[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 19, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 41789-41790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19824]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 159 / Wednesday, August 19, 2009 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 41789]]
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[Docket No. USCG-2009-0670]
Drawbridge Operating Regulations; Franklin Canal, Franklin, LA
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations; request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a
temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the
Chatsworth Road Bridge across the Franklin Canal, mile 4.8, at
Franklin, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. This deviation will test a change
to the operating schedule to determine whether a permanent change to
the schedule is needed. It will allow the bridge to remain unmanned
during most of the day by requiring a one-hour notice for an opening of
the draw.
DATES: This deviation is effective from 5 a.m. on August 19, 2009 until
9 p.m. on February 16, 2010. Comments and related material must be
received by the Coast Guard on or before October 19, 2009.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2009-0670 using any one of the following methods:
(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
(2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
(3) Mail: 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.
(4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone
number is 202-355-9329.
To avoid duplication, please use only one of these methods. See
``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on submitting
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this rule,
call or e-mail Phil Johnson, Bridge Administration Branch, Eighth Coast
Guard District; telephone 504-671-2128, e-mail
[email protected]. If you have questions on viewing or
submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to participate in this 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.
Submitting Comments
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this
rulemaking (USCG-2009-0670), 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 as having been
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 e-mail 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,
click on the ``submit a comment'' box, which will then become
highlighted in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box insert ``USCG-2009-0670''
click ``Search'' and then click on the balloon shape in the ``Actions''
column. 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.
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,
click on the ``read comments'' box, which will then become highlighted
in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box insert ``USCG-2009-0670'' and click
``Search.'' Click the ``Open Docket Folder'' in the ``Actions'' column.
You may also visit either 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. We
have an agreement with the Department of Transportation to use the
Docket Management Facility.
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).
Public Meeting
We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a
request for one on or before September 3, 2009.
Background and Purpose
The St. Mary Parish Government has requested that the operating
regulation of the Chatsworth Road swing span
[[Page 41790]]
bridge, located on the Franklin Canal at mile 4.8 in Franklin, St. Mary
Parish, Louisiana, be changed in order for the bridge not to have to be
continuously manned by a draw tender. Currently, the bridge opens on
signal from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Because of the relocation of a public boat
landing downstream of the bridge, vessel traffic has become infrequent,
and it is no longer necessary to have a bridge tender continuously man
the bridge.
Currently, the bridge operates as follows: The draw of the
Chatsworth Road Bridge, mile 4.8 at Franklin, shall open on signal from
5 a.m. to 9 p.m. From October 1 through January 31 from 9 p.m. to 5
a.m., the draw shall open on signal if at least three hours notice is
given. From February 1 through September 30 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the
draw shall open on signal if at least 12 hours notice is given.
This Temporary Deviation from Drawbridge Operating Regulations
allows the bridge to operate as follows: The draw of the Chatsworth
Road Bridge, mile 4.8 at Franklin, shall open on signal from 5 a.m. to
9 p.m. if at least one hour notice is given. From October 1 through
January 31 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the draw shall open on signal if at
least three hours notice is given. From February 1 through September 30
from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the draw shall open on signal if at least 12
hours notice is given.
While some commercial vessels use the waterway to access commercial
facilities upstream of the bridge, they are able to schedule operations
around the advance notices required for an opening. The majority of
waterway usage consists of small recreational fishing craft that now
utilize the boat launch that has been relocated downstream of the
bridge. The bridge provides a vertical clearance of 7 feet above mean
high water in the closed-to-navigation position and unlimited in the
open-to-navigation position. Thus, the majority of recreational fishing
craft that may wish to transit through the bridge will be able to do so
without requesting an opening of the draw.
A Notice of Proposed Rule Making [USCG-2009-0672] is being issued
in conjunction with this Temporary Deviation to obtain public comments.
The St. Mary Parish Government states that the decrease in vessel
traffic, due to the relocation of the boat ramp downstream of the
bridge, has resulted in such infrequency of drawbridge openings that it
is impractical to man the bridge full time from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
A bridge tender will be on call to open the bridge with a one-hour
notice by calling the telephone number that will be posted on the
bridge. The Coast Guard will evaluate public comments from this
Temporary Deviation and the above referenced Notice of Proposed Rule
Making to determine if a change to the permanent special drawbridge
operating regulation is warranted.
In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridge must return to
its regular operating schedule immediately at the end of the designated
period. This deviation from the operating regulations is authorized
under 33 CFR 117.35.
Dated: August 4, 2009.
David M. Frank,
Bridge Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-19824 Filed 8-18-09; 8:45 am]
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