Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Lower Grand River, Iberville Parish, LA, 57884-57886 [E9-26988]
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57884
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 10, 2009 / Rules and Regulations
industry under 29 CFR 1910.102.
Accordingly, practices and conditions
that apply to acetylene stored in
cylinders and used in welding
operations may differ from the practices
and conditions appropriate to bulk
storage of acetylene in generation and
distribution facilities.
One commenter expressed concern
that OSHA would apply retroactively to
existing acetylene-generating facilities
that were compliant with the
appropriate standards when originally
constructed, those sections of the NFPA
51A–2001 standard that address site
location, design, and materials (Ex.
OSHA–2008–0034–0019). The
commenter noted that applying the
updated NFPA standard in this fashion
would require moving or demolishing
the facilities, or discontinuing
operations. In response to this
commenter, OSHA notes that section
1.2.2 of NFPA 51A–2001 states, ‘‘An
existing plant that is not in strict
compliance with the provisions of this
standard shall be permitted to continue
operations where such use does not
constitute a distinct hazard to life or
adjoining property.’’ This provision
indicates clearly that NFPA 51A–2001
does not apply to acetylene plants in
existence prior to publication of the
standard when the operations in these
plants do not endanger employees.
Therefore, OSHA considers acetylene
plants in existence prior to the effective
date of NFPA 51A–2001 (i.e., February
9, 2001) to be in compliance with that
standard when the acetylene operations
in these plants do not ‘‘constitute a
distinct hazard’’ to employees.
List of Subjects in 29 CFR Part 1910
Acetylene, General industry,
Occupational safety and health, Safety.
Authority and Signature
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with RULES
Jordan Barab, Acting Assistant
Secretary of Labor for Occupational
Safety and Health, U.S. Department of
Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20210, directed the
preparation of this final rule. OSHA is
issuing this final rule pursuant to
Sections 4, 6, and 8 of the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C.
653, 655, and 657), 5 U.S.C. 553,
Secretary of Labor’s Order 5–2007 (72
FR 31160), and 29 CFR part 1911.
Signed at Washington, DC, on November 5,
2009.
Jordan Barab,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. E9–27004 Filed 11–9–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–26–P
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[Docket Number USCG–2009–0963]
Drawbridge Operating Regulations;
Victoria Barge Canal, Bloomington, TX
Coast Guard, DHS.
Notice of temporary deviation
from regulations.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Commander, Eighth
Coast Guard District, has issued a
temporary deviation from the regulation
governing the operation of the Union
Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Vertical Lift
Span Bridge across the Victoria Barge
Canal, mile 29.4 at Bloomington,
Victoria County, Texas. The deviation is
necessary to allow for one phase of an
on-going maintenance project to replace
the lift span motors and brakes.
DATES: This deviation is effective from
7 a.m. on Tuesday, December 1, 2009
until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 2,
2009.
ADDRESSES: Documents mentioned in
this preamble as being available in the
docket are part of docket USCG–2009–
0963 and are available online by going
to https://www.regulations.gov, inserting
USCG–2009–0960 in the ‘‘Keyword’’
box and then clicking ‘‘Search.’’ They
are also available for inspection or
copying at the Docket Management
Facility (M–30), U.S. Department of
Transportation, West Building Ground
Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If
you have questions on this rule, call or
e-mail Phil Johnson, Bridge
Administration Branch, Eighth Coast
Guard District; telephone 504–671–
2128, e-mail Philip.R.Johnson@uscg.mil.
If you have questions on viewing the
docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone
202–366–9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Victoria County Navigation
District has requested a temporary
deviation from the operating schedule of
the UPRR Vertical Lift Span Bridge
across the Victoria Barge Canal, mile
29.4 at Bloomington, Texas. The vertical
lift bridge has a vertical clearance of 22
feet above high water in the closed-tonavigation position and 50 feet above
high water in the open-to-navigation
position.
Presently, the bridge opens on signal
for the passage of vessels. This deviation
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allows the draw span of the bridge to
remain closed to navigation for 12
consecutive hours between 7 a.m. and 7
p.m. each day on December 1 and 2,
2009. Navigation on the waterway
consists mainly of tugs with tows. Due
to prior experience and coordination
with waterway users, it has been
determined that this closure will not
have a significant effect on these
vessels.
No alternate routes are available. The
closures are necessary for one phase of
an on-going maintenance project to
replace the lift span motors and brakes
on the bridge. The Coast Guard has
coordinated the closures with the
commercial users of the waterway.
In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e),
the drawbridge must return to its regular
operating schedule immediately at the
end of the designated time period. This
deviation from the operating regulations
is authorized under 33 CFR 117.35.
Dated: October 28, 2009.
David M. Frank,
Bridge Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9–26984 Filed 11–9–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[Docket No. USCG–2009–0686]
Drawbridge Operation Regulations;
Lower Grand River, Iberville Parish, LA
Coast Guard, DHS.
Notice of temporary deviation
from regulations; request for comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Commander, Eighth
Coast Guard District, has issued a
temporary deviation from the
regulations governing the operation of
the LA 75 pontoon bridge and the LA
77 swing bridge across the Lower Grand
River, mile 38.4 and 47.0 respectively,
in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. This
deviation will test a change to both
drawbridge’s operating schedules to
determine whether permanent changes
to the schedules are needed. The
deviation will allow an additional 30
minutes to the end of each scheduled
closure period to provide more time for
school buses to transit across the
bridges.
DATES: This deviation is effective from
November 25, 2009 through December
28, 2009.
Comments, requests for public
meetings, and related material must be
E:\FR\FM\10NOR1.SGM
10NOR1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 10, 2009 / Rules and Regulations
received by the Coast Guard on or before
January 11, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
identified by docket number USCG–
2009–0686 using any one of the
following methods:
(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov.
(2) Fax: 202–493–2251.
(3) Mail: Docket Management Facility
(M–30), U.S. Department of
Transportation, West Building Ground
Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590–
0001.
(4) Hand delivery: Same as mail
address above, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays. The telephone number
is 202–366–9329.
To avoid duplication, please use only
one of these methods. 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 proposed
rule, call or e-mail Lindsey Middleton,
Bridge Administration Branch;
telephone 504–671–2128, e-mail
Lindsey.R.Middleton@uscg.mil. If you
have questions on viewing or submitting
material to the docket, call Renee V.
Wright, Program Manager, Docket
Operations, telephone 202–366–9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation and Request for
Comments
We encourage you to participate in
this rulemaking by submitting
comments and related materials. All
comments received will be posted,
without change, to
https://www.regulations.gov and will
include any personal information you
have provided.
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with RULES
Submitting Comments
If you submit a comment, please
include the docket number for this
rulemaking (USCG–2009–0686),
indicate the specific section of this
document to which each comment
applies, and provide a reason for each
suggestion or recommendation. You
may submit your comments and
material online (https://
www.regulations.gov), or by fax, mail or
hand delivery, but please use only one
of these means. If you submit a
comment online via https://
www.regulations.gov, it will be
considered received by the Coast Guard
when you successfully transmit the
comment. If you fax, hand delivery, or
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:35 Nov 09, 2009
Jkt 220001
mail your comment, it will be
considered as having been received by
the Coast Guard when it is received at
the Docket Management Facility. We
recommend that you include your name
and a mailing address, an e-mail
address, or a phone number in the body
of your document so that we can contact
you if we have questions regarding your
submission.
To submit your comment online, go to
https://www.regulations.gov, click on the
‘‘submit a comment’’ box, which will
then become highlighted in blue. In the
‘‘Keyword’’ box insert ‘‘USCG–2009–
0686,’’ click ‘‘Search,’’ and then click on
the balloon shape in the ‘‘Actions’’
column. If you submit your comments
by mail or hand delivery, submit them
in an unbound format, no larger than 8c
by 11 inches, suitable for copying and
electronic filing. If you submit them by
mail and would like to know that they
reached the Facility, please enclose a
stamped, self-addressed postcard or
envelope. We will consider all
comments and material received during
the comment period and may change
the rule based on your comments.
Viewing Comments and Documents
To view comments, as well as
documents mentioned in this preamble
as being available in the docket, go to
https://www.regulations.gov, click on the
‘‘read comments’’ box, which will then
become highlighted in blue. In the
‘‘Keyword’’ box insert ‘‘USCG–2009–
0686’’ and click ‘‘Search.’’ Click the
‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ in the ‘‘Actions’’
column. You may also visit the Docket
Management Facility in Room W12–140
on the ground floor of the Department
of Transportation West Building, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington,
DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. We have an agreement with
the Department of Transportation to use
the Docket Management Facility.
Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic
form of comments received into any of
our dockets by the name of the
individual submitting the comment (or
signing the comment, if submitted on
behalf of an association, business, labor
union, etc.). You may review a Privacy
Act notice regarding our public dockets
in the January 17, 2008, issue of the
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).
