Regulated Navigation Area; Biscayne Bay Causeway Island Slip, Miami Beach, FL

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a Regulated Navigation Area over certain navigable waters of the Biscayne Bay Causeway Island Slip, immediately west of the Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Miami Beach, FL. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and federal property on this navigable water. This proposed rulemaking would require all persons and vessels to transit the Regulated Navigation Area at a speed that creates minimum wake, seven miles per hour or less, to safeguard damage to Coast Guard assets, disrupting operations, and/or injuring Coast Guard personnel. Additionally, this proposed rulemaking would prohibit vessels from passing other vessels making way within the regulated area. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

DATES:

Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard on or before May 14, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-2021-0077 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 LT Samuel Rodriguez, Sector Miami Waterways Management Division, Coast Guard at 305-535-4317 or by email Samuel.Rodriguez-Gonzalez@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

§ Section

U.S.C. United States Code

II. Background, Purpose, and Legal Basis

In October 2020, the Fisher Island Ferry Communities Association relocated its ferry terminal to the Biscayne Bay Causeway Island Slip (Slip), west of the Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Miami Beach, FL. The Slip is the primary terminal for the movement of residents, workers, and goods from Terminal Island to Fisher Island. Prior to October 2020, maritime traffic in the Biscayne Bay Causeway Island Basin (Basin) was limited in scope to occasional private yachts and Coast Guard assets. The addition of ferry traffic at the Slip has resulted in a substantial increase in maritime traffic in the Basin. The Basin has a length of approximately 380 yards and a width of approximately 97 yards. The increase in traffic, particularly of the Fisher Island Ferry, presents a hazard to Coast Guard assets operating in the Basin as the ferries occasionally pass within the Basin, dangerously close to Coast Guard assets. Additionally, and particularly when passing within the Basin, the ferries create a disrupting, and at times dangerous wake, adversely affecting Coast Guard routine operations and personnel. The passing maneuvers and resultant wake also create hazardous conditions during certain cutter operations, such as onloading and offloading of ammunition or refueling. The Coast Guard's Seventh District Commander has determined the increased ferry traffic, passing maneuvers, and resultant wake presents a safety and operational concern to Coast Guard personnel and assets moored in the Biscayne Bay Causeway Island Basin.

The purpose of this regulation is to ensure navigational safety, protection of Coast Guard assets and personnel, and to facilitate safe execution of Coast Guard statutory missions. The Coast Guard is proposing this rulemaking under authority in 46 U.S.C. 70034.

III. Discussion of Proposed Rule

The Coast Guard's Seventh District Commander is proposing to establish a permanent Regulated Navigation Area that would require all persons and vessels to transit the regulated area at a speed that creates minimum wake, seven miles per hour or less, to safeguard damage to Coast Guard assets, disrupting operations, and/or injuring Coast Guard personnel. Additionally, this proposed rulemaking would prohibit vessels from passing other vessels making way within the regulated area. This Regulated Navigation Area covers all navigable waters within the Biscayne Bay Causeway Island Slip, immediately west of the Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Miami Beach, FL.

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, and location of the Regulated Navigation area. The Regulated Navigation Area will only affect vessels entering, and passing within, the Biscayne Bay Causeway Island Slip in Miami Beach, Miami Beach, FL. Vessels will continue to operate within the Biscayne Bay Causeway Island Slip with the only restriction being the requirement to operate at speeds below seven miles per hour and avoid passing other vessels making way within the regulated area. Moreover, upon activating the Regulated Navigation Area, the Coast Guard will notify the local maritime community through various means including, Local Notice to Mariners and Broadcast Notice to Mariners issued on VHF-FM marine radio channel 16.

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 operate within the Regulated Navigation Area 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 Navigation Area requiring all persons and vessels to transit the regulated area at a speed that creates minimum wake, seven miles or less, and to avoid passing other vessels making way within the regulated area. Normally such actions are 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 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 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. All comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov and 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 all public comments, will be in our online docket at https://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website's instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a final rule is published.

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 is proposing to amend 33 CFR part 165 as follows:

PART 165—REGULATED NAVIGATION AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS

1. The authority citation for part 165 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 46 U.S.C. 70034, 70051; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 6.04-1, 6.04-6, and 160.5; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.

2. Add § 165.789 to read as follows: