[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 42902-42905]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17241]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 147
[Docket No. USCG-2013-0070]
RIN 1625-AA00
Safety Zone; Olympus Tension Leg Platform, Mississippi Canyon
Block 807, Outer Continental Shelf on the Gulf of Mexico
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to establish a safety zone around the
Olympus Tension Leg Platform, Mississippi Canyon Block 807 on the
[[Page 42903]]
OCS. The purpose of the safety zone is to promote the safety of life
and property on the facilities, their appurtenances and attending
vessels, and on the adjacent waters within the safety zones. Placing a
safety zone around the facility will significantly reduce the threat of
allisions, oil spills, and releases of natural gas, and thereby protect
the safety of life, property, and the environment.
DATES: Comments and related material must be received by the Coast
Guard on or before August 19, 2013.
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 Mr. Rusty Wright, U.S. Coast Guard, District Eight
Waterways Management Branch; telephone 504-671-2138,
[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
USCG United States Coast Guard
FR Federal Register
NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
OCS Outer Continental Shelf
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-2013-0070] 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-2013-0070) 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).
4. Public Meeting
We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a
request for one, 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
Coast Guard regulations permit the establishment of safety zones
for facilities located on the OCS for the purpose of protecting life,
property and the marine environment (33 CFR 147.1). Placing a safety
zone around the facility will significantly reduce the threat of
allisions, oil spills, and releases of natural gas, and thereby protect
the safety of life, property, and the environment. The authority for
this rule is 14 U.S.C. 85, 43 U.S.C. 1333, and Department of Homeland
Security Delegation No. 0170.1. The purpose of the proposed rule is to
protect life, property and the marine environment.
Shell Exploration and Production Company requested that the Coast
Guard establish a safety zone around the Olympus Tension Leg Platform
facility. The request for the safety zone was made due to safety
concerns for vessels operating in the area and the environment. Shell
Exploration and Production Company indicated that it is highly likely
that any allision with the facility would result in a catastrophic
event. In evaluating this request, the Coast Guard explored relevant
safety factors and considered several criteria, including but not
limited to, (1) The level of shipping activity around the facility, (2)
safety concerns for personnel aboard vessels operating in the area and
onboard the facility, (3) concerns for the environment, (4) the
possibility that an allision would result in a catastrophic event based
on proximity to shipping fairways, offloading operations, production
levels, and size of the crew, (5) the volume of traffic in the vicinity
of the proposed area, (6) the types of vessels navigating in the
vicinity of the proposed area, and (7) the structural configuration of
the facility.
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C. Discussion of Proposed Rule
Results from a thorough and comprehensive examination of the
criteria, International Maritime Organization guidelines, and existing
regulations warrant the establishment of a safety zone of 500 meters
around the facility. The proposed regulation would reduce significantly
the threat of allisions, oil spills, and releases of natural gas and
increase the safety of life, property, and the environment in the Gulf
of Mexico by prohibiting entry into the zone unless specifically
authorized by the Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District.
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. This rule is not a
significant regulatory action due to the location of the Olympus
Tension Leg Platform on the OCS and its distance from both land and
safety fairways. Vessels traversing waters near the proposed safety
zone will be able to safely travel around the zone without incurring
additional costs.
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 safety zone will not have a significant economic
impact or a substantial number of small entities for the following
reasons: This rule will enforce a safety zone around a facility that is
in an area of the Gulf of Mexico not frequented by vessel traffic and
is not in close proximity to a safety fairway. Further, vessel traffic
can pass safely around the safety zone without incurring additional
costs.
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 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 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 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f), and
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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 the establishment of a safety zone around an OCS Facility to
protect life, property and the marine environment. This rule is
categorically excluded from further review under paragraph 34(g) of
Figure 2-1 of the Commandant Instruction. A preliminary 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 proposed
rule.
List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 147
Continental shelf, Marine safety, Navigation (water).
For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard proposes
to amend 33 CFR part 147 as follows:
PART 147--SAFETY ZONES
0
1. The authority citation for part 147 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 14 U.S.C. 85; 43 U.S.C. 1333; Department of Homeland
Security Delegation No. 0170.1.
0
2. Add Sec. 147.848 to read as follows:
Sec. 147.848 Olympus Tension Leg Platform Safety Zone
(a) Description. The Olympus Tension Leg Platform is in the
deepwater area of the Gulf of Mexico in Mississippi Canyon Block 807B.
The facility is located at 28[deg]9'35.59'' N, 89[deg]14'20.86'' W. The
area within 500 meters (1640.4 feet) from each point on the structure's
outer edge and the area within 500 meters (1640.4 feet) of each of the
supply boat mooring buoys is a safety zone.
(b) Regulation. No vessel may enter or remain in this safety zone
except the following:
(1) An attending vessel;
(2) A vessel under 100 feet in length overall not engaged in
towing; or
(3) A vessel authorized by the Commander, Eighth Coast Guard
District or a designated representative.
Dated: June 28, 2013.
T.A. Sokalzuk,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Commander, Eighth Coast Guard
District.
[FR Doc. 2013-17241 Filed 7-17-13; 8:45 am]
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