Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 2012 / Proposed Rules 10707 

compliance costs on state and local 

governments and is not required by 

statute, or preempts state law, unless the 

agency meets the consultation and 

funding requirements of section 6 of the 

Executive Order. This document would 

not have federalism implications and 

would not impose substantial direct 

compliance costs on state and local 

governments or preempt state law 

within the meaning of the Executive 

Order. 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

Title II of the Unfunded Mandates 

Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1531– 

1538) (UMRA) establishes requirements 

for federal agencies to assess the effects 

of their regulatory actions on state, 

local, and tribal governments, and on 

the private sector. This document would 

not impose any federal mandates on any 

state, local, or tribal governments, or on 

the private sector, within the meaning of 

the UMRA. 

Dated: January 30, 2012. 

Carol J. Galante, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Housing, 

Federal Housing Commissioner. 

[FR Doc. 2012–3934 Filed 2–22–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

33 CFR Part 147 

[Docket No. USCG–2012–0024] 

RIN 1625–AA00 

Safety Zone; NOBLE DISCOVERER, 

Outer Continental Shelf Drillship, 

Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, Alaska 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes a 

500-meter safety zone around the 

DRILLSHIP NOBLE DISCOVERER, 

while anchored or deploying and 

recovering moorings on location in 

order to drill exploratory wells at 

various prospects located in the 

Chukchi and Beaufort Seas Outer 

Continental Shelf, Alaska, from 12:01 

a.m. on July 1, 2012 through 11:59 p.m. 

on October 31, 2012. See TABLE 1. The 

purpose of the temporary safety zone is 

to protect the drillship from vessels 

operating outside the normal shipping 

channels and fairways. Placing a safety 

zone around the drillship will 

significantly reduce the threat of 

allisions, which could result in oil 

spills, and releases of natural gas, and 

thereby protect the safety of life, 

property, and the environment. Lawful 

demonstrations may be conducted 

outside of the safety zone. 

DATES: Comments and related material 

must be received by the Coast Guard on 

or before March 26, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by docket number USCG– 

2012–0024 using any one of the 

following methods: 

(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

(2) Fax: 202–493–2251. 

(3) Mail: 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. 

(4) Hand delivery: Same as mail 

address above, between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. The telephone number 

is 202–366–9329. 

To avoid duplication, please use only 

one of these four methods. See the 

‘‘Public Participation and Request for 

Comments’’ portion of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 

below for instructions on submitting 

comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If 

you have questions on this proposed 

rule, call or email LT Jason Smilie, 

Seventeenth Coast Guard District (dpi); 

telephone 907–463–2809, 

Jason.A.Smilie@uscg.mil. If you have 

questions on viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, call Renee V. 

Wright, Program Manager, Docket 

Operations, telephone 202–366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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. 

Submitting Comments 

If you submit a comment, please 

include the docket number for this 

rulemaking (USCG–2012–0024), 

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 (via 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 via http:// 

www.regulations.gov, 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, click on the 

‘‘submit a comment’’ box, which will 

then become highlighted in blue. In the 

‘‘Document Type’’ drop down menu 

select ‘‘Proposed Rule’’ and insert 

‘‘USCG–2012–0024’’ in the ‘‘Keyword’’ 

box. Click ‘‘Search’’ then click on the 

balloon shape in the ‘‘Actions’’ column. 

If you submit your comments by mail or 

hand delivery, submit them in an 

unbound format, no larger than 81⁄2; 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. 

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, click on the 

‘‘read comments’’ box, which will then 

become highlighted in blue. In the 

‘‘Keyword’’ box, insert USCG–2012– 

0024 and click ‘‘Search.’’ Click the 

‘‘open Docket Folder’’ in the ‘‘Actions’’ 

column. 

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. We have an agreement with 

the Department of Transportation to use 

the Docket Management Facility. 

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 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
10708 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

in the January 17, 2008 issue of the 

Federal Register (73 FR 3316). 

Public Meeting 

The Coast Guard does not plan to 

hold a public meeting. But you may 

submit a request for one by using one 

of the four 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. 

Basis and Purpose 

The Coast Guard proposes the 

establishment of a temporary safety 

zone around the DRILLSHIP NOBLE 

DISCOVERER while anchored or 

deploying and recovering moorings on 

location in order to drill exploratory 

wells in several prospects located in the 

Chukchi and Beaufort Seas during the 

2012 drilling season. 

