[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 91 (Tuesday, May 13, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20235-20236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-08366]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[Docket No. USCG-2025-0152]
Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway,
North Myrtle Beach, SC
AGENCY: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security (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 Little River Bridge, across the
Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW), mile 347.3, at North Myrtle
Beach, SC. South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT)
requested the Coast Guard consider placing the swing bridge on weekday
scheduled openings at designated times to assist with vehicle
congestion. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge
operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the
schedule is needed. The Coast Guard is seeking comments from the public
regarding these changes.
DATES: This deviation is effective without actual notice from May 13,
2025, through October 31, 2025. For the purposes of enforcement, actual
notice will be used from May 5, 2025, until May 13, 2025.
Comments and relate material must reach the Coast Guard on or
before June 27, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2025-0152 using Federal Decision-Making Portal at https://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 Ms. Jennifer Zercher, Bridge Management
Specialist, Seventh Coast Guard District; telephone 571-607-5951, email
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background, Purpose and Legal Basis
Little River Bridge across the AICW, mile 347.3, at North Myrtle
Beach, SC, is a swing bridge with a 7-foot vertical clearance at mean
high water in the closed position. The normal operating schedule for
the bridge is set forth in 33 CFR 117.5.
The Coast Guard received a request from SCDOT to consider placing
the swing bridge on weekday scheduled openings at designated times to
assist with vehicle congestion. The swing bridge currently opens to
navigation on demand. This temporary deviation will test a change to
the drawbridge operation schedule to determine if the reasonable needs
of navigation are maintained and whether a permanent change to the
schedule is needed.
Under this temporary deviation, the Little River Bridge shall open
on signal; except that from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, the draw will open on
the hour and half hour. Public vessels of the United States and tugs
with tows, upon proper signal, will be passed through any time. Vessels
able to pass without an 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.
Submitting comments. We encourage you to submit comments through
the Federal Decision-Making Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. To
do so,
[[Page 20236]]
go to https://www.regulations.gov, type USCG-2025-0152 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
deviation 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. Also, 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 review all comments received, but we will only post comments
that address the topic of this deviation. We may choose not to post
off-topic, inappropriate, or duplicate comments that we receive.
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: May 2, 2025.
Randall D. Overton,
Director, Bridge Administration, Seventh Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2025-08366 Filed 5-12-25; 8:45 am]
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