Proposed Rule2025-01210
Assateague Island National Seashore; Oversand Vehicles
Primary source
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Published
January 17, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
The National Park Service (NPS) proposes to amend the special regulations for Assateague Island National Seashore to remove certain permit eligibility requirements for motor vehicles that drive on designated beaches and oversand routes. The rulemaking would eliminate requirements addressing vehicle weight, ground clearance, and dimensions. These requirements were established in 1976 and are no longer necessary. In addition, the NPS proposes to make several technical, non-substantive changes to the regulations.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 11 (Friday, January 17, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 11 (Friday, January 17, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5786-5790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01210]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
36 CFR Part 7
[NPS-ASIS-NPS0039274; INSERT BILLING CODE]
RIN 1024-AE90
Assateague Island National Seashore; Oversand Vehicles
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) proposes to amend the special
regulations for Assateague Island National Seashore to remove certain
permit eligibility requirements for motor vehicles that drive on
designated beaches and oversand routes. The rulemaking would eliminate
requirements addressing vehicle weight, ground clearance, and
dimensions. These requirements were established in 1976 and are no
longer necessary. In addition, the NPS proposes to make several
technical, non-substantive changes to the regulations.
DATES: Comments on the proposed rule must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET
on March 18, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Regulation Identifier
Number (RIN) 1024-AE90, by either of the following methods:
(1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a>. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
(2) By hard copy: Mail to: Superintendent, Assateague Island
National Seashore, 7206 National Seashore Lane, Berlin, Maryland 21811.
Instructions: Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or in
any way other than those specified above. All submissions received must
include the words ``National Park Service'' or ``NPS'' and must include
the docket number or RIN (1024-AE90) for this rulemaking. Comments
received may be posted without change to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a>,
including any personal information provided.
Docket: For access to the docket to read comments received, go to
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a> and search for ``1024-AE90''. In
compliance with the Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act
of 2023, the plain language summary of the proposal is available on
<a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a> in the docket for this rulemaking.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hugh Hawthorne, Superintendent,
Assateague Island National Seashore; (410) 629-6080 Ext 6080;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#84ecf1e3ecdbece5f3f0ecebf6eae1c4eaf4f7aae3ebf2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bdd5c8dad5e2d5dccac9d5d2cfd3d8fdd3cdce93dad2cb">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals in the United States who are deaf,
deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711
(TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services.
Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services
offered within their country to make international calls to the point-
of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Purpose and Significance of Assateague Island National Seashore
In 1965, Congress established the Assateague Island National
Seashore to protect and develop Assateague Island and certain adjacent
waters and small marsh islands for public outdoor recreation use and
enjoyment. 16 U.S.C 459f. Congress directed the Secretary of the
Interior, acting through the NPS, to administer the Seashore for
general purposes of public outdoor recreation, including conservation
of natural features contributing to public enjoyment. 16 U.S.C. 459f-5.
The NPS manages the Seashore as a unit of the National Park System. In
addition to the Seashore that is managed by the NPS, other public lands
on the island are managed by the Maryland Department of Natural
Resources (Assateague State Park) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge).
The dominant feature of the Seashore is Assateague Island, a
barrier island that stretches 37 miles along the Atlantic Coast of
Maryland and Virginia. The island is a dynamic place, altered daily by
powerful wind and waves. It is the largest natural barrier island
ecosystem in the mid-Atlantic region that remains predominantly
unaffected by human development. Only a couple of miles wide at its
broadest point, the island's terrain offers shelter to famed wild
horses as well as sika deer, ghost crabs, and migrating birds such as
the great blue heron and snowy egret. The Seashore is a three-hour
drive from Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Visitors to the
Seashore can explore sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests, and
coastal bays. Popular recreational activities include swimming in the
ocean, paddling in coastal bays, fishing, hunting, stargazing, and
photography.
Authority To Promulgate Regulations
The NPS Organic Act (54 U.S.C. 100101 et seq.) gives the NPS broad
authority to regulate the use of lands and waters under its
jurisdiction, including a specific authority to promulgate regulations
it considers necessary or proper for the use and management of National
Park System units. 54 U.S.C. 100751(a). The enabling act for the
Seashore allows the NPS to use applicable legal authorities, including
those provided by the Organic Act, for the conservation and management
of natural resources. 16 U.S.C. 459f-5.
Executive Order 11644, Use of Off-Road Vehicles on the Public
Lands, was issued in 1972 and amended by Executive Order 11989 in 1977.
Executive Order 11644 required Federal agencies to issue regulations
designating specific areas and routes on public lands where the use of
off-road vehicles may be allowed. The NPS implemented these Executive
orders, in part, by promulgating a regulation at 36 CFR 4.10 (Travel on
park roads and designated routes). Under 36 CFR 4.10,
[[Page 5787]]
the use of motor vehicles off park roads is not permitted unless routes
and areas are designated for off-road motor vehicle use by special
regulation. Such routes and areas may be designated only in national
recreation areas, national seashores, national lakeshores, and national
preserves. This proposed rule would remove regulatory requirements for
the use of oversand vehicles (OSVs) on designated beaches and oversand
routes in the Seashore in compliance with 36 CFR 4.10 and Executive
Orders 11644 and 11989.
Use and Management of OSVs in the Seashore
The use of OSVs for access and recreation is a traditional activity
that occurred on Assateague Island prior to the establishment of the
Seashore. Oversand driving continues to this day and allows visitors to
access locations within the Seashore, including remote areas, for
recreational activities such as fishing, crabbing, viewing wildlife,
and enjoying coastal scenery. The NPS formalized management of OSV use
with the promulgation of special regulations in 1974 (39 FR 31633).
These regulations established a system of oversand permits to manage
the use of OSVs. These regulations designated areas for using OSVs
under permit, provided rules of travel, and authorized the suspension
or revocation of a permit for violating the regulations. In 1976 the
NPS amended the special regulations (41 FR 15008) to allow the
superintendent to establish a system of special recreation permits and
fees for OSVs. The revised regulations also authorized OSV use in
designated areas; established quantified standards to determine whether
an OSV qualifies for a permit; and restricted the use of towed travel
trailers. The OSV regulations for the Seashore have not changed since
they were last amended in 1976.
Using the superintendent's authority to establish a permit system,
the superintendent has established additional management prescriptions
for OSVs in the superintendent's compendium (or written compilation) of
discretionary actions taken by the superintendent that is referred to
in NPS regulations at 36 CFR 1.7(b). Among other actions, the
compendium requires OSVs to have four-wheel or all-wheel drive and
limits the number of OSVs that may be used in the Seashore. No more
than 145 OSVs are allowed at any one time in designated OSV areas in
Maryland. The NPS manages vehicle access on a one-off, one-on basis
after this limit has been reached.
In 2021 the NPS issued a Record of Decision (ROD) finalizing a
General Management Plan (GMP) for the Seashore. The GMP provides a
decision-making framework that ensures that management decisions
effectively and efficiently carry out the NPS mission at the Seashore
into the future. The ROD states that the NPS will manage OSV use for
maximum flexibility to respond to changing conditions, protect
sensitive resources, and minimize conflicts with other uses of the
Seashore. The ROD also states that the NPS will periodically review
regulations for OSV use at the Seashore and make changes if conditions
render changes necessary.
Proposed Rule
This proposed rule would amend the special regulations for the
Seashore at 36 CFR 7.65(b) by revising the quantified standards used to
determine if a motor vehicle qualifies for a permit that authorizes
driving on designated beaches and oversand routes. The rulemaking would
remove requirements that (1) the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
does not exceed 10,000 pounds; (2) the vehicle has at least seven
inches of ground clearance; and (3) the vehicle does not exceed 26 feet
in length and 8 feet in width. These requirements were established in
1976 and are no longer necessary. In addition, this rulemaking would
make several technical, non-substantive changes to the regulations. All
of these changes are discussed in more detail below.
GVWR Requirement
Gross vehicle weight is the base curb weight of a vehicle plus
actual cargo weight and passengers. Gross vehicle weight is not a limit
or specification. It is an actual weight that should never exceed the
GVWR for the vehicle. The GVWR is established by the manufacturer and
is the total weight the vehicle can safely carry. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires manufacturers to label
the GVWR on all vehicles, which includes passenger cars, trucks, and
buses. The label is typically found on the driver's side door jamb or
the door itself. While a vehicle's actual weight can fluctuate based on
load, the GVWR is a specific figure that does not change.
