81 FR 72753 - Safety Zone; Willamette River, Portland, OR

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 204 (October 21, 2016)

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Willamette River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters during a fireworks display on November 13, 2016. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Columbia River or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 204 (Friday, October 21, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 72753-72755]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25511]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[Docket Number USCG-2016-0929]
RIN 1625-AA00


Safety Zone; Willamette River, Portland, OR

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary safety zone 
for certain waters of the Willamette River. This action is necessary to 
provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters during a 
fireworks display on November 13, 2016. This proposed rulemaking would 
prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless 
authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Columbia River or a 
designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed 
rulemaking.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received by the Coast 
Guard on or before November 4, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2016-0929 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation and Request for 
Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further 
instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
proposed rulemaking, call or email Mr. Kenneth Lawrenson, Waterways 
Management Division, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 503-240-9319, 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, Purpose, and Legal Basis

    On September 22, 2016, Western Display Fireworks, Ltd., notified 
the Coast Guard that it will be conducting a fireworks display from 7 
p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on November 13, 2016, for a celebration of life of 
recently deceased Donald W. Gardner. The fireworks are to be launched 
from a barge in the Willamette River between the Burnside and Steel 
Bridges. Hazards from firework displays include accidental discharge of 
fireworks, dangerous projectiles, and falling hot embers or other 
debris. The Captain of the Port Sector Columbia River (COTP) has 
determined that potential hazards associated with the fireworks to be 
used in this display would be a safety concern for anyone within a 450-
yard radius of the barge.

[[Page 72754]]

    The purpose of this rulemaking is to ensure the safety of vessels 
and the navigable waters within a 450-yard radius of the fireworks 
barge before, during, and after the scheduled event. The Coast Guard 
proposes this rulemaking under authority in 33 U.S.C. 1231.

III. Discussion of Proposed Rule

    The COTP proposes to establish a safety zone from 6 p.m. to 8:30 
p.m. on November 13, 2016. The safety zone would cover all navigable 
waters within 450 yards of the barge being used to launch the fireworks 
display in the Willamette River located between the Burnside and Steel 
Bridges in Portland, OR. The safety zone would be in effect for the 
duration of the event, which is scheduled to take place from 7 p.m. to 
7:30 p.m., and one hour prior to and one hour after the event 
concludes, in order to ensure the safety of vessels and these navigable 
waters. No vessel or person would be permitted to enter the safety zone 
without obtaining permission from the COTP or his designated 
representative. The regulatory text we are proposing appears at the end 
of this document.

IV. 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 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. Executive Order 13563 emphasizes the importance of 
quantifying both costs and benefits, of reducing costs, of harmonizing 
rules, and of promoting flexibility. This NPRM has not been designated 
a ``significant regulatory action,'' under Executive Order 12866. 
Accordingly, the NPRM has not been reviewed by the Office of Management 
and Budget.
    This regulatory action determination is based on the size, 
location, duration, and time-of-day of the safety zone. Vessel traffic 
would be able to safely transit around this safety zone which would 
impact a small designated area of the Willamette River for two and a 
half hours during the evening when vessel traffic is normally low. 
Moreover, the Coast Guard would issue a Broadcast Notice to Mariners 
via VHF-FM marine channel 16 about the zone, and the rule would allow 
vessels to seek permission to enter the zone.

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 
proposed rule would 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 
IV.A above this proposed rule would not have a significant economic 
impact on any vessel owner or operator.
    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.
    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 
section. 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.

C. Collection of Information

    This proposed rule would 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 proposed 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 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. If 
you believe this proposed rule has implications for federalism or 
Indian tribes, please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section.

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

F. Environment

    We have analyzed this proposed 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 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f), and have made 
a preliminary determination 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 proposed rule involves a safety 
zone lasting two and one half hours that would prohibit entry within 
450 yards of a fireworks barge. Normally such actions are categorically 
excluded from further review under paragraph 34(g) of Figure 2-1 of 
Commandant Instruction M16475.lD. A preliminary environmental analysis 
checklist and 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 proposed rule.

[[Page 72755]]

G. 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.

V. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking, 
and will consider all comments and material received during the comment 
period. Your comment can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. 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. If we issue a final rule in this rulemaking, because of 
the closeness of the event, we would made it effective less than 30 
days after publication in the Federal Register, and we would explain 
our good cause for doing so in the final rule, as required by 5 U.S.C. 
553(d)(3).
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions.
    We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the 
docket, you may review a Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal 
Docket Management System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal 
Register (70 FR 15086).
    Documents mentioned in this NPRM as being available in the docket, 
and all public comments, will be in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that Web site's 
instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up 
for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a 
final rule is published.

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 proposes 
to amend 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; 50 U.S.C. 191; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 6.04-
1, 6.04-6, and 160.5; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 
0170.1.

0
2. Add Sec.  165.T13-0929 to read as follows:


Sec.  165.T13-0929  Safety Zone; Willamette River, Portland, OR.

    (a) Safety zone. The following area is designated a safety zone: 
Waters of the Willamette River, within a 450-yard radius of the 
fireworks barge located between the Burnside and Steel Bridges in 
Portland, OR.
    (b) Regulations. In accordance with Sec.  165.23, no person may 
enter or remain in this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of 
the Port Columbia River or his designated representative. Also in 
accordance with Sec.  165.23, no person may bring into, or allow to 
remain in this safety zone any vehicle, vessel, or object unless 
authorized by the Captain of the Port Columbia River or his designated 
representative.
    (c) Enforcement period. This section will be enforced from 6 p.m. 
to 8:30 p.m. on November 13, 2016.

     Dated: October 17, 2016.
D. F. Berliner,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Alternate Captain of the Port, Sector 
Columbia River.
[FR Doc. 2016-25511 Filed 10-20-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P