments received within 30 
days of the date of publication of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Olson, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Headquarters, Washington, DC at 202-761-4922, or Mr. Dean 
Herndon, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, at (843) 
329-8044.

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 proposes to establish a restricted area around the 
Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island by adding Sec.  334.485 to 33 
CFR part 334. The sections of the restricted area are described in 
detail in the regulation below. Except for the restricted area 
published at 33 CFR 334.480 (restricted areas for the rifle and pistol 
range), the public currently has unrestricted access to navigable 
waters adjacent to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island. The 
Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island is 
seeking authorization from the Corps of Engineers to establish 
restricted areas in waters of the United States adjacent to the Marine 
Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. The District 
Engineer's preliminary review indicates that this request is not 
contrary to the public interest.

Procedural Requirements

a. Review Under Executive Order 12866

    This proposed 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

    These proposed rules have 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 Corps expects that 
the economic impact of the establishment 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 proposal, if adopted, will have no significant 
economic impact on small entities.

c. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act

    An environmental assessment has been prepared for this action. We 
have concluded, based on the minor nature of the proposed additional 
restricted area regulations, that this action, if adopted, will not 
have a significant impact to the quality of the human environment, and 
preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required. The 
environmental assessment may be reviewed at the district office listed 
at the end of FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, above.

d. Unfunded Mandates Act

    This proposed 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.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 334

    Danger zones, Navigation (water), Marine safety, Restricted areas, 
Waterways.
    For the reasons set out in the preamble, the Corps proposes to 
amend 33 CFR part 334 as follows:

PART 334--DANGER ZONE AND RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS

    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).
    2. Add Sec.  334.485 to read as follows:


Sec.  334.485  Broad River and Beaufort River and tributaries 
surrounding Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina.

    (a) The areas. (1) The area of waters within a 220 yard radius of 
the guarded check station entrance (latitude 32[deg]22[min]29.5[sec] 
and longitude 80[deg]43[min]0.5[sec]) to the Marine Corps Recruit 
Depot, to include waters of Battery Creek.
    (2) Beginning at the point where the radius of area (1) intersects 
with Malecon Drive, latitude 32[deg]22[min]24[sec] and longitude 
80[deg]42[min]59[sec], for a waterward distance of 200 yards from each 
side of Malecon Drive causeway that connects Port Royal Island to Horse 
Island.
    (3) All portions of Archers Creek, beginning at the Malecon Drive 
bridge crossing, latitude 32[deg]21[min]42[sec] and longitude 
80[deg]42[min]47[sec], and traversing in a southwesterly direction to 
its western end confluence with the Broad River, latitude 
32[deg]21[min]00[sec] and longitude 80[deg]44[min]20[sec], thence 
traversing in a southeasterly direction within the Broad River to 
include the following coordinates:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Latitude                             Longitude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
32[deg]20[min]40[sec].....................  80[deg]43[min]55[sec]
32[deg]20[min]17[sec].....................  80[deg]43[min]27[sec]
32[deg]19[min]55[sec].....................  80[deg]43[min]17[sec]
32[deg]19[min]33[sec].....................  80[deg]42[min]53[sec]
32[deg]19[min]7[sec]......................  80[deg]42[min]34[sec]
32[deg]18[min]44[sec].....................  80[deg]42[min]16[sec]
32[deg]18[min]29[sec].....................  80[deg]42[min]01[sec]
32[deg]18[min]06[sec].....................  80[deg]41[min]35[sec]
32[deg]17[min]54[sec].....................  80[deg]41[min]10[sec]
32[deg]17[min]42[sec].....................  80[deg]40[min]33[sec]
------------------------------------------------------------------------


to the Broad River's confluence with the Beaufort River at latitude 
32[deg]17[min]28[sec] and longitude 80[deg]40[min]00[sec]. Thence 
traversing in a northerly direction within the Beaufort River to 
include the following coordinates:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Latitude                             Longitude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
32[deg]18[min]00[sec].....................  80[deg]39[min]50[sec]
32[deg]18[min]27[sec].....................  80[deg]39[min]40[sec]
32[deg]18[min]57[sec].....................  80[deg]39[min]36[sec]
32[deg]19[min]26[sec].....................  80[deg]39[min]37[sec]
32[deg]19[min]58[sec].....................  80[deg]39[min]38[sec]
32[deg]20[min]21[sec].....................  80[deg]39[min]40[sec]
32[deg]20[min]52[sec].....................  80[deg]39[min]57[sec]
32[deg]21[min]04[sec].....................  80[deg]40[min]09[sec]
32[deg]21[min]17[sec].....................  80[deg]40[min]21[sec]
32[deg]21[min]35[sec].....................  80[deg]40[min]35[sec]
32[deg]21[min]48[sec].....................  80[deg]40[min]54[sec]
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 36365]]


to the Beaufort River's confluence with the eastern end of Archers 
Creek at latitude 32[deg]22[min]03[sec] and longitude 
80[deg]41[min]20[sec]. Then traversing in a westerly direction to 
encompass all of Archers Creek and ending at the Malecon Drive bridge 
crossing, latitude 32[deg]21[min]42[sec] and longitude 
80[deg]42[min]47[sec].
    (4) All other tidal tributaries and waters located within the 
interior of Parris Island and encompassed by Archers Creek to the 
north, the Broad River to the west and the Beaufort River to the east, 
to include, but not limited to, Ribbon Creek beginning at its 
confluence with the Broad River, latitude 32[deg]20[min]22[sec] and 
longitude 80[deg]43[min]20[sec], Ballast Creek beginning at its 
confluence with the Broad River, latitude 32[deg]19[min]30[sec] and 
longitude 80[deg]42[min]29[sec] and ending at its confluence with the 
Beaufort River, latitude 32[deg]20[min]17[sec] and longitude 
80[deg]39[min]50[sec] and Whale Branch in its entirety, beginning at 
its confluence with the Broad River, latitude 32[deg]18[min]48[sec] and 
longitude 80[deg]41[min]57[sec].
    (b) The regulations. (1) In the interest of national security, 
vessels and other watercraft may be restricted from using any or all of 
the areas described in paragraph (a) of this section at any time when 
deemed necessary and appropriately noticed by the Commanding General 
(CG), Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, unless prior approval 
has otherwise been obtained from the CG.
    (2) When not deemed necessary, the public shall have unrestricted 
access and use of the waters described in paragraph (a) of this 
section.
    (3) All restricted areas will be marked with suitable warning 
signs.
    (4) It is understood that none of the restrictions in this section 
will apply to properly marked Federal vessels performing official 
duties.
    (5) It is further understood that unauthorized personnel will not 
take photographs from within the restricted areas described in 
paragraph (a) of this section.
    (c) Enforcement: This section shall be enforced by the Commanding 
General, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, or persons or 
agencies as he/she may authorize including any Federal agency, State, 
local or county law enforcement agency, or private security firm in the 
employment of the Depot, so long as the entity undertaking to enforce 
this restricted area has the legal authority to do so under the 
appropriate Federal, State, or local laws.

    Dated: June 18, 2005.
Michael B. White,
Chief, Operations, Directorate of Civil Works.
[FR Doc. 05-12461 Filed 6-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-92-P