§ 117.35 - Temporary change to a drawbridge operating schedule.

§ 117.35 Temporary change to a drawbridge operating schedule.

(a) For any temporary change to the operating schedule of a drawbridge, lasting less than or equal to 180 days, the District Commander may issue a deviation approval letter to the bridge owner and publish a “Notice of temporary deviation from regulations” in the Federal Register.

(b) If the time period for a temporary change to the operating schedule of a drawbridge will be greater then 180 days, the District Commander will follow appropriate rulemaking procedures and publish a temporary rule in the Federal Register prior to the start of the action.

(c) Request for change.

(1) To temporarily change the drawbridge-operating requirements the bridge owner must submit a written request to the District Commander for approval of the change.

(2) The request must describe the reason for the deviation and the dates and times scheduled for the start and end of the change.

(3) Requests should be submitted as early as possible, preferably 90 days before the start of the action. District Commanders have discretion to accept requests submitted less than 90 days before a needed change if those requests can be processed before the date of the needed change.

(d) Determination. The District Commander's determination to allow the schedule change is normally forwarded to the bridge owner within ten working days after receipt of the request. If the request is denied, the reasons for the denial will be set out in the District Commander's decision letter.

(e) The drawbridge must return to its regular operating schedule immediately at the end of the designated time period.

(f) If the authorized deviation period for an event is broken into separate time periods on the same day or on consecutive days, the drawbridge must provide openings for navigation between authorized schedule changes.

(g) The District Commander will also announce the change to the operating schedule in the Local Notice to Mariners and other appropriate local media.

[USCG-2001-10881, 71 FR 70308, Dec. 4, 2006, as amended by USCG-2013-0397, 78 FR 39174, July 1, 2013; USCG-2014-0410, 79 FR 38433, July 7, 2014]