Drawbridge Operation Regulations; St. Johns River, Mile 24.7 at Jacksonville, Duval County, FL

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Temporary final rule; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard is temporarily changing the regulations governing the operation of the Main Street Bridge, mile 24.7, Jacksonville, Florida. Under this temporary rule, the bridge need not open from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., August 18, 2003 until October 30, 2003. This temporary rule is required to allow the bridge owner to provide for worker safety while completing repairs to the bridge. Due to the repair work, the vertical clearance of the bridge will be reduced by 5 feet.

DATES:

This rule is effective from 8 p.m., August 18, 2003, until 6 a.m., October 30, 2003. Comments must be received by September 19, 2003.

ADDRESSES:

Documents indicated in this preamble as being available in the docket are part of docket CGD07-03-131 and are available for inspection or copying at Commander (obr), Seventh Coast Guard District, 909 S.E. 1st Avenue, Room 432, Miami, FL 33131, between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Barry Dragon, Project Officer, Seventh Coast Guard District, Bridge Branch, at (305) 415-6743.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting comments and related material. If you do so, please include your name and address, identify the docket number for this rulemaking (CGD07-03-131), indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and give the reason for each comment. Please submit all comments and related material in an unbound format, no larger than 81/2 by 11 inches, suitable for copying. If you would like to know they reached us, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and material received. The Coast Guard may amend this temporary final rule based on comments received.

Regulatory Information

We did not publish a notice of proposed rulemaking (NRPM) for this regulation. Under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Coast Guard finds that good cause exists for not publishing an NPRM. Publishing an NPRM was impracticable and contrary to the public interest, because the rule was needed to allow the contractor to provide for worker safety while repairing the bridge. The repair work is required before the winter season when there will be increased boating and vehicular traffic in the area. Also, since the temporary rule provides for bridge openings during the majority of the day, during daytime hours when the area is most heavily traveled, vessel traffic will not be unduly disrupted during the repair process.

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 Federal Register publication. Though the contractor submitted a letter on May 29, 2003, requesting a change to the bridge's operating schedule to effect repairs, that request was incorrectly addressed and did not reach the Bridge Branch until faxed there on July 7, 2003. The repair work to the bridge needs to be done before the busy winter season. Accordingly, there was insufficient time remaining to either publish an NPRM or delay the effective date of the rule. This temporary rule provides for a reduction in bridge openings so as to allow the contractor to safely repair the bridge while providing for the reasonable needs of navigation.

Background and Purpose

The Main Street Bridge, mile 24.7 at Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, has a vertical clearance of 40 feet at mean high water and a horizontal clearance of 350 feet between the fender systems. The existing operating regulations in 33 CFR 117.325 require the bridge to open on signal except that, from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, except Federal holidays, the draw need not open for the passage of vessels. The draw opens at any time for vessels in an emergency involving life or property.

Royal Bridge, Inc., contractors notified the Coast Guard on July 7, 2003, that work on the vertical lift is scheduled from August 18, 2003, to October 30, 2003. For safety reasons, there will be a 5-foot reduction in vertical clearance. The contractors request that the bridge not open from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. during the repair period. This temporary rule is necessary to provide for worker safety during repairs to the bridge and does not significantly hinder navigation, as openings will be provided throughout the remainder of the day.

Discussion of Rule

Under this temporary rule, the bridge need not open from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m., August 18, 2003, to October 3, 2003. There will also be a reduction in vertical clearance of 5 feet. This action is necessary for worker safety during repairs to the bridge and does not significantly hinder navigation.

Regulatory Evaluation

This rule is not a “significant regulatory action” under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review, and does not require an assessment of potential costs and benefits under section 6(a)(3) of that Order. The Office of Management and Budget has not reviewed it under that Order. It is not “significant” under the regulatory policies and procedures of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Coast Guard expects the economic impact of this rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation is unnecessary. The temporary rule will impact vessels of greater than 35 feet in height because of the reduction in vertical clearance. The temporary rule, however, will only affect a small percentage of vessel traffic through the bridge, because it is not yet the winter season when there would be substantially greater use of the bridge.

Small Entities

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), we considered whether this temporary rule would have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 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 temporary rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, because the regulations will affect only a limited amount of marine traffic and will still provide for navigation needs by opening on signal from 6:01 a.m. to 7:59 p.m.

If you think that your business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction qualifies as a small entity and that this temporary 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.

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 temporary rule so that they can better evaluate its effects on them and comment if necessary. If this temporary 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 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

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).

Collection of Information

This rule calls for no new collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).

Federalism

A rule has implications for federalism under Executive Order 13132, Federalism, if it has a substantial direct effect on State or local governments and would either preempt State law or impose a substantial direct cost of compliance on them. We have analyzed this rule under that Order and have determined that it does not have implications for federalism.

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 or more in any one year. Though this rule would not result in such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this rule elsewhere in the preamble.

Taking of Private Property

This rule will not effect a taking of private property or otherwise have taking implications under Executive Order 12630, Governmental Actions and Interference with Constitutionally Protected Property Rights.

Civil Justice Reform

This 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.

Protection of Children

We have analyzed this 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.

Indian Tribal Governments

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.

Energy Effects

We have analyzed this rule under Executive Order 13211, Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use. We have determined that it is not a “significant energy action” under that order, because it is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866 and is not likely to have a significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use of energy. The Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has not designated it as a significant energy action. Therefore, it does not require a statement of Energy Effects under Executive Order 13211.

Environment

We have analyzed this rule under Commandant Instruction M16475.1D, which guides the Coast Guard in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f), and have concluded that there are no factors in this case that would limit the use of a categorical exclusion under section 2.B.2 of the Instruction. Therefore, this rule is categorically excluded, under figure 2-1, paragraph (32)(e), of the Instruction, from further environmental documentation. Under figure 2-1, paragraph (32)(e), of the Instruction, an “Environmental Analysis Check List” and a “Categorical Exclusion Determination” are not required for this rule.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117

Bridges.

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard amends 33 CFR part 117 as follows:

PART 117—DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS

1. The authority citation for part 117 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 499; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1; 33 CFR 1.05-1(g); Section 117.255 also issued under authority of Pub. L. 102-587, 106 Stat. 5039.

2. From 8 p.m. on August 18, 2003, until 6 a.m. on October 30, 2003, in § 117.325, paragraph (a) is suspended and a new paragraph (d), is added to read as follows: