Rule2023-17477
Safety Zone, Upper Mississippi River MM 660.5-659.5, Lansing, IA
Primary source
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Published
August 15, 2023
Effective
August 18, 2023
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentCoast Guard
Abstract
The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters in the Upper Mississippi River at Mile Marker (MM) 660.5 through 659.5. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from all potential hazards associated with the implosion of the Lansing Power Station. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi River (COTP) or a designated representative.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 156 (Tuesday, August 15, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 15, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55375-55377]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17477]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 165
[USCG-USCG-2023-0664]
RIN 1625-AA00
Safety Zone, Upper Mississippi River MM 660.5-659.5, Lansing, IA
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Temporary final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for
all navigable waters in the Upper Mississippi River at Mile Marker (MM)
[[Page 55376]]
660.5 through 659.5. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel,
vessels, and the marine environment from all potential hazards
associated with the implosion of the Lansing Power Station. Entry of
vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically
authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi River
(COTP) or a designated representative.
DATES: This rule is effective from August 18, 2023, through August 31,
2023.
ADDRESSES: To view documents mentioned in this preamble as being
available in the docket, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, type USCG-
2023-0664 in the search box and click ``Search.'' Next, in the Document
Type column, select ``Supporting & Related Material.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this rule,
call or email MSTC Nathaniel Dibley, Sector Upper Mississippi River
Waterways Management Division, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 314-269-
2560, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#df91beabb7beb1b6bab3f19bf19bb6bdb3baa69faaacbcb8f1b2b6b3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cb85aabfa3aaa5a2aea7e58fe58fa2a9a7aeb28bbeb8a8ace5a6a2a7">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 Information and Regulatory History
The Coast Guard is issuing this temporary 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 a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)
with respect to this rule because a temporary safety zone must be
established immediately to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine
environment from potential hazards created by the use of explosives for
the implosion of the power plant and lack sufficient time to provide a
reasonable comment period and then consider those comments before
issuing the rule. It is impracticable to publish an NPRM because we
must establish this safety zone by August 18, 2023.
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. Delaying the effective date of
this rule would be impracticable because action is needed to respond to
the potential safety hazards associated the use of explosives for the
implosion of the Lansing Power Station starting August 18, 2023.
III. Legal Authority and Need for Rule
The Coast Guard is issuing this rule under authority in 46 U.S.C.
70034. The Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi River (COTP)
has determined that potential hazards associated with the use of
explosions for the implosion of the Lansing Power Plant will be a
safety concern for anyone operating or transiting within the Upper
Mississippi River from MM 660.5 through 659.5. This rule is needed to
protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment in the navigable
waters within the safety zone while the implosion is being conducted.
IV. Discussion of the Rule
The implosion event will be occurring on two dates in which
explosives will be used on an implosion of the Lansing Power Plant
located between MM 660.5-659.5 beginning August 18, 2023. The safety
zone is designed to protect waterway users until work is complete.
No vessel or person will be permitted to enter the safety zone
without obtaining permission from the COTP or a designated
representative. A designated representative is a commissioned, warrant,
or petty officer of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) assigned to units under
the operational control of USCG Sector Upper Mississippi River. To seek
permission to enter, contact the COTP or a designated representative
via VHF-FM channel 16, or through USCG Sector Upper Mississippi River
at 314-269-2332. Persons and vessels permitted to enter the safety zone
must comply with all lawful orders or directions issued by the COTP or
designated representative. The COTP or a designated representative will
inform the public of the effective period for the safety zone as well
as any changes in the dates and times of enforcement, as well as
reductions in the size of the safety zone through Local Notice to
Mariners (LNMs), Broadcast Notices to Mariners (BNMs), and/or Safety
Marine Information Broadcast (SMIB), as appropriate.
V. Regulatory Analyses
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, 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 rule has not been designated a ``significant
regulatory action,'' under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, as
amended by Executive Order 14094 (Modernizing Regulatory Review).
Accordingly, this rule 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 safety zone. The safety zone would impact
a small designated area located on the Upper Mississippi River at MM
660.5-659.5, near Lansing, IA. The Safety Zone is expected to be active
only during the implosion events, from August 18 until August 31, 2023.
Vessel traffic will be able to safely transit around this safety zone
when the safety zone is not enforced.
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 rule
will 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
V.A above, this rule will not have a significant economic impact on any
vessel owner or operator because the zone will be enforced only when
work is being conducted.
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 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
[[Page 55377]]
person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
Small businesses may send comments on the actions of Federal
employees who enforce, or otherwise determine compliance with, Federal
regulations to the Small Business and Agriculture Regulatory
Enforcement Ombudsman and the Regional Small Business Regulatory
Fairness Boards. The Ombudsman evaluates these actions annually and
rates each agency's responsiveness to small business. If you wish to
comment on actions by employees of the Coast Guard, call 1-888-REG-FAIR
(1-888-734-3247). The Coast Guard will not retaliate against small
entities that question or complain about this rule or any policy or
action of the Coast Guard.
C. Collection of Information
This rule will 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 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 rule does not have tribal implications under Executive
Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal
Governments, because it does 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.
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 rule will not result in
such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this rule elsewhere
in this preamble.
F. Environment
We have analyzed this 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 determined 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 rule involves a
safety zone encompassing the width of the Upper Mississippi River at MM
660.5--659.5. It is categorically excluded from further review under
paragraph L60(a) of Appendix A, Table 1 of DHS Instruction Manual 023-
01-001-01, Rev. 1. A 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.
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.
List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165
Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Security measures, Waterways.
For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard amends
33 CFR part 165 as follows:
PART 165--REGULATED NAVIGATION AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS
0
1. The authority citation for part 165 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 46 U.S.C. 70034, 70051, 70124; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 6.04-
1, 6.04-6, and 160.5; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No.
00170.1, Revision No. 01.3.
0
2. Add Sec. 165.T08-0664 to read as follows:
Sec. 165.T08-0664 Safety Zone; Upper Mississippi River, Mile Markers
660.5-659.5, Lansing, IA.
(a) Location. The following area is a safety zone: all navigable
waters within Upper Mississippi River, Mile Markers 660.5-659.5,
Lansing, IA.
(b) Enforcement period. This section will be subject to enforcement
from August 18, 2023, through August 31, 2023.
(c) Regulations.
(1) In accordance with the general safety zone regulations in Sec.
165.23, entry of persons or vessels into this safety zone described in
paragraph (a) of this section is prohibited unless authorized by the
COTP or a designated representative. A designated representative is a
commissioned, warrant, or petty officer of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
assigned to units under the operational control of USCG Sector Upper
Mississippi River.
(2) To seek permission to enter, contact the COTP or a designated
representative via VHF-FM channel 16, or through USCG Sector Upper
Mississippi River at 314-269-2332. Persons and vessels permitted to
enter the safety zone must comply with all lawful orders or directions
issued by the COTP or designated representative.
(d) Informational broadcasts. The COTP or a designated
representative will inform the public of the effective period for the
safety zone as well as any changes in the dates and times of
enforcement, as well as reductions in size or scope of the safety zone
through Local Notice to Mariners (LNMs), Broadcast Notices to Mariners
(BNMs), and/or Safety Marine Information Broadcast (SMIB) as
appropriate.
Dated: August 9, 2023.
A.R. Bender,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi
River.
[FR Doc. 2023-17477 Filed 8-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
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