[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 3, 1998)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 5455-5456] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-2589] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Coast Guard 33 CFR Part 100 [CGD07 98-002] RIN 2115-AE46 Special Local Regulations; Hillsborough Bay, Tampa, FL AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT. ACTION: Temporary final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Special local regulations are being adopted for the Gasparilla Marine Parade. This event will be held on Saturday, February 7, 1998, between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Hillsborough Bay. These regulations are needed to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. DATES: These regulations become effective at 9 a.m. and terminate at 2:30 p.m. EST on February 7, 1998. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LTJG Bess Howard, Coast Guard Group, St. Petersburg, FL at (813) 824- 7533. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background and Purpose These regulations are needed to provide for the safety of life of spectators, to protect vessels participating in the parade, and to protect marine mammals during the Gasparilla Marine Parade on Hillsborough Bay on February 7, 1998. There will be approximately 750 participants in the marine parade. Also, 200-400 spectator craft are expected. The parade will begin at the mouth of the Seddon Channel and end at the mouth of the Hillsborough River. The resulting congestion of navigable channels creates an extra or unusual hazard in the navigable waters. In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553, a notice of proposed rulemaking has not been published for these regulations and good cause exists for making them effective in less than 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. Following normal rulemaking procedures would have been impracticable. The application to hold the event was not received with sufficient time remaining to publish proposed rules in advance of the event or to provide for a delay effective date. [[Page 5456]] Regulatory Evaluation This rule is not a significant regulatory action under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866 and does not require an assessment of potential costs and benefits under section 6(a)(3) of the order. It has been exempted from review by the Office of Management and Budget under that order. It is not significant under the regulatory policies and procedures of the Department of Transportation (DOT) (44 FR 11040; February 26, 1979). The Coast Guard expects the economic impact of this rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation under paragraph 10e of the regulatory policies and procedures of DOT is unnecessary, as these regulations will be in effect for less that six hours in a limited area of Hillsborough Bay. Small Entities Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the Coast Guard must consider whether this rule will have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. ``Small entities'' include small businesses, not-for-profit organizations that are independently owned and operated and are not dominant in their field, and governmental jurisdictions with populations of less than 50,000. Therefore, the Coast Guard certifies under section 605(b) that this rule will not have a significant effect upon a substantial number of small entities, because the regulations are in effect for only six hours in a limited part of Hillsborough Bay. Collection of Information This rule contains no collection of information requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Federalism This action has been analyzed in accordance with the principles and criteria contained in Executive Order 12612, and it has been determined that the rulemaking does not have sufficient Federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment. Environmental Assessment The Coast Guard has considered the environmental impact of this action consistent with section 2.B.2 of Commandant Instruction M16475.1B. In accordance with that section, this action has been environmentally assessed (EA completed), and the Coast Guard has concluded that it will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment. An Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact have been prepared and are available in the docket for inspection or copying. List of Subject in 33 CFR Part 100 Marine Safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Waterways. Temporary Regulations In consideration of the foregoing, the Coast Guard amends Part 100 of Title 33, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows: PART 100--[AMENDED] 1. The authority citation for Part 100 continues to read as follows: Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1233; 49 CFR 1.46 and 33 CFR 100.35. 2. A temporary section 100.35T-07-002 is added to read as follows: Sec. 100.35-T07-002 Special Local Regulations, Hillsborough Bay, Tampa, FL (a) Regulated Area: A regulated area is established in Hillsborough Bay, which consists of all waters east of a line drawn from Gadsen Point south to E. G. Simmons Park, at position 27-44.8 N, 082-28.3 W, then to the northern end of Hillsborough Bay. All coordinates referenced use Datum: NAD 83. Additionally, the regulated area includes the following, in their entirety: Hillsborough Cut ``D'' Channel, Sparkman Channel, Ybor Channel, Seddon Channel and the Hillsborough River south of the Cass Street Bridge. (b) Special Local Regulations: (1) Entry into the regulated area is closed to all commercial marine traffic from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST on February 7, 1998. (2) The regulated area is an idle speed, ``no wake'' zone. (3) All vessels within the regulated area shall stay clear of and give way to all vessels in parade formation in the Gasparilla Marine Parade. (4) When within the marked channels of the parade route, vessels participating in the Gasparilla Marine Parade may not exceed the minimum speed necessary to maintain steerage. (5) Jet skis and vessels without mechanical propulsion are prohibited from the parade route. (6) Northbound vessels of length in excess of 80 feet and without mooring arrangements made prior to February 7, 1998, are prohibited from entering Seddon Channel, unless the vessel is officially entered in the Gasparilla Marine Parade. All northbound vessels, not officially entered in the Gasparilla Marine Parade, in excess of 80 feet without prior mooring arrangements must use the alternate route through Sparkman Channel. (c) Dates: These regulations become effective at 9 a.m. and terminate at 2:30 p.m. EST on February 7, 1998. Dated: January 21, 1998. R.C. Olsen, Jr., Captain, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District Acting. [FR Doc. 98-2589 Filed 2-2-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-14-M