03-26032. Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Illinois Waterway, IL

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Temporary final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District is temporarily changing the regulation governing the McDonough Street Bridge, mile 287.3; Jefferson Street Bridge, mile 287.9; Cass Street Bridge, mile 288.1; Jackson Street Bridge, mile 288.4; and the Ruby Street Bridge, mile 288.7, across the Illinois Waterway at Joliet, Illinois. The drawbridges, with the exception of the Jefferson Street Bridge, will be allowed to remain closed to navigation from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The Jefferson Street Bridge will remain in the open to navigation position while unscheduled structural steel repairs are made. This temporary rule is issued to facilitate vehicle traffic management and structural steel repairs to the Jefferson Street Bridge.

DATES:

This temporary rule is effective from 7:30 a.m., July 18, 2003 until 7:30 a.m., November 1, 2003.

ADDRESSES:

Documents referred to in this rule are available for inspection or copying at room 2.107f in the Robert A. Young Federal Building at Eighth Coast Guard District, Bridge Branch, 1222 Spruce Street, St. Louis, MO 63103-2832, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is [phone], extension 2378. The Bridge Branch maintains the public docket for this rulemaking.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Roger K. Wiebusch, Bridge Administrator, [phone], extension 2378.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

 

Good Cause for Not Publishing an NPRM

We did not publish a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for this regulation. Under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Coast Guard finds that good cause exists for not publishing an NPRM. Structural steel deficiencies developed after a barge allided with the Jefferson Street Bridge, requiring the bridge to be closed to vehicular traffic and remain open to navigation. Until such time as the Jefferson Street Bridge is repaired, vehicular traffic in the City of Joliet, Illinois must be diverted to other bridges in the area, resulting in greater congestion and an increased likelihood of vehicular accidents and injuries. Since the repairs will take approximately four months to complete, it is important that the other bridges in the area immediately modify their hours to allow rush hour traffic to flow efficiently, reducing the likelihood of accident or injury.

Good Cause for Making Rule Effective in Less Than 30 Days

Under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Coast Guard finds that good cause exists for making this rule effective less than 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. Structural steel deficiencies developed after a barge allided with the Jefferson Street Bridge, requiring the bridge to be closed to vehicular traffic and remain open to navigation. Until such time as the Jefferson Street Bridge is repaired, vehicular traffic in the City of Joliet, Illinois must be diverted to other bridges in the area, resulting in greater congestion and an increased likelihood of vehicular accidents and injuries. Since the repairs will take approximately four months to complete, it is important that the other bridges in the area immediately modify their hours to allow rush hour traffic to flow efficiently, reducing the likelihood of accident or injury.

Background and Purpose

Due to structural steel damage sustained from a barge allision to the Jefferson Street Bridge, mile 287.9, Illinois Waterway, the bridge must remain in the open to navigation (closed to motor vehicle traffic) position at all times. As a result, the Illinois Department of Transportation requested a temporary change to the current regulations for the remaining four bascule leaf drawbridges within the city of Joliet that carry vehicular traffic across the Illinois Waterway. Increasing the hours that the four remaining bridges are closed to navigation and available for vehicle use only during peak traffic periods will reduce traffic jams in the City of Joliet while having minimal impact on vessel traffic on the Illinois Waterway. Repairs to the Jefferson Street Bridge are expected to be complete by November 1, 2003.

The current regulations permit the bridges to remain closed to navigation during the commuter hours of 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., Monday through Saturday. By increasing the time the remaining bridges may remain closed to navigation by thirty minutes in the morning and afternoon, traffic buildup in the city will be greatly alleviated. This regulation will result in these bridges, with the exception of the Jefferson Street Bridge being closed to navigation from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The Jefferson Street Bridge will be in the open to navigation position for structural steel repairs. Navigation on the waterway consists primarily of commercial tows and recreational watercraft. This temporary drawbridge operation regulation has been coordinated with commercial waterway operators. No objections to the proposed temporary rule were raised.

Regulatory Evaluation

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. It is not “significant” under the regulatory policies and procedures of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The Coast Guard expects that this temporary final rule will have minimal economic impact on the City of Joliet, Illinois and users of the affected waterways. This temporary final rule has been written in such a manner as to allow for the prompt and necessary repair of the Jefferson Street Bridge while facilitating vessel and vehicular traffic in the area.

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 temporary rule will have a negligible impact on vessel traffic. The primary users of the Illinois Waterway in Joliet, IL are commercial towboat operators. On average, eight vessels per day transit the affected bridges. Of these, one or two may have to adjust their speed and schedules to arrive at the affected bridges prior to, or after, the times the bridges are closed to navigation.

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.

Assistance for Small Entities

Under section 213(a) of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-121), we offered to assist small entities in understanding the rule so that they can better evaluate its effects on them and participate in the rulemaking process. Any individual that qualifies or believes he or she qualifies as a small entity and requires assistance with the provisions of this rule, may contact Mr. Roger K. Wiebusch, Bridge Administrator, Eighth Coast Guard District, Bridge Branch, at [phone], extension 2378.

Small businesses may send comments on the actions of Federal employees who enforce, or otherwise determine compliance with, Federal regulations to the Small Business and Agriculture Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman and the Regional Small Business Regulatory Fairness Boards. The Ombudsman evaluates these actions annually and rates each agency's responsiveness to small business. If you wish to comment on actions by employees of the Coast Guard, call 1-888-REG-FAIR (1-888-734-3247).

Collection of Information

This rule contains no new collection-of-information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).

Federalism

A rule has implications for federalism under Executive Order 13132, Federalism, if it has a substantial direct effect on State or local governments and would either preempt State law or impose a substantial direct cost of compliance on them. We have analyzed this rule under that Order and have determined that it does not have implications for federalism.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1531-1538) requires Federal agencies to assess the effects of their discretionary regulatory actions. In particular, the Act addresses actions that may result in the expenditure by a State, local, or tribal government, in the aggregate, or by the private sector of $100,000,000 or more in any one year. Though this rule will not result in such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this rule elsewhere in this preamble.

Taking of Private Property

This rule will not affect a taking of private property or otherwise have taking implications under Executive Order 12630, Governmental Actions and Interference with Constitutionally Protected Property Rights.

Civil Justice Reform

This rule meets applicable standards in sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform, to minimize litigation, eliminate ambiguity, and reduce burden.

Protection of Children

We have analyzed this rule under Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks. This rule is not an economically significant rule and does not concern an environmental risk to health or risk to safety that may disproportionately affect children.

Indian Tribal Governments

This rule does not have tribal implications under Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments, because it does not have a substantial direct effect on one or more Indian tribes, on the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian tribes.

Energy Effects

We have analyzed this rule under Executive Order 13211, Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use. We have determined that it is not a “significant energy action” under that order because it is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866 and is not likely to have a significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use of energy. It has not been designated by the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs as a significant energy action. Therefore, it does not require a Statement of Energy Effects under Executive Order 13211.

Environment

We have analyzed this rule under Commandant Instruction M16475.1D, which guides the Coast Guard in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f), and have concluded that there are no factors in this case that would limit the use of a categorical exclusion under section 2.B.2 of the Instruction. Therefore, this rule is categorically excluded, under figure 2-1, paragraph 32(e), of the Instruction, from further environmental documentation.

A final “Categorical Exclusion Determination” is available in the docket where indicated under ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117

• Bridges

Regulations

For the reasons set out in the preamble, the Coast Guard is amending Part 117 of Title 33, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows:

PART 117—DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS

1. The authority citation for part 117 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 499; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170; 33 CFR 1.05-1(g); section 117.255 also issued under the authority of Public Law 102-587, 106 Stat. 5039.

2. From 7:30 a.m. on July 18, 2003, through 7:30 a.m. on November 1, 2003, paragraph (c) of § 117.393, is suspended and a new paragraph (e) is added to read as follows:

§117.393 

Illinois waterway.

* * * * *

(e) The draws of the McDonough Street Bridge, mile 287.3; Cass Street Bridge, mile 288.1; Jackson Street Bridge, mile 288.4; Ruby Street Bridge, mile 288.7; all of Joliet, shall open on signal, except that they need not open from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The Jefferson Street Bridge shall remain in the open to navigation position from 7:30 a.m., July 18, 2003, through 7:30 a.m. on November 1, 2003.

Dated: July 10, 2003.

Robert F. Duncan,

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District.