[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 26, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 18238-18240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06813]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[Docket No. USCG-2013-0148]
RIN 1625-AA00


Safety Zone; SFPD Training Safety Zone; San Francisco Bay, San 
Francisco, CA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Temporary Final Rule.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the 
navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay near Hunters Point in San 
Francisco, CA in support of the San Francisco Police Department's 
maritime interdiction training exercises. This safety zone is 
established to ensure the safety of the exercise participants and 
mariners transiting the area. Unauthorized persons or vessels are 
prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or remaining in the 
safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port or their 
designated representative.

DATES: This rule is effective with actual notice from March 14, 2013, 
until March 26, 2013. This rule is effective in the Federal Register 
from March 26, 2013 until April 19, 2013. This rule will be enforced 
from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on March 14, 2013, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on 
March 15, 2013, and from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on April 15, 2013, through 
April 19, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Documents mentioned in this preamble are part of docket 
USCG-2013-0148. To view documents mentioned in this preamble as being 
available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type the 
docket number in the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.'' Click on Open 
Docket Folder on the line associated with this rulemaking. You may also 
visit the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground 
floor of the Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this 
temporary rule, call or email Lieutenant Junior Grade William Hawn, 
U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco; telephone (415) 399-7442 or 
email at [email protected]. If you have questions on viewing 
the docket, call Barbara Hairston, Program Manager, Docket Operations, 
telephone (202)366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Acronyms

DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
SFPD San Francisco Police Department
NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

A. Regulatory History and Information

    The Coast Guard is issuing this final rule without prior notice and 
opportunity to comment pursuant to authority under section 4(a) of the 
Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553(b)). This provision 
authorizes an agency to issue a rule without prior notice and 
opportunity to comment when the agency for good cause finds that those 
procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public 
interest.''
    Under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Coast Guard finds that good cause 
exists for not publishing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) with 
respect to this rule because publishing an NPRM would be impracticable. 
The Coast Guard received notification of the event on March 7, 2013, 
and the event would occur before the rulemaking process would be 
completed. Law enforcement officers will be conducting maritime 
interdiction operations that require freedom of movement in a defined 
area. The safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the law 
enforcement officers participating in the training exercises as well as 
provide for the safety of vessels transiting near the training area. 
Because the Coast Guard received late notice and the safety concerns 
noted, it is impracticable to publish an NPRM for this safety zone.
    Under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Coast Guard finds that good cause 
exists for making this rule effective less than 30 days after 
publication in the Federal Register. For the reasons stated above, 
delaying the effective date would be impracticable and contrary to the 
public interest.

B. Basis and Purpose

    The legal basis for the proposed temporary rule is the Ports and 
Waterways Safety Act which authorizes the Coast Guard to establish 
safety zones (33 U.S.C sections 1221 et seq.).
    San Francisco Police Department will host the SFPD Training Safety 
Zone on March 14 and March 15, 2013, and from April 15 through April 
19, 2013, in the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay off of 
Hunters Point in San Francisco, CA. This safety zone establishes a 
temporary restricted area on the water within a box connecting the 
following points: 37[deg]43'45'' N, 122[deg]20'48'' W; 37[deg]43'45'' 
N, 122[deg]19'33'' W; 37[deg]42'12'' N, 122[deg]20'48'' W; 
37[deg]42'12'' N, 122[deg]19'33'' W; thence back to the point of origin 
(NAD 83). The safety zone is issued to establish a temporary restricted 
area on the waters surrounding the training exercise.
    This restricted area is necessary to provide freedom of movement 
for law enforcement officers conducting maritime interdiction training 
and to ensure the safety of mariners transiting the area.

C. Discussion of the Final Rule

    The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone in navigable waters 
around the SFPD's maritime interdiction training exercises. The SFPD 
Training Safety

[[Page 18239]]

Zone establishes a temporary restricted area on the waters of the San 
Francisco Bay off of Hunters Point within a box connecting the 
following points: 37[deg]43'45'' N, 122[deg]20'48'' W; 37[deg]43'45'' 
N, 122[deg]19'33'' W; 37[deg]42'12'' N, 122[deg]20'48'' W; 
37[deg]42'12'' N, 122[deg]19'33'' W; thence back to the point of origin 
(NAD 83). This safety zone will be enforced from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on 
March 14, 2013, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on March 15, 2013, and from 8 
a.m. until 5 p.m. on April 15, 2013, through 19, 2013. At the 
conclusion of the training exercises the safety zone shall terminate.
    The effect of the temporary safety zone will be to restrict 
navigation in the vicinity of the training exercise. Except for persons 
or vessels authorized by the Coast Guard Patrol Commander, no person or 
vessel may enter or remain in the restricted area. These regulations 
are needed to keep vessels away from the vicinity of the training 
exercise to ensure the safety of law enforcement officers conducting 
training and other mariners transiting the area.

