Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, St. Petersburg Beach, FL
Federal Register, Volume 79 Issue 154 (Monday, August 11, 2014)
Federal Register Volume 79, Number 154 (Monday, August 11, 2014)
Proposed Rules
Pages 46740-46742
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office www.gpo.gov
FR Doc No: 2014-18868
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
Docket No. USCG-2014-0436
RIN 1625-AA09
Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, St. Petersburg Beach, FL
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating schedule that governs the Pinellas Bayway Structure ``E'' (SR 679) Bridge, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway mile 113.0, St. Petersburg Beach, FL. This proposal would extend the time period when the bridge is subject to periodic openings. During this extended time period the bridge will not open on demand.
DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or before November 10, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2014-0436 using any one of the following methods:
(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
(2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
(3) Mail or Delivery: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Deliveries accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on submitting comments. To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this proposed rule, call or email Mr. Gene Stratton, Seventh Coast Guard District, Bridge Branch, 305-415-6944, email allen.e.stratton@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-
9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Acronyms
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Sec. Section Symbol
U.S.C. United States Code
-
Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to participate in this proposed rulemaking by submitting comments and related materials. All comments received will be posted, without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have provided.
1. Submitting comments
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this proposed rulemaking (USCG-2014-0436), indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online (http://www.regulations.gov), or by fax, mail or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online via http://www.regulations.gov, it will be considered received by the Coast Guard when you successfully transmit the comment. If you fax, hand deliver, or mail your comment, it will be considered as having been received by the Coast Guard when it is received at the Docket Management Facility. We recommend that you include your name and a mailing address, an email address, or a phone number in the body of your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding your submission.
To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type the docket number USCG-2014-0436 in the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.'' Click on ``Submit a Comment'' on the line associated with this rulemaking. 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 them 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.
2. Viewing comments and documents
To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type the docket number USCG-2014-0436 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.
3. Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).
4. Public Meeting
We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a request for one using one of the three methods specified under ADDRESSES. Please explain why one 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.
-
Basis and Purpose
The legal basis for the rule is the Coast Guard's authority to establish drawbridge regulations:
33 U.S.C. 499. The proposed changes would relieve traffic congestion in St. Petersburg, FL by shortening the time period when the Pinellas Bayway Structure ``E'' (SR 679) is subject to on demand openings and it will extend the period when the Bridge is subject to scheduled periodic openings. The Tierra Verde Community Association, Inc. (``TVCA'') has requested an amendment to the Pinellas Bayway Structure ``E'' (SR 679) Bridge operating schedule to reduce increased vehicular traffic during peak hours. TVCA has indicated that the existing operating schedule severely impacts commute times for residents, businesses, and those seeking
Page 46741
recreational access to Fort Desoto Park. Accordingly, this rule is proposed to seek additional input before the operating schedule is changed.
-
Discussion of Proposed Rule
The Pinellas Bayway Structure ``E'' Bridge provides a vertical clearance of 25 feet at mean high water in the closed position and a horizontal clearance of 89 feet. Vessels with a height of less than 25 feet may pass through the bridge at any time. 33 CFR 117.287(d)(4) states Pinellas Bayway Structure ``E'' (SR 679) bridge, mile 113.0 at St. Petersburg Beach ``shall open on signal, except that from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. the draw need open only on the hour and 30 minutes past the hour.'' The proposed change would extend the time when the Bridge is not required to open on signal by two hours in the morning and evening. This proposed change would allow this Bridge to open on the hour and half-hour from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
-
Regulatory Analyses
We developed this proposed rule after considering numerous statutes and executive orders related to rulemaking. Below we summarize our analyses based on these statutes or executive orders.
1. Regulatory Planning and Review
This proposed rule is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review, as supplemented by Executive Order 13563, Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review, and does not require an assessment of potential costs and benefits under section 6(a)(3) of Order 12866 or under section 1 of Executive Order 13563. The Office of Management and Budget has not reviewed it under those Orders.
We believe this proposed rule is not a significant regulatory action because vessels may still transit the Bridge at scheduled intervals and these changes will continue to meet the reasonable needs of navigation. Therefore, the proposed rule will only have a minor impact on vessels transiting the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in the vicinity of St Petersburg Beach, Florida.
2. Impact on Small Entities
The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA), 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.
This proposed rule would affect the following entities, some of which might be small entities: The owners or operators of vessels transiting the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
This action will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities for the following reasons: Vessels that can safely transit under the bridge may do so at any time. Vessels unable to transit under the Bridge will be able to transit the bridge at specific intervals which can be taken into account by owners and operators.
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.
3. Assistance for Small Entities
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 contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above. 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.
4. Collection of Information
This proposed rule would call for no new collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).
5. Federalism
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 does not have implications for federalism.
6. Protest Activities
The Coast Guard respects the First Amendment rights of protesters. Protesters are asked to contact 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.
7. 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 will not result in such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this rule elsewhere in this preamble.
8. Taking of Private Property
This proposed rule would not cause a taking of private property or otherwise have taking implications under Executive Order 12630, Governmental Actions and Interference with Constitutionally Protected Property Rights.
9. Civil Justice Reform
This proposed rule meets applicable standards in sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform, to minimize litigation, eliminate ambiguity, and reduce burden.
10. Protection of Children
We have analyzed this proposed rule under Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks. This rule is not an economically significant rule and would not create an environmental risk to health or risk to safety that might disproportionately affect children.
11. Indian Tribal Governments
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.
Page 46742
12. Energy Effects
This proposed rule is not a ``significant energy action'' under Executive Order 13211, Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use.
13. Technical Standards
This proposed rule does not use technical standards. Therefore, we did not consider the use of voluntary consensus standards.
14. Environment
We have analyzed this rule under Department of Homeland Security Management Directive 023-01 and Commandant Instruction M16475.lD, which guides the Coast Guard in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f), and have made a preliminary determination that this action is one of a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. This proposed rule simply promulgates the operating regulations or procedures for drawbridges. This rule is categorically excluded, under figure 2-1, paragraph (32)(e), of the Instruction.
Under figure 2-1, paragraph (32)(e), of the Instruction, an environmental analysis checklist and a categorical exclusion determination are not required for this rule. We seek any comments or information that may lead to the discovery of a significant environmental impact from this proposed rule.
List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117
Bridges.
For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to amend 33 CFR part 117 as follows:
PART 117--DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS
0
1. The authority citation for part 117 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 33 U.S.C. 499; 33 CFR 1.05-1; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.
0
2. In Sec. 117.287, revise paragraph (d)(4) to read as follows:
Sec. 117.287 Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
* * * * *
(d) * * *
(4) Pinellas Bayway Structure ``E'' (SR 679) bridge, mile 113.0 at St. Petersburg Beach. The draw shall open on signal, except that from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. the draw need open only on the hour and 30 minutes past the hour.
* * * * *
Dated: June 24, 2014.
J.H. Korn,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District.
FR Doc. 2014-18868 Filed 8-8-14; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
