2024-03455. Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Reynolds Channel, Atlantic Beach, NY

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that governs the Atlantic Beach Bridge across the Reynolds Channel, mile 0.4, at Atlantic Beach, NY. The bridge owner, Nassau County Bridge Authority, submitted a request on September 22, 2022 to modify the regulation to decrease the number of openings on signal from October through May. On November 16, 2023 Nassau County Bridge Authority sent an additional request to add a bridge tower call number and remove outdated language. It is expected that this change to the regulations will better serve the needs of the community while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

DATES:

Comments and relate material must reach the Coast Guard on or before March 22, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG–2022–0854 through the Federal Decision Making Portal at https://www.regulations.gov.

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 email Ms. Stephanie E. Lopez, First Coast Guard District, Project Officer, telephone [phone], email [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Table of Abbreviations

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

DHS Department of Homeland Security

FR Federal Register

OMB Office of Management and Budget

SNPRM Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

§ Section

U.S.C. United States Code

II. Background, Purpose, Regulatory History, and Legal Basis

The Atlantic Beach Bridge at mile 0.4, across Reynolds Channel, Atlantic Beach, NY, has a vertical clearance of 25 feet at mean high water and a horizontal clearance of 125 feet. Waterway users include recreational and commercial vessels, including fishing vessels.

The existing drawbridge operating regulations are listed at 33 CFR 117.799(e). Under the current regulation, the bridge shall open on signal from October 1 through May 14. Nassau County is requesting the bridge shall open on signal from 8 a.m. to midnight October 1 through May 14 and on signal year-round, from midnight to 8 a.m., if at least eight hours' notice is given.

The Reynolds Channel is transited by recreational vessels and commercial vessels. In recent years, a significant amount of industrial and commercial business has closed along the waterfront. This change has caused a decrease in the amount of bridge openings requested from midnight to 8 a.m.

Nassau County Bridge Authority held two public meetings, one on August 18, 2022 and another on August 25, 2022. No one from the public attended.

On August 25, 2023, the Coast Guard published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) titled Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Reynolds Channel, Atlantic Beach, NY (88 FR 58176). There we stated why we issued the NPRM and invited comments on our proposed regulatory action related to this drawbridge. During the comment period that ended September 25, 2023 we did not receive any public comments.

III. Discussion of Proposed Rule

This supplemental proposed rule provides the draw to open on signal from 8 a.m. to midnight October 1 through May 14; and from midnight to 8 a.m. year-round, the draw shall open on signal if at least 8 hours' notice is given. The reason for these changes is to reduce openings on signal during off peak hours due to a significant reduction of commercial business on the waterway. Additionally, in revised paragraph (2) of the regulation the Nassau County Bridge Authority provided a bridge tower phone number for mariners to contact when requesting a bridge opening; paragraph (3) will be rephrased to improve readability and clarity and remove unnecessary discussions of high tide predictions based on the NOAA published tide table.

IV. Regulatory Analyses

We developed this proposed rule after considering numerous statutes and Executive orders related to rulemaking. A summary of our analysis based on these statutes and Executive orders follows.

A. Regulatory Planning and Review

Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess the costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits. This SNPRM has not been designated a “significant regulatory action,” under Executive Order 12866. Accordingly, this SNPRM has not been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

This regulatory action determination is based on the ability that vessels can still transit the bridge given advanced notice.

B. Impact on Small Entities

The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA), 5 U.S.C. 601–612, as amended, requires Federal agencies to consider the potential impact of regulations on small entities during rulemaking. 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 proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

While some owners or operators of vessels intending to transit the bridge may be small entities, for the reasons stated in section IV.A above this proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on any vessel owner or operator.

If you think that your business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction qualifies as a small entity and that this rulemaking would have a significant economic impact on it, please submit a comment (see ADDRESSES ) explaining why you think it qualifies and how and to what degree this rulemaking would economically affect it.

Under section 213(a) of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104–121), we want to assist small entities in understanding this proposed rule. If the rule would affect your small business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction and you have questions concerning its provisions or options for compliance, please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. The Coast Guard will not retaliate against small entities that question or complain about this proposed rule or any policy or action of the Coast Guard.

C. Collection of Information

This proposed rule would call for no new collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520).

D. Federalism and Indian Tribal Governments

A rule has implications for federalism under Executive Order 13132 (Federalism), if it has a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between the National Government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government. We have analyzed this proposed rule under that Order and have determined that it is consistent with the fundamental federalism principles and preemption requirements described in Executive Order 13132.

Also, this proposed rule does not have tribal implications under Executive Order 13175 (Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments) because it would 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. If you believe this proposed rule has implications for federalism or Indian tribes, please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

E. 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 (adjusted for inflation) or more in any one year. Though this proposed rule will not result in such an expenditure, we do discuss the effects of this proposed rule elsewhere in this preamble.

F. Environment

We have analyzed this rulemaking under Department of Homeland Security Management Directive 023–01, Rev. 1, associated implementing instructions, and Environmental Planning Policy COMDTINST 5090.1 (series), which guide the Coast Guard in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321–4370f). The Coast Guard has determined that this action is one of a category of actions that do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. This proposed rule promulgates the operating regulations or procedures for drawbridges. Normally such actions are categorically excluded from further review, under paragraph L49, of chapter 3, table 3–1 of the U.S. Coast Guard Environmental Planning Implementation Procedures.

Neither a Record of Environmental Consideration nor a Memorandum for the Record are required for this rulemaking. We seek any comments or information that may lead to the discovery of a significant environmental impact from this proposed rule.

G. Protest Activities

The Coast Guard respects the First Amendment rights of protesters. Protesters are asked to contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to coordinate protest activities so that your message can be received without jeopardizing the safety or security of people, places or vessels.

V. Public Participation and Request for Comments

We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking and will consider all comments and material received during the comment period. Your comment can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation.

We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal Decision Making Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. To do so, go to https://www.regulations.gov, type USCG–2022–0854 in the search box and click “Search.” Next, look for this document in the Search Results column, and click on it. Then click on the Comment option. If your material cannot be submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions.

To view documents mentioned in this proposed rule as being available in the docket, find the docket as described in the previous paragraph, and then select “Supporting & Related Material” in the Document Type column. Public comments will also be placed in our online docket and can be viewed by following instructions on the https://www.regulations.gov Frequently Asked Questions web page. We review all comments received, but we will only post comments that address the topic of the proposed rule. We may choose not to post off-topic, inappropriate, or duplicate comments that we receive. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted, when a final rule is published, and of any posting or updates to the docket.

We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to https://www.regulations.gov will include any personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, March 11, 2020).

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117

• Bridges

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to amend 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; and DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.3.

2. Revise § 117.799(e) to read as follows:

§ 117.799

Long Island, New York Inland Waterway from East Rockaway Inlet to Shinnecock Canal.

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(e) The draw of the Atlantic Beach Bridge across Reynolds Channel, mile 0.4, shall operate as follows:

(1) From October 1 through May 14 the draw shall open on signal from 8 a.m. to midnight.

(2) From midnight to 8 a.m. year-round, the draw shall open on signal if at least eight (8) hours of notice is given by calling the Bridge Tower at 516–239–1821.

(3) From May 15 through September 30, the bridge will open on signal except from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day when the bridge will open on the hour and half-hour.

* * * * *

Dated: February 14, 2024.

J.W. Mauger,

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