[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 78304-78305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30494]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2014-0952]


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Victoria Barge Canal, 
Bloomington, Texas

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations; request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the 
method of operation for the Victoria Barge Canal Railroad Bridge across 
the Victoria Barge Canal, mile 29.4 at Bloomington, Victoria County, 
Texas. The bridge will continue to open on signal. The bridge owner, 
the Victoria County Navigation District, in conjunction with the Union 
Pacific Railroad (UPRR), the operator of the bridge, requested 
permission to remotely operate the bridge. This deviation tests a 
remote operating system as the method for opening the bridge under the 
existing operating schedule to determine whether a permanent change to 
remote operations can be approved.

DATES: This deviation is effective from midnight on December 30, 2014 
through midnight on June 29, 2015.
    Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard 
on March 2, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2014-0952 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) Mail or Delivery: 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. Deliveries 
accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion 
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on 
submitting comments. To avoid duplication, please use only one of these 
three methods.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this test 
deviation, call or email the Coast Guard; Mr. David M. Frank, telephone 
504-671-2128, email [email protected]. If you have questions on 
viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Cheryl Collins, 
Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. 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.

1. Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
rulemaking (USCG-2014-0952), 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 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 email 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, type the docket number [USCG-2014-
0952] in the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.'' Click on ``Submit a 
Comment'' on the line associated with this rulemaking. 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.

2. Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble 
as being available in the docket, go to

[[Page 78305]]

http://www.regulations.gov, type the docket number (USCG-2014-0952) in 
the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.'' Click on Open Docket Folder on 
the line associated with this rulemaking. You may also visit 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.

3. 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).

4. Public Meeting

    We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a 
request for one using one of the three methods specified under 
ADDRESSES. Please explain 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.

B. Basis and Purpose

    The bridge owner, the Victoria County Navigation District, in 
conjunction with the UPRR requested permission to remotely operate the 
Victoria Barge Canal Railroad Bridge across the Victoria Barge Canal, 
mile 29.4 at Bloomington, Victoria County, Texas. Traffic on the 
waterway consists of primarily commercial traffic, vessels and tows 
providing services to the Port of Victoria. The vertical lift bridge 
has a vertical clearance of 22 feet above high water in the closed-to-
navigation position and 50 feet above high water in the open-to-
navigation position.
    Presently, the bridge is required to open on signal for the passage 
of vessels in accordance with 33 CFR 117.5. However, due to the passing 
trains, when a request signal to open the bridge is received and before 
opening the bridge for vessel traffic, the tender is required by his 
company to contact the railroad dispatcher so that railroad traffic can 
be stopped, if necessary. The bridge will continue to open on signal 
for the passage of vessels, but the method of opening the bridge will 
be accomplished through remote operation by the railroad dispatcher.
    The bridge operator, UPRR, determined that by remotely operating 
the bridge, vessel transit through the bridge will become more 
efficient. This new remote method of operation provides for the signal 
to open to be received directly by the railroad dispatcher and will 
allow the railroad dispatcher to then open the bridge from the remote 
location.
    Vessel traffic on the waterway will be monitored by the railroad 
dispatcher through the use of Automatic Identification System (AIS). 
The Victoria County Navigation District recommends that all vessels 
wishing to transit on the Victoria Barge Canal up to the Port of 
Victoria have an operating AIS transponder onboard. This AIS tracking 
system allows the Port of Victoria and the railroad dispatcher to 
determine where vessels are located on the waterway in relationship to 
the bridge. Movements of vessels with AIS onboard within two miles of 
the bridge will trigger notification to the railroad dispatcher that a 
vessel is approaching the bridge and needs the bridge to be opened. Any 
vessel that has passed the two-mile signage may also choose to contact 
the railroad dispatcher via telephone. Upon receipt of this initial 
notification, the railroad dispatcher must contact the vessel via 
radiotelephone (marine radio) on VHF-FM channel 13 to coordinate the 
safe passage of the vessel through the bridge. The railroad dispatcher 
must provide information to include, but not limited to, the 
availability to continue the vessel transit as the bridge is open for 
navigation or that the vessel will have to wait as a train is in the 
block. If a vessel is required to wait, the railroad dispatcher must 
indicate to the vessel the amount of time the vessel will have to wait 
so that the train can be cleared from the block.
    In preparation for this test deviation, the bridge owner has posted 
signage regarding the operation of the bridge at two miles, at one 
mile, and at one-half mile from the bridge in each direction. To 
facilitate the continued smooth operation of the bridge, mariners 
should exchange opening requests using the following method:

    1. When a vessel with AIS equipment onboard approaches the two-
mile post, the vessel may continue to transit the waterway but must 
tune their radiotelephone to VHF-FM channel 13 and receive passing 
instructions from the railroad dispatcher. The dispatcher must 
contact the vessel promptly to provide passing instruction to insure 
the continued safe transit of the vessel. Vessels without AIS 
equipment or vessels with AIS who would prefer to call via 
telephone, may call the railroad dispatcher at 800-262-4691 to 
arrange passing instructions.
    2. When any vessel approaches the one-mile post, the railroad 
dispatcher should have either cleared the vessel through the bridge 
or given an indication that a train is in the block and the vessel 
will be cleared as soon as practicable. If the vessel has not yet 
spoken with the railroad dispatcher, the vessel should immediately 
call the railroad dispatcher via telephone at 800-262-4691.
    3. When any vessel reaches the one-half mile post and has not 
communicated with the railroad dispatcher nor been cleared to 
proceed, the vessel should stop and contact either the railroad 
dispatcher at 800-262-4691 or the Port of Victoria emergency contact 
at 361-570-8855.

    During the test deviation phase, the bridge will be operated from 
Spring, TX, but the bridge operator will be required to have a signal 
maintainer on call to respond to bridge operation issues should one 
occur.
    In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridge must return to 
its regular operating schedules immediately at the end of the effective 
period of this temporary deviation. This deviation from the operating 
regulations is authorized under 33 CFR 117.35.

    Dated: December 4, 2014.
David M. Frank,
Bridge Administrator, Eighth Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2014-30494 Filed 12-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P