Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/01/28/2013-01635/safety-zone-military-ocean-terminal-concord-safety-zone-suisun-bay-military-ocean-terminal-concord
Timestamp: 2016-07-30 01:56:04
Document Index: 70463263

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 165', 'art 18656', 'art 18656', '§ 165', '§ 165', 'art 18656', 'art 18656']

Federal Register | Safety Zone; Military Ocean Terminal Concord Safety Zone, Suisun Bay, Military Ocean Terminal Concord, CA
Dates: This rule is effective with actual notice from January 2, 2013 until January 28, 2013. This rule is effective in the Code of Federal Regulations on January 28, 2013. Comments and related materials must be received by the Coast Guard on or before April 29, 2013.
Effective Date: 01/02/2013
Comments Close: 04/29/2013
78 FR 5717
-5720 (4 pages)
Docket No. USCG-2012-1008
Shorter URL: https://federalregister.gov/a/2013-01635 Related Topics
USCG-2012-1008
Safety Zone; Military Ocean Terminal
Environmental Checklist (11/26/2012)
This rule is effective with actual notice from January 2, 2013 until January 28, 2013. This rule is effective in the Code of Federal Regulations on January 28, 2013. Comments and related materials must be received by the Coast Guard on or before April 29, 2013.
Documents mentioned in this preamble are part of Docket Number USCG-2012-1008. To view documents mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type the docket number in the “SEARCH” box and click “SEARCH.” Click on “Open Docket Folder” on the line associated with this rulemaking. 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.
If you have questions on this rule, call or email Lieutenant Junior Grade William Hawn, U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco; telephone (415) 399-7442 or email at D11-PF-MarineEvents@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Docket Operations, telephone (202) 366-9826.
MOTCOMilitary Ocean Terminal Concord
If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8-1/2 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.
We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a request for one on or before December 20, 2012, using one of the 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.
This interim rule will regulate the waters of Suisun Bay in vicinity of the Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO) in Concord, California. This rule will be enforced in conjunction with the MOTCO security zone, established in 33 CFR § 165.1199, which restricts vessel traffic during military onloads and offloads at MOTCO.
The Coast Guard is issuing this rule without prior notice and opportunity to comment pursuant to authority under section 4(a) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553(b)). This provision authorizes an agency to issue a rule without prior notice and opportunity to comment when the agency for good cause finds that those procedures are “impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest.” Under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Coast Guard finds that good cause exists for not publishing an NPRM with respect to this rule because to do so would be impracticable. Due to the fact that military loading operations are ongoing, there is a need to begin enforcement of a no-loitering zone immediately, and a notice and comment period would expose the public to additional dangers.
Under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Coast Guard finds that good cause exists for making this rule effective less than 30 days after publication in the Federal Register because to do otherwise would be impracticable, as immediate prevention measures are needed to protect the maritime public during military onload and offload operations.
The legal basis for the proposed rule is the Ports and Waterways Safety Act which authorizes the Coast Guard to establish safety zones (33 U.S.C 1221 et seq.).
The U.S. Army's 834th Transportation Battalion requested that the U.S. Coast Guard develop a no-loitering area around the piers at Military Ocean Terminal Concord, CA during military onloads and offloads. In the unlikely event of an explosion due to military loading operations, a no-loitering zone is needed to minimize the likelihood of public presence in the projected blast zone, to protect persons and vessels from the dangers associated with military onload and offload operations.
A safety zone is necessary in the vicinity of MOTCO to prevent persons and vessels from anchoring or otherwise loitering in the zone between 500 yards of MOTCO Pier 2 in position 38°03′30″ N, 122°01′14″ W (NAD 83) as depicted in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Chart 18656 (the perimeter of the existing security zone) and 3,000 yards of the pier.
The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in Suisun Bay near MOTCO in Concord California during military onloads and offloads. Given the potentially devastating impact of an ordnance mishap, the Coast Guard is implementing a safety zone around the MOTCO piers during military onloads and offloads. This rule will create a no-loitering area in the zone between 500 yards of MOTCO Pier 2 in position 38°03′30″ N, 122°01′14″ W (NAD 83) as depicted in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Chart 18656 (the perimeter of the existing security zone) and 3,000 yards of the pier. The purpose of this safety zone is to prevent persons or vessels from anchoring or loitering within the potential blast zone around the MOTCO piers during military onloads and offloads. This safety zone will be effective for the entire duration of onload and offload operations.
We developed this 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.
The safety zone is limited in duration, and is limited to a narrowly tailored geographic area. In addition, although this rule restricts anchoring and/or loitering in the waters encompassed by the safety zone, the effect of this rule will not be significant because the local waterway users will have access to the waterway for transitory purposes. The entities most likely to be affected by this rule are owners and operators of commercial vessels, and pleasure craft engaged in recreational activities and sightseeing. 2. Impact on Small Entities
This rule may affect owners and operators of commercial vessels, and pleasure craft engaged in recreational activities and sightseeing. This safety zone would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities for the following reasons. This safety zone would be activated, and thus subject to enforcement, for a limited duration. The safety zone does not restrict transitory use of the waterways and is in place to prevent anchoring and loitering within the blast zone. The maritime public will be advised via actual notice during the enforcement of this safety zone.
2.Add § 165.1198 to read as follows: § 165.1198 Safety zone; Military Ocean Terminal Concord Safety Zone, Suisun Bay, Military Ocean Terminal Concord, CA.
(a) Location. This safety zone is established in the navigable waters of Suisun Bay near Military Ocean Terminal Concord, CA (MOTCO) as depicted in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Chart 18656. Upon commencement of military onloads and offloads, the safety zone will encompass the navigable waters in the area between 500 yards of MOTCO Pier 2 in position 38°03′30″ N, 122°01′14″ W (NAD 83) as depicted in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Chart 18656 (the perimeter of the existing security zone) and 3,000 yards of the pier.
(b) Enforcement period. The zone described in paragraph (a) of this section will be enforced during all military onload and offload operations. The Captain of the Port San Francisco (COTP) will notify the maritime community of periods during which this zone will be enforced via actual notice on-scene during military onloads and offloads.
(c) Regulations. (1) The safety zone is open to all persons and vessels for transitory use.
(2) Persons and vessels operating within the safety zone may not anchor or otherwise loiter within the safety zone.
(3) Vessel operators desiring to anchor or otherwise loiter within the safety zone must contact Sector San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service at (415) 556-2760 or VHF Channel 14 to obtain permission.
(4) All persons and vessels transiting through or operating within the safety zone must comply with all directions given to them by the COTP or a designated representative.
(5) The public can contact Sector San Francisco Bay at (415) 399-3530 to obtain information concerning enforcement of this rule.
(d) Enforcement. All persons and vessels must comply with the instructions of the COTP or the designated on-scene patrol personnel. Patrol personnel comprise commissioned, warrant, and petty officers of the Coast Guard onboard Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, local, state, and federal law enforcement vessels. The U.S. Coast Guard may be assisted in the patrol and enforcement of the safety zone by local law enforcement and the MOTCO police as necessary. Upon being hailed by U.S. Coast Guard patrol personnel by siren, radio, flashing light, or other means, the operator of a vessel must proceed as directed.
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard,Captain of the Port San Francisco.
[FR Doc. 2013-01635 Filed 1-25-13; 8:45 am]