30218 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 107 / Monday, June 7, 2021 / Proposed Rules 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 53, Fuselage. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by reports of cracks 

in the station (STA) 1000 front spar shear tie 

at the left and right side buttock line (BL) 

11.33, BL 33.99, BL 57.50, and BL 75.92, and 

in the intercostal lug fitting at the left and 

right side BL 11.33. The FAA is issuing this 

AD to address any cracking in these areas 

that could result in the loss of limit load 

capability in a principal structural element, 

the potential inability to restrain the cargo for 

certain cargo configurations, and the 

potential for a center fuel tank rupture for 

certain cargo configurations under limit load 

conditions, which could adversely affect the 

structural integrity of the airplane. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this 

AD: At the applicable times specified in the 

‘‘Compliance’’ paragraph of Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 747–53A2904 RB, 

dated December 16, 2020, do all applicable 

actions identified in, and in accordance with, 

the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing 

Alert Requirements Bulletin 747–53A2904 

RB, dated December 16, 2020. 

Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for 

accomplishing the actions required by this 

AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2904, dated December 16, 

2020, which is referred to in Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 747–53A2904 RB, 

dated December 16, 2020. 

(h) Exceptions to Service Information 

Specifications 

(1) Where Boeing Alert Requirements 

Bulletin 747–53A2904 RB, dated December 

16, 2020, uses the phrase ‘‘the original issue 

date of Requirements Bulletin 747–53A2904 

RB,’’ this AD requires using ‘‘the effective 

date of this AD.’’ 

(2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements 

Bulletin 747–53A2904 RB, dated December 

16, 2020, specifies contacting Boeing for 

repair instructions: This AD requires doing 

the repair using a method approved in 

accordance with the procedures specified in 

paragraph (i) of this AD. 

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Seattle ACO Branch, 

FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 

for this AD, if requested using the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 

14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your 

principal inspector or responsible Flight 

Standards Office, as appropriate. If sending 

information directly to the manager of the 

certification office, send it to the attention of 

the person identified in Related Information. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-ANMSeattle-ACO-AMOC-Requests@faa.gov. 

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the responsible Flight Standards Office. 

(3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable 

level of safety may be used for any repair, 

modification, or alteration required by this 

AD if it is approved by The Boeing Company 

Organization Designation Authorization 

(ODA) that has been authorized by the 

Manager, Seattle ACO Branch, FAA, to make 

those findings. To be approved, the repair 

method, modification deviation, or alteration 

deviation must meet the certification basis of 

the airplane, and the approval must 

specifically refer to this AD. 

(j) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Stefanie Roesli, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 

2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 

98198; phone and fax: 206–231–3964; email: 

Stefanie.N.Roesli@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data 

Services (C&DS), 2600 Westminster Blvd., 

MC 110–SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740–5600; 

telephone 562–797–1717; internet https://

www.myboeingfleet.com. You may view this 

referenced service information at the FAA, 

Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 

Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

206–231–3195. 

Issued on May 18, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–11844 Filed 6–4–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0450; Project 

Identifier 2017–SW–100–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH 

(AHD) Model MBB–BK 117 D–2 

helicopters. This proposed AD was 

prompted by the discovery that certain 

parts that are approved for installation 

on multiple helicopter models are life 

limited parts when installed on Model 

MBB–BK 117 D–2 helicopters and some 

helicopter delivery documents excluded 

the life limit information. This proposed 

AD would require determining the total 

hours time-in-service (TIS) of a certain 

part-numbered rotor mast nut and reidentifying a certain part-numbered 

rotor mast nut. This proposed AD would 

also require establishing a life limit for 

a certain part-numbered rotor mast nut 

and helical gear support, and removing 

each part from service before reaching 

its life limit. Additionally, this proposed 

AD would require replacing a certain 

part-numbered main gearbox (MGB) 

with a not affected MGB as specified in 

a European Aviation Safety Agency 

(now European Union Aviation Safety 

Agency) (EASA) AD, which is proposed 

for incorporation by reference (IBR). The 

FAA is proposing this AD to address the 

unsafe condition on these products. 

