[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3940]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 22, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
33 CFR Part 165

RIN 2115-AA97

 

COTP Pittsburgh 94-002; Safety Zone; Ohio River

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the Ohio 
River back channel that separates Coraopolis, Pennsylvania from Neville 
Island, Pennsylvania. This regulation is needed to control vessel 
traffic in the regulated area during demolition of the main span of a 
bridge at Ohio River back channel mile 9.6. This regulation will 
restrict general navigation in the regulated area during demolition 
operations for the safety of vessel traffic.

EFFECTIVE DATES: This regulation is effective from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on 
February 14, 1994, and from 8 a.m. on February 28, 1994 to 4 p.m. on 
March 4, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
LT John Meehan, Port Operations Officer, Captain of the Port, 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at (412) 644-5808.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Drafting Information

    The drafters of this regulation are LT John Meehan, Project 
Officer, Marine Safety Office, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and LCDR A.O. 
Denny, Project Attorney, Second Coast Guard District Legal Office.

Regulatory History

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553, a notice of proposed rulemaking 
has not been published for this regulation and good cause exists for 
making it effective in less than 30 days from the date of publication. 
Following normal rulemaking procedures would have been impracticable. 
Specifically, a bridge is being removed from a navigable waterway. 
Bridge removal operations pose inherent risks to the waterway because 
the structure is progressively weakened as the operation proceeds. Once 
commenced, such operations should be completed as quickly as possible. 
Removal operations involving structural supports for this bridge have 
proceeded ahead of schedule, leaving insufficient time to publish a 
notice of proposed rulemaking. The Coast Guard deems it to be in the 
public's best interest to issue a regulation without waiting for a 
comment period, as immediate implementation of navigation restrictions 
is needed to ensure the safety of vessels transitting the area and to 
minimize the time a bridge in a weakened condition remains over the 
waterway.

Background and Purpose

    The Coraopolis Highway Bridge at mile 9.6 on the Ohio River back 
channel between Coraopolis, Pennsylvania and Neville Island, 
Pennsylvania is no longer an active highway bridge and must be removed. 
The bridge consists of several small spans that are located over land 
and two 300 foot main spans that cross over the waterway and meet atop 
a stone pier at the center of the channel. As part of the overall 
bridge removal operation, each main span will be demolished with seven 
simultaneously detonated explosive charges. The first main span 
demolition will occur at approximately 9:00 a.m. on February 14, 1994 
for Span #3 on the left descending bank (Coraopolis side) of the back 
channel. Since this explosive demolition will pose obvious hazards to 
vessels in the area, vessel traffic will be prohibited from entering 
the Ohio River back channel from mile 9.3 to mile 9.9 during the day of 
the demolition. The second main span demolition for Span #4 on the 
right descending bank (Neville Island side) of the back channel is 
scheduled for approximately 9 a.m. on February 28, 1994. Steel members 
and debris from the demolition of Span #4 will fall into the sailing 
line of the channel, creating an unsafe condition for vessels 
attempting to transit. The contractor will immediately commence 
clearing operations in the channel, but it will require 4 days to 
restore the navigability of this section of the Ohio River back 
channel. Accordingly, no vessel traffic will be permitted in the safety 
zone extending from Ohio River back channel mile 9.3 to mile 9.9 during 
this second demolition and subsequent channel clearing operations from 
8 a.m. on February 28, 1994 to 4 p.m. on March 4, 1994. For the 
remaining period that this safety zone is in effect, vessel traffic 
will be permitted to proceed without restriction with vessels 
transmitting the bridge site along the sailing line of the channel. In 
the event of unanticipated delays involving the demolitions discussed 
above, the Captain of the Port Pittsburgh will notify the marine 
community of schedule changes affecting the duration of vessel traffic 
restrictions within the safety zone via marine Safety Information Radio 
Broadcasts on VHF Marine Band Radio, Channel 22 (157.1 MHz) and via on 
site broadcast advisors on Channel 13 (156.650 MHz).

Regulatory Evaluation

    This rule is not considered a significant regulatory action under 
Executive Order 12866 and is not significant under Department of 
Transportation Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11040, 
February 26, 1979), it will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities, and it contains no collection of 
information requirements. A full regulatory analysis is unnecessary 
because the Coast Guard expects the impact of this regulation to be 
minimal due to the relatively short duration of vessel traffic 
restrictions, the relatively small size of the area regulated, and the 
infrequency of commercial vessel transits along this section of Ohio 
River back channel.

Federalism Assessment

    Under the principles and criteria of Executive Order 12612, this 
regulation does not raise sufficient federalism implications to warrant 
the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

Environmental Assessment

    The Coast Guard considered the environmental impact of this 
proposal and concluded that, under section 2.B.2.c. of Commandant 
Instruction M16475.1B, this proposal is categorically excluded from 
further environmental documentation as an action required to protect 
public safety.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

    Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation (water), Records and 
recordkeeping, Security measures, Waterways.

Temporary Regulation

    In consideration of the foregoing, subpart C of part 165 of title 
33, Code of Federal Regulations, is amended as follows:

PART 165--[AMENDED]

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

    Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 50 U.S.C. 191; 49 CFR 1.46 and 33 CFR 
1.05-1(g), 6.04-1, 6.04-6, and 160.5.

    2. A temporary Sec. 165.T02-003 is added, to read as follows:


Sec. 165.T02-003  Safety Zone: Ohio River.

    (a) Location. the Ohio River back channel (channel dividing 
Coraopolis, Pennsylvania from Neville Island, Pennsylvania) between 
mile 9.3 and mile 9.9 is established as a safety zone.
    (b) Effective dates. This section is effective from 8 a.m. to 4 
p.m. on February 14, 1994, and from 8 a.m. on February 28, 1994 to 4 
p.m. on March 4, 1994.
    (c) Regulations. In accordance with the general regulations in 
Section 165.23 of this part, entry into this zone is prohibited unless 
authorized by the Captain of the Port. The Captain of the Port 
Pittsburgh will notify the marine community of times when vessel 
traffic will be permitted within the safety zone via Marine Safety 
Information Radio Broadcasts on VHF Marine Band Radio, Channel 22 
(157.1 MHz) and via on site broadcast advisories on Channel 13 (156.650 
MHz).

    Dated: February 8, 1994.
M.W. Brown,
Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania.
[FR Doc. 94-3940 Filed 2-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M