21998 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 1996 / Proposed Rules

Register (60 FR 56007) advancing the

consensus decisions of the Committee

regarding the valuation of gas produced

from Federal leases. On December 13,

1995, in the Federal Register (60 FR

64000), MMS extended the period for

receiving comments on the proposed

rule through February 5, 1996. MMS is

holding a meeting of the Committee to

discuss how to proceed with further

rulemaking in light of the comments

received on the proposed rule.

DATES: The Committee will meet on:

Wednesday, June 12, 1996, 10:00 a.m. to

5:00 p.m.; Thursday, June 13, 1996, 8:00

a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Friday, June 14, 1996,

8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at

the Denver Federal Center, building 85,

West 6th Avenue and Kipling Street,

Lakewood, Colorado, 80225.

Written statements may be submitted

to Ms. Deborah Gibbs Tschudy, Chief,

Valuation and Standards Division,

Minerals Management Service, Royalty

Management Program, P.O. Box 25165,

MS 3150, Denver, Colorado 80225–

0165, courier delivery to Building 85,

Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO

80225.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.

Deborah Gibbs Tschudy, Chief,

Valuation and Standards Division,

Minerals Management Service, Royalty

Management Program, P.O. Box 25165,

MS 3150, Denver, Colorado, 80225–

0165, telephone number (303) 275–

7200, fax number (303) 275–7227.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

meetings will be open to the public

without advanced registration. Public

attendance may be limited to the space

available. Members of the public may

make statements during the meeting, to

the extent time permits, and file written

statements with the Committee for its

consideration.

Written statements should be

submitted to the address listed above.

Minutes of Committee meetings will be

available for public inspection and

copying 10 days following each meeting

at the same address. In addition, the

materials received to date during the

input sessions are available for

inspection and copying at the same

address.

Dated: May 7, 1996.

Robert E. Brown,

Associate Director for Royalty Management.

[FR Doc. 96–11853 Filed 5–10–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 100

[CGD01–95–058]

RIN 2115–AE 46

Special Local Regulation: Connecticut

River Raft Race, Middletown, CT

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to

amend the regulations governing the

Connecticut River Raft Race. The event

name would change to the ‘‘Great

Connecticut River Raft Race’’ due to a

change in sponsor. The regulated area

would move upriver to coincide with a

change in the race course. The effective

period would also change to July 27,

1996, and each year thereafter on a date

and times specified in a Federal

Register document. This regulation is

necessary to control vessel traffic within

the regulated area due to the confined

nature of the waterway and anticipated

congestion at the time of the event, thus

providing for the safety of life and

property on the affected navigable

waterway.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before June 27, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

mailed to Commander (b), First Coast

Guard District, Captain John Foster

Williams Federal Building, 408 Atlantic

Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02110–

3350. Comments also may be handdelivered to room 428 at the same

address between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, except federal

holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Benjamin M.

Algeo, Chief, Boating Affairs Branch,

First Coast Guard District, (617) 223–

8311.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

The Coast Guard encourages

interested persons to participate in this

rulemaking by submitting written data,

views, or arguments. Each person

submitting comments should include

their name and address, identify this

notice (CGD01–95–058), the specific

section of the proposal to which each

comment applies, and give the reason

for each comment. Comments and

attachments should be submitted on

81⁄2′′ × 11′′ unbound paper in a format

suitable for copying and electronic

filing. If that is not practical, a second

copy of any bound material is requested.

Persons requesting acknowledgement of

receipt of comments should enclose a

stamped, self-addressed postcard or

envelope.

All comments received during the

comment period will be considered by

the Coast Guard and may change this

proposal. The Coast Guard has no plans

to hold a public hearing. Persons may

request a public hearing by writing to

Commander (b), First Coast Guard

District at the address under ADDRESSES.

The request should include reasons why

a hearing would be beneficial. If the

Coast Guard determines that oral

presentations will aid this rulemaking,

it will hold a public hearing at a time

and place announced by a later notice

in the Federal Register.

Discussion of Proposed Amendments

The Connecticut River Raft Race is in

its twenty-second year, and is a popular

local event. A permanent special local

regulation, 33 CFR Part 100.102, governs

the running of the event. Due to a

change in sponsor, the name of the

event will change to the ‘‘Great

Connecticut River Raft Race’’ and the

location of the race will be moved a

short distance upriver. The event will

continue to be annually recurring,

therefore, the Coast Guard proposes to

permanently amend the special local

regulation found in 33 CFR Part

100.102. The race course and regulated

area will change to consist of that

portion of the Connecticut River

between Marker nos. 92 and 73,

Middletown, CT. The event date will

also change from the first Saturday in

August to the last Saturday in July or

first Saturday in August.

This event will include up to 60

homemade rafts and is expected to draw

up to 100 spectator craft. The Coast

Guard, Connecticut Department of

Environmental Protection, and local fire

and police departments will each assign

a patrol to the event. However, due to

the restricted maneuverability of the

participating rafts, it is necessary to

establish a special local regulation to

control spectator and commercial vessel

movement within this confined area.

Spectator craft are authorized to watch

the race from any area as long as they

remain outside the designated regulated

area.

The proposed section will be effective

annually on the last Saturday in July or

first Saturday in August, between 10

a.m. and 2 p.m., or as published in a

Coast Guard Notice to Mariners. A rain

date may be established and announced

in a Coast Guard Notice to Mariners. In

emergency situations, the Coast Guard

patrol commander may establish escort
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 1996 / Proposed Rules 21999

procedures for vessels requiring transit

through the regulated area.

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

conclusion is based on the limited

duration of the race, the extensive

advisories that will be made to the

affected maritime community, and the

minimal restrictions the regulation

places on vessel traffic.

Small Entities

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act

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

must consider the economic impact on

small entities of a rule for which a

general notice of proposed rulemaking

is required. ‘‘Small entities’’ may

include (1) small businesses and not-forprofit organizations that are

independently owned and operated and

are not dominant in their fields and (2)

governmental jurisdictions with

populations of less than 50,000. For the

reasons discussed in the Regulatory

Evaluation, the Coast Guard certifies

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

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 in accordance with the

principles and criteria contained in

Executive Order 12612 and has

determined that this proposal does not

raise sufficient federalism implications

to warrant the preparation of a

Federalism Assessment.

Environment

The Coast Guard has considered the

environmental impacts of this proposal

and concluded that, under paragraph

2.B.2.e.34(h) of COMDTINST 16475.1B

(as revised by 59 FR 38654, July 29,

1944), this proposal is a regulation

issued in conjunction with an annually

issued regatta or marine parade permit

and is categorically excluded from

further environmental documentation.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100

Marine safety, Navigation (water),

Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Waterways.

Proposed Regulation

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 and

33 CFR 100.35.

2. Section 100.102 is revised to read

as follows:

§ 100.102 Great Connecticut River Raft

Race, Middletown, CT.

(a) Regulated Area. That section of the

Connecticut River between Dart Island

(Marker no. 73) and Portland Shoals

(Marker no. 92), Middletown, CT.

(b) Special Local Regulations.

(1) The Coast Guard patrol

commander many delay, modify, or

cancel the race as conditions or

circumstances require.

(2) No person or vessel may enter,

transit, or remain in the regulated area

unless participating in the event or

unless authorized by the Coast Guard

patrol commander.

(3) Vessels encountering emergencies

which require transit through the

regulated area should contact the Coast

Guard patrol commander on VHF

Channel 16. In the event of an

emergency, the Coast Guard patrol

commander may authorize a vessel to

transit through the regulated area with

a Coast Guard designated escort.

(4) All persons and vessels shall

comply with the instructions of the onscene Coast Guard patrol commander.

On-scene patrol personnel may include

commissioned, warrant, and petty

officers of the U.S. Coast Guard. Upon

hearing five or more short blasts from a

U.S. Coast Guard vessel, the operator of

a vessel shall proceed as directed.

Members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary

will also be present to inform vessel

operators of this regulation and other

applicable laws.

(c) Effective period. This section is in

effect from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 27,

1996, and each year thereafter on a date

and times specified in a Federal

Register Document.

Dated March 19, 1996.

J.L. Linnon,

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

First Coast Guard District.

[FR Doc. 96–11774 Filed 5–10–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–14–M

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 100

[CGD01–96–025]

RIN 2115–AE 46

Special Local Regulation: NewportBermuda Regatta, Narragansett Bay,

Newport, RI

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to

establish a permanent special local

regulation for the Newport-Bermuda

Regatta. The event will be held on June

21, 1996, and biennially thereafter on

even numbered years on the third

Friday in June. The regatta begins in the

approach to Newport Harbor, Newport,

RI, in the East Passage of Narragansett

Bay, continuing offshore to Bermuda,

U.K. This regulation is needed to

control vessel movement in the

confined waters of the regatta start area.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before June 12, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

mailed to Commander (b), First Coast

Guard District, Captain John Foster

Williams Federal Building, 408 Atlantic

Ave., Boston, MA 02110–3350, or may

be hand delivered to Room 428 at the

same address, between 8 a.m. and 4

p.m., Monday through Friday, except

federal holidays. Comments will

become part of this docket and will be

available for inspection or copying at

the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Benjamin. M.

Algeo, Chief, Boating Affairs Branch,

First Coast Guard District, (617) 223–

8311.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

The Coast Guard encourages

interested persons to participate in this

rulemaking by submitting written data,

views, or arguments. Each person

submitting comments should include

their name and address, identify this

notice (CGD01–96–025), the specific

section of the proposal to which each

comment applies, and give the reason

for each comment. Comments and

attachments should be submitted on