[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 63 (Monday, April 3, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16527-16529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4787]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[CGD07-06-011]
RIN 1625-AA09


Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Little River (S-20) Bridge, 
Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Mile 347.3, Horry County, SC

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to change the request to open 
regulation of the Little River (S-20) Bridge across the Atlantic 
Intracoastal Waterway, mile 347.3 in Horry County, South Carolina. This 
proposed rule will allow the swingbridge to open as necessary on the 
hour, twenty minutes past the hour and forty minutes past the hour from 
6 a.m. through 6 p.m., Monday through Friday except Federal holidays. 
At all other times, the bridge will open upon demand. This proposed 
action should improve the movement of vehicular traffic while not 
unreasonably interfering with the movement of vessel traffic.

DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or 
before June 2, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments and related material to Commander 
(dpb), Seventh Coast Guard District, 909 SE. 1st Avenue, Room 432, 
Miami, FL 33131, who maintains the public docket for this rulemaking. 
Comments and material received from the public, as well as documents 
indicated in this preamble as being available in the docket, will 
become part of this docket and are available for inspection or copying 
at the Seventh Coast Guard District Bridge Branch, 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 [CGD07-06-
011], indicate the specific section of this document to which each 
comment applies, and give the reason for each

[[Page 16528]]

comment. Please submit all comments and related material in an unbound 
format, no larger than 8 x 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 during the comment period. We may change this 
proposed rule in view of them.

Public Meeting

    We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a 
request for a meeting by writing to the Bridge Branch at the address 
under ADDRESSES explaining why one would be beneficial. If we determine 
that one would aid this rulemaking, we will hold one at a time and 
place announced by a later notice in the Federal Register.

Background and Purpose

    The existing regulations of the Little River (S-20) Bridge, mile 
347.3, at Horry County, published in 33 CFR 117.5 require the span to 
open on signal.
    On December 20, 2005, the officials of South Carolina Department of 
Transportation (SCDOT) requested that the Coast Guard review the 
existing regulation governing the request to open operation of the 
Little River Bridge due to increased vehicular traffic on the bridge. 
The SCDOT provided traffic count and bridge opening information of a 
typical summer week and a typical winter week along with the most 
current 12 month period bridge opening data. The data collected showed 
an increase in vehicular traffic along the bridge during 6 a.m. to 6 
p.m. This proposed rule should improve the movement of vehicular 
traffic from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, while not 
unreasonably interfering with the movement of vessel traffic.

Discussion of Proposed Rule

    This proposed rule will allow as necessary the Little River (S-20) 
bridge, mile 347.3, at Horry County to open on the hour, twenty minutes 
past the hour and forty minutes past the hour, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. At all other times, the 
bridge will open upon demand. This schedule will allow the local 
vehicular traffic the ability to plan for crossing the bridge while 
providing for the reasonable needs of navigation.

Regulatory Evaluation

    This proposed 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).
    We expect the economic impact of this proposed rule to be so 
minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation under the regulatory policies 
and procedures of DHS is unnecessary. This proposed rule would modify 
the existing bridge schedule and should allow for improved vehicle 
traffic flow and provide scheduled openings for vessel traffic.

Small Entities

    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), we have 
considered whether this proposed rule would have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities. The term ``small 
entities'' comprises small business, 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 proposed 
rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities. This proposed rule would affect the following 
entities, some of which may be small entities: the owners or operators 
of vessels needing to transit the Intracoastal Waterway in the vicinity 
of Little River Bridge, persons intending to drive over the bridge and 
nearby business owners. Vehicle traffic and small business owners in 
the area might benefit from the increased traffic flow that regularly 
scheduled openings will offer this area.
    If you think that your business, organization, or governmental 
jurisdiction qualifies as a small entity and that this 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 proposed 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 proposed rule so that they can better 
evaluate its effects on them and participate in the rulemaking. If the 
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 under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The Coast Guard will not retaliate against 
small entities that question or complain about this rule or any policy 
or action of the Coast Guard.

Collection of Information

    This proposed rule would call 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 proposed 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 proposed rule will not result in such an 
expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this rule elsewhere in this 
preamble.

Taking of Private Property

    This proposed rule would not affect 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 proposed 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 proposed 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.

[[Page 16529]]

Indian Tribal Governments

    This proposed rule does not have tribal implications under 
Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal 
Governments, because it would 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 proposed 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.

Technical Standards

    The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) (15 
U.S.C. 272 note) directs agencies to use voluntary consensus standards 
in their regulatory activities unless the agency provides Congress, 
through the Office of Management and Budget, with an explanation of why 
using these standards would be inconsistent with applicable law or 
otherwise impractical. Voluntary consensus standards are technical 
standards (e.g., specifications of materials, performance, design, or 
operation; test methods; sampling procedures; and related management 
systems practices) that are developed or adopted by voluntary consensus 
standards bodies.
    This proposed rule does not use technical standards. Therefore, we 
did not consider the use of voluntary consensus standards.

Environment

    We have analyzed this proposed 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 proposed 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 
proposed rule.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117

    Bridges.

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard proposes 
to amend 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; 33 CFR 1.05-1(g); Department of 
Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1; section 117.255 also issued 
under the authority of Pub. L. 102-587, 106 Stat. 5039.

    2. In Sec.  117.911, paragraph (b) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  117.911  Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Little River to Savannah 
River.

* * * * *
    (b) Little River Bridge Intracoastal Waterway mile 347.3, Horry 
County, S.C. The draw of the Little River (S-20) bridge, mile 347.3 at 
Horry County will open as necessary on the hour, twenty minutes past 
the hour, and forty minutes past the hour, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. At all other times, the 
bridge will open upon demand.
* * * * *

    Dated: March 15, 2006.
D. B. Peterman,
RADM, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District.
 [FR Doc. E6-4787 Filed 3-31-06; 8:45 am]
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