The request for the temporary safety 

zone was made by Shell Exploration & 

Production Company due to safety 

concerns for both the personnel aboard 

the NOBLE DISCOVERER and the 

environment. Shell Exploration & 

Production Company indicated that it is 

highly likely that any allision or 

inability to identify, monitor or mitigate 

any risks or threats, including icerelated hazards that might be 

encountered, would result in a 

catastrophic event. Incursions into the 

safety zone by unapproved vessels 

could degrade the ability to monitor and 

mitigate such risks. 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 operation; (2) safety 

concerns for personnel aboard the 

vessel; (3) concerns for the environment 

given the sensitivity of the 

environmental and subsistence 

importance to the indigenous 

population; (4) the lack of any 

established shipping fairways, fueling 

and supply storage/operations, and size 

of the crew increase the likelihood that 

an allision would result in a 

catastrophic event; (5) the recent and 

potential future maritime traffic in the 

vicinity of the proposed areas; (6) the 

types of vessels navigating in the 

vicinity of the proposed area; (7) the 

structural configuration of the vessel, 

and (8) the need to allow for lawful 

demonstrations without endangering the 

safe operation of the rig. For any group 

intending to conduct lawful 

demonstrations in the vicinity of the rig, 

these demonstrations must be 

conducted outside the safety zone. 

Results from a thorough and 

comprehensive examination of the 

criteria, IMO guidelines, and existing 

regulations warrant the establishment of 

the proposed temporary safety zone. 

The proposed regulation would 

significantly reduce the threat of 

allisions that could result in oil spills, 

and releases. Furthermore, the proposed 

regulation would increase the safety of 

life, property, and the environment in 

the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas by 

prohibiting entry into the zone unless 

specifically authorized by the 

Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard 

District, or a designated representative. 

Due to the remote location and the need 

to protect the environment, the Coast 

Guard may use criminal sanctions to 

enforce the safety zone as appropriate. 

The proposed temporary safety zone 

will be around the NOBLE 

DISCOVERER while anchored or 

deploying and recovering moorings on 

location in order to drill exploratory 

wells in various locations in the 

Chukchi and Beaufort Seas Outer 

Continental Shelf, Alaska during the 

2012 timeframe. 

Shell Exploration & Production 

Company has ten proposed drill sites 

within the Burger, Suvulliq and 

Torpedo prospects, Beaufort Sea, Alaska 

(See Table 1). 

TABLE 1—PROSPECT LOCATIONS

Prospect Well Area Block Lease No. Latitude Longitude 

Burger ............................. A Posey .............................. 6764 OCS–Y–2280 N71°18′30.92′′ W163°12′43.17′′ 

Burger ............................. F Posey .............................. 6714 OCS–Y–2267 N71°20′13.96′′ W163°12′21.75′′ 

Burger ............................. J Posey .............................. 6912 OCS–Y–2321 N71°10′24.03′′ W163°28′18.52′′ 

Burger ............................. R Posey .............................. 6812 OCS–Y–2294 N71°16′06.57′′ W163°30′39.44′′ 

Burger ............................. S Posey .............................. 6762 OCS–Y–2278 N71°19′25.79′′ W163°28′40.84′′ 

Burger ............................. V Posey .............................. 6915 OCS–Y–2324 N71°10′33.39′′ W163°04′21.23′′ 

Sivulliq ............................. G Flaxman Is ...................... 6658 OCS–Y 1805 N70°23′46.82′′ W146°01′03.46′′ 

Sivulliq ............................. N Flaxman Is ...................... 6658 OCS–Y 1805 N70°23′29.58′′ W145°58′52.53′′ 

Torpedo ........................... H Flaxman Is ...................... 6610 OCS–Y 1941 N70°27′01.62′′ W145°49′32.07′′ 

Torpedo ........................... J Flaxman Is ...................... 6559 OCS–Y 1936 N70°28′56.94′′ W145°53′47.15′′ 

During the 2012 timeframe, Shell 

Exploration & Production Company has 

proposed drilling up to two exploration 

wells at the identified Chukchi and 

Beaufort Sea prospects depending on 

favorable ice conditions, weather, sea 

state, and any other pertinent factors. 

