E9-29748. Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Franklin Canal, Franklin, LA

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard is changing the regulation governing the operation of the Chatsworth Road Swing Span Bridge across the Franklin Canal, mile 4.8, at Franklin, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. The St. Mary Parish Government requested that the operating regulation of the Chatsworth Road swing span bridge be changed in order for the bridge not to have to be continuously manned by a draw tender. This change allows the bridge to remain unmanned during most of the day by requiring a one-hour notice for an opening of the draw between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., during which time the bridge normally opens on signal.

DATES:

This rule is effective January 14, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

Comments and related materials received from the public, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket, are part of docket USCG-2009-0670 and are available online by going to http://www.regulations.gov, inserting USCG-2009-0670 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 Phil Johnson, Bridge Administration Branch, Eighth Coast Guard District; telephone [phone], e-mail [e-mail]. If you have questions on viewing the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulatory Information

On August 19, 2009, we published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Franklin Canal, Franklin, LA in the Federal Register (74 FR 41816). We received no comments on the proposed rule. No public meeting was requested, and none was held.

Background and Purpose

The St. Mary Parish Government requested that the operating regulation of the Chatsworth Road Swing Span Bridge, located on the Franklin Canal at mile 4.8 in Franklin, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, be changed in order for the bridge not to have to be continuously manned by a draw tender from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. when the bridge is now required to open on signal. Because of the relocation of a public boat landing downstream of the bridge, vessel traffic has become infrequent, and it is no longer necessary to have a bridge tender continuously man the bridge.

Concurrent with the publication of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, a Test Deviation [USCG-2009-0670] was issued to allow the St. Mary Parish Government to test the proposed schedule and to obtain data and public comments. The Test Deviation has allowed the bridge to operate as follows: The Chatsworth Road Bridge, mile 4.8 at Franklin, shall open on signal from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. if at least one hour notice is given. From October 1 through January 31 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the draw shall be opened on signal if at least three hours notice is given. From February 1 through September 30 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the draw shall open on signal if at least 12 hours notice is given. The test period has been in effect during the entire Notice of Proposed Rulemaking comment period. No comments were received from the public from this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking or the above referenced Temporary Deviation. The Coast Guard has reviewed bridge tender logs from before and after the temporary test deviation became effective. The logs do not indicate an appreciable difference in the number of openings between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., since the test deviation was issued. Based on the fact that no objections were received to the proposed change, the Coast Guard has determined that the proposed permanent change to the special drawbridge operating regulation is warranted.

Discussion of Comments and Changes

The Coast Guard did not receive any comments in response to the NPRM.

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.

We expect the economic impact of this rule to be so minimal that a full Regulatory Evaluation is unnecessary. The public will need to notify the bridge owner one hour in advance for an opening of the draw between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. There is no change in the regulatory text published in the NPRM.

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 will affect the following entities, some of which might be small entities: The owners or operators of vessels needing to transit the bridge with less than 1-hour notice between the hours of 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. Because of the relocation of a public boat landing downstream of the bridge, vessel traffic has become so infrequent that this rule will not affect a substantial number of small entities.

Assistance for Small Entities

Under section 213(a) of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121), in the NPRM we offered to assist small entities in understanding the rule so that they could better evaluate its effects on them and participate in the rulemaking process.

Collection of Information

This rule calls for 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 effect 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 would not create an environmental risk to health or risk to safety that might 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. The Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has not designated it as a significant energy action. Therefore, it does not require a Statement of Energy Effects under Executive Order 13211.

Technical Standards

The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) (15 U.S.C. 272 note) directs agencies to use voluntary consensus standards in their regulatory activities unless the agency provides Congress, through the Office of Management and Budget, with an explanation of why using these standards would be inconsistent with applicable law or otherwise impractical. Voluntary consensus standards are technical standards (e.g., specifications of materials, performance, design, or operation; test methods; sampling procedures; and related management systems practices) that are developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies.

This rule does not use technical standards. Therefore, we did not consider the use of voluntary consensus standards.

Environment

We have analyzed this rule under Department of Homeland Security Management Directive 023-01 and Commandant Instruction M16475.lD, 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 this action is one of a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. This rule is categorically excluded, under figure 2-1, paragraph (32)(e), of the Instruction.

Under figure 2-1, paragraph (32)(e), of the Instruction, an environmental analysis checklist and a categorical exclusion determination are not required for this rule.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117

• Bridges

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard amends 33 CFR part 117 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; 33 CFR 1.05-1; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.

2. § 117.445 is revised to read as follows:

§ 117.445

Franklin Canal.

The draw of the Chatsworth Bridge, mile 4.8 at Franklin, shall open on signal from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. if at least one hour notice is given. From October 1 through January 31 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the draw shall be opened on signal if at least three hours notice is given. From February 1 through September 30 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the draw shall open on signal if at least 12 hours notice is given.

Dated: November 28, 2009.

Mary E. Landry,

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