Special Local Regulations; Swim Across the Potomac, Potomac River; National Harbor Access Channel, MD, 33219-33221 [2013-13144]

Agencies

• Coast Guard
• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 4, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 33219-33221]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13144]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 100

[Docket Number USCG-2013-0156]
RIN 1625-AA08


Special Local Regulations; Swim Across the Potomac, Potomac 
River; National Harbor Access Channel, MD

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations 
during the ``Swim Across the Potomac'' swimming competition, to be held 
on the waters of the Potomac River on June 2, 2013. These special local 
regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on 
navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to 
temporarily restrict vessel traffic in a portion of the Potomac River 
during the event.

DATES: This rule is effective from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. on June 2, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: Documents mentioned in this preamble are part of docket 
[USCG-2013-0156]. To view documents mentioned in this preamble as being 
available in the docket, go to https://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, 
call or email Mr. Ronald Houck, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, MD; 
telephone 410-576-2674, email Ronald.L.Houck@uscg.mil. 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. Regulatory History and Information

    On April 8, 2013, we published a notice of proposed rulemaking 
(NPRM) entitled ``Special Local Regulations for Marine Events, Potomac 
River; National Harbor Access Channel, MD'' in the Federal Register (78 
FR 67). We received no comments on the proposed rule. No public meeting 
was requested, and none was held.
    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. Event planners did not provide the 
Coast Guard adequate advance notice of the event to allow 30 days after 
publication. The Application for Marine Event (Form CG-4423) for this 
event was submitted in Homeport for COTP Baltimore on March 7, 2013.

B. Basis and Purpose

    The legal basis for the rule is the Coast Guard's authority to 
establish special local regulations: 33 U.S.C. 1233. The purpose of the 
rule is to ensure safety of life on navigable waters of the United 
States during the Swim Across the Potomac event.

C. Discussion of Comments, Changes and the Final Rule

    The Coast Guard received no comments in response to the NPRM. No 
public meeting was requested and none was held.

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 
Budget has not reviewed it under those Orders.
    Although this regulation will prevent traffic from transiting 
portions of the Potomac River and National Harbor Access Channel during 
the event, the effect of this regulation will not be significant due to 
the following reasons: (1) The regulated area will be in effect for 
only 4 hours; (2) the regulated area has been narrowly tailored to 
impose the least impact on general navigation, yet provide the level of 
safety deemed necessary; (3) vessel traffic will be able to transit 
safely through a portion of the regulated area, but only after the last 
participant has cleared that portion of the regulated area and when the 
Coast Guard Patrol Commander deems it safe to do so; and (4) the Coast 
Guard will provide advance notification of the special local 
regulations to the local maritime community by Local Notice to Mariners 
and Broadcast Notice to Mariners.

[[Page 33220]]

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 received no comments from the Small Business 
Administration on this rule. 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: The owners or operators of vessels intending to enter, 
transit through, anchor in, or remain within that portion of Potomac 
River encompassed within the special local regulations from 7 a.m. 
until 11 a.m. on June 2, 2013. For the reasons discussed in the 
Regulatory Planning and Review section above, this rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

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 
INTFORMATION 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 special local regulations 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. 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 100

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

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard amends 
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 section, Sec.  100.35T05-0156 to read as follows:

[[Page 33221]]

Sec.  100.35T05-0156  Special Local Regulations; Swim Across the 
Potomac, Potomac River; National Harbor Access Channel, MD.

    (a) Regulated Area. The following regulated area is established as 
special local regulations. All coordinates are North American Datum 
1983.
    (1) Regulated Area: All water of the Potomac River, from shoreline 
to shoreline, bounded to the north by a line drawn that originates at 
Jones Point Park, VA at the west shoreline latitude 38[deg]47'35'' N, 
longitude 077[deg]02'22'' W, thence east to latitude 38[deg]47'12'' N, 
longitude 077[deg]00'58'' W, at east shoreline near National Harbor, 
MD. The regulated area is bounded to the south by a line drawn 
originating at George Washington Memorial Parkway highway overpass and 
Cameron Run, west shoreline latitude 38[deg]47'23'' N, longitude 
077[deg]03'03'' W thence east to latitude 38[deg]46'52'' N, longitude 
077[deg]01'13'' W, at east shoreline near National Harbor, MD.
    (b) Definitions. (1) Coast Guard Patrol Commander means a 
commissioned, warrant, or petty officer of the U. S. Coast Guard who 
has been designated by the Commander, Coast Guard Sector Baltimore.
    (2) Official Patrol means any vessel assigned or approved by 
Commander, Coast Guard Sector Baltimore with a commissioned, warrant, 
or petty officer on board and displaying a Coast Guard ensign.
    (3) Participant means all persons and vessels participating in the 
Swim Across the Potomac event under the auspices of the Marine Event 
Permit issued to the event sponsor and approved by Commander, Coast 
Guard Sector Baltimore.
    (c) Special local regulations. (1) The Coast Guard Patrol Commander 
may forbid and control the movement of all vessels and persons in the 
regulated area. When hailed or signaled by an official patrol vessel, a 
vessel or person in the regulated area shall immediately comply with 
the directions given. Failure to do so may result in expulsion from the 
area, citation for failure to comply, or both.
    (2) Persons desiring to transit the regulated area must first 
obtain authorization from the Captain of the Port Baltimore or his 
designated representative. To seek permission to transit the area, the 
Captain of the Port Baltimore and his designated representatives can be 
contacted at telephone number 410-576-2693 or on Marine Band Radio, 
VHF-FM channel 16 (156.8 MHz). All Coast Guard vessels enforcing this 
regulated area can be contacted on marine band radio VHF-FM channel 16 
(156.8 MHz).
    (3) The Coast Guard Patrol Commander may terminate the event, or 
the operation of any participant in the event, at any time it is deemed 
necessary for the protection of life or property.
    (4) The Coast Guard will publish a notice in the Fifth Coast Guard 
District Local Notice to Mariners and issue a marine information 
broadcast on VHF-FM marine band radio announcing specific event date 
and times.
    (d) Enforcement period: This section will be enforced from 7 a.m. 
until 11 a.m. on June 2, 2013.

    Dated: May 15, 2013.
Kevin C. Kiefer,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port Baltimore.
[FR Doc. 2013-13144 Filed 6-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P