Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 111 /Wednesday, June 10, 1998 / Proposed Rules 31681

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of

comment period.

SUMMARY: On March 11, 1998, the Social

Security Administration (SSA)

published a notice of proposed

rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal

Register (63 FR 11854), that would

delete the ‘‘Obesity’’ listing from the

Listing of Impairments SSA uses to

adjudicate claims for disability

involving obesity under titles II and XVI

of the Social Security Act (the Act)

when we evaluate claims of individuals

at step 3 of our sequential evaluation

process. A 60-day period within which

to comment on the NPRM was provided.

To allow the public additional time to

send us comments, we are extending the

comment period.

DATES: To be sure that your comments

are considered, we must receive them

no later than July 13, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

submitted in writing to the

Commissioner of Social Security, P.O.

Box 1585, Baltimore, MD 21235, sent by

telefax to (410) 966–2830, sent by E-mail

to ‘‘regulations@ssa.gov’’, or delivered

to the Office of Process and Innovation

Management, Social Security

Administration, L2109 West Low Rise

Building, 6401 Security Boulevard,

Baltimore, MD 21235, between 8:00 a.m.

and 4:30 p.m. on regular business days.

Comments may be inspected during

these same hours by making

arrangements with the contact person

shown below.

The electronic file of this document is

available on the Federal Bulletin Board

(FBB) at 9:00 a.m. on the date of

publication in the Federal Register. To

download the file, modem dial (202)

512–1387. The FBB instructions will

explain how to download the file and

the fee. This file is in WordPerfect and

will remain on the FBB during the

comment period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert J. Augustine, Legal Assistant,

Office of Process and Innovation

Management, Social Security

Administration, L2109 West Low Rise

Building, 6401 Security Boulevard,

Baltimore, MD 21235, (410) 966–5121

for information about these rules. For

information on eligibility or claiming

benefits, call our national toll-free

number, 1–800–772–1213.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March

11, 1998 (63 FR 11854), we published

‘‘Revised Medical Criteria for

Determination of Disability, Endocrine

System and Related Criteria’’ as an

NPRM. This NPRM would delete the

‘‘Obesity’’ listing from the Listing of

Impairments we use to adjudicate

claims for disability involving obesity

under titles II and XVI of the Act when

we evaluate claims of individuals at

step 3 of our sequential evaluation

process. We provided a comment period

ending May 11, 1998. We have received

a number of requests to extend the

comment period. This factor, and the

significance of the proposed rule, make

it appropriate to extend the comment

period through July 13, 1998.

Dated: June 3, 1998.

Kenneth S. Apfel,

Commissioner of Social Security.

[FR Doc. 98–15486 Filed 6–9–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4190–29–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[COTP Western Alaska–98–003]

RIN 2115–AA97

Safety Zone; Gulf of Alaska, Southeast

of Narrow Cape, Kodiak Island, AK

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to

establish a temporary safety zone in the

Gulf of Alaska, southeast of Narrow

Cape, Kodiak Island, Alaska. The zone

is needed to protect the safety of

persons and vessels operating in the

vicinity of the safety zone during a

rocket launch from the Alaska

Aerospace Development Corporation,

Narrow Cape, Kodiak Island facility.

Entry of vessels or persons into this

zone is prohibited unless specifically

authorized by the Commander,

Seventeenth Coast Guard District, the

Coast Guard Captain of the Port,

Western Alaska, or his on scene

representative. The intended affect of

the proposed safety zone is to ensure the

safety of human life and property during

the rocket launch.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before July 10, 1998. The proposed

safety zone is intended to become

effective at 6 a.m. on September 1, 1998,

and terminate at 10 p.m. on September

10, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments

concerning this proposal rule to LCDR

Rick Rodriguez, Chief of Port

Operations, Coast Guard Captain of the

Port Western Alaska, 510 L Street, Suite

100, Anchorage, Alaska, 99501.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

LCDR Rick Rodriguez at (907) 271–6700.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

The Alaska Aerospace Development

Corporation (AADC), in conjunction

with the United States Air Force, will be

launching unmanned rockets from their

facility at Narrow Cape, Kodiak Island,

Alaska beginning in September 1998.

The safety zone is necessary to protect

spectators and transiting vessels from

the potential hazards associated with

the launch.

The launch time is scheduled to take

place sometime between September 1,

1998 and September 10, 1998. The Coast

Guard will announce via Broadcast

Notice to Mariners the anticipated date

and time of the launch and will grant

general permission to enter the safety

zone during those times in which the

launch does not pose a hazard to

mariners. Because the hazardous

condition is expected to last for

approximately 4 hours of one day, and

because general permission to enter the

safety zone will be given during nonhazardous times, the impact of this rule

on commercial and recreational traffic is

expected to be minimal. The Coast Guard only recently

became aware of the shape and extent

of a potential debris path in the unlikely

event that a launch is aborted. This

information was needed to determine

the size and shape of the safety zone

protect people and vessels in the

vicinity of the launch. Publication of a

notice of proposed rulemaking within

the usual ninety (90) day comment

period is impracticable. A thirty (30)

day comment period comment is

justified to ensure that a safety zone is

in place to protect the safety of human

life and property in the trajectory path.

The thirty (30) day comment period is

also justified because vessel traffic is

usually sparse within the safety zone

and few comments are expected.