DATES: The FAA must receive comments 

on this proposed AD by July 22, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 

M–30, West Building Ground Floor, 

Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For material that is proposed for IBR 

in this AD, contact EASA, KonradAdenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, 

Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; 

email ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet 

www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this 

material on the EASA website at https:// 

ad.easa.europa.eu. You may view this 

material at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 

10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N–321, 

Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information 

on the availability of this material at the 

FAA, call (817) 222–5110. It is also 

available in the AD docket on the 

internet at https://www.regulations.gov 

by searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0450. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the internet at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2021– 

0450; or in person at Docket Operations 

between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The AD docket contains this NPRM, any 

comments received, and other 


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information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rao 

Edupuganti, Aerospace Engineer, 

Dynamic Systems Section, Technical 

Innovation Policy Branch, Policy & 

Innovation Division, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

rao.edupuganti@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA invites you to send any 

written relevant data, views, or 

arguments about this proposal. Send 

your comments to an address listed 

under ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0450; Project Identifier 

2017–SW–100–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. The most helpful 

comments reference a specific portion of 

the proposal, explain the reason for any 

recommended change, and include 

supporting data. The FAA will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this proposal 

because of those comments. 

Except for Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) as described in the 

following paragraph, and other 

information as described in 14 CFR 

11.35, the FAA will post all comments 

received, without change, to https://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. The 

agency will also post a report 

summarizing each substantive verbal 

contact received about this proposal. 

Confidential Business Information 

CBI is commercial or financial 

information that is both customarily and 

actually treated as private by its owner. 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt 

from public disclosure. If your 

comments responsive to this NPRM 

contain commercial or financial 

information that is customarily treated 

as private, that you actually treat as 

private, and that is relevant or 

responsive to this NPRM, it is important 

that you clearly designate the submitted 

comments as CBI. Please mark each 

page of your submission containing CBI 

as ‘‘PROPIN.’’ The FAA will treat such 

marked submissions as confidential 

under the FOIA, and they will not be 

placed in the public docket of this 

NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to Rao Edupuganti, 

Aerospace Engineer, Dynamic Systems 

Section, Technical Innovation Policy 

Branch, Policy & Innovation Division, 

FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort 

Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222– 

5110; email rao.edupuganti@faa.gov. 

Any commentary that the FAA receives 

that is not specifically designated as CBI 

will be placed in the public docket for 

this rulemaking. 

Background 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2017–0037, 

dated February 22, 2017 (EASA AD 

2017–0037), to correct an unsafe 

condition for Airbus Helicopters 

Deutschland GmbH (formerly 

Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH), Airbus 

Helicopters Inc. (formerly American 

Eurocopter LLC) Model MBB–BK 117 

D–2 and MBB–BK117 D–2m helicopters. 

This proposed AD was prompted by 

the discovery that certain parts that are 

approved for installation on multiple 

helicopter models are life limited parts 

when installed on Model MBB–BK 117 

D–2 helicopters and some helicopter 

delivery documents excluded the life 

limit information. The FAA is proposing 

this AD to address an unsafe condition 

on these products. See EASA AD 2017– 

0037 for additional background 

information. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

EASA AD 2017–0037 requires 

establishing a life limit for rotor mast 

nut part number (P/N) D632K1133–201 

and helical gear support P/N 

D632K1113–201, and replacing these 

parts before exceeding their life limit. 

EASA AD 2017–0037 also requires 

replacing each rotor mast nut P/N 

D632K1133–201 for which the hours 

time-in-service (TIS) are unknown and 

replacing certain part-numbered rotor 

mast nuts before accumulating 3,708 

hours TIS since first installation on a 

helicopter. EASA AD 2017–0037 

requires re-identifying each rotor mast 

nut P/N 117–12133–01 to P/N 

D632K1133–201 by following the 

specified service information. EASA AD 

2017–0037 requires replacing any MGB 

P/N D632K1001–051 with serial number 

(S/N) D2–0001 up to D2–0108 inclusive, 

D2–0123, D2–0126, D2–0127, or D2– 

0130 up to D2–0136 inclusive with a not 

affected MGB before the affected MGB 

accumulates 3,708 hours TIS. EASA AD 

2017–0037 also prohibits installing an 

affected rotor mast nut or an affected 

MGB that has accumulated more than 

3,708 hours TIS since first installation 

on a helicopter. Additionally, EASA AD 

2017–0037 requires revising the Aircraft 

Maintenance Program (AMP). 

This material is reasonably available 

because the interested parties have 

access to it through their normal course 

of business or by the means identified 

in the ADDRESSES section. 

