83 FR 19436 - Safety Zone; Straits of Mackinac, Mackinaw City, MI

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 86 (May 3, 2018)

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 500-yard radius of construction equipment vessels conducting operations in the Straits of Mackinac. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by surveillance and repair work to electric utility cables that cross the Straits of Mackinac. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sault Sainte Marie or a designated representative.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 86 (Thursday, May 3, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 19436-19438]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09407]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[Docket Number USCG-2018-0397]
RIN 1625-AA00


Safety Zone; Straits of Mackinac, Mackinaw City, MI

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for 
navigable waters within a 500-yard radius of construction equipment 
vessels conducting operations in the Straits of Mackinac. The safety 
zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine 
environment from potential hazards created by surveillance and repair 
work to electric utility cables that cross the Straits of Mackinac. 
Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless 
specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sault Sainte Marie 
or a designated representative.

DATES: This rule is effective from May 3, 2018 until October 30, 2018. 
It will be enforced with actual notice from April 30, 2018, until May 
3, 2018.

ADDRESSES: To view documents mentioned in this preamble as being 
available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type USCG-
2018-0397 in the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.'' Click on Open 
Docket Folder on the line associated with this rule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this rule, 
call or email LTJG Sean V. Murphy, Sector Sault Sainte Marie Waterways 
Management Chief, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 906-635-3319, 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
ROV Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle

II. Background Information and Regulatory History

    The Coast Guard is issuing this temporary 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 
(NPRM) with respect to this rule because visual imagery and repair of 
damage to the utility cables is imperative to further mitigate any 
risks to the environment and the public. Emergent conditions require 
immediate marine surveying of the area due to damage to utility cables 
in the Straits of Mackinac. It is impractical to publish an NPRM 
because of the urgent need to survey the utility cables damaged.
    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 impracticable because immediate action is needed to 
obtain visual imagery of damage to the utility cables in order to 
successfully effect repairs and further mitigate any risks to the 
environment and the public.

III. Legal Authority and Need for Rule

    The Coast Guard is issuing this rule under authority in 33 U.S.C. 
1231. The Captain of the Port Sault Sainte Marie (COTP) has determined 
that construction vessels operating in the Straits of Mackinac, will be 
a safety and navigation concern for any vessel within a 500-yard radius 
of the operations. This rule is needed to protect personnel, vessels, 
and the marine environment in the navigable waters within the safety 
zone while the operations are ongoing.

IV. Discussion of the Rule

    This rule establishes a safety zone from April 30, 2018 until 
October 30, 2018. The safety zone will cover all navigable waters 
within 500 yards of construction equipment vessel working and surveying 
damaged utility cables in the Straits of Mackinac. The duration of the 
zone is intended to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine 
environment in these navigable waters while operations are ongoing. The 
zone will be enforced at various times throughout this period. Local 
Broadcast Notice to mariners, via VHF-FM marine channel 16, will notify 
mariners when the construction vessels are conducting operations and 
the zone is being enforced. No vessel or person will be permitted to 
enter the safety zone

[[Page 19437]]

without obtaining permission from the COTP or a designated 
representative.

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. Executive Order 13771 directs agencies to control 
regulatory costs through a budgeting process. This rule has not been 
designated a ``significant regulatory action,'' under Executive Order 
12866. Accordingly, this rule has not been reviewed by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), and pursuant to OMB guidance it is exempt 
from the requirements of Executive Order 13771.
    This regulatory action determination is based on the size, and 
location of the safety zone. Vessel traffic will be able to safely 
transit around this safety zone which would impact a small designated 
area of the Straits of Mackinac during a time of year 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 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 
contact 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. If 
you believe this rule has implications for federalism or Indian tribes, 
please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section above.

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 and Commandant Instruction M16475.1D, 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 safety zone that will prohibit entry within 500 yards of construction 
equipment vessels in the Straits of Mackinac surveying and conducting 
repairs to damaged utility cables. 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. 01. A Record of Environmental 
Consideration supporting this determination is available in the docket 
where indicated under ADDRESSES.

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.

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: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 50 U.S.C. 191; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 6.04-1, 
6.04-6, and 160.5;

[[Page 19438]]

Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.


0
2. Add Sec.  165.T09-0397 to read as follows:


Sec.  165.T09-0397  Safety Zone; Straits of Mackinac, Mackinaw City, 
MI.

    (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone: All navigable 
waters of the Straits of Mackinac, from surface to bottom, within a 500 
yard radius around construction equipment vessels.
    (b) Definitions. As used in this section, designated representative 
means a Coast Guard petty officer, warrant officer, or commissioned 
officer and any Federal, State, and local officer designated by or 
assisting the Captain of the Port Sault Sainte Marie (COTP) 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) To seek permission to enter, contact the COTP or the COTP's 
representative by VHF radio channel 16 or call 906-635-3319. Those in 
the safety zone must comply with all lawful orders or directions given 
to them by the COTP or the COTP's designated representative.
    (d) Enforcement periods. This section is effective from April 30, 
2018, until October 30, 2018. It will be enforced while construction 
vessels operate within the designated location in paragraph (a) of this 
section. Local Broadcast Notice to mariners via VHF-FM marine channel 
16 will notify mariners when vessels are conducting operations.

    Dated: April 30, 2018.
Marko R. Broz,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Sector Sault Sainte 
Marie.
[FR Doc. 2018-09407 Filed 5-2-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P