D. Regulatory Analyses

    We developed this rule after considering numerous statutes and 
executive orders related to rulemaking. Below we summarize our analyses 
based on 13 of these statutes and executive orders.

1. Regulatory Planning and Review

    This rule is not a significant regulatory action under section 3(f) 
of Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review, as 
supplemented by Executive Order 13563, Improving Regulation and 
Regulatory Review, and does not require an assessment of potential 
costs and benefits under section 6(a)(3) of that Executive Order 12866 
or under section 1 of Executive Order 13563. The Office of Management 
and Budget has not reviewed it under those Orders.
    We expect the economic impact of this rule does not rise to the 
level of necessitating a full Regulatory Evaluation. The safety zone is 
limited in duration, and is limited to a narrowly tailored geographic 
area. In addition, although this rule restricts access to the waters 
encompassed by the safety zone, the effect of this rule will not be 
significant because the local waterway users will be notified via 
public Broadcast Notice to Mariners to ensure the safety zone will 
result in minimum impact. The entities most likely to be affected are 
waterfront facilities, commercial vessels, and pleasure craft engaged 
in recreational activities.

2. Impact on Small Entities

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA), 5 U.S.C. 601-612, as 
amended, requires federal agencies to consider the potential impact of 
regulations on small entities during rulemaking.
    The Coast Guard certifies under 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that this rule will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. This rule may affect the following entities, some of which 
may be small entities: Owners and operators of waterfront facilities, 
commercial vessels, and pleasure craft engaged in recreational 
activities and sightseeing, if these facilities or vessels are in the 
vicinity of the safety zone at times when this zone is being enforced. 
This rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities for the following reasons: (i) This rule will 
encompass only a small portion of the waterway for a limited period of 
time, and (ii) the maritime public will be advised in advance of this 
safety zone via Broadcast Notice to Mariners.

3. Assistance for Small Entities

    Under section 213(a) of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 
Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121), we want to assist small 
entities in understanding this rule. If the rule would affect your 
small business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction and you have 
questions concerning its provisions or options for compliance, please 
contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, 
above.
    Small businesses may send comments on the actions of Federal 
employees who enforce, or otherwise determine compliance with, Federal 
regulations to the Small Business and Agriculture Regulatory 
Enforcement Ombudsman and the Regional Small Business Regulatory 
Fairness Boards. The Ombudsman evaluates these actions annually and 
rates each agency's responsiveness to small business. If you wish to 
comment on actions by employees of the Coast Guard, call 1-888-REG-FAIR 
(1-888-734-3247). The Coast Guard will not retaliate against small 
entities that question or complain about this rule or any policy or 
action of the Coast Guard.

4. Collection of Information

    This rule calls for no new collection of information under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).

5. Federalism

    A rule has implications for federalism under Executive Order 13132, 
Federalism, if it has a substantial direct effect on State or local 
governments and would either preempt State law or impose a substantial 
direct cost of compliance on them. We have analyzed this rule under 
that Order and have determined that it does not have implications for 
federalism.

6. Protest Activities

    The Coast Guard respects the First Amendment rights of protesters. 
Protesters are asked to contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section to coordinate protest activities so that 
your message can be received without jeopardizing the safety or 
security of people, places or vessels.

7. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

    The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1531-1538) 
requires Federal agencies to assess the effects of their discretionary 
regulatory actions. In particular, the Act addresses actions that may 
result in the expenditure by a State, local, or tribal government, in 
the aggregate, or by the private sector of $100,000,000 (adjusted for 
inflation) or more in any one year. Though this rule will not result in 
such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this rule elsewhere 
in this preamble.

8. Taking of Private Property

    This rule will not cause a taking of private property or otherwise 
have taking implications under Executive Order 12630, Governmental 
Actions and Interference with Constitutionally Protected Property 
Rights.

