[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 242 (Thursday, December 17, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69556-69557]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33395]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[CGD08-98-075]
RIN 2115-AE47


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Lake Pontchartrain, LA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Temporary rule.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is temporarily changing the regulation for the 
operation of the draws of the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission 
causeway, north bascule spans across Lake Pontchartrain between 
Metairie, Jefferson Parish and Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish, 
Louisiana. From December 14, 1998 through March 20, 1999, the draws 
will remain closed to navigation Mondays through Saturdays except for 
federal holidays and the weekends inclusive of federal holidays and on 
Mardi Gras Day, the draws will open on signal if at least three hours 
notice is given. This temporary rule is issued to allow for completion 
of a project to clean and paint the bascule structures, an extensive 
but necessary maintenance operation.

DATES: This temporary rule is effective from December 14, 1998 through 
March 20, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Unless otherwise indicated, documents referred to in this 
notice are available for inspection or copying at the office of the 
Eighth Coast Guard District, Bridge Administration Branch, Hale Boggs 
Building, room 1313, 501 Magazine Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130-
3396 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The Bridge Administration Branch of the Eighth Coast Guard 
District maintains the public docket for this temporary rule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Phil Johnson or David Frank, Bridge Administration Branch, at the 
address and telephone number given above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 23 1998, the Coast Guard issued a 
temporary rule [63 FR 35820 (July 1, 1998)] for the regulation 
governing the operation of the draws of the Greater New Orleans 
Expressway Commission causeway, north bescule spans across Lake 
Pontchartrain, to allow the draws to remain closed Monday through 
Saturday from July 6, 1998 through November 10, 1998. The temporary 
rule was issued to allow for the cleaning and painting of the bascule 
structures. However, the contractor was unable to complete the project 
for reasons including the approach of two hurricanes in the month of 
September which required the removal of all equipment from the site. 
Presently, the contractor is prepared to continue with the project and 
is expending funds to maintain barges, tugs and related equipment 
needed to complete the project. The temporary rule expired on November 
10, 1998. November 27, 1998, the Coast Guard received a request from 
the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission for another temporary 
rule to allow the work to begin on December 4, 1998 and to continue 
through March 13, 1999. Since this request did not provide an 
opportunity for notices to mariners to be issued, the effective dates 
were changed to December 14, 1998 through March 20, 1999. The portions 
of the bascule structure which have not been stripped and painted 
remain in a deteriorated condition which warrants the closures so that 
remedial work can be accomplished. The contractor is prepared to resume 
work and will experience loss of funds if not allowed to continue 
without unnecessary delays. The Coast Guard was not notified in time to 
issue a notice of proposed rulemaking. For these reasons, good cause 
exists to issue this temporary rule without notice to provide an 
opportunity for comments and to make this temporary rule effective in 
less than 30 days after publication.

Background and Purpose

    The south channel span of the Greater New Orleans Expressway 
Commission causeway across Lake Pontchartrain Louisiana provides an 
alternate route with a vertical clearance of 50 feet above mean high 
water. Navigation on the waterway consists of small tugs with tows, 
fishing vessels, sailing vessels and other recreational craft. The 
special equipment used for this procedure has to be removed each time 
the draw span is opened. Since this process is time consuming and 
costly, the equipment must remain in place for 6-day periods, allowing 
the contractor to maximize work time. While the draw span being 
serviced is in the closed to navigation position, the equipment will be 
supported by two crane barges which must remain in place below the draw 
span. The short term inconvenience, attributable to a delay of vessel 
traffic which is not able to use the south channel span as an alternate 
route, for a maximum of six days, is outweighed by the long term 
benefits to be gained by keeping the bridges free of corrosion and in 
proper working condition. The work is essential for the continued 
operation of the draw spans. Presently, the draws open on signal if at 
least three hours notice is given.

Regulatory Evaluation

    This temporary rulemaking is not a significant regulatory action 
under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866 and does not require an 
assessment of potential cost and benefits under section 6(a)(3) of that 
order. It has not been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget 
under that order. It is not significant under the Regulatory Policies 
and Procedures of the Department of Transportation (DOT) (44 FR 11040, 
February 26, 1979). The Coast Guard expects the economic impact of this 
temporary rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation under 
paragraph 10e of the regulatory policies and procedures of DOT is 
unnecessary. This is because of the majority of vessels affected by the 
closure is minimal. The majority of commercial vessels and most of the 
recreational sailboats sailboats which normally transit the causeway 
bridge are able to do so at one of the navigation humps, located at 
four mile intervals along the bridge, or through the south channel 
span, which provides a vertical clearance of 50 feet above mean high 
water.

Small Entities

    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the 
Coast Guard must consider whether this temporary rule will have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.``Small entities'' may include small businesses, not-for-
profit organizations that are independently owned and operated and are 
not dominant in their fields and governmental jurisdictions with

[[Page 69557]]

populations of less than 50,000. The majority of commercial vessels and 
fishing vessels which normally transit the causeway bridge will still 
be able to do so through the south channel span. Thus, the Coast Guard 
expects there to be no significant economic impact on these vessels. 
The Coast Guard is not aware of any other waterway users who would 
suffer economic hardship from being unable to transit the waterway 
during these closure periods. Therefore, the Coast Guard certifies 
under 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that this temporary rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Collection of Information

    This temporary rule contains no collection-of-information 
requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.).

Federalism

    The Coast Guard has analyzed this proposal under the principles and 
criteria contained in Executive Order 12612, and it has been determined 
that this rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to 
warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

Environment

    The Coast Guard considered the environmental impact of this 
temporary rule and concluded that, under figure 2-1, paragraph 32(e), 
of COMDTINST M16475.1C, this temporary rule is categorically excluded 
from further environmental documentation. This is a Bridge Program 
Administrative action, promulgating operating regulations or procedures 
of drawbridges. The project consists of cleaning and painting the 
bascules on a permitted bridge, consistent with Federal, State and 
local laws and administrative determinations relating to the 
environment. A ``Categorical Exclusion Determination'' is available to 
the docket for inspection or copying where indicated under ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117

    Bridges.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, the Coast Guard is 
amending Part 117 Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations 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; 49 CFR 1.46; and 33 CFR 1.05-1(g); 
section 117.255 also issued under the authority of Pub. L. 102-587, 
106 Stat. 5039.

    2. Effective December 14, 1998 through March 20, 1999, Sec. 117.467 
is amended by suspending paragraph (b) and adding paragraph (c) to read 
as follows:


Sec. 117.467  Lake Pontchartrain.

* * * * *
    (c) From December 14, 1998 through March 20, 1999 the draws of the 
Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission causeway, north bascule span, 
need not open for the passage of vessels Monday through Saturday except 
for December 25, 26 and 27, 1998, January 1, 2, 3, 16, 17, and 18, 
1999, and February 13, 14, 15 and 16, 1999. From 12:01 a.m. on Sundays 
to 12:01 a.m. on Mondays and on December 25, 26 and 27, 1998, January 
1, 2, 3, 16, 17 and 18, 1999, and February 13, 14, 15 and 16, 1999, the 
draws will open on signal if at least three hours notice is given.

    Dated: December 7, 1998.
Paul J. Pluta,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 98-33395 Filed 12-16-98; 8:45 am]
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