[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 62 (Friday, March 30, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 13641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06424]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2017-1026]


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Newark Bay, Newark, NJ

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from drawbridge regulation; 
modification, request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has modified a temporary deviation from the 
operating schedule that governs the Lehigh Valley Railroad Bridge 
across the Newark Bay, mile 4.3, at Newark, New Jersey. This modified 
deviation extends an additional 90 days to test a change to the 
drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change 
to the schedule is needed. This modified deviation allows the Lehigh 
Valley Bridge to operate under an alternate schedule to alleviate high 
volume of rail service across the Lehigh Valley Bridge and to better 
accommodate vessel traffic.

DATES: This modified deviation is effective from 12:01 a.m. on April 1, 
2018 to 11:59 p.m. on June 29, 2018.
    Comments and related material must reach by the Coast Guard on or 
before June 29, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2017-1026 using Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://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 modified 
temporary deviation, call or email Judy K. Leung-Yee, Bridge Management 
Specialist, First District Bridge Branch, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 
212-514-4336, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background, Purpose and Legal Basis

    On December 19, 2017, the Coast Guard published a temporary 
deviation entitled ``Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Newark Bay, 
Newark, NJ'' in the Federal Register (82 FR 60116). That temporary 
deviation allows the bridge to test a change to the drawbridge 
operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the 
schedule is needed from January 1, 2018 to March 31, 2018.
    The owner of the bridge, Consolidated Rail Corporation, requested a 
change to the Drawbridge Operation Regulations