9. Civil Justice Reform

    This rule meets applicable standards in sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) 
of Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform, to minimize litigation, 
eliminate ambiguity, and reduce burden.

10. Protection of Children

    We have analyzed this rule under Executive Order 13045, Protection 
of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks. This rule 
is not an economically significant rule and does not create an 
environmental risk to health or risk to safety that may 
disproportionately affect children.

11. Indian Tribal Governments

    This rule does not have tribal implications under Executive Order 
13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments, 
because it does not have a substantial

[[Page 18240]]

direct effect on one or more Indian tribes, on the relationship between 
the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of 
power and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian 
tribes.

12. Energy Effects

    This action is not a ``significant energy action'' under Executive 
Order 13211, Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect 
Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use.

13. Technical Standards

    This rule does not use technical standards. Therefore, we did not 
consider the use of voluntary consensus standards.

14. Environment

    We have analyzed this rule under Department of Homeland Security 
Management Directive 023-01 and Commandant Instruction M16475.lD, which 
guide the Coast Guard in complying with the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f), and have concluded 
this action is one of a category of actions that do not individually or 
cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. This 
rule involves a safety zone of limited size and duration. This rule is 
categorically excluded from further review under paragraph 34(g) and 
35(b) of Figure 2-1 of the Commandant Instruction. An environmental 
analysis checklist supporting this determination and a Categorical 
Exclusion Determination are available in the docket where indicated 
under ADDRESSES. We seek any comments or information that may lead to 
the discovery of a significant environmental impact from this rule.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

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

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard amends 
33 CFR part 165 as follows:

PART 165--REGULATED NAVIGATION AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS

0
1. The authority citation for part 165 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1226, 1231; 46 U.S.C. Chapter 701; 50 
U.S.C. 191, 195; 33 CFR 1.05-1(g), 6.04-1, 6.04-6, and 160.5; Pub. 
L. 107-295, 116 Stat. 2064; Department of Homeland Security 
Delegation No. 0170.1.

0
2. Add Sec.  165-T11-551 to read as follows:


Sec.  165.T11-551  Safety zone; SFPD Training Safety Zone, San 
Francisco Bay, San Francisco, CA.

    (a) Location. This temporary safety zone will encompass the 
navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay near Hunters Point within a 
box connecting the following points: 37[deg]43'45'' N, 122[deg]20'48'' 
W; 37[deg]43'45'' N, 122[deg]19'33'' W; 37[deg]42'12'' N, 
122[deg]20'48'' W; 37[deg]42'12'' N, 122[deg]19'33'' W; thence back to 
the point of origin, as depicted in National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) Chart 18649.
    (b) Enforcement Period. The zone described in paragraph (a) of this 
section will be enforced from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on March 14, 2013, 
from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on March 15, 2013, and from 8 a.m. until 5 
p.m. on April 15, 2013, through April 19, 2013. The Captain of the Port 
San Francisco (COTP) will notify the maritime community of periods 
during which this zone will be enforced via Broadcast Notice to 
Mariners in accordance with 33 CFR 165.7.
    (c) Definitions. As used in this section, ``designated 
representative'' means a Coast Guard Patrol Commander, including a 
Coast Guard coxswain, petty officer, or other officer on a Coast Guard 
vessel or a Federal, State, or local officer designated by or assisting 
the COTP in the enforcement of the safety zone.
    (d) Regulations. (1) Under the general regulations in 33 CFR 
165.23, entry into, transiting or anchoring within this safety zone is 
prohibited unless authorized by the COTP or a designated 
representative.
    (2) The safety zone is closed to all vessel traffic, except as may 
be permitted by the COTP or a designated representative.
    (3) Vessel operators desiring to enter or operate within the safety 
zone must contact the COTP or a designated representative to obtain 
permission to do so. Vessel operators given permission to enter or 
operate in the safety zone must comply with all directions given to 
them by the COTP or a designated representative. Persons and vessels 
may request permission to enter the safety zone on VHF-23A or through 
the 24-hour Command Center at telephone (415) 399-3547.

    Dated: March 13, 2013
Cynthia L. Stowe,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard. Captain of the Port San Francisco.
[FR Doc. 2013-06813 Filed 3-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P