Other Related Service Information 

The FAA reviewed Airbus Helicopters 

Alert Service Bulletin MBB–BK117 

D–2–63A–001, Revision 0, dated 

December 1, 2016 (ASB 63A–001), 

which is not incorporated by reference, 

which specifies procedures for reidentifying the rotor mast nut by using 

a vibrograph, crossing out the old P/N 

and marking the new P/N on the outer 

surface, engraving the letter ‘‘A’’ behind 

the S/N of each part, and updating the 

historical record and log card to confirm 

compliance with ASB 63A–001. ASB 

63A–001 also specifies during the next 

MGB overhaul, making an entry in the 

log card to confirm re-identification of 

the helical gear support, and annotating 

the S/N of the helical gear support. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This Proposed AD 

These products have been approved 

by the aviation authority of another 

country, and are approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to the 

bilateral agreement with the State of 

Design Authority, the FAA has been 

notified of the unsafe condition 

described in EASA AD 2017–0037. The 

FAA is proposing this AD after 

evaluating all the relevant information 

and determining the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop in other products of the same 

type design. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require 

accomplishing the actions specified in 

EASA AD 2017–0037, described 

previously, as incorporated by 

reference, except for any differences 

identified as exceptions in the 

regulatory text of this proposed AD and 

except as discussed under ‘‘Differences 

Between this Proposed AD and the 

EASA AD.’’ 

Explanation of Required Compliance 

Information 

In the FAA’s ongoing efforts to 

improve the efficiency of the AD 

process, the FAA initially worked with 

Airbus and EASA to develop a process 

to use certain EASA ADs as the primary 

source of information for compliance 

with requirements for corresponding 

FAA ADs. The FAA has since 

coordinated with other manufacturers 

and civil aviation authorities (CAAs) to 

use this process. As a result, EASA AD 

2017–0037 will be incorporated by 

reference in the FAA final rule. This 

proposed AD would, therefore, require 

compliance with EASA AD 2017–0037 


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in its entirety, through that 

incorporation, except for any differences 

identified as exceptions in the 

regulatory text of this proposed AD. 

Using common terms that are the same 

as the heading of a particular section in 

the EASA AD does not mean that 

operators need comply only with that 

section. For example, where the AD 

requirement refers to ‘‘all required 

actions and compliance times,’’ 

compliance with this AD requirement is 

not limited to the section titled 

‘‘Required Action(s) and Compliance 

Time(s)’’ in the EASA AD. Service 

information specified in EASA AD 

2017–0037 that is required for 

compliance with EASA AD 2017–0037 

will be available on the internet at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0450 after the FAA final 

rule is published. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the EASA AD 

EASA AD 2017–0037 applies to 

Model MBB–BK117 D–2 and D2m 

helicopters, whereas this proposed AD 

would only apply to Model MBB– 

BK117 D–2 helicopters because Model 

D–2m is not FAA type-certificated. If 

the total hours TIS for an affected rotor 

mast nut cannot be determined, this 

proposed AD would require removing 

the rotor mast nut from service before 

further flight, whereas EASA AD 2017– 

0037 does not contain this requirement. 

EASA AD 2017–0037 requires using a 

vibrograph to re-identify certain rotor 

mast nuts, whereas this proposed AD 

would require using a vibro etch 

instead. EASA AD 2017–0037 requires 

replacing certain parts, whereas this 

proposed AD would require removing 

certain parts from service instead. EASA 

AD 2017–0037 requires revising the 

AMP, whereas this proposed AD would 

not. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 30 

helicopters of U.S. Registry. Labor rates 

are estimated at $85 per work-hour. 

Based on these numbers, the FAA 

estimates the following costs to comply 

with this proposed AD. 

Determining the total hours TIS on an 

affected rotor mast nut would take about 

1 work-hour for an estimated cost of $85 

per helicopter and $2,550 for the U.S. 

fleet. 

Re-identifying a rotor mast nut would 

take about 1.5 work-hours for an 

estimated cost of $128 per rotor mast 

nut. 

Replacing a rotor mast nut would take 

about 6 work-hours and parts would 

cost about $5,351 for an estimated cost 

of $5,861 per rotor mast nut. 

