2011-10802. Safety Zone; TriMet Bridge Project, Willamette River; Portland, OR

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Coast Guard is proposing the establishment of a safety zone during the construction of the TriMet Bridge on the Willamette River, in Portland, OR. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of recreational vessels and commercial vessels transiting in close proximity to cranes and overhead work associated with this construction project. During the enforcement period, all vessels will be required to transit through the area at a no wake speed and at a safe distance from the work being conducted.

DATES:

Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard on or before June 20, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-2011-0279 using any one of the following methods:

(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

(2) Fax: [phone].

(3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.

(4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.

To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 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 e-mail MST1 Jaime Sayers, Waterways Management Division, Marine Safety Unit Portland, Coast Guard; telephone [phone], e-mail [e-mail]. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting comments and related materials. All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have provided.

Submitting Comments

If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this rulemaking (USCG-2011-0279), indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online (via http://www.regulations.gov) or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online via http://www.regulations.gov,, it will be considered received by the Coast Guard when you successfully transmit the comment. If you fax, hand deliver, or mail your comment, it will be considered as having been received by the Coast Guard when it is received at the Docket Management Facility. We recommend that you include your name and a mailing address, an e-mail address, or a telephone number in the body of your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding your submission.

To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov,, click on the “submit a comment” box, which will then become highlighted in blue. In the “Document Type” drop down menu select “Proposed Rule” and insert “USCG-2011-0279” in the “Keyword” box. Click “Search” then click on the balloon shape in the “Actions” column. If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 81/2 by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit comments by mail and would like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during the comment period and may change the rule based on your comments.

Viewing Comments and Documents

To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov,, click on the “read comments” box, which will then become highlighted in blue. In the “Keyword” box insert “USCG-2011-0279” and click “Search.” Click the “Open Docket Folder” in the “Actions” column. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. We have an agreement with the Department of Transportation to use the Docket Management Facility.

Privacy Act

Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Public Meeting

We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a request for one on or before May 1, 2011 using one of the four methods specified under ADDRESSES. Please explain why you believe a public meeting would be beneficial. If we determine that one would aid this rulemaking, we will hold one at a time and place announced by a later notice in the Federal Register.

Basis and Purpose

TriMet and their contractor, Kiewit Infrastructure West, will be starting construction of the new Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge on July 1, 2011 (with in-water mobilization beginning in June). The construction of the bridge will last from July 2011 through October 2014. The project includes the construction of four piers, two on land and two piers in the water requiring cofferdams. Trestles will be constructed to complete sections of the project as well as the use of crane barges that can be affected by vessel wakes. To ensure the safety of construction crews on the barges, trestles, and cranes involved in this project TriMet has requested that the Coast Guard place a 1000 foot safety zone around the entire project. This safety zone will include a 500 foot no wake zone upriver and downriver of the project. It will also include two exclusionary zones that will require vessels passing through the area to remain a distance of 100 feet in all directions away from the work trestles and 140 feet in all directions away from the cranes. This will ensure that the vessels passing through the designated areas will not be in a dangerous position under cranes or too close to the trestles.

Discussion of Proposed Rule

The safety zone created by this rule will cover all waters of the Willamette River encompassed within the following two lines: Line one starting at latitude 45°30′26.21″ N longitude 122°39′57.53″ W on the east bank then across the Willamette River to latitude 45°30′20.77″ N longitude 122°40′13.04″ W on the west bank; line two starting at latitude 45°30′18.14″ N longitude 122°39′51.77″ W on the east bank then across the Willamette River to latitude 45°30′12.02″ N longitude 122°40′08.44″ W on the west bank.

Geographically this area is all the waters of the Willamette River within an area created by a line beginning on the east bank of the Willamette River at the OMSI facility extending across the river to the west bank, following the shoreline approximately 1000 feet up river to the Zidell waterfront area, extending across the river to the property line for Caruthers Landing, then following the shoreline approximately 1000 feet downriver to the starting point.