Discussion of the Regulation

The proposed safety zone would

include an area approximately 57 square

nautical miles in the Gulf of Alaska,

southeast of Narrow cape, Kodiak

Island, Alaska. Specifically, the

proposed zone includes the waters of

the Gulf of Alaska that are within the

area bounded by a line drawn from a

point located at 57°29.7′ North,

152°18.9′ West, thence southeast to a

point located by 57°22.3′ North,

152°07.7′ West, thence southwest to a

point located at 57°18.5′ North,

152°16.3′ West, and thence northwest to

a point located at 57°26.0′ North,

152°27.7′ West, and thence northeast to

the point located at 57°29.7′ North,

152°18.9′ West. All coordinates

reference Datum: NAD 1983.
31682 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 111 /Wednesday, June 10, 1998 / Proposed Rules

This safety zone is necessary to

protect spectators and transiting vessels

from the potential hazards associated

with the launch of the Alaskan

Aerospace rocket. The proposed safety

zone is intended to becomes effective at

6 a.m. on September 1, 1998, and

terminate at 10 p.m. on September 10,

1998.

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 cost

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

order. It has not been reviewed 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 10(e) of the regulatory

policies and procedures of DOT is

unnecessary.

Collection of Information

This rule contains no information

collection requirements under the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.).

Federalism

The Coast Guard has analyzed this

rule under the principles and criteria

contained in Executive Order 12612 and

has determined that this rule does not

have sufficient federalism implications

to warrant the preparation of a

Federalism Assessment.

Environment

The Coast Guard considered the

environmental impact of this rule and

concluded that, under Figure 2–1,

paragraph 34(g) of Commandant

Instruction M16475.1C, this rule is

categorically excluded from further

environmental documentation.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation

(water). Reporting and record keeping

requirements, Security measures,

Vessels, Waterways.

For the reasons set out in the

preamble, the Coast Guard amends 33

CFR part 165 as follows:

PART 165—AMENDED

1. The authority citation for part 165

reads as follows:

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 50 U.S.C. 191;

33 CFR 1.05–1(g), 6.401–1, 6.04–6, and 160.5;

49 CFR 1.46.

2. Add temporary § 165.T17–003 to

read as follows:

§ 165.T17–003 Alaska Aerospace

Development Corporation, Narrow Cape,

Kodiak Island safety zones.

(a) Description. This safety zone

includes an area approximately 57

square nautical miles in the Gulf of

Alaska, southeast of Narrow Cape,

Kodiak Island, Alaska. Specifically, the

zone includes the waters of the Gulf of

Alaska that are within the area bounded

by a line drawn from a point located

57°29.7′ North, 152°18.9′ West, thence

southeast to a point located at 57°22.3′

North, 152°07.7′ West, thence southwest

to a point located at 57°18.5′ North,

152°16.3′ West, and then northwest to a

point located at 57°26.0′ North,

152°27.7′ West, and thence northeast to

the point located at 57°29.7′ North,

152°18.9′ West. All coordinates

reference Datum: NAD 1983.

(b) Effective Dates. This proposed

regulation would become effective at 6

a.m. on September 1, 1998, and

terminates at 10 p.m. on September 10,

1998.

(c) Regulations. (1) The Captain of the

Port and the Duty Officer at Marine

Safety Office, Anchorage, Alaska can be

contacted at telephone number (907)

271–6700 or on VHF marine channel 16.

(2) The Captain of the Port may

authorize and designate any Coast

Guard commissioned, warrant, or petty

officer to act on his behalf in enforcing

the safety zone.

(3) The general regulations governing

safety zones contained in § 165.23

apply. No person or vessel may enter or

remain in this safety zone, with the

exception of attending vessels, without

first obtaining permission from the

Captain of the Port, or his on scene

representative. The Captain of the Port,

Western Alaska, or his on scene

representative may be contacted

onboard the U.S. Coast Guard cutter in

the vicinity of Narrow Cape via VHF

marine channel 16.

Dated: June 1, 1998.

E.P. Thompson,

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

Port, Western Alaska.

[FR Doc. 98–15423 Filed 6–9–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–15–M

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Part 80

[FRL–6106–5]

Approval of Colorado’s Petition to

Relax the Federal Gasoline Reid Vapor

Pressure Volatility Standard for 1998,

1999, and 2000

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA or the Agency) proposes to

approve the State of Colorado’s January

21, 1998, petition to relax the Reid

Vapor Pressure (RVP) standard that

applies to gasoline introduced into

commerce in the Denver-Boulder area

from June 1 to September 15. The

Agency proposes to approve a relaxation

of the federal RVP standard for this area

from 7.8 pounds per square inch (psi) to

9.0 psi for the years 1998, 1999, and

2000, as an amendment to EPA’s

gasoline volatility regulations. In the

final rules section of this Federal

Register, the EPA is promulgating this

amendment as a direct final rule

without prior proposal because EPA

views this as a noncontroversial action

and anticipates no adverse comments. A

detailed rationale for this action is set

forth in the direct final rule. If no

relevant adverse comments are received

in response to that direct final rule, no

further activity is contemplated in

relation to this proposed rule. If EPA

receives relevant adverse comments, the

direct final rule will be withdrawn and

all relevant comments received will be

addressed in a subsequent final rule

based on this proposed rule. EPA will

not institute a second comment period

on this rulemaking.

DATES: Comments on this proposed rule

must be received in writing by July 10,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Materials relevant to this

rulemaking have been placed in Docket

A–98–04 by EPA. The docket is located

at the Docket Office of the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M Street, SW, Washington, DC, 20460,

Room M–1500 in Waterside Mall and

may be inspected from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30

p.m., Monday through Friday. A

duplicate public docket CO–RVP–98 has

been established at U. S. Environmental

Protection Agency Region VIII, 999 18th

Street, Suite 500, Denver, CO, 80202–

2466, and is available for inspection

during normal working hours. Interested

persons wishing to examine the

documents in this docket should make