[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 210 (Thursday, October 30, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 64511-64513]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25856]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[Docket No. USCG-2014-0951]
RIN 1625-AA00


Safety Zone; Salvage Operations, Chicago River, Chicago, IL

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the 
Chicago River between the Lake Street Bridge and the Randolph Street 
Bridge, Chicago, IL. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels 
from a designated portion of the Chicago River for a sunken barge and 
related salvage operations. This temporary safety zone is necessary to 
protect the surrounding public and vessels from the hazards associated 
with salvage operations.

DATES: This rule is effective without actual notice from October 30, 
2014 until November 14, 2014. For the purposes of enforcement, actual 
notice will be used from the date the rule was signed, October 17, 2014 
until October 30, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Documents mentioned in this preamble are part of docket 
USCG-2014-0951. 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 rule, 
contact or email MST2 Stacy Smith, U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit 
Chicago, at (630) 986-2155 or [email protected]. If you have 
questions on viewing the docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program Manager, 
Docket Operations, telephone (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Acronyms

DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

A. Regulatory History and Information

    The Coast Guard is issuing this temporary 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 with 
respect to this rule because doing so would be impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest. The final details for this event were 
not known to the Coast Guard until there was insufficient time 
remaining before the event to publish an NPRM. Specifically, this 
safety zone is needed for salvage operations for a barge that 
unexpectedly sank on the Chicago River on October 17, 2014. Thus, 
delaying the effective date of this rule to wait for a comment period 
to run would be both impracticable and contrary to the public interest 
because it would inhibit the Coast Guard's ability to protect the 
public and vessels from the hazards associated with the salvage 
operations discussed below.
    Under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), The Coast Guard finds that good cause 
exists for making this temporary rule effective less than 30 days after 
publication in the Federal Register. For the same reasons discussed in 
the preceding paragraph, waiting for a 30 day notice period to run 
would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest.

B. Basis and Purpose

    The legal basis for the rule is the Coast Guard's authority to 
establish safety zones: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 160.5; 
Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.
    From October 17 through November 14, 2014, salvage operations will 
take place on the Chicago River in response to a sunken barge on the 
south branch of the Chicago River. The Captain of the Port Lake 
Michigan has determined that the salvage operations will pose a 
significant risk to public safety and property. This safety zone is 
necessary to protect emergency responders and transiting mariners from 
associated hazards, which potentially include vessel collisions in a 
narrow congested channel.

C. Discussion of the Final Rule

    With the aforementioned hazards in mind, the Captain of the Port 
Lake Michigan has determined that this temporary safety zone is 
necessary to ensure the safety of vessels during salvage operations on 
the Chicago River. This safety zone will be in effect from October 17 
through November 14, 2014. It will be enforced intermittently during 
this time with actual notice. Additionally, advanced notice of 
enforcement times will be provided through Broadcast Notice to 
Mariners. This zone will encompass all waters on the south branch of 
the Chicago River between the Lake Street Bridge and the Randolph 
Street Bridge, Chicago, IL.
    Entry into, transiting, or anchoring within the safety zone is 
prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan 
or a designated on-scene representative. The Captain of the Port or a 
designated on-scene representative may be contacted via VHF Channel 16.

D. Regulatory Analyses

    We developed this rule after considering numerous statutes and 
executive orders related to rulemaking. Below we summarize our analyses 
based on 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 Executive Order 12866 or 
under section 1 of Executive Order 13563. The Office of Management and

[[Page 64512]]

Budget has not reviewed it under those Orders.
    We conclude that this rule is not a significant regulatory action 
because we anticipate that it will have minimal impact on the economy, 
will not interfere with other agencies, will not adversely alter the 
budget of any grant or loan recipients, and will not raise any novel 
legal or policy issues. The safety zone created by this rule will be 
relatively small and enforced on an as needed basis. Under certain 
conditions, moreover, vessels may still transit through the safety zone 
when permitted by the Captain of the Port.

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 term ``small 
entities'' comprises small businesses, not-for-profit organizations 
that are independently owned and operated and are not dominant in their 
fields, and governmental jurisdictions with populations of less than 
50,000. 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.
    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), we have 
considered the impact of this temporary rule on small entities. This 
rule will affect the following entities, some of which might be small 
entities: The owners or operators of vessels intending to transit the 
south branch of the Chicago River between the Lake Street Bridge and 
the Randolph Street Bridge from October 17 through November 14, 2014.
    This safety zone will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities for the reasons cited in the 
Regulatory Planning and Review section. Additionally, before the 
enforcement of the zone, we will issue local Broadcast Notice to 
Mariners so vessel owners and operators can plan accordingly.

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 will not call for a 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 the States, on the 
relationship between the national government and the States, or on the 
distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of 
government. We have analyzed this rule under that Order and determined 
that this rule 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 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 determined 
that 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 the establishment of a safety zone and, 
therefore it is categorically excluded from further review under 
paragraph 34(g) 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

[[Page 64513]]

discovery of a significant environmental impact from this rule.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

    Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and record 
keeping requirements, Security measures, 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. 1231; 46 U.S.C. Chapters 701, 3306, 3703; 
50 U.S.C. 191, 195; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 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.T09-0951 to read as follows:


Sec.  165.T09-0951  Safety Zone; Salvage Operations, Chicago River, 
Chicago, IL.

    (a) Location. All waters on the south branch of the Chicago River 
between the Lake Street Bridge and the Randolph Street Bridge, Chicago, 
IL.
    (b) Effective and enforcement period. This rule is effective 
without actual notice from October 30, 2014 until November 14, 2014. 
For the purposes of enforcement, actual notice will be used from the 
date the rule was signed, October 17, 2014 until October 30, 2014. This 
rule will be enforced intermittently with actual notice.
    (c) Regulations. (1) In accordance with the general regulations in 
Sec.  165.23 of this part, entry into, transiting, or anchoring within 
this safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the 
Port Lake Michigan or a designated on-scene representative.
    (2) This safety zone is closed to all vessel traffic, except as may 
be permitted by the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or a designated 
on-scene representative.
    (3) The ``on-scene representative'' of the Captain of the Port Lake 
Michigan is any Coast Guard commissioned, warrant or petty officer who 
has been designated by the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan to act on 
her behalf.
    (4) Vessel operators desiring to enter or operate within the safety 
zone shall contact the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or an on-scene 
representative to obtain permission to do so. The Captain of the Port 
Lake Michigan or her on-scene representative may be contacted via VHF 
Channel 16. Vessel operators given permission to enter or operate in 
the safety zone must comply with all directions given to them by the 
Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or an on-scene representative.

    Dated: October 17, 2014.
A.B. Cocanour,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Lake Michigan.
[FR Doc. 2014-25856 Filed 10-29-14; 8:45 am]
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