[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 33 (Thursday, February 19, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 8824-8826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03075]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 100

[Docket Number USCG-2015-0018]
RIN 1625-AA08


Special Local Regulation; Charleston Race Week, Charleston 
Harbor, Charleston, SC

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to issue a special local regulation 
on the waters of Charleston Harbor in Charleston, SC during the 
Charleston Race Week on April 17, 2015 through April 19, 2015. This 
special local regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of 
participants, spectators, and the general public during the event. The 
special local regulation would temporarily restrict vessel traffic in a 
portion of Charleston Harbor, preventing non-participant vessels from 
entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the 
regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston 
or a designated representative.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received by the Coast 
Guard on or before March 23, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number using 
any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) Mail or Delivery: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. 
Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Deliveries 
accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion 
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for further instructions 
on submitting comments. To avoid duplication, please use only one of 
these three methods.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this rule, 
call or email Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Ruleman, Sector 
Charleston Office of Waterways Management, Coast Guard; telephone (843) 
740-3184, email [email protected]. If you have questions 
on viewing or submitting material to 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
NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

A. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting 
comments and related materials. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided.

1. Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which 
each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but 
please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online, it 
will be considered received by the Coast Guard when you successfully 
transmit the comment. If you fax, hand deliver, or mail your comment, 
it will be considered as having been received by the Coast Guard when 
it is received at the Docket Management Facility. We recommend that you 
include your name and a mailing address, an email address, or a 
telephone number in the body of your document so that we can contact 
you if we have questions regarding your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
type the docket number USCG-2015-0018 in the ``SEARCH'' box and click 
``SEARCH.'' Click on ``Submit a Comment'' on the line associated with 
this rulemaking.
    If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them 
in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for 
copying and electronic filing. If you submit comments by mail and would 
like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and 
material received during the comment period and may change the rule 
based on your comments.

2. Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble 
as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
type the docket number USCG-2015-0018 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.

3. Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any 
of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice 
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the 
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

[[Page 8825]]

4. Public Meeting

    We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a 
request for one on or before March 15, 2015, using one of the methods 
specified under ADDRESSES. Please explain why you believe a public 
meeting would be beneficial. If we determine that one would aid this 
rulemaking, we will hold one at a time and place announced by a later 
notice in the Federal Register.

B. Basis and Purpose

    The legal basis for the proposed rule is the Coast Guard's 
Authority to establish special local regulations: 33 U.S.C 1233. The 
purpose of the proposed rule is to ensure safety of life on the 
navigable water of the United States during the Charleston Race Week.

C. Discussion of Proposed Rule

    The Coast Guard is proposing to establish special local regulations 
on the waters of Charleston Harbor in Charleston, South Carolina during 
Charleston Race Week, a series of sailboat races. The races are 
scheduled to take place on Friday, April 17, 2015 through Sunday, April 
19, 2015. Approximately 300 sailboats are anticipated to participate in 
the races, and approximately 15 spectator vessels are expected to 
attend the event. Persons and vessels desiring to enter, transit 
through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area may contact the 
Captain of the Port Charleston by telephone at (843) 740-7050, or a 
designated representative via VHF radio on channel 16, to request 
authorization. If authorization to enter, transit through, anchor in, 
or remain within the regulated area is granted by the Captain of the 
Port Charleston or a designated representative, all persons and vessels 
receiving such authorization must comply with the instructions of the 
Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative. The 
Coast Guard will provide notice of the special local regulation by 
Local Notice to Mariners, Broadcast Notice to Mariners, and on-scene 
designated representatives.

D. Regulatory Analyses

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

1. Regulatory Planning and Review

    This proposed 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 
Budget has not reviewed it under those Orders.
    The economic impact of this proposed rule is not significant for 
the following reasons: (1) Non-participant persons and vessels may 
enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area 
during the enforcement periods if authorized by the Captain of the Port 
Charleston or a designated representative; (2) vessels not able to 
enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area 
without authorization from the Captain of the Port Charleston or a 
designated representative may operate in the surrounding areas during 
the enforcement period; and (3) the Coast Guard will provide advance 
notification of the special local regulation to the local maritime 
community by Local Notice to Mariners and Broadcast Notice to Mariners.

2. Impact on Small Entities

    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), we have 
considered the impact of this proposed rule on small entities. The 
Coast Guard certifies under 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that this proposed 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: the owner or operators of vessels 
intending to enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the 
regulated area during the enforcement period. For the reasons discussed 
in Regulatory Planning and Review section above, this rule will not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.
    If you think that your business, organization, or governmental 
jurisdiction qualifies as a small entity and that this rule would have 
a significant economic impact on it, please submit a comment (see 
ADDRESSES) explaining why you think it qualifies and how and to what 
degree this rule would economically affect it.

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 proposed 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. The Coast Guard will not retaliate against small 
entities that question or complain about this proposed rule or any 
policy or action of the Coast Guard.

4. Collection of Information

    This proposed 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 proposed 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 proposed rule would not 
result in such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this rule 
elsewhere in this preamble.

8. Taking of Private Property

    This proposed rule would 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 proposed rule meets applicable standards in sections 3(a) and 
3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice

[[Page 8826]]

Reform, to minimize litigation, eliminate ambiguity, and reduce burden.

10. Protection of Children From Environmental Health Risks

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

11. Indian Tribal Governments

    This proposed rule does not have tribal implications under 
Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal 
Governments, because it would 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 proposed rule 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 proposed 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 special local regulation issued in conjunction with a 
regatta or marine parade. This rule is categorically excluded from 
further review under paragraph 34(h) of Figure 2-1 of the Commandant 
Instruction. 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 100

    Marine Safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Waterways.

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard proposes 
to amend 33 CFR part 100 as follows:

PART 100--SAFETY OF LIFE ON NAVIGABLE WATERS

0
1. The authority citation for part 100 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  33 U.S.C. 1233

0
2. Add a temporary Sec.  100.35T07-0018 to read as follows:


Sec.  100.35T07-0018  Special Local Regulation; Charleston Race Week, 
Charleston Harbor, Charleston, SC.

    (a) Regulated Area. The rule establishes special local regulations 
on certain waters of Charleston Harbor in Charleston, South Carolina. 
The special local regulations will be enforced daily from 8:30 a.m. 
until 5:00 p.m. on April 17, 2015 through April 19, 2015. The special 
local regulations consist of the following three race areas.
    (1) Race Area #1. All waters encompassed within an 800 yard radius 
of position 32[deg]46'39'' N, 79[deg]55'10'' W.
    (2) Race Area #2. All waters encompassed within a 900 yard radius 
of position 32[deg]45'48'' N, 79[deg]54'46'' W.
    (3) Race Area #3. All waters encompassed within a 900 yard radius 
of position 32[deg]45'44'' N, 79[deg]53'32'' W.
    (b) Definition. The term ``designated representative'' means Coast 
Guard Patrol Commanders, including Coast Guard coxswains, petty 
officers, and other officers operating Coast Guard vessels, and 
Federal, state, and local officers designated by or assisting the 
Captain of the Port Charleston in the enforcement of the regulated 
areas.
    (c) Regulations. (1) All persons and vessels, except those 
participating in Charleston Race Week or serving as safety vessels are 
prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or 
remaining within the regulated area. Persons and vessels desiring to 
enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area 
may contact the Captain of the Port Charleston by telephone at (843) 
740-7050, or a designated representative via VHF radio on channel 16, 
to request authorization. If authorization to enter, transit through, 
anchor in, or remain within the regulated area is granted by the 
Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated representative, all 
persons and vessels receiving such authorization must comply with the 
instructions of the Captain of the Port Charleston or a designated 
representative.
    (2) The Coast Guard will provide notice of the regulated area by 
Marine Safety Information Bulletins, Local Notice to Mariners, 
Broadcast Notice to Mariners, and on-scene designated representatives.
    (d) Effective Date. This rule is effective and will be enforced 
from 8:30 a.m. April 17, 2015 through 5:00 p.m. April 19, 2015.

    Dated: January 28, 2015.
B.D. Falk,
Commander, U.S. Coast Guard. Acting Captain of the Port Charleston.
[FR Doc. 2015-03075 Filed 2-18-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P