7970 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 35 / Friday, February 21, 1997 / Proposed Rules

The Coast Guard plans no public

hearing. Persons may request a public

hearing by writing to the address listed

under ADDRESSES. The request should

include the reasons why a hearing

would be beneficial. If it determines that

the opportunity for oral presentations

will aid this rulemaking, the Coast

Guard will hold a public hearing at a

time and place announced by a later

notice in the Federal Register.

Background and Purpose

33 CFR 100.501 established special

local regulations for marine events held

in the Norfolk Harbor, Elizabeth River,

between Norfolk and Portsmouth,

Virginia. The effect of these regulations

is the control of vessel traffic during

marine events to enhance the safety of

participants, spectators, and transiting

vessels. The regulations are

implemented at various times, for

various events throughout the year by

publishing notice in the Federal

Register and the Fifth Coast Guard

District Local Notice to Mariners. This

proposal would update the regulations

to reflect specific events for which the

regulations will be in effect.

Discussion of Proposed Rule

The Coast Guard proposes to amend

the special local regulations previously

established for this event area by

incorporating a table which identifies

the specific events during which the

regulated area will be in effect. Since

this action will not increase the period

of time that the channel is restricted and

the Coast Guard patrol commander may

stop any event to assist transit of vessels

through the regulated area, normal

marine traffic should not be severely

disrupted.

Regulatory Evaluation

This proposal 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 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

proposal to be so minimal that a full

Regulatory Evaluation under paragraph

10e of the regulatory policies and

procedures of DOT is unnecessary. This

proposal merely provides additional

information to an existing regulation

and does not impose any new

restrictions on vessel traffic.

Small Entities

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act

(5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the Coast Guard

must consider whether this proposal, if

adopted, 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 (14 U.S.C. 632). Because it

expects the impact of this proposal to be

minimal, the Coast Guard certifies

under 5 U.S.C. 605(b), that this

proposal, if adopted, will not have a

significant economic impact on a

substantial number of small entities.

Collection of Information

This proposal contains no collection

of Information requirements under the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.).

Federalism

The Coast Guard has analyzed this

proposal under the principles and

criteria contained in Executive Order

12612 and has determined that this

proposal does not have sufficient

federalism implications to warrant the

preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

Environment

The Coast Guard considered the

environmental impact of this proposal

and concluded that, under section

2.b.2.e(34)(h) of Commandant

Instruction M16475.1b (as amended, 61

FR 13564; 27 March 1996), this proposal

is categorically excluded from further

environmental documentation.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100

Marine safety, Navigation (water),

Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Waterways.

For the reasons set out in the

preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to

amend 33 CFR Part 100 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.

2. Section 100.501 is amended by

revising paragraph (c) and adding Table

1 to read as follows:

§ 100.501 Norfolk Harbor, Elizabeth River,

Norfolk, Virginia and Portsmouth, Virginia.

* * * * *

(c) Effective periods. This section is

effective annually for the duration of

each marine event listed in Table 1, or

as otherwise specified in the Coast

Guard Local Notice to Mariners and a

Federal Register notice. The Coast

Guard Patrol Commander will announce

by Broadcast Notice to Mariners the

specific time periods during which the

regulations will be enforced.

Table 1 of § 100.501

Harborfest

Sponsor: Norfolk Harborfest, Inc.

Date: First Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in

June

Great American Picnic

Sponsor: Festevents, Inc.

Date: July 4

Cock Island Race

Sponsor: Ports Events, Inc.

Date: Third Saturday in July

Rendezvous at Zero Mile Marker

Sponsor: Ports Events, Inc.

Date: Third Saturday in August

U.S. Navy Fleet Week Celebration

Sponsor: U.S. Navy

Date: Second Friday in October

Holidays in the City

Sponsor: Festevents, Inc.

Date: Fourth Saturday in November

New Years Eve Fireworks Display

Sponsor: Festevents, Inc.

Date: December 31.

Dated: February 5, 1997.

Kent H. Williams,

Vice Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander,

Fifth Coast Guard District.

