26842 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

33 CFR Part 165 

[Docket Number USCG–2018–0458] 

RIN 1625–AA00 

Safety Zone; Corpus Christi Bay, 

Corpus Christi, TX 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Temporary final rule. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is 

establishing a temporary safety zone for 

certain navigable waters of Corpus 

Christi Bay near the Corpus Christi 

Marina in Corpus Christi, TX. The safety 

zone is necessary to protect personnel, 

vessels, and the marine environment 

from potential hazards created by the 

City of Corpus Christi’s Big Bang 

Fireworks event. Entry of vessels or 

persons into this zone is prohibited 

unless authorized by the Captain of the 

Port Sector Corpus Christi or designated 

representative. 

DATES: This rule is effective from 8:30 

p.m. through 9:50 p.m. on July 4, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: To view documents 

mentioned in this preamble as being 

available in the docket, go to http://

www.regulations.gov, type USCG–2018– 

0458 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 Petty Officer Kevin Kyles, Sector 

Corpus Christi Waterways Management 

Division, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 

361–939–5125, email Kevin.L.Kyles@

uscg.mil. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Table of Abbreviations 

CFR Code of Federal Regulations 

COTP Captain of the Port Sector Corpus 

Christi 

DHS Department of Homeland Security 

FR Federal Register 

NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking 

§ Section 

U.S.C. United States Code 

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)(3)(B), the Coast Guard finds that 

good cause exists for not publishing a 

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) 

with respect to this rule because it 

would be impracticable. This safety 

zone must be established by July 4, 2018 

and we lack sufficient time to provide 

a reasonable comment period and then 

consider those comments before issuing 

this rule. The NPRM process would 

delay the establishment of the safety 

zone until after the scheduled date of 

the fireworks and compromise public 

safety. 

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 contrary to the public 

interest because immediate action is 

necessary to ensure the safety of vessels 

and persons during the fireworks 

display. 

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 Sector Corpus 

Christi (COTP) has determined that 

potential hazards associated with the 

Big Bang Fireworks display on July 4, 

2018, will be a safety concern for 

anyone within a 1,000-foot radius of the 

fireworks launch site near Corpus 

Christi Marina. This rule is necessary to 

ensure the safety of persons, vessels, 

and the marine environment before, 

during, and after the scheduled 

fireworks display. 

IV. Discussion of the Rule 

This rule establishes a temporary 

safety zone from 8:30 p.m. through 9:50 

p.m. on July 4, 2018. The safety zone 

covers all navigable waters within 1,000 

feet of the fireworks launch location on 

a barge near the Corpus Christi Marina 

at the approximate position 27°48′05′′ N, 

097°23′13′′ W in Corpus Christi, TX. The 

duration of the zone is intended to 

protect the public from hazards 

associated with fireworks display 

before, during, and after the scheduled 

fireworks display. No vessel or person is 

permitted to enter the safety zone 

without obtaining permission from the 

COTP or a designated representative. 

Persons or vessels seeking to enter the 

safety zone must request permission 

from the COTP or a designated 

representative on VHF–FM channel 16 

or by telephone at 361–939–0450. If 

permission is granted, all persons and 

vessels shall comply with the 

instructions of the COTP or designated 

representative. The COTP or a 

designated representative will inform 

the public of the enforcement times and 

date for this safety zone through 

Broadcast Notices to Mariners (BNMs), 

Local Notices to Mariners (LNMs), and/ 

or Marine Safety Information Bulletins 

(MSIBs), as appropriate. 

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, location, duration, 

and time-of-day of the safety zone. 

Vessel traffic will be able to safely 

transit around this safety zone, which 

will impact less than a 1,000-foot 

designated area of the Corpus Christi 

Bay for two hours on one evening when 

vessel traffic is normally low. Moreover, 

the Coast Guard will issue Broadcast 

Notice to Mariners (BNMs) via VHF–FM 

marine channel 16 about the zones, and 

the rule allows 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. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 26843 

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 lasting only 2 hours that will 

prohibit entry within 1,000 feet of the 

fireworks launch location. 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 

■ 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; 

Department of Homeland Security Delegation 

No. 0170.1. 

■ 2. Add § 165.T08–0458 to read as 

follows: 

§ 165.T08–0458 Safety Zones; Corpus 

Christi Bay, Corpus Christi, TX. 

(a) Location. The following area is a 

safety zone: All navigable waters 

encompassing a 1,000-foot radius 

around a fireworks launch barge in the 

approximate position 27°48′05′′ N, 

097°23′13′′ W near the Corpus Christi 

Marina in Corpus Christi, TX. 

(b) Effective period. This section is 

effective from 8:30 p.m. through 9:50 

p.m. on July 4, 2018 

(c) Regulations. (1) In accordance with 

the general regulations in § 165.23, entry 

into these zones is prohibited unless 

authorized by the Captain of the Port 

Sector Corpus Christi (COTP) or a 

designated representative. 

(2) Persons or vessels seeking to enter 

the safety zones must request 

permission from the COTP or a 

designated representative on VHF–FM 

channel 16 or by telephone at 361–939– 

0450. 

(3) If permission is granted, all 

persons and vessels shall comply with 

the instructions of the COTP or 

designated representative. 

(d) Information broadcasts. The COTP 

or a designated representative will 

inform the public of the enforcement 

times and date for this safety zone 

through Broadcast Notices to Mariners 

(BNMs), Local Notices to Mariners 

(LNMs), and/or Marine Safety 

Information Bulletins (MSIBs) as 

appropriate. 

E.J. Gaynor, 

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the 

Port Sector Corpus Christi. 

[FR Doc. 2018–12511 Filed 6–8–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 


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