Public Meeting
We do not now plan to hold a public
meeting. But you may submit a request
for one on using one of the four methods
specified under ADDRESSES. Please
explain why one would be beneficial. If
PO 00000
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57885
we determine that one would aid this
rulemaking, we will hold one at a time
and place announced by a later notice
in the Federal Register.
Background and Purpose
The Iberville Parish School Board has
requested a change in the operation
regulations for the LA 75 pontoon
bridge and the LA 77 swing bridge
across the Lower Grand River, mile 38.4
and 47.0, respectively, in Iberville
Parish, Louisiana. The change would
add an additional 30 minutes to the end
of each scheduled closure period to
provide more time for school buses to
transit across the bridge. Extra time is
now needed because one of Iberville
Parish’s high schools has been closed.
As a result, students have been
redistricted creating the need for buses
to have more time to transit the students
over the bridges to get to and from
school.
Presently, 33 CFR 117.478 (a) states:
The draw of the LA 75 bridge, mile 38.4
(Alternate Route) at Bayou Sorrel, shall
open on signal; except that, from about
August 15 to about June 5 (the school
year), the draw need not be opened from
6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
except holidays. The draw shall open on
signal at any time for an emergency
aboard a vessel.
Presently, 33 CFR 117.478 (b) states:
The draw of the LA 77 bridge, mile 47.0
(Alternate Route) at Grosse Tete, shall
open on signal; except that from about
August 15 to about June 5 (the school
year), the draw need not be opened from
6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
except Federal holidays. The draw shall
open on signal at any time for an
emergency aboard a vessel.
The Iberville Parish School Board has
requested that the operating regulation
of both the LA 75 and LA 77 bridges be
changed to open on signal; except that,
from about August 15 to about June 5
(the school year), the LA 75 bridge need
not be opened from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and
from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday except holidays and the LA 77
bridge need not be opened from 6 a.m.
to 8:30 a.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 5
p.m., Monday through Friday except
Federal holidays. Both draws shall open
on signal at any time for an emergency
aboard a vessel.
We are testing these potential
operating regulation adjustments to
discover any outcomes in vehicular
traffic and water navigation as a result
of the time adjustments. During the
temporary deviation period a traffic
count has been requested from
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57886
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 10, 2009 / Rules and Regulations
Louisiana Department of Transportation
and Development.
This deviation is effective from
November 25, 2009 until December 28,
2009.
The LA 75 bridge is a pontoon bridge,
there is no access for vessels to pass
through the bridge while it is in the
closed-to-navigation position. Vessels
have access to two different alternate
routes. One route is the Atchafalaya
River and, the other accessible route is
the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
The LA 77 bridge is a swing span
bridge and has a vertical clearance of 2.5
feet above mean high water, elevation
9.0 feet mean sea level and 11.5 feet
above mean low water, elevation 0.0
mean sea level in the closed-tonavigation position. Vessels have access
to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway as an
alternate route.
In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e),
the drawbridge must return to its regular
operating schedule immediately at the
end of the designated time period. This
deviation from the operating regulations
is authorized under 33 CFR 117.35.
Dated: October 14, 2009.
David M. Frank,
Bridge Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9–26988 Filed 11–9–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Regulatory Information
On June 15, 2009, we published a
notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)
entitled ‘‘Regulated Navigation Area;
East Rockaway Inlet to Atlantic Beach
Bridge, Nassau County, Long Island,
NY’’ in the Federal Register (74 FR
28199). We did not receive any
comments or requests for meetings on
the proposed rule.
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 165
[Docket No. USCG–2008–0085]
RIN 1625–AA11
Regulated Navigation Area; East
Rockaway Inlet to Atlantic Beach
Bridge, Nassau County, Long Island,
NY
Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Final rule.
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with RULES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is
establishing a regulated navigation area
extending from the entrance of East
Rockaway Inlet to the Atlantic Beach
Bridge, Nassau County, New York. This
regulated navigation area will affect
commercial vessels carrying petroleum
products in excess of 250 barrels by
requiring them to plan all transits of the
regulated navigation area so that they
maintain a minimum of two feet under
keel clearance at all times. Additionally,
they may not transit the regulated
navigation area if a small craft advisory,
or more severe weather warning, has
been issued, unless authorized by the
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:35 Nov 09, 2009
Jkt 220001
Captain of the Port Long Island Sound.
This action is necessary because
significant shoaling in this area has
reduced the depths of the navigable
channel and has increased the risk of
vessels grounding in the channel and
the potential for a significant oil spill.
DATES: This rule is effective December
10, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Comments and material
received from the public, as well as
documents mentioned in this preamble
as being available in the docket, are part
of docket USCG–2008–0085 and are
available online by going to https://
www.regulations.gov, inserting USCG–
2008–0085 in the ‘‘Keyword’’ box, and
then clicking ‘‘Search.’’ This material is
also available for inspection or copying
at the Docket Management Facility (M–
30), U.S. Department of Transportation,
West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If
you have questions on this rule, call or
e-mail: Chief Petty Officer Christie
Dixon, Prevention Department, USCG
Sector Long Island Sound at 203–468–
4459, e-mail: christie.m.dixon@uscg.mil.
If you have questions on viewing the
docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone
202–366–9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Purpose
East Rockaway Inlet is on the South
Shore of Long Island, in Nassau County.
Water depths in the federal navigation
channel change constantly and have
been reduced in some areas to as low as
five feet at times. This channel was last
dredged by the Army Corps of Engineers
during the winter of 2008–2009 and is
on a 2 year cycle for dredge work. The
channel buoys require regular relocation
to mark best water as the channel shoals
in between dredge cycles. East
Rockaway Inlet is frequented by small
coastal tankers and tugs towing oil
barges supplying two facilities: Sprague
Energy Oceanside, located in Oceanside,
Long Island, New York, a supplier of
home heating oil for Long Island, and
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Keyspan E.F. Barrett, an electrical
power generation facility, located in
Island Park, Long Island, New York. For
vessels carrying 250 or more barrels of
petroleum, approximately 60 transits
occur in that area each year. The
shoaling in this area has reduced depths
to a point where there is an increased
risk of vessels grounding and the
potential for a significant oil spill.
Similar shoaling led to the grounding in
late 2003 of a small coastal tanker
carrying home heating oil.
This rule will provide for the safety of
vessel traffic and protection of the
maritime environment in and around
East Rockaway Inlet, Long Island, New
York.
Discussion of Comments and Changes
There were not any comments or
changes to the regulatory text.
Regulatory Analyses
We developed this rule after
considering numerous statutes and
executive orders related to rulemaking.
Below we summarize our analyses
based on 13 of these statutes or
executive orders.
Regulatory Planning and Review
This rule is not a significant
regulatory action under section 3(f) of
Executive Order 12866, Regulatory
Planning and Review, and does not
require an assessment of potential costs
and benefits under section 6(a)(3) of that
Order. The Office of Management and
Budget has not reviewed it under that
Order.
Small Entities
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act
(5 U.S.C. 601–612), we have considered
whether this rule would have a
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities.
The term ‘‘small entities’’ comprises
small businesses, not-for-profit
organizations that are independently
owned and operated and are not
dominant in their fields, and
governmental jurisdictions with
populations of less than 50,000.
The Coast Guard certifies under 5
U.S.C. 605(b) that this rule will not have
a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities.
This rule may affect the following
entities, some of which may be small
entities: The owners or operators of
vessels carrying petroleum products
intending to transit or anchor in those
portions of the East Rockaway Inlet
covered by the regulated navigation
area; and Sprague Energy Oceanside and
Keyspan E.S. Barrett which receive the
vessels affected by this regulated
E:\FR\FM\10NOR1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 10, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57884-57886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26988]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[Docket No. USCG-2009-0686]
Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Lower Grand River, Iberville
Parish, LA
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations; request for
comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a
temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the
LA 75 pontoon bridge and the LA 77 swing bridge across the Lower Grand
River, mile 38.4 and 47.0 respectively, in Iberville Parish, Louisiana.
This deviation will test a change to both drawbridge's operating
schedules to determine whether permanent changes to the schedules are
needed. The deviation will allow an additional 30 minutes to the end of
each scheduled closure period to provide more time for school buses to
transit across the bridges.
DATES: This deviation is effective from November 25, 2009 through
December 28, 2009.
Comments, requests for public meetings, and related material must
be
[[Page 57885]]
received by the Coast Guard on or before January 11, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2009-0686 using any one of the following methods:
(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
(2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
(3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
(4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone
number is 202-366-9329.
To avoid duplication, please use only one of these methods. 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 proposed
rule, call or e-mail Lindsey Middleton, Bridge Administration Branch;
telephone 504-671-2128, e-mail Lindsey.R.Middleton@uscg.mil. If you
have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call
Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-
9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting
comments and related materials. All comments received will be posted,
without change, to https://www.regulations.gov and will include any
personal information you have provided.