Each of these drill sites will be 

permitted for drilling in 2012 to allow 

for operational flexibility in the event 

sea ice conditions prevent access to one 

of the locations. The number of actual 

wells that will be drilled will depend on 

ice conditions and the length of time 

available for the 2012 drilling season. 

The predicted ‘‘average’’ drilling season, 

constrained by prevailing ice conditions 

and regulatory restrictions, is long 

enough for two to three typical 

exploration wells to be drilled. 

The actual order of drilling activities 

will be controlled by an interplay 

between actual ice conditions 

immediately prior to a rig move, ice 

forecasts, any regulatory restrictions 

with respect to the dates of allowed 

operating windows, whether the 

planned drilling activity involves only 

drilling the shallow non-objective 

section or penetrating potential 

hydrocarbon zones, the availability of 

permitted sites having approved 

shallow hazards clearance, the 

anticipated duration of each 

contemplated drilling activity, the 

results of preceding wells and Marine 

Mammal Monitoring and Mitigation 

plan requirements. 

All planned exploration drilling in 

the identified lease blocks will be 

conducted with the NOBLE 

DISCOVERER. The NOBLE 

DISCOVERER is a true drillship, and is 

a large self-contained drilling vessel that 

offers full accommodations for up to 124 

persons. The hull has been reinforced 

for ice resistance. 

The NOBLE DISCOVERER has a 

‘‘persons on board’’ capacity of 124, and 

it is expected to be at capacity for most 

of its operating period. The NOBLE 

DISCOVERER’s personnel will include 

its crew, as well as Shell employees, 

third party contractors, Alaska Native 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 2012 / Proposed Rules 10709 

Marine Mammal Observers and possibly 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 

(BOEM) or Bureau of Safety and 

Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) 

personnel. 

While conducting exploration drilling 

operations, the NOBLE DISCOVERER 

will be anchored. The NOBLE 

DISCOVERER uses an anchoring system 

consisting of an 8-point anchored 

mooring spread attached to the onboard 

turret and could have a maximum 

anchor radius of 3,600 ft (1,100 m). The 

anchor spread, which radiates from the 

center of the NOBLE DISCOVERER, may 

pose a fouling hazard to any vessel 

attempting to anchor within the anchor 

spread. Fouling of the NOBLE 

DISCOVERER anchor lines may 

endanger the drillship, its 124 persons 

onboard the third party vessel, persons 

onboard the third party vessel and the 

environment. 

The center point of the NOBLE 

DISCOVERER will be positioned within 

the prospect location in the Beaufort Sea 

at the coordinates listed below (See 

Table 1). 

The NOBLE DISCOVERER will move 

into the Chukchi or Beaufort Sea on or 

about July 1, 2012 and onto a prospect 

location when ice allows. Drilling will 

be curtailed on or before October 31, 

2012. The drillship and support vessels 

will depart the Beaufort Sea at the 

conclusion of the 2012 drilling season. 

Discussion of Proposed Rule 

The proposed temporary safety zone 

would encompass the area within 500 

meters from each point on the outer 

edge of the NOBLE DISCOVERER while 

anchored on location in order to drill 

exploratory wells or deploying and 

recovering moorings on location in 

order to drill exploratory well. No vessel 

would be allowed to enter or remain in 

this proposed safety zone except the 

following: An attending vessel or a 

vessel authorized by the Commander, 

Seventeenth Coast Guard District or a 

designated representative. They may be 

contacted on VHF–FM Channel 13 or 16 

or by telephone at 907–463–2000. 

Regulatory Analyses 

The Coast Guard developed this 

proposed rule after considering 

numerous statutes and executive orders 

related to rulemaking. Below we 

summarize our analyses based on 13 of 

these statutes or executive orders. 

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, and does not 

require an assessment of potential costs 

and benefits under section 6(a)(3) of that 

Order. The Office of Management and 

Budget has not reviewed it under that 

Order. 

This rule is not a significant 

regulatory action due to the location of 

the DRILLSHIP NOBLE DISCOVERER 

on the Outer Continental Shelf 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. 

Small Entities 

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act 

(5 U.S.C. 601–612), the Coast Guard has 

considered whether this proposed rule 

would have a significant economic 

impact on a substantial number of small 

entities. The term ‘‘small entities’’ 

comprises small businesses, not-forprofit 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 proposed rule 

would not have a significant economic 

impact on a substantial number of small 

entities. This proposed rule would affect 

the following entities, some of which 

might be small entities: The owners or 

operators of vessels intending to transit 

or anchor in the Sivulliq and Torpedo 

Prospect of the Beaufort Sea, including 

Flaxman Island blocks 6610, 6658 and 

6659, and Posey Blocks 6714, 6762, 

6764, 6812, 6912, 6915 (See Table 1). 