Replacing a main gearbox, which 

includes replacing the helical gear 

support, would take about 42 workhours and parts would cost about 

$295,000 (overhauled) for an estimated 

cost of $298,570. 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

Title 49 of the United States Code 

specifies the FAA’s authority to issue 

rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, 

section 106, describes the authority of 

the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII: 

Aviation Programs, describes in more 

detail the scope of the Agency’s 

authority. 

The FAA is issuing this rulemaking 

under the authority described in 

Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 

44701: General requirements. Under 

that section, Congress charges the FAA 

with promoting safe flight of civil 

aircraft in air commerce by prescribing 

regulations for practices, methods, and 

procedures the Administrator finds 

necessary for safety in air commerce. 

This regulation is within the scope of 

that authority because it addresses an 

unsafe condition that is likely to exist or 

develop on products identified in this 

rulemaking action. 

Regulatory Findings 

The FAA determined that this 

proposed AD would not have federalism 

implications under Executive Order 

13132. This proposed AD would not 

have 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. 

For the reasons discussed above, I 

certify this proposed regulation: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866, 

(2) Would not affect intrastate 

aviation in Alaska, and 

(3) Would not have a significant 

economic impact, positive or negative, 

on a substantial number of small entities 

under the criteria of the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 

39 as follows: 

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS 

DIRECTIVES 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 39 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive: 

Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH 

(AHD): Docket No. FAA–2021–0450; 

Project Identifier 2017–SW–100–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments by July 

22, 2021. 

(b) Affected Airworthiness Directives (ADs) 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters 

Deutschland GmbH (AHD) Model MBB–BK 

117 D–2 helicopters, certificated in any 

category, with an affected main gearbox or 

affected rotor mast nut as identified in Note 

1 of European Aviation Safety Agency (now 

European Union Aviation Safety Agency) 

(EASA) AD 2017–0037, dated February 22, 

2017 (EASA AD 2017–0037) installed. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 

Code: 6200, Main gearbox. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This proposed AD was prompted by the 

discovery that certain parts that are approved 

for installation on multiple helicopter models 

are life limited parts when installed on 

Model MBB–BK 117 D–2 helicopters and 

some helicopter delivery documents 

excluded the life limit information. The FAA 

is issuing this AD to prevent certain parts 

from remaining in service beyond their 

fatigue life. The unsafe condition, if not 

addressed, could result in failure of the part 

and loss of control of the helicopter. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Requirements 

Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this 

AD: Comply with all required actions and 

compliance times specified in, and in 

accordance with, EASA AD 2017–0037. 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2017–0037 

(1) Where EASA AD 2017–0037 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(2) Where EASA AD 2017–0037 refers to 

flight hours (FH), this AD requires using 

hours time-in-service (TIS). 

(3) Where paragraph (1) of EASA AD 2017– 

0037 requires determining the FH (total 

hours TIS) accumulated by the affected rotor 

mast nut since first installation on a 

helicopter, this AD requires removing the 

rotor mast nut from service before further 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 107 / Monday, June 7, 2021 / Proposed Rules 30221 

flight if the total hours TIS cannot be 

determined. 

(4) Where the service information 

referenced in Note 3 of EASA AD 2017–0037 

specifies to use a vibrograph to mark the new 

part number, this AD requires using a vibro 

etch. 

(5) Where paragraph (4) of EASA AD 2017– 

0037 requires replacing each affected rotor 

mast nut with a not affected rotor mast nut 

before exceeding 3,708 FH (total hours TIS) 

since first installation on a helicopter, this 

AD requires removing each affected rotor 

mast nut from service before accumulating 

3,708 total hours TIS. 

(6) Where paragraph (6) of EASA AD 2017– 

0037 requires replacing each part as 

identified in Table 2 of EASA AD 2017–0037 

before exceeding the FH (total hours TIS) 

limit, this AD requires removing each part 

from service before exceeding the total hours 

TIS limit. 

(7) Paragraph (7) of EASA AD 2017–0037 

does not apply to this AD. 

(8) The ‘‘Remarks’’ section of EASA AD 

2017–0037 does not apply to this AD. 

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, International Validation 

Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve 

AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 

procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In 

accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your 

request to your principal inspector or local 

Flight Standards District Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the manager of the International Validation 

Branch, send it to the attention of the person 

identified in paragraph (j)(2) of this AD. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR730-AMOC@faa.gov. 

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. 

