Document ID: USCG-2021-0426-0001
Agency: uscg
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Special Local Regulation; Swim for Special Operations Forces; San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA
Posted Date: 2021-07-02T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 125 (Friday, July 2, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 35240-35242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14230]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 100

[Docket Number USCG-2021-0426]
RIN 1625-AA00

Special Local Regulation; Swim for Special Operations Forces; San 
Diego Bay, San Diego, CA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is proposing to amend its special local 
regulations for recurring marine parades, regattas, and other events in 
Southern California Annual Marine Events for the San Diego Captain of 
the Port Zone. This proposed rule would add one new recurring special 
local regulation. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of 
life on the navigable waters during the event. This proposed rulemaking 
would restrict vessel traffic in the designated areas during the events 
unless authorized by the Captain of the Port San Diego or a designated 
representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received by the Coast 
Guard on or before August 2, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2021-0426 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 Lieutenant Commander John Santorum, 
Waterways Management, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 619-278-7656, email 
MarineEventsSD@uscg.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Table of Abbreviations

CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking
Sec.  Section
U.S.C. United States Code

II. Background, Purpose, and Legal Basis

    The Coast Guard proposes to amend 33 CFR 100.1101 by adding a new 
reoccurring marine event to the Table 1 of Section Sec.  100.1101 for a 
swim race in San Diego Bay, CA.
    The Honor Foundation notified the Coast Guard that it will be 
hosting the Honor Foundation Swim for Special Operations Forces (SOF) 
annually on a Saturday during the month of September. The regulated 
area would cover all navigable waters of the San Diego Bay, beginning 
at Glorietta Bay, continuing to Tidelands Park before proceeding north 
along the Coronado shoreline, crossing the federal navigable channel at 
Bayview Park, and finishing at the USS MIDWAY Museum.
    The proposed annually reoccurring special local regulation is 
necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during 
the event. Based on the nature of this marine event, the large number 
of participants, and event location, the COTP has determined that the 
event listed in this proposed rule could pose a risk to participants or 
waterways users if the

[[Page 35241]]

normal vessel traffic were to interfere with the event. Possible 
hazards include risks of injury or death from near or actual contact 
among participants and mariners traversing through the regulated area. 
In order to protect the safety of all waterway users, including event 
participants and spectators, this proposed rule would establish a 
special local regulation for the time and location of the marine event. 
Vessels would not be permitted to enter the regulated areas unless 
authorized by the COTP or a designated representative.
    The Coast Guard proposes this rulemaking under authority in 46 
U.S.C. 70041.

III. Discussion of Proposed Rule

    The Coast Guard proposes to add one new recurring special local 
regulation in Table 1 to Sec.  100.1101 for the Honor Foundation Swim 
for Special Operations Forces. The duration of the regulated area is 
intended to ensure the safety of the public during the swim. Non-
participant vessels are not permitted to enter, transit through, anchor 
in, or remain within the regulated area without obtaining permission 
from the Captain of the Port San Diego or a designated representative. 
The Coast Guard will provide notice of the regulated area by Broadcast 
Notice to Mariners and on-scene designated representatives. The 
regulatory text we are proposing appears at the end of this document.

IV. Regulatory Analyses

    We developed this proposed 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. This NPRM has not been designated a ``significant 
regulatory action,'' under Executive Order 12866. Accordingly, the NPRM 
has not been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
    This regulatory action determination is based on the size, 
location, and duration of the special local regulation. Vessel traffic 
would be able to safely transit around this special local regulation, 
which would impact a small-designated area of the San Diego Bay. 
Moreover, the Coast Guard would issue a Broadcast Notice to Mariners 
via VHF-FM marine channel 16 about the areas, and the rule would allow 
vessels to seek permission to enter the areas.

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 
proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities.
    While some owners or operators of vessels intending to transit the 
safety zone may be small entities, for the reasons stated in section 
IV.A above, this proposed rule would not have a significant economic 
impact on any vessel owner or operator.
    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.
    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. If the rule would affect 
your small business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction and you 
have questions concerning its provisions or options for compliance, 
please call or email the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section. 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.

C. Collection of Information

    This proposed rule would 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 proposed 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 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. If 
you believe this proposed rule has implications for federalism or 
Indian tribes, please call or email the person listed in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

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 proposed rule would not 
result in such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this rule 
elsewhere in this preamble.

F. Environment

    We have analyzed this proposed rule under Department of Homeland 
Security Directive 023-01, Rev. 1, associated implementing 
instructions, and Environmental Planning COMDTINST 5090.1 (series), 
which guide the Coast Guard in complying with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (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. This proposed rule involves a 
regulated area that would prohibit persons and vessels from transiting 
the regulated area during the swim event. Normally such actions are 
categorically excluded from further review under paragraph L[61] of 
Appendix A, Table 1 of DHS Instruction Manual 023-01-001-01, Rev. 1. A 
preliminary Record of Environmental Consideration supporting this 
determination is available in the docket. For instructions on locating 
the docket, see the ADDRESSES section of this preamble. We seek any 
comments or

[[Page 35242]]

information that may lead to the discovery of a significant 
environmental impact from this proposed rule.

G. Protest Activities

    The Coast Guard respects the First Amendment rights of protesters. 
Protesters are asked to call or email 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.

V. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking, 
and will consider all comments and material received during the comment 
period. Your comment can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. If 
you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which 
each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, call or email the person 
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for 
alternate instructions.
    We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to https://www.regulations.gov will include any personal information you have 
provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this 
document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, 
March 11, 2020).
    Documents mentioned in this NPRM as being available in the docket, 
and public comments, will be in our online docket at https://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website's 
instructions. We review all comments received, but we will only post 
comments that address the topic of the proposed rule. We may choose not 
to post off-topic, inappropriate, or duplicate comments that we 
receive.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100

    Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Waterways.

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard is 
proposing to amend 33 CFR part 100 as follows:

PART 100--SAFETY OF LIFE ON NAVIGABLE WATERS

0
1. The authority citation for part 100 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 46 U.S.C. 70041; 33 CFR 1.05-1.

0
2. In Sec.  100.1101, in table 1 to Sec.  100.1101, add item number 16 
to read as follows:

Sec.  100.1101  Southern California Annual Marine Events for the San 
Diego Captain of the Port Zone.

                       Table 1 to Sec.   100.1101
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  16. Swim for Special Operations Forces; San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA
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Sponsor................................  The Honor Foundation.
Event Description......................  SS Swim race.
Date...................................  Saturday in September.
Location...............................  San Diego Bay, CA.
Regulated Area.........................  All waters of San Diego Bay,
                                          from surface to bottom,
                                          beginning at Glorietta Bay,
                                          continuing to Tidelands Park,
                                          proceeding north along the
                                          Coronado shoreline, crossing
                                          the federal navigable channel
                                          at Bayview Park, and finishing
                                          at the USS MIDWAY Museum.
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    Dated: June 25, 2021.
T.J. Barelli,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port San Diego.
[FR Doc. 2021-14230 Filed 7-1-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P