Coast Guard June 25, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard proposes that operating procedures on the Rob Roy Drawbridge across the Arkansas Waterway at mile 67.4 at Pine Bluff, AR be revised in the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect that vessel operators contact the remote drawbridge operator via microphone keying on VHF-FM Channel 12 when requesting a draw opening. This keying activates an indicator on the remote drawbridge operator's console and sends an acknowledgement tone back to the vessel and the remote drawbridge operator then establishes normal verbal radio communications. This protocol is used to isolate and differentiate these radio communications from the railroad communications that the remote drawbridge operator receives, thus ensuring that vessel calls receive immediate attention.

This rule makes non-substantive changes throughout Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to Coast Guard navigation and navigable waters regulations. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public. These changes are provided to coincide with the annual recodification of Title 33 on July 1.