[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 23, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-6811]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 23, 1994]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[COTP Pittsburgh 94-005]
RIN 2115-AA97

 

Safety Zone; Ohio River

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 one main span and a 
center support pier 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 at 8 a.m. on March 22, 
1994 and will terminate at 4 p.m. on April 10, 1994, unless terminated 
at a earlier date by the Captain of the Port, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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 the southern main span of the bridge and 
various northern span structural supports have already been completed, 
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 is in the 
process of being removed. The bridge originally consisted of several 
small spans that were located over land and two 300 foot main spans 
that crossed over the waterway and met atop a stone pier at the center 
of the channel. As part of the overall bridge removal operation, each 
main span and the center support pier have been scheduled for 
demolition with explosive charges. The first main span demolition, 
involving the southern span (Coraopolis side of the back channel) 
occurred on March 1, 1994. The second main span demolition, involving 
the northern span (Neville Island side of the back channel) is 
scheduled for approximately 10 a.m. on March 22, 1994. Steel members 
and debris from the demolition of this northern span 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 3 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 March 22, 1994 to 4 p.m. on March 25, 1994. For the remaining 
period that this safety zone is in effect, vessel traffic will be 
permitted to proceed without restriction, except during periods when 
the bridge's center pier is undergoing actual demolition operations. 
These pier demolition operations are tentatively scheduled for 3 p.m. 
on March 30, 1994 and 3 p.m. on April 6, 1994, and each will last 
approximately four hours. During these times, no vessel traffic will be 
permitted within the safety zone. 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 advisories on 
Channel 13 (156.650 MHz).

Regulatory Evaluation

    This temporary final rule is not considered a significant 
regulatory action under Executive Order 12866 and is not significant 
under the Department of Transportation Regulatory Policies and 
Procedures (44 FR 11034; 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), Reporting and 
recordkeepimg requirements, Security measures, Waterways.

Temporary Regulation

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Coast Guard is amending 
subpart C of part 165 of title 33, Code of Federal Regulations, as 
follows. This is a temporary amendment and will not appear in the Code 
of Federal Regulations.

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.T02-014 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 165.T02-014  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 regulation is effective at 8 a.m. on 
March 22, 1994 and will terminate at 4 p.m. on April 10, 1994, unless 
terminated at an earlier date by the Captain of the Port, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania.
    (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: March 10, 1994.
M.W. Brown,
Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania.
[FR Doc. 94-6811 Filed 3-22-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M