[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 29 (Monday, February 12, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9769-9771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02701]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[Docket Number USCG-2024-0130]
RIN 1625-AA00


Safety Zone; Fireworks Scattering; 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 on the 
navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay, off Treasure Island, CA in 
support of a fireworks display on February 10, 2024. The safety zone is 
necessary to protect persons, vessels, and the marine environment from 
potential hazards caused by pyrotechnics. Unauthorized persons or 
vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, or remaining 
in the safety zone without the permission of the Captain of the Port 
San Francisco or a designated representative.

DATES: This rule is effective from 10:30 a.m. until 11:35 a.m. on 
February 10, 2024.

ADDRESSES: To view documents mentioned in this preamble as being 
available in the docket, go to https://www.regulations.gov, type USCG-
2024-0130 in the search box and click ``Search.'' Next, in the Document 
Type column, select ``Supporting & Related Material.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this rule, 
call or email Lieutenant William K. Harris, U.S. Coast Guard Sector San 
Francisco, Waterways management Division, at telephone (415) 399-7443, 
or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Table of Abbreviations

CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking
Sec.  Section
U.S.C. United States Code

II. Background Information and Regulatory History

    The Coast Guard is issuing this temporary rule under authority in 5 
U.S.C. 553(b)(B). This statutory 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.'' The Coast Guard 
finds that good cause exists for not publishing a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) with respect to this rule because it is 
impracticable. The Coast Guard did not receive final details for this 
event until January 30, 2024. It is impracticable to go through the 
full notice and comment rulemaking process because the Coast Guard must 
establish this safety zone by February 10, 2024, and lacks sufficient 
time to provide a reasonable comment period and to consider those 
comments before issuing the rule.
    Also, 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. Delaying the effective date of 
this rule would be contrary to public interest because action is 
necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment 
from the potential safety hazards associated with the fireworks display 
off Treasure Island, CA on February 10, 2024.

III. Legal Authority and Need for Rule

    The Coast Guard is issuing this rule under authority 46 U.S.C. 
70034. The Captain of the Port (COTP) San Francisco has determined that 
potential hazards associated with the scheduled Fireworks Scattering 
display on February 10, 2024, will be a safety concern for anyone 
within a 400-foot radius of the fireworks display starting 30 minutes 
before the fireworks display is scheduled to commence and ending 30 
minutes after the conclusion of the fireworks display. For this reason, 
this temporary safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and 
the marine environment in the navigable waters during the fireworks 
display.

IV. Discussion of the Rule

    This rule establishes a temporary safety zone from 10:30 a.m. until 
11:35 a.m. on February 10, 2024, from 30 minutes prior to the start of 
the fireworks display, and until 30 minutes after the completion of the 
fireworks display. At 10:30 a.m., which is 30 minutes prior to the 
commencement of the 5-minute fireworks display, the safety zone will 
encompass the navigable waters around the fireworks vessel, from 
surface to bottom, within a circle formed by connecting all points 400-
feet out from the coordinates at approximately 37[deg]50'17.9'' N, 
122[deg]21'16.5'' W (NAD 83). The safety zone will terminate at 11:35 
a.m. on February 10, 2024, or as announced via Marine Information 
Broadcast.
    This regulation is necessary to keep persons and vessels away from 
the immediate vicinity of the fireworks scattering site. Except for 
persons or vessels authorized by the COTP or the COTP's designated 
representative, no person or vessel may enter or remain in a restricted 
area. A ``designated representative'' means a Coast Guard Patrol 
Commander, including a Coast Guard coxswain, petty officer, or other 
officer operating a Coast Guard vessel, or a Federal, State, or local 
officer

[[Page 9770]]

designated by or assisting the COTP in the enforcement of the Safety 
Zone. This regulation is necessary to ensure the safety of 
participants, spectators, and transiting vessels.

V. Regulatory Analyses

    We developed this rule after considering numerous statutes and 
Executive orders related to rulemaking. Below we summarize our analyses 
based on a number of these statutes and Executive orders, and we 
discuss First Amendment rights of protestors.

A. Regulatory Planning and Review

    Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess the 
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits. This rule has not been designated a ``significant 
regulatory action,'' under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, as 
amended by Executive Order 14094 (Modernizing Regulatory Review). 
Accordingly, this rule has not been reviewed by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB).
    This regulatory action determination is based on the limited 
duration and narrowly tailored geographic area of the safety zone. 
Although this rule restrict access to the water encompassed by the 
safety zone, the effect of this rule will not be significant because 
local waterways users will be notified to ensure the safety zone will 
result in minimum impact. The vessels desiring to transit through or 
around the temporary safety zone may do so upon express permission from 
the COTP or the COTP's designated representative.

B. Impact on Small Entities

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 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.
    While some owners or operators of vessels intending to transit the 
safety zone may be small entities, for the reasons stated in section 
V.A above, this rule will not have a significant economic impact on any 
vessel owner or operator.
    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 
call or email the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section.
    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.

C. 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).

D. Federalism and Indian Tribal Governments

    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 have 
determined that it is consistent with the fundamental federalism 
principles and preemption requirements described in Executive Order 
13132.
    Also, 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.

E. 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.

F. Environment

    We have analyzed this rule under Department of Homeland Security 
Directive 023-01, Rev. 1, associated implementing instructions, and 
Environmental Planning COMDTINST 5090.1 (series), which guide the Coast 
Guard in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(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 a 
temporary safety zone in the navigable waters surrounding the fireworks 
vessel within the San Francisco Bay off Treasure Island, CA. It is 
categorically excluded from further review under paragraph L60(a) of 
Appendix A, Table 1 of DHS Instruction Manual 023-01-001-01, Rev. 1. A 
Record of Environmental Consideration supporting this determination is 
available in the docket. For instructions on locating the docket, see 
the ADDRESSES section of this preamble.

G. Protest Activities

    The Coast Guard respects the First Amendment rights of protesters. 
Protesters are asked to call or email 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.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

    Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and 
recordkeeping 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: 46 U.S.C. 70034, 70051, 70124; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 6.04-1, 
6.04-6, and 160.5; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 
00170.1, Revision No. 01.3.


[[Page 9771]]



0
2. Add Sec.  165.T11-157 to read as follows:


Sec.  165.T11-157   Safety Zone; Fireworks Scattering; San Francisco 
Bay, San Francisco, CA

    (a) Locations. The following area is a safety zone: all navigable 
waters of the San Francisco Bay, from surface to bottom, within a 
circle formed by connecting all points 400-feet out from 
37[deg]50'17.9'' N, 122[deg]21'16.5'' W (NAD 83) between 10:30 a.m. and 
11:35 a.m. on February 10, 2024, or as announced by Marine Information 
Bulletin.
    (b) Definitions. As used in this section, ``designated 
representative'' means a Coast Guard Patrol Commander, including a 
Coast Guard coxswain, petty officer, or other officer operating a Coast 
Guard vessel, or a Federal, State, or local officer designated by or 
assisting the Captain of the Port (COTP) San Francisco in the 
enforcement of the safety zone.
    (c) Regulations. (1) Under the general safety zone regulations in 
subpart C of this part, you may not enter the safety zone described in 
paragraph (a) of this section unless authorized by the COTP or the 
COTP's designated representative.
    (2) The safety zone is closed to all vessel traffic, except as may 
be permitted by the COTP or the COTP's designated representative.
    (3) Vessel operators desiring to enter or operate within the safety 
zone must contact the COTP or the COTP's designated representative to 
obtain permission to do so. Vessel operators given permission to enter 
in the safety zone must comply with all lawful orders or directions 
given to them by the COTP or the COTP's designated representative. 
Persons and vessels may request permission to enter the safety zone 
through the 24-hour Command Center at telephone (415) 399-3432.
    (d) Enforcement period. This section will be enforced from 10:30 
a.m. until 11:35 a.m. on February 10, 2024.
    (e) Information broadcasts. The COTP or the COTP's designated 
representative will notify the maritime community of periods during 
which this zone will be enforced, in accordance with 33 CFR 165.7.

    Dated: February 3, 2024.
Taylor Q. Lam,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port Sector San Francisco.
[FR Doc. 2024-02701 Filed 2-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P