Regulatory Analyses

We developed this proposed 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 proposed 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. The Coast Guard has made this determination based on the fact that this rule doesn't stop all river traffic. The rule will only limit entry into certain areas of the river for safety; the other section of the river will be open for transits at a no wake speed. Users of the river should not be adversely affected by the closures and delays.

Small Entities

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), we have considered whether this proposed 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 proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. This rule may affect the following entities some of which may be small entities: The owners or operators of vessels wishing to transit the safety zone established by this rule. The rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because parts of the area will still be accessible to vessels and the vessels will still be able to transit through the safety zone area with permission.

If you think that your business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction qualifies as a small entity and that this rule 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 rule would economically affect it.

Assistance for Small Entities

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 so that they can better evaluate its effects on them and participate in the rulemaking. 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 MST1 Jaime Sayers, Marine Safety unit Portland at telephone number 503-240-9319 or at [e-mail]. 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.

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.

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

Taking of Private Property

This proposed rule would not cause 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 proposed 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 proposed 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 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.

Energy Effects

We have analyzed this proposed 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 proposed rule does not use technical standards. Therefore, we did not consider the use of voluntary consensus standards.

Environment

We have analyzed this proposed rule under Department of Homeland Security Management Directive 023-01 and Commandant Instruction M16475.lD, which guide the Coast Guard in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f), and have made a preliminary determination that this action is one of a category of actions that do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. A preliminary environmental analysis checklist supporting this determination is available in the docket where indicated under ADDRESSES. This proposed rule involves the creation and enforcement of a safety zone. We seek any comments or information that may lead to the discovery of a significant environmental impact from this proposed rule.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

• Harbors
• Marine safety
• Navigation (water)
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Security measures
• Waterways

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to amend 33 CFR part 165 as follows:

PART 165—REGULATED NAVIGATION AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS

1. The authority citation for part 165 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 46 U.S.C. Chapter 701, 3306, 3703; 50 U.S.C. 191, 195; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 6.04-1, 6.04-6, and 160.5; Pub. L. 107-295, 116 Stat. 2064; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1.

§ 165.1338

Safety Zone; TriMet Bridge Project, Willamette River; Portland, OR

(a) Location. The following area is a safety zone: All waters of the Willamette River encompassed within the following two lines: Line one starting at latitude 45°30′26.21″ N longitude 122°39′57.53″ W on the east bank then across the Willamette River to latitude 45°30′20.77″ N longitude 122°40′13.04″ W on the west bank; line two starting at latitude 45°30′18.14″ N longitude 122°39′51.77″ W on the east bank then across the Willamette River to latitude 45°30′12.02″ N longitude 122°40′08.44″ W on the west bank.

Geographically this area is all the waters of the Willamette River within an area created by a line beginning on the east bank of the Willamette River at the OMSI facility extending across the river to the west bank, following the shoreline approximately 1000 feet up river to the Zidell waterfront area, extending across the river to the property line for Caruthers Landing, then following the shoreline approximately 1000 feet downriver to the starting point.

(b) Regulation. In accordance with the general regulations in 33 CFR Part 165, Subpart C, no vessel operator may enter or remain in the safety zone without the permission of the Captain of the Port or Designated Representative. The Captain of the Port may be assisted by other Federal, State, or local agencies with the enforcement of the safety zone.

(c) Authorization. All vessel operators who desire to enter the safety zone must obtain permission from the Captain of the Port or Designated Representative by contacting the on-scene patrol craft. Vessel operators granted permission to enter the zone will be escorted by the on-scene patrol craft until they are outside of the safety zone.

(d) Enforcement Period. The safety zone detailed in paragraph (a) of this section will be in effect from 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 2011 through 11:59 p.m. on September 30, 2014.

Dated: April 18, 2011.

D.E. Kaup,

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Columbia River.