[FR Doc. 97–4359 Filed 2–20–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–14–M

33 CFR Part 100

[CGD 05–97–004]

RIN 2115–AE46

Special Local Regulations for Marine

Events; Southern Branch, Elizabeth

River, Portsmouth, Virginia

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to

amend permanent special local

regulations for the Crawford Bay Crew

Classic, a marine event held annually in

the Southern Branch, Elizabeth River,

Portsmouth, Virginia, by changing the

dates on which the regulations are in

effect. This action is intended to update

the regulation in order to enhance the

safety of life and property during the

event.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before March 24, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to

Commander (Aosr), Fifth Coast Guard

District, 431 Crawford Street,
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 35 / Friday, February 21, 1997 / Proposed Rules 7971

Portsmouth, Virginia 23704–5004, or

hand delivered to Room 516 at the same

address between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, except Federal

holidays. The telephone number is (757)

398–6204. Comments will become part

of this docket and will be available for

inspection and copying at the above

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

S. L. Phillips, Project Manager, Search

and Rescue Branch, at (757) 398–6204.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

This Coast Guard encourages

interested persons to participate in this

rulemaking by submitting written views,

data, or arguments. Persons submitting

comments should include their names

and addresses, identify this rulemaking

(CGD 05–97–004) and the specific

section of this proposal to which each

comment applies, and give the reason

for each comment. Please submit two

copies of all comments and attachments

in an unbound format, no larger than

81⁄2 by 11 inches, suitable for copying

and electronic filing. Persons waiting

acknowledgement of receipt of

comments should enclose stamped, selfaddressed postcards or envelopes. The

Coast Guard will consider all comments

received during the comment period. It

may change this proposal in view of the

comments.

The Coast Guard plans no public

hearing. Persons may request a public

hearing by writing to the address listed

under ADDRESSES. The request should

include the reasons why a hearing

would be beneficial. If it determines that

the opportunity for oral presentations

will aid this rulemaking, the Coast

Guard will hold a public hearing at a

time and place announced by a later

notice in the Federal Register.

Background and Purpose

Ports Events, Inc., the sponsor of the

Crawford Bay Crew Classic, has

requested to change the dates of this

annual event from the third Friday and

Saturday in March to the fourth Friday

and Saturday in April to conduct the

event in warmer weather conditions. To

enhance the safety of participants,

spectators, and transiting vessels,

special local regulations are necessary to

control vessel traffic during the event.

This proposal would update the

regulations to reflect the new dates of

the event.

Discussion of Proposed Rule

The Coast Guard proposes to amend

the effective period of special local

regulations previously established for

this event from the third Friday and

Saturday in March to the fourth Friday

and Saturday in April to reflect the new

event dates. Since this action will not

increase the period of time that the

channel is restricted and the Coast

Guard patrol commander will be

allowing vessels to transit whenever a

race heat is not being run, commercial

traffic should not be severely disrupted.

Regulatory Evaluation

This proposal 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 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

proposal to be so minimal that a full

Regulatory Evaluation under paragraph

10e of the regulatory policies and

procedures of DOT is unnecessary. This

proposal merely changes the effective

date of an existing regulation and does

not impose any new restriction on

vessel traffic.

Small Entities

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act

(5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the Coast Guard

must consider whether this proposal, if

adopted, 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). Because it

expects the impact of this proposal to be

minimal, the Coast Guard certifies

under 5 U.S.C. 605(b), that this

proposal, if adopted, will not have a

significant economic impact on a

substantial number of small entities.

Collection of Information

This proposal contains no collection

of Information requirements under the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.).

Federalism

The Coast Guard has analyzed this

proposal under the principles and

criteria contained in Executive Order

12612 and has determined that this

proposal does not have sufficient

federalism implications to warrant the

preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

Environment

The Coast Guard considered the

environmental impact of this proposal

and concluded that, under section

2.b.2.e(34)(h) of Commandant

Instruction M16475.1b (as amended, 61

FR 13564; 27 March 1996), this proposal

is categorically excluded form further

environmental documentation.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100

Marine safety, Navigation (water),

Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Waterways.

For the reasons set out in the

preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to

amend 33 CFR Part 100 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.

2. Section 100.523 is amended by

revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:

§ 100.523 Southern Branch, Elizabeth

River, Portsmouth, Virginia.

* * * * *

(c) Effective periods. This section is

effective on the fourth Friday of April

and on the fourth Saturday of April,

unless otherwise specified in the Coast

Guard Local Notice to Mariners and a

Federal Register notice.

Dated: February 5, 1997.

Kent H. Williams,

Vice Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander,

Fifth Coast Guard District.

[FR Doc. 97–4357 Filed 2–20–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–14–M

33 CFR Part 181

[CGD 92–065]

RIN 2115–AE37

Hull Identification Numbers for

Recreational Boats

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Supplemental notice of

proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is proposing

to amend its regulations concerning the

identification numbers affixed to the

hulls of recreational boats, including

boats carrying six or fewer passengers

for hire. These amendments are

necessary to align the present

numbering system with the newlyadopted international system. This

would facilitate the sale of U.S.

products abroad. In addition, the Coast

Guard is proposing several minor

amendments to its regulations on hull

identification numbers.