[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3940]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 22, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
33 CFR Part 165
RIN 2115-AA97
COTP Pittsburgh 94-002; Safety Zone; Ohio River
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.
ACTION: Temporary final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the Ohio
River back channel that separates Coraopolis, Pennsylvania from Neville
Island, Pennsylvania. This regulation is needed to control vessel
traffic in the regulated area during demolition of the main span of a
bridge at Ohio River back channel mile 9.6. This regulation will
restrict general navigation in the regulated area during demolition
operations for the safety of vessel traffic.
EFFECTIVE DATES: This regulation is effective from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
February 14, 1994, and from 8 a.m. on February 28, 1994 to 4 p.m. on
March 4, 1994.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
LT John Meehan, Port Operations Officer, Captain of the Port,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at (412) 644-5808.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Drafting Information
The drafters of this regulation are LT John Meehan, Project
Officer, Marine Safety Office, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and LCDR A.O.
Denny, Project Attorney, Second Coast Guard District Legal Office.
Regulatory History
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553, a notice of proposed rulemaking
has not been published for this regulation and good cause exists for
making it effective in less than 30 days from the date of publication.
Following normal rulemaking procedures would have been impracticable.
Specifically, a bridge is being removed from a navigable waterway.
Bridge removal operations pose inherent risks to the waterway because
the structure is progressively weakened as the operation proceeds. Once
commenced, such operations should be completed as quickly as possible.
Removal operations involving structural supports for this bridge have
proceeded ahead of schedule, leaving insufficient time to publish a
notice of proposed rulemaking. The Coast Guard deems it to be in the
public's best interest to issue a regulation without waiting for a
comment period, as immediate implementation of navigation restrictions
is needed to ensure the safety of vessels transitting the area and to
minimize the time a bridge in a weakened condition remains over the
waterway.
Background and Purpose
The Coraopolis Highway Bridge at mile 9.6 on the Ohio River back
channel between Coraopolis, Pennsylvania and Neville Island,
Pennsylvania is no longer an active highway bridge and must be removed.
The bridge consists of several small spans that are located over land
and two 300 foot main spans that cross over the waterway and meet atop
a stone pier at the center of the channel. As part of the overall
bridge removal operation, each main span will be demolished with seven
simultaneously detonated explosive charges. The first main span
demolition will occur at approximately 9:00 a.m. on February 14, 1994
for Span #3 on the left descending bank (Coraopolis side) of the back
channel. Since this explosive demolition will pose obvious hazards to
vessels in the area, vessel traffic will be prohibited from entering
the Ohio River back channel from mile 9.3 to mile 9.9 during the day of
the demolition. The second main span demolition for Span #4 on the
right descending bank (Neville Island side) of the back channel is
scheduled for approximately 9 a.m. on February 28, 1994. Steel members
and debris from the demolition of Span #4 will fall into the sailing
line of the channel, creating an unsafe condition for vessels
attempting to transit. The contractor will immediately commence
clearing operations in the channel, but it will require 4 days to
restore the navigability of this section of the Ohio River back
channel. Accordingly, no vessel traffic will be permitted in the safety
zone extending from Ohio River back channel mile 9.3 to mile 9.9 during
this second demolition and subsequent channel clearing operations from
8 a.m. on February 28, 1994 to 4 p.m. on March 4, 1994. For the
remaining period that this safety zone is in effect, vessel traffic
will be permitted to proceed without restriction with vessels
transmitting the bridge site along the sailing line of the channel. In
the event of unanticipated delays involving the demolitions discussed
above, the Captain of the Port Pittsburgh will notify the marine
community of schedule changes affecting the duration of vessel traffic
restrictions within the safety zone via marine Safety Information Radio
Broadcasts on VHF Marine Band Radio, Channel 22 (157.1 MHz) and via on
site broadcast advisors on Channel 13 (156.650 MHz).
Regulatory Evaluation
This rule is not considered a significant regulatory action under
Executive Order 12866 and is not significant under Department of
Transportation Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11040,
February 26, 1979), it will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities, and it contains no collection of
information requirements. A full regulatory analysis is unnecessary
because the Coast Guard expects the impact of this regulation to be
minimal due to the relatively short duration of vessel traffic
restrictions, the relatively small size of the area regulated, and the
infrequency of commercial vessel transits along this section of Ohio
River back channel.
Federalism Assessment
Under the principles and criteria of Executive Order 12612, this
regulation does not raise sufficient federalism implications to warrant
the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
Environmental Assessment
The Coast Guard considered the environmental impact of this
proposal and concluded that, under section 2.B.2.c. of Commandant
Instruction M16475.1B, this proposal is categorically excluded from
further environmental documentation as an action required to protect
public safety.
List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165
Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation (water), Records and
recordkeeping, Security measures, Waterways.
Temporary Regulation
In consideration of the foregoing, subpart C of part 165 of title
33, Code of Federal Regulations, is amended as follows:
PART 165--[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 165 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 50 U.S.C. 191; 49 CFR 1.46 and 33 CFR
1.05-1(g), 6.04-1, 6.04-6, and 160.5.
2. A temporary Sec. 165.T02-003 is added, to read as follows:
Sec. 165.T02-003 Safety Zone: Ohio River.
(a) Location. the Ohio River back channel (channel dividing
Coraopolis, Pennsylvania from Neville Island, Pennsylvania) between
mile 9.3 and mile 9.9 is established as a safety zone.
(b) Effective dates. This section is effective from 8 a.m. to 4
p.m. on February 14, 1994, and from 8 a.m. on February 28, 1994 to 4
p.m. on March 4, 1994.
(c) Regulations. In accordance with the general regulations in
Section 165.23 of this part, entry into this zone is prohibited unless
authorized by the Captain of the Port. The Captain of the Port
Pittsburgh will notify the marine community of times when vessel
traffic will be permitted within the safety zone via Marine Safety
Information Radio Broadcasts on VHF Marine Band Radio, Channel 22
(157.1 MHz) and via on site broadcast advisories on Channel 13 (156.650
MHz).
Dated: February 8, 1994.
M.W. Brown,
Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
[FR Doc. 94-3940 Filed 2-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M
