[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 169 (Thursday, August 30, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 44233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18820]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2018-0729]


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, 
Fort Pierce, 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 Fort Pierce North Causeway A1A 
Bridge (Banty Sanders) across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway 
(AICW), mile 964.8 at Fort Pierce, St Lucie County 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 remain in the closed to navigation position 
from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

DATES: This deviation is effective from 7 a.m. on September 1, 2018 to 
7 a.m. on February 28, 2019. Comments and related material must reach 
the Coast Guard on or before January 1, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2018-0729 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 
deviation, call or email LT Samuel Rodrigues-Gonzalez, Sector Miami 
Waterways Management Division, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 305-535-
4307, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background, Purpose and Legal Basis

    The Fort Pierce North Causeway A1A Bridge (Banty Sanders) across 
the AICW, mile 964.8 in Fort Pierce, St Lucie County, FL is a bascule 
bridge. It has a vertical clearance of 26 feet at mean high water in 
the closed position and a horizontal clearance of 90 feet. The bridge 
currently operates under 33 CFR 117.5. There has been a large increase 
in vehicular traffic over the bridge in recent years due to large areas 
along the beach being developed for residential homes. This test 
deviation would provide for the bridge to operate on an advertised 
schedule for openings. The draw shall open on signal; except that, from 
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday except Federal Holidays, 
Saturdays and Sundays, the draw will open three times per hour: On the 
hour, 20 minutes past the hour and 40 minutes past the hour. Vessels in 
distress, public vessels of the United States, and tugs with tows must 
be passed at any time.
    This waterway is utilized by vessels of the United States, 
commercial vessels, as well as recreational vessels. There is no 
alternate route for vessels desiring to travel north in the AICW. 
Vessels that may pass through the bridge without a requested opening 
may do so at any time.
    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 document 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: August 27, 2018.
Barry Dragon,
Director, Bridge Branch, Seventh Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2018-18820 Filed 8-29-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P