[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 7, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 54618-54619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19269]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2022-0298]


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Pascagoula River, Pascagoula, MS

AGENCY: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

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

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from how the 
CSX Transportation railroad drawbridge across the Pascagoula River, 
mile 1.5, Pascagoula, MS will be operated. The bridge will continue to 
open according to the drawbridge regulations but the bridge tender will 
operate this bridge from a remote location at the CSX railroad terminal 
in Mobile, Alabama. The Coast Guard is seeking comments from the public 
regarding these proposed changes.

DATES: This deviation is effective from 7 a.m. on September 7, 2022, 
until March 6, 2023.
    Comments and relate material must reach the Coast Guard on or 
before November 7, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2022-0298 using Federal Decision Making Portal at https://www.regulations.gov.
    See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion 
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for instructions on submitting 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this test 
deviation, call or email Douglas Blakemore, Eighth Coast Guard District 
Bridge Administration Branch Chief at (504) 671-2128 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background, Purpose and Legal Basis

    The CSX Transportation railroad drawbridge crosses the Pascagoula 
River, mile 1.5, Pascagoula, MS. The bridge will continue to open 
according to the drawbridge regulations but the bridge tender will 
operate this bridge from a remote location at the CSX railroad terminal 
in Mobile, Alabama. This bridge has an eight foot vertical clearance at 
mean high water, an unlimited vertical clearance when in the open to 
vessel position and a 140' horizontal clearance. The bridge operates 
according to 33 CFR 117.5.
    CSX Transportation has requested to operate this bridge remotely 
from their railroad terminal in Mobile, AL. CSX has installed a remote 
operation system at the bridge and a remote control center, located in 
Mobile, AL. At the bridge, CSX has installed infrared cameras, closed 
circuit cameras and TVs, communication systems and information 
technology systems on the bridge that allow an operator from Mobile to 
monitor and control the bridge. This waterway is used primarily by 
recreational boats and small towing vessels and opens to vessels 
approximately 17 times per day.
    The Coast Guard will evaluate the impact of this test on vessels by 
analyzing CSX bridge tender logs and public comments.
    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 test deviation.

[[Page 54619]]

    The Coast Guard published a notice of proposed rulemaking under the 
same name and docket number as this test deviation at 87 FR 50276 
(August 16, 2022). Both documents can be found at https://www.regulations.gov and comments can be made to either document. 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.
    Submitting comments. We encourage you to submit comments through 
the Federal Decision Making Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. To 
do so, go to https://www.regulations.gov, type USCG-2022-0298 in the 
search box and click ``Search.'' Next, look for this document in the 
Search Results column, and click on it. Then click on the Comment 
option. If your material cannot be submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions.
    View material in the docket. To view documents mentioned in this 
proposed rule as being available in the docket, find the docket as 
described in the previous paragraph, and then select ``Supporting & 
Related Material'' in the Document Type column. Public comments will 
also be placed in our online docket and can be viewed by following 
instructions on the https://www.regulations.gov Frequently Asked 
Questions web page. We review all comments received, but we will only 
post comments that address the topic of the proposed rule. We may 
choose not to post off-topic, inappropriate, or duplicate comments that 
we receive. 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 of any posting or updates to the docket.
    We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to https://www.regulations.gov will include any personal information you have 
provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this 
document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, 
March 11, 2020).

    Dated: August 16, 2022.
Douglas Blakemore,
Chief, Bridge Administration Branch, U.S. Coast Guard, Eighth Coast 
Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2022-19269 Filed 9-6-22; 8:45 am]
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