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 drillship 

facility that is in an area of the Flaxman 

Island of the Beaufort Sea 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. 

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 so that 

they can better evaluate its effects on 

them and participate in the rulemaking. 

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 LT Jason 

Smilie, Coast Guard Seventeenth 

District, Office of Prevention; telephone 

907–463–2809, 

Jason.A.Smilie@uscg.mil. 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. 

Collection of Information 

This proposed rule would call for no 

new collection of information under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. 3501–3520.). 

Federalism 

A rule has implications for federalism 

under Executive Order 13132, 

Federalism, if it has a substantial direct 

effect on State or local governments and 

would either preempt State law or 

impose a substantial direct cost of 

compliance on them. We have analyzed 

this proposed rule under that Order and 

have determined that it does not have 

implications for federalism. 

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 

expenditure, we do discuss the effects of 

this rule elsewhere in this preamble. 

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. 

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. 

Protection of Children 

The Coast Guard has analyzed this 

proposed rule under Executive Order 

13045, Protection of Children from 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
10710 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

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. 

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. 

Energy Effects 

The Coast Guard analyzed this 

proposed rule under Executive Order 

13211, Actions Concerning Regulations 

That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 

Distribution, or Use. We have 

determined that it is not a ‘‘significant 

energy action’’ under that order because 

it is not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ 

under Executive Order 12866 and is not 

likely to have a significant adverse effect 

on the supply, distribution, or use of 

energy. The Administrator of the Office 

of Information and Regulatory Affairs 

has not designated it as a significant 

energy action. Therefore, it does not 

require a Statement of Energy Effects 

under Executive Order 13211. 

Technical Standards 

The National Technology Transfer 

and Advancement Act (NTTAA) (15 

U.S.C. 272 note) directs agencies to use 

voluntary consensus standards in their 

regulatory activities unless the agency 

provides Congress, through the Office of 

Management and Budget, with an 

explanation of why using these 

standards would be inconsistent with 

applicable law or otherwise impractical. 

Voluntary consensus standards are 

technical standards (e.g., specifications 

of materials, performance, design, or 

operation; test methods; sampling 

procedures; and related management 

systems practices) that are developed or 

adopted by voluntary consensus 

standards bodies. 

This proposed rule does not use 

technical standards. Therefore, we did 

not consider the use of voluntary 

consensus standards. 

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 

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. A preliminary 

environmental analysis checklist 

supporting this determination is 

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 

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. 

2. Add § 147.T17–0024 to read as 

follows: 

§ 147.T17–0024 Safety Zone; NOBLE 

DISCOVERER, Outer Continental Shelf 

Drillship, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, 

Alaska. 

(a) Description. The NOBLE 

DISCOVERER will be engaged in 

exploratory drilling operations at 

various locations in the Chukchi and 

Beaufort Seas from July 1, 2012 through 

October 31, 2012. The DRILLSHIP will 

be anchored while conducting 

exploratory drilling operations with the 

center point of the vessel located at the 

coordinates listed in Table 1. These 

coordinates are based upon [NAD 83] 

UTM Zone 3. The area within 500 

meters (1,640.4 feet) from each point on 

the outer edge of the vessel while 

anchored on location is a safety zone. 

Lawful demonstrations may be 

conducted outside of the safety zone. 

TABLE 1—PROSPECT LOCATIONS

Prospect Well Area Block Lease No. Latitude Longitude 

Burger ............................. A Posey .............................. 6764 OCS–Y–2280 N71°18′30.92′′ W163°12′43.17′′ 

Burger ............................. F Posey .............................. 6714 OCS–Y–2267 N71°20′13.96′′ W163°12′21.75′′ 

Burger ............................. J Posey .............................. 6912 OCS–Y–2321 N71°10′24.03′′ W163°28′18.52′′ 

Burger ............................. R Posey .............................. 6812 OCS–Y–2294 N71°16′06.57′′ W163°30′39.44′′ 