Submitting Comments
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this
rulemaking (USCG-2009-0686), indicate the specific section of this
document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each
suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material
online (https://www.regulations.gov), or by fax, mail or hand delivery,
but please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online
via https://www.regulations.gov, it will be considered received by the
Coast Guard when you successfully transmit the comment. If you fax,
hand delivery, or mail your comment, it will be considered as having
been received by the Coast Guard when it is received at the Docket
Management Facility. We recommend that you include your name and a
mailing address, an e-mail address, or a phone number in the body of
your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding
your submission.
To submit your comment online, go to https://www.regulations.gov,
click on the ``submit a comment'' box, which will then become
highlighted in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box insert ``USCG-2009-0686,''
click ``Search,'' and then click on the balloon shape in the
``Actions'' column. If you submit your comments by mail or hand
delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8[frac12] by
11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit
them by mail and would like to know that they reached the Facility,
please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will
consider all comments and material received during the comment period
and may change the rule based on your comments.
Viewing Comments and Documents
To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble
as being available in the docket, go to https://www.regulations.gov,
click on the ``read comments'' box, which will then become highlighted
in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box insert ``USCG-2009-0686'' and click
``Search.'' Click the ``Open Docket Folder'' in the ``Actions'' column.
You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on
the ground floor of the Department of Transportation West Building,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. We have an
agreement with the Department of Transportation to use the Docket
Management Facility.
Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any
of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).
Public Meeting
We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a
request for one on using one of the four methods specified under
ADDRESSES. Please explain why one would be beneficial. If we determine
that one would aid this rulemaking, we will hold one at a time and
place announced by a later notice in the Federal Register.
Background and Purpose
The Iberville Parish School Board has requested a change in the
operation regulations for the LA 75 pontoon bridge and the LA 77 swing
bridge across the Lower Grand River, mile 38.4 and 47.0, respectively,
in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. The change would add an additional 30
minutes to the end of each scheduled closure period to provide more
time for school buses to transit across the bridge. Extra time is now
needed because one of Iberville Parish's high schools has been closed.
As a result, students have been redistricted creating the need for
buses to have more time to transit the students over the bridges to get
to and from school.
Presently, 33 CFR 117.478 (a) states: The draw of the LA 75 bridge,
mile 38.4 (Alternate Route) at Bayou Sorrel, shall open on signal;
except that, from about August 15 to about June 5 (the school year),
the draw need not be opened from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except holidays. The draw shall open
on signal at any time for an emergency aboard a vessel.
Presently, 33 CFR 117.478 (b) states: The draw of the LA 77 bridge,
mile 47.0 (Alternate Route) at Grosse Tete, shall open on signal;
except that from about August 15 to about June 5 (the school year), the
draw need not be opened from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except Federal holidays. The draw
shall open on signal at any time for an emergency aboard a vessel.
The Iberville Parish School Board has requested that the operating
regulation of both the LA 75 and LA 77 bridges be changed to open on
signal; except that, from about August 15 to about June 5 (the school
year), the LA 75 bridge need not be opened from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and
from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday except holidays and the LA
77 bridge need not be opened from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 2:30
p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday except Federal holidays. Both
draws shall open on signal at any time for an emergency aboard a
vessel.
We are testing these potential operating regulation adjustments to
discover any outcomes in vehicular traffic and water navigation as a
result of the time adjustments. During the temporary deviation period a
traffic count has been requested from
[[Page 57886]]
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
This deviation is effective from November 25, 2009 until December
28, 2009.
The LA 75 bridge is a pontoon bridge, there is no access for
vessels to pass through the bridge while it is in the closed-to-
navigation position. Vessels have access to two different alternate
routes. One route is the Atchafalaya River and, the other accessible
route is the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
The LA 77 bridge is a swing span bridge and has a vertical
clearance of 2.5 feet above mean high water, elevation 9.0 feet mean
sea level and 11.5 feet above mean low water, elevation 0.0 mean sea
level in the closed-to-navigation position. Vessels have access to the
Gulf Intracoastal Waterway as an alternate route.
In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridge must return to
its regular operating schedule immediately at the end of the designated
time period. This deviation from the operating regulations is
authorized under 33 CFR 117.35.
Dated: October 14, 2009.
David M. Frank,
Bridge Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-26988 Filed 11-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P