The current regulations for the Seashore require the GVWR of a
vehicle to be less than or equal to 10,000 pounds in order to be
eligible for an OSV driving permit. 36 CFR 7.65(b)(2)(ii)(D). The
Seashore is the only National Park System unit with an OSV permit
system that prescribes a vehicle weight limit.\1\ Although the NPS did
not explain the need for this specific requirement when it was
established in 1976, it was most likely established to help ensure the
safe use of two bridges that provided access to and from private land
within the boundary of the Seashore. These lands have since reverted
back to NPS ownership. No private property interests remain within the
Seashore. One of the bridges no longer exists and the other is no
longer open to motor vehicles.
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\1\ See special regulations for Gulf Island National Seashore
(36 CFR 7.12), Gateway National Recreation Area (36 CFR 7.29), Cape
Lookout National Seashore (36 CFR 7.49), Cape Hatteras National
Seashore (36 CFR 7.58), and Cape Cod National Seashore (36 CFR
7.67).
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The NPS does not expect the removal of the GVWR requirement to
result in adverse impacts to resources at the Seashore. Soil compaction
and self-repair from tide cycles mitigate damage to sand on beaches
used by OSVs. The NPS uses vehicles that weigh more than 10,000 pounds
for administrative actions (e.g., moving beached whales, repairing
boundary fences) that do not result in damage to the sand for those
reasons. There are many other requirements in the special regulations
for the Seashore that mitigate impacts to natural resources from beach
driving, the most important being requirements to stay on designated
routes and areas that keep OSVs away from dunes and vegetation. Cutting
circles and needlessly defacing the sand also is prohibited.
Several models of trucks meet or exceed the current limit of 10,000
pounds.\2\ This proposed rule would make those vehicles eligible to
receive OSV driving permits. This would create more opportunities for
recreation by increasing the pool of applicants that is eligible to
receive an OSV driving permit, without any adverse impacts to
resources.
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\2\ Examples include Ford F-250, Ford F-450, GMC Sierra 2500HD,
Chevy Silverado 2500HD Work Truck, and Ram 2500 Tradesman. Source:
<a href="http://Edmunds.com">Edmunds.com</a> (last visited December 5, 2024).
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Vehicle Ground Clearance
Ground clearance refers to the vertical distance between a
vehicle's undercarriage or underside of the chassis and the ground. The
current regulations for the Seashore require a vehicle to have a
minimum ground clearance of seven inches in order to be eligible for an
OSV driving permit. 36 CFR 7.65(b)(2)(ii)(D). Like the GVWR
requirement, the NPS did not explain the need for this specific
requirement when it was established in 1976. The NPS assumes that it
was established to help prevent vehicles from getting stuck on the
sand. Although ground clearance can be a contributing factor to whether
[[Page 5788]]
a vehicle becomes stuck, a specific, minimum ground clearance
requirement has disadvantages as a management action, and ground
clearance in general is not among the most important factors that cause
vehicles to become stuck.
Variation in vehicle design, manufacturing, and owner modifications
have made the minimum ground clearance requirement difficult to measure
and challenging to enforce. Ground level clearance can vary across the
same model of a vehicle due to several factors such as trim levels,
suspension types, packages and options, wheel and tire sizes, load and
weight, production variations, and owner modifications. Further, the
NPS has no documented or observational evidence that seven inches of
ground clearance is a meaningful distance compared to other clearance
levels from the ground. Many contemporary sport-utility-vehicles (SUVs)
have less than seven inches of ground clearance.\3\ The NPS has no
reason to believe that vehicles with less than seven inches of ground
clearance, as a category, are incapable of driving directly over sand.
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\3\ Examples include Toyota C-HR, Buick Encore, Mini Cooper
Countryman, Kia Soul, Hyundai Kona, Ford Escape, Kia Sorento, and
Cadillac XTC. Source: <a href="https://motorandwheels.com/suvs-with-lowest-ground-clearance/">https://motorandwheels.com/suvs-with-lowest-ground-clearance/</a> (last visited December 6, 2024).
