[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7110-7111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03347]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2017-0060]


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Banana River, Indian Harbour 
Beach, FL

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 
operating schedule that governs the Mathers Bridge across the Banana 
River, mile 0.5, at Indian Harbour Beach, FL. This deviation will test 
a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a 
permanent change to the schedule is needed. This deviation will allow 
the bridge to open for vessels at specific times.

DATES: This deviation is effective without actual notice from February 
20, 2018 through 6 a.m. on August 4, 2018. For the purposes of 
enforcement, actual notice will be used from 6 a.m. on February 5, 2018 
until February 20, 2018. Comments and relate material must reach the 
Coast Guard on or before August 4, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG- 
2017-0060 using Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
    See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion 
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this test

[[Page 7111]]

deviation, call or email LT Allan Storm, Sector Jacksonville, Waterways 
Management Division, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 904-714-7616, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background, Purpose and Legal Basis

    Mathers Bridge across the Banana River, mile 0.5, at Indian Harbour 
Beach, FL is a swing bridge. It has a vertical clearance of 7 feet at 
mean high water in the closed position and a horizontal clearance of 74 
feet and 81 feet. Presently, the bridge operates in accordance with 33 
CFR 117.263.
    On January 12, 2017, the Brevard County Public Works Department, 
the bridge owner, requested the Coast Guard consider allowing the 
bridge to not open for vessels except every 30 minutes on the hour and 
half hour. The county requested this action in order to reduce traffic 
delays caused by the numerous openings of the bridge.
    On April 24, 2017, we published a notice of proposed rulemaking 
(NPRM) entitled Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Banana River, Indian 
Harbour Beach, FL in the Federal Register (82 FR 18877) and received 
minimul comments. The City of Indian Harbour Beach, FL requested to 
have the comment period re-opened as they believed their constituency 
did not have awareness of the initial notice and comment period. On 
October 23, 2017, we published a notice of proposed rulemaking; 
reopening comment period entitled Drawbridge Operation Regulation; 
Banana River, Indian Harbour Beach, FL in the Federal Register (82 FR 
48939).
    Due to the numerous comments received both for and against the 
proposed rule, the Coast Guard is publishing this temporary deviation 
to test the proposed schedule change to determine whether a permanent 
change is appropriate to better balance the needs of maritime and 
vehicle traffic.
    Under this test deviation, in effect from 6 a.m. on February 5, 
2018 to 6 a.m. on August 4, 2018, the bridge shall open for vessels 
requesting passage on the hour and half hour, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 
Sunday through Thursday. On Friday, Saturday and all Federal holidays, 
24 hours a day, the bridge shall open for vessels on the hour and half 
hour. At all other times, the bridge shall open on signal if at least 
two hours notice is given. Vessels able to pass through the bridge in 
the closed position may do so at anytime. The bridge will be able to 
open for emergencies and there is no immediate alternate route for 
vessels to pass through the bridge in closed position.
    The Coast Guard will also inform the users of the waterways through 
our Local and Broadcast Notices to Mariners of the change in operating 
schedule for the bridge so that vessel operators can arrange their 
transits to minimize any impact caused by the temporary deviation.
    In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridge must return to 
its regular operating schedule 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.

II. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking, 
and will consider all comments and material received during the comment 
period. Your comment can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. If 
you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which 
each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions.
    We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the 
docket, visit http://www.regulations.gov/privacynotice.
    Documents mentioned in this notice as being available in this 
docket and all public comments, will be in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website's 
instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up 
for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a 
final rule is published.

    Dated: February 6, 2018.
Barry L. Dragon,
Director, Bridge Branch, Seventh Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2018-03347 Filed 2-16-18; 8:45 am]
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