[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10676-10677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05473]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2019-0155]
RIN 1625-AA09


Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Bayou Lafourche, LA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is issuing a temporary deviation to the 
operating schedule that regulates six drawbridges across Bayou 
Lafourche, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. These drawbridges are located 
south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and cross Bayou Lafourche at 
miles 38.7, 36.3, 33.9, 30.6, 27.8 and 23.9. This deviation is needed 
to collect and analyze information on vehicle traffic congestion on SR 
308 and LA-1 created when the drawbridges open to vessels and the 
impact to the reasonable needs of navigation when the bridges close to 
vessels during periods of high vehicle traffic. During this temporary 
deviation the drawbridge will remain closed to navigation.

DATES: This deviation is effective from 6 a.m. on March 25, 2019 to 6 
a.m. on July 22, 2019. Comments and related material must be received 
by the Coast Guard on or before August 22, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2019-0155 using Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
    See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion 
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
rulemaking, call or email Mr. Doug Blakemore, Eighth Coast Guard 
District Bridge Administrator; telephone (504) 671-2128, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Table of Abbreviations

CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
LADOTD Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
GLPC Greater Lafourche Port Commission
Sec.  Section
U.S.C. United States Code

[[Page 10677]]

II. Background, Purpose, and Legal Basis

    The Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC) has requested to 
change the operating requirements for the following bridges that cross 
Bayou Lafourche in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana: Larose vertical lift 
bridge, mile 38.7, Larose, LA; Cut Off vertical lift bridge, mile 36.3, 
Cut Off, LA; Cote Blanche pontoon bridge, mile 33.6, Cut Off, LA; 
Tarpon vertical lift bridge, mile 30.6, Galliano, LA; Galliano pontoon 
bridge, mile 27.8, Galliano, LA; Golden Meadow vertical lift bridge, 
mile 23.9, Golden Meadow, LA. These bridges currently open according to 
33 CFR 117.465.
    The GLPC requested changing these bridge operating regulations 
because vehicle and school bus traffic has become congested along SR 
308 and LA-1 during morning commute hours. There are five schools 
located along this part of Bayou Lafourche. School buses must cross the 
drawbridges to pick up and deliver students to their respective 
schools. School buses recently began picking up students 15 minutes 
earlier in the morning. To alleviate bus and vehicle congestion GLPC 
has asked to align morning bridge closures with this shift in student 
pick-up times.
    The 120-day temporary deviation to the regulation will allow GLPC 
to collect additional vehicle traffic data to measure the impact of 
bridge closures on traffic congestion. It will also allow the Coast 
Guard to collect data on the impact of the proposed regulation change 
on vessels.
    During this temporary deviation these bridges will operate as 
follows:
    The draws of the following bridges shall open on signal; except 
that, from August 1 through May 31, the draw need not open for the 
passage of vessels Monday through Friday except Federal holidays from 
6:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.; from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 
5:30 p.m., unless otherwise indicated:

(1) SR 308 (Golden Meadow) Bridge, mile 23.9, at Golden Meadow
(2) Galliano Pontoon Bridge, mile 27.8, at Galliano
(3) SR 308 (South Lafourche (Tarpon)) Bridge, mile 30.6, at Galliano
(4) Cote Blanche Pontoon Bridge, mile 33.9, at Cutoff
(5) Cutoff Vertical Lift Bridge, mile 36.3, at Cutoff
(6) LA-657 (Larose) Vertical Lift Bridge, mile 38.7, at Larose.

The bridge will open on signal for emergencies.
    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.

III. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    Public participation is essential to effective rulemaking. The 
Coast Guard will consider all comments and material received during the 
comment period. 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, you may review a Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal 
Docket Management System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal 
Register (70 FR 15086).
    Documents mentioned in this temporary rule change, and all public 
comments, are 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: March 18, 2019.
Douglas A. Blakemore,
Bridge Administrator, Eighth Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2019-05473 Filed 3-21-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P