Special Local Regulations; Augusta Southern National Drag Boat Races; Augusta, GA

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is proposing to establish permanent special

local regulations for the Augusta Southern National Drag Boat Races.

This event will be held annually on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and

Sunday during the third week in July, between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern

Daylight Time. Historically, there have been approximately 160, 16-18

foot, drag boats racing two vessels per heat on a quarter mile long

course on that portion of the Savannah River at Augusta, GA, between

U.S. Highway 1 (Fifth St) Bridge at mile marker 199.45 and Eliot's Fish

Camp at mile marker 197. The boats will be competing at high speeds and

at close range. The nature of the event and the closure of the Savannah

River creates an extra or unusual hazard in the navigable waters. These

proposed regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on

navigable waters during the event. By establishing these proposed

permanent regulations, the Coast Guard expects to give better notice of

requirements related to marine events, and also avoid the recurring

costs of publication related with temporary regulations. However, the

establishment of these proposed permanent regulations would not relieve

the event organizers from applying for an annual marine event permit.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 20, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Group

Charleston, 196 Tradd Street, Charleston, SC 29401, or may be delivered

to operations office at the same address between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30

p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone

number is (803) 724-7621. Comments will become a part of the public

docket and will be available for copying and inspection at the same

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

ENS M.J. DaPonte, Assistant Operations Officer, Coast Guard Group

Charleston, South Carolina at (803) 724-7621.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

The Coast Guard encourages interested persons to participate in

this rulemaking by submitting written views, data, or arguments.

Persons submitting comments should include their names, addresses,

identify the notice (CGD07-96-021) and the specific section of this

proposal to which their comments apply, and give reasons for each

comment. The Coast Guard will consider all comments received during the

comment period. The regulations may be changed in view of the comments

received. All comments received before the expiration of the comment

period will be considered before final action is taken on this

proposal.

No public hearing is planned, but one may be held if the written

requests for a hearing are received, and it is determined that the

opportunity to make oral presentations will add to the rulemaking

process.

Discussion of Proposed Regulations

The proposed regulations are needed to provide for the safety of

life during Augusta Southern National Drag Boat Races. These

regulations are intended to promote safe navigation on the waters off

Augusta on the Savannah River during the races by controlling the

traffic entering, exiting, and traveling within these waters. The

anticipated concentration of spectator and participant vessels

associated with the Drag Boat Races poses a safety concern, which is

addressed in these proposed special local regulations. The proposed

regulations would not permit the entry or movement of spectator vessels

and other nonparticipating vessel traffic between the U.S. Highway

Route 1 (Fifth Street) Bridge at mile marker 199.45 and Eliot's Fish

Camp at mile marker 197 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. annually, on Thursday,

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the third week in July. The

proposed regulations would permit the movement of spectator vessels and

other nonparticipants after the termination of race each day, and

during intervals between scheduled events at the discretion of the

Coast Guard Patrol Commander.

Regulatory Evaluation

This proposal is not a significant regulatory action under Section

3(f) of the Executive Order 12866 and does not require an assessment of

the potential costs and benefits under Section 6 (a)(3) of that 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

proposed rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation under

paragraph 10e of the regulatory policies and procedures of DOT is

unnecessary. The proposed regulation would last for only 14 hours each

day of the event.

Small Entities

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the

Coast Guard must consider whether this proposal will have a significant

economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. ``Small

entities'' include independently owned and operated small businesses

that are not dominant in their field and that otherwise qualify as

``small business concerns'' under Section 3 of the Small Business Act

(15 U.S.C. 632).

For reasons set forth in the above Regulatory Evaluation, the Coast

Guard certifies under 5 U.S.C. 605 (b) that this proposal, if adopted,

would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of

small entities.

Collection of Information

These proposed regulations contain 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

[[Page 16886]]

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

proposal consistent with Section 2.B.2. of Commandant Instruction

M16475.1B. In accordance with that section, this proposed 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 a finding of no

significant impact have been prepared and are available in the docket

for inspection or copying where indicated under ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100

Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and record keeping

requirements, Waterways.

Proposed Regulations

In consideration of the foregoing, the Coast Guard proposes to

amend 33 CFR part 100 as follows:

1. The authority citation for Part 100 continues to read as

follows:

PART 100--[AMENDED]

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1233; 49 CFR 1.46 and 33 CFR 100.35.

2. A new section 100.709 is added to read as follows:

Sec. 100.709 Annual Augusta Southern National Drag Boat Races;

Savannah River, Augusta, GA.

(a) Definitions.

(1) Regulated Area. The regulated area is formed by a line drawn

directly across the Savannah River at the U.S. Highway 1 (Fifth Street)

Bridge at mile marker 199.45 and directly across the Savannah River at

Eliot's Fish Camp at mile marker 197. The regulated area encompasses

the width of the Savannah River between these two lines.

(2) Coast Guard Patrol Commander. The Coast Guard Patrol Commander

will be commissioned, warrant, or petty officer who will be designated

by the Commander, Coast Guard Group Charleston, South Carolina.

(b) Special local regulations.

(1) Entry into the regulated area is prohibited to all non-

participants.

(2) After termination of the Augusta Southern National Drag Boat

Races each day, and during intervals between scheduled events, at the

discretion of the Coast Guard Patrol Commander, all vessels may resume

normal operations.

(c) Effective Dates. This section is effective at 6 a.m. and

terminates at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time annually on Thursday,

Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the third week of July, unless

otherwise specified in the Seventh Coast Guard District Local Notice to

Mariners.

Dated: March 21, 1996.

Roger T. Rufe, Jr.,

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District.

[FR Doc. 96-9603 Filed 4-17-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-14-M