Burger ............................. S Posey .............................. 6762 OCS–Y–2278 N71°19′25.79′′ W163°28′40.84′′ 

Burger ............................. V Posey .............................. 6915 OCS–Y–2324 N71°10′33.39′′ W163°04′21.23′′ 

Sivulliq ............................. G Flaxman Is ...................... 6658 OCS–Y–1805 N70°23′46.82′′ W146°01′03.46′′ 

Sivulliq ............................. N Flaxman Is ...................... 6658 OCS–Y–1805 N70°23′29.58′′ W145°58′52.53′′ 

Torpedo ........................... H Flaxman Is ...................... 6610 OCS–Y–1941 N70°27′01.62′′ W145°49′32.07′′ 

Torpedo ........................... J Flaxman Is ...................... 6559 OCS–Y–1936 N70°28′56.94′′ W145°53′47.15′′ 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 2012 / Proposed Rules 10711 

(b) Regulation. No vessel may enter or 

remain in this safety zone except the 

following: 

(1) An attending vessel; or 

(2) A vessel authorized by the 

Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard 

District, or a designated representative. 

(c) Penalties. Violation of this 

regulation may result in criminal or 

civil penalties, or both. 

Dated: February 2, 2012. 

Thomas P. Ostebo, 

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

Seventeenth Coast Guard District. 

[FR Doc. 2012–3998 Filed 2–22–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

33 CFR Part 147 

[Docket No. USCG–2011–1143] 

RIN 1625–AA00 

Safety Zone; KULLUK, Outer 

Continental Shelf Mobile Offshore 

Drilling Unit (MODU), Beaufort Sea, AK 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes a 

500-meter safety zone around the 

MODU KULLUK, while anchored or 

deploying and recovering moorings on 

location in order to drill exploratory 

wells at various prospects located in the 

Beaufort Sea Outer Continental Shelf, 

Alaska, from 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 2012 

through 11:59 p.m. on October 31, 2012. 

See TABLE 1. The purpose of the 

temporary safety zones is to protect the 

MODU from vessels operating outside 

the normal shipping channels and 

fairways. Placing a safety zone around 

the MODU will significantly reduce the 

threat of allisions that could result in oil 

spills, and releases of natural gas, and 

thereby protect the safety of life, 

property, and the environment. Lawful 

demonstrations may be conducted 

outside of the safety zone. 

DATES: Comments and related material 

must be received by the Coast Guard on 

or before March 26, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by docket number USCG– 

2011–1143 using any one of the 

following methods: 

(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

(2) Fax: 202–493–2251. 

(3) Mail: 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. 

(4) Hand delivery: Same as mail 

address above, between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. The telephone number 

is 202–366–9329. 

To avoid duplication, please use only 

one of these four methods. See the 

‘‘Public Participation and Request for 

Comments’’ portion of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 

below for instructions on submitting 

comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If 

you have questions on this proposed 

rule, call or email LT Jason Smilie, 

Seventeenth Coast Guard District (dpi); 

telephone 907–463–2809, 

Jason.A.Smilie@uscg.mil. If you have 

questions on viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, call Renee V. 

Wright, Program Manager, Docket 

Operations, telephone 202–366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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. 

Submitting Comments 

If you submit a comment, please 

include the docket number for this 

rulemaking (USCG–2011–1143), 

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 (via 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 via http:// 

www.regulations.gov, 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, click on the 

‘‘submit a comment’’ box, which will 

then become highlighted in blue. In the 

‘‘Document Type’’ drop down menu 

select ‘‘Proposed Rule’’ and insert 

‘‘USCG–2011–1143’’ in the ‘‘Keyword’’ 

box. Click ‘‘Search’’ then click on the 

balloon shape in the ‘‘Actions’’ column. 

If you submit your comments by mail or 

hand delivery, submit them in an 

unbound format, no larger than 81⁄2 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. 

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, click on the 

‘‘read comments’’ box, which will then 

become highlighted in blue. In the 

‘‘Keyword’’ box, insert USCG–2011– 

1143 and click ‘‘Search.’’ Click the 

‘‘open Docket Folder’’ in the ‘‘Actions’’ 

column. 

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. We have an agreement with 

the Department of Transportation to use 

the Docket Management Facility. 

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). 

Public Meeting 

The Coast Guard does not plan to 

hold a public meeting. But you may 

submit a request for one by using one 

of the four 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. 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1