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In general, insufficient vehicle ground clearance rarely causes
vehicles to get stuck at the Seashore if other contributing factors are
not present. In most cases, vehicles become stuck because the tires
have not been properly deflated, which is recommended for all vehicles.
In almost all other cases, vehicles become stuck because they are
driven into dunes or wet sand, or because they do not have modern
vehicle technology that did not exist when the existing regulations
were issued in 1976. This technology includes electronic stability
control,\4\ traction control systems, modern four-wheel drive (4WD),
and all-wheel drive (AWD). Tire choice and condition also has a
meaningful effect on vehicle traction over sand. Driver judgement,
skill, and responsibility are other key factors. The NPS offers tips on
the Seashore website to help avoid vehicles getting stuck. Examples are
(1) spinning a vehicle's tires makes them dig deeper into the sand
thereby increasing the chance the vehicle's frame will bottom out; (2)
after stopping a vehicle back up several feet before proceeding
forward; (3) carry 4 boards (2''x 6''x 36'') for placement under each
tire when stuck; (4) driving in the tracks of another vehicle is easier
than driving through fresh sand; and (5) walk across soft sand first to
be sure that it will hold your vehicle. Existing regulations require
vehicles to carry a shovel and a tow rope or chain that can help clear
vehicles off the sand when they do get stuck. 36 CFR 7.65(b)(2)(ii)(A).
The factors described above demonstrate that there are many ways to
avoid vehicles getting stuck in the sand that do not require a minimum
ground clearance requirement, which is poorly tailored to the problem
it is intended to address and difficult to administer and enforce.
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\4\ NHTSA required all new passenger vehicles with a GVWR of
10,000 or less to be equipped with electronic stability control
beginning in model year 2012. 72 FR 17236 (April 6, 2007).
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Vehicle Length and Width
The current regulations for the Seashore require a vehicle to be no
longer than 26 feet and no wider than 8 feet in order to be eligible
for an OSV driving permit. 36 CFR 7.65(b)(2)(ii)(D). Like the GVWR and
ground clearance requirements, the NPS did not explain the need for
these specific requirements when they were established in 1976. The NPS
speculates that they may have been established in reference to the size
of military surplus vehicles that were commonly used at the time for
off-road driving. In any event, the NPS does not manage vehicle
dimensions using the length and width requirements in the regulations
anymore. Vehicle width is limited in practice by the size of the gate
that provides OSV access to the designated beaches and oversand routes.
This limiting factor, together with the requirement in the special
regulations that vehicles have no more than 2 axles, has proven to be
sufficient to keep vehicles that are too large from entering the
designated OSV routes and areas.
Technical, Non-Substantive Changes
In addition to the changes described above, this rulemaking would
make several technical, non-substantive changes to the current
regulations.
In the existing table codified at 36 CFR 7.65(b)(2)(ii)(D), there
is a row entitled ``maximum number of wheels (per axle)'' but there is
no corresponding number in the right-hand column. When the regulations
were published in 1976, the table showed ``2'' as the maximum number of
wheels per axle, but then in 1999, a printing error resulted in the
omission of that number from the table, where it has not appeared for
25 years. For some time, the NPS has issued permits to OSVs that have
up to four wheels per axle without any observed adverse impacts to
resources or visitors. In order to eliminate potential confusion about
what the CFR requires compared to current management of OSVs, this
rulemaking would remove the reference to ``maximum number of wheels
(per axle)'' in the regulations.
Because the rulemaking would remove all of the quantified standards
in the existing table except for the requirement that vehicles have no
more than two axles, having a table is no longer necessary. As a
result, the rulemaking would remove the table and instead locate the no
more than two axle requirement in paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(D), in narrative
form. Revised paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(D) would omit an existing reference
to ``four-wheel-drive vehicles'' that is located in an introductory
clause to the table. The rulemaking also would remove the paragraph
immediately following the table. The first part of that paragraph
establishes specific requirements for two-wheel-drive vehicles. The
references to four-wheel-drive vehicles (before the table) and to two-
wheel-drive vehicles (after the table) are no longer necessary because
all OSVs must have 4WD or AWD by administrative action in the
superintendent's compendium. The rest of the paragraph immediately
following the table provides an exception to the vehicle dimension
requirements that would no longer be necessary because the dimension
requirements would be removed. Finally, the rulemaking would remove the
defined term ``dunes crossing,'' which is not used elsewhere in the
special regulations.
Compliance With Other Laws, Executive Orders and Department Policy
Regulatory Planning and Review (Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 and
14094)
Executive Order (E.O.) 14094 amends E.O. 12866 and reaffirms the
principles of E.O. 12866 and E.O. 13563 and states that regulatory
analysis should facilitate agency efforts to develop regulations that
serve the public interest, advance statutory objectives, and are
consistent with E.O. 12866 and E.O. 13563. Regulatory analysis, as
practicable and appropriate, shall recognize distributive impacts and
equity, to the extent permitted by law. E.O. 13563 emphasizes further
that regulations must be based on the best available science and that
the rulemaking process must allow for public participation and an open
exchange of ideas. We developed this rulemaking in a manner consistent
with these requirements.
E.O. 12866, as reaffirmed by E.O. 13563 and amended and reaffirmed
by E.O. 14094, provides that the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs
[[Page 5789]]
(OIRA) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will review all
significant rules. OIRA determined that this proposed rule is not
significant.
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
This proposed rule would not have a significant economic effect on
a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). No small entities would be directly
regulated by the proposed rule, which would modify vehicle requirements
for visitors seeking to obtain an OSV permit for driving on designated
beaches and oversand routes. OSV permits are non-transferable which
means that only those persons who initially receive a permit would be
affected by changes to permitting requirements. There is no limit on
the number of permits that can be issued. On average, the NPS issues
1,000 OSV permits per year. In recent years, approximately 10% of
permit applications have been denied due to vehicles not meeting the
GWVR requirement. The NPS has not denied any permit applications for
failure to meet the minimum ground clearance requirement or the vehicle
dimension requirements because they have not been enforced by the NPS
for the reasons explained above. As discussed above, the NPS expects
that the rulemaking would slightly increase the pool of applicants
eligible to receive an OSV permit by removing the GVWR requirement.
This could lead to an incremental increase of visitor activity at the
Seashore. The NPS expects this effect, however, to be mitigated by the
fact that on many days in peak season the designated beaches and
oversand routes are at maximum capacity for OSVs early in the morning
through late evening. When this occurs, although the composition of
visitors recreating in the designated OSV areas may be different, the
total amount of visitor activity will remain the same. In summary, the
NPS has considered whether this rulemaking will result in a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The NPS
certifies that this rulemaking will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small business entities. Therefore, a
regulatory flexibility analysis is not required.
Congressional Review Act
This proposed rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2). This
proposed rule:
(a) Does not have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million
or more.
(b) Will not cause a major increase in costs or prices for
consumers, individual industries, Federal, State, or local government
agencies, or geographic regions.
(c) Does not have significant adverse effects on competition,
employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of
U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.)
This proposed rule does not impose an unfunded mandate on State,
local, or Tribal governments or the private sector of more than $100
million per year. The proposed rule does not have a significant or
unique effect on State, local or Tribal governments or the private
sector. It addresses public use of national park lands and imposes no
requirements on other agencies or governments. A statement containing
the information required by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) is not required.
Takings (E.O. 12630)
This proposed rule does not effect a taking of private property or
otherwise have takings implications under E.O. 12630. A takings
implication assessment is not required.
Federalism (E.O. 13132)
Under the criteria in section 1 of E.O. 13132, the proposed rule
does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the
preparation of a federalism summary impact statement. This proposed
rule only affects use of federally administered lands and waters. It
has no direct effects on other areas. A federalism summary impact
statement is not required.
Civil Justice Reform (E.O. 12988)
This proposed rule complies with the requirements of E.O. 12988.
This proposed rule:
(a) Meets the criteria of section 3(a) requiring that all
regulations be reviewed to eliminate errors and ambiguity and be
written to minimize litigation; and
(b) Meets the criteria of section 3(b)(2) requiring that all
regulations be written in clear language and contain clear legal
standards.
Consultation With Indian Tribes (E.O. 13175 and Department Policy)
The Department of the Interior strives to strengthen its
government-to-government relationship with Indian Tribes through a
commitment to consultation with Indian Tribes and recognition of their
right to self-governance and Tribal sovereignty. The NPS has evaluated
this proposed rule under the criteria in E.O. 13175 and under the
Department's Tribal consultation policy and has determined that Tribal
consultation is not required because the proposed rule will have no
substantial direct effect on federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Nevertheless, in support of the Department of the Interior's and the
NPS's commitment to government-to-government consultation, the NPS
intends to send letters of notification to Indian Tribes that are
traditionally associated with the land that is now part of the
Seashore, including the Accohannock, Pocomoke, Nanticoke, and
Assateague peoples.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)
This rulemaking contains existing information collections. All
information collections require approval by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA, 44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). We may not conduct or sponsor, and you are not
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has reviewed and approved the
information collection requirements associated with this rulemaking and
assigned OMB Control Number 1024-0026 (expires March 31, 2027). This
proposed rule contains no new information requirements that will affect
the currently approved information collection. The NPS will use
<a href="http://Recreation.gov">Recreation.gov</a> to collect information necessary to make the financial
transaction required to purchase an OSV permit.
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.)
This proposed rule does not constitute a major Federal action
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. A
detailed statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA) is not required because the rulemaking is covered by a
categorical exclusion. NPS NEPA Handbook (2015) Section 3.3.D.3 allows
for the following to be categorically excluded: Minor changes in
programs and regulations pertaining to visitor activities. This
rulemaking would make minor changes to the eligibility requirements for
obtaining an OSV permit for the Seashore. The substantial majority of
requirements for OSV use at the Seashore will remain the same. The NPS
has also determined that the proposed rule does not involve any of the
extraordinary circumstances listed in 43
[[Page 5790]]
CFR 46.215 that would require further analysis under NEPA.
Effects on the Energy Supply (E.O. 13211)
This proposed rule is not a significant energy action under the
definition in E.O. 13211; the proposed rule is not likely to have a
significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use of
energy, and the proposed rule has not otherwise been designated by the
Administrator of Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs as a
significant energy action. A statement of energy effects is not
required.
Clarity of This Rulemaking
The NPS is required by E.O.s 12866 (section 1(b)(12)) and 12988
(section 3(b)(1)(B)), and 13563 (section 1(a)), and by the Presidential
memorandum of June 1, 1998, to write all rules in plain language. This
means that each rule the NPS publishes must:
(a) Be logically organized;
(b) Use the active voice to address readers directly;
(c) Use common, everyday words and clear language rather than
jargon;
(d) Be divided into short sections and sentences; and
(e) Use lists and tables wherever possible.
If you feel that the NPS has not met these requirements, send us
comments by one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section. To
better help the NPS revise the rule, your comments should be as
specific as possible. For example, you should identify the numbers of
the sections or paragraphs that you find unclear, which sections or
sentences are too long, the sections where you feel lists or tables
would be useful, etc.
Public Participation
It is the policy of the Department of the Interior, whenever
practicable, to afford the public an opportunity to participate in the
rulemaking process. Accordingly, interested persons may submit written
comments regarding this proposed rule by one of the methods listed in
the ADDRESSES section of this document.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time.
List of Subjects in 36 CFR Part 7
National parks, Reporting and Recordkeeping requirements.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, and under the authority of
16 U.S.C. 363 and 54 U.S.C. 100751, the National Park Service proposes
to amend 36 CFR part 7, as set forth below:
PART 7--SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM
0
1. The authority citation for part 7 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 54 U.S.C. 100101, 100751, 320102; Sec. 7.96 also
issued under DC Code 10-137 and DC Code 50-2201.07.
0
2. Amend Sec. 7.65 by removing paragraph (b)(1)(iv) and revising
paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(D) to read as follows:
Sec. 7.65 Assateague Island National Seashore.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
(2) * * *
(ii) * * *
(D) Which has more than two axles on vehicles and trailers towed by
any vehicle.
* * * * *
Shannon Estenoz,
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 2025-01210 Filed 1-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 17, 2025.
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