(j) Related Information 

(1) For EASA AD 2017–0037, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 

000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet 

www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this 

EASA AD on the EASA website at https://

ad.easa.europa.eu. You may view this 

material at the FAA, Office of the Regional 

Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood 

Pkwy., Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. 

For information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

This material may be found in the AD docket 

on the internet at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for and 

locating Docket No. FAA–2021–0450. 

(2) For more information about this AD, 

contact Rao Edupuganti, Aerospace Engineer, 

Dynamic Systems Section, Technical 

Innovation Policy Branch, Policy & 

Innovation Division, FAA, 10101 Hillwood 

Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone 

(817) 222–5110; email rao.edupuganti@

faa.gov. 

Issued on May 27, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–11804 Filed 6–4–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

33 CFR Part 100 

[Docket Number USCG–2021–0211] 

RIN 1625–AA08 

Special Local Regulations, Choptank 

River, Cambridge, MD 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is proposing 

to establish special local regulations for 

certain waters of the Choptank River. 

This action is necessary to provide for 

the safety of life on navigable waters 

located at Cambridge, MD, during a 

high-speed power boat racing event on 

July 24, 2021, and July 25, 2021. This 

proposed rulemaking would prohibit 

persons and vessels from being in the 

regulated area unless authorized by the 

Captain of the Port Maryland-National 

Capital Region or Coast Guard Event 

Patrol Commander. We invite your 

comments on this proposed rulemaking. 

DATES: Comments and related material 

must be received by the Coast Guard on 

or before June 22, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by docket number USCG– 

2021–0211 using the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal at https://

www.regulations.gov. See the ‘‘Public 

Participation and Request for 

Comments’’ portion of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for 

further instructions on submitting 

comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If 

you have questions about this proposed 

rulemaking, call or email LCDR Samuel 

M. Danus, Waterways Management 

Division, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 

410–576–2519, email Samuel.M.Danus@

uscg.mil. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Table of Abbreviations 

CFR Code of Federal Regulations 

COTP Captain of the Port 

DHS Department of Homeland Security 

Event PATCOM Event Patrol Commander 

FR Federal Register 

NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking 

§ Section 

U.S.C. United States Code 

II. Background, Purpose, and Legal 

Basis 

On February 22, 2021, the Kent 

Narrows Racing Association of Chester, 

MD, notified the Coast Guard that it will 

be conducting the Thunder on the 

Choptank from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on 

July 24, 2021, and from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 

p.m. on July 25, 2021. The high-speed 

power boat racing event consists of 

approximately 50 participating inboard 

and outboard hydroplane and runabout 

race boats of various classes, 16 to 21 

feet in length. The vessels will be 

competing on a designated, marked 1- 

mile oval course located in the 

Choptank River in a cove located 

between Hambrooks Bar and the 

shoreline at Cambridge, MD. Details of 

the event were provided to the Coast 

Guard on April 19, 2021. Hazards from 

the power boat racing event include 

risks of injury or death resulting from 

near or actual contact among participant 

vessels and spectator vessels or 

waterway users if normal vessel traffic 

were to interfere with the event. 

Additionally, such hazards include 

participants operating near designated 

navigation channels, as well as 

operating near approaches to local 

public boat ramps, private marinas and 

yacht clubs, and waterfront businesses. 

The COTP Maryland-National Capital 

Region has determined that potential 

hazards associated with the power boat 

races would be a safety concern for 

anyone intending to operate within 

certain waters of the Choptank River at 

Cambridge, MD. 

The purpose of this rulemaking is to 

protect event participants, spectators, 

and transiting vessels on certain waters 

of Choptank River before, during, and 

after the scheduled event. The Coast 

Guard proposes this rulemaking under 

authority in 46 U.S.C. 70041. 

The Coast Guard is requesting that 

interested parties provide comments 

within a shortened comment period of 

15 days instead of the more typical 30 

days for this notice of proposed 

rulemaking. The Coast Guard believes 

the 15-day comment period still 

provides for a reasonable amount of 

time for interested parties to review the 

proposal and provide informed 

comments on it while also ensuring that 

the Coast Guard has time to review and 

respond to any significant comments 

and has a final rule in effect in time for 

the scheduled event. 

III. Discussion of Proposed Rule 

The COTP Maryland-National Capital 

Region is proposing to establish special 

local regulations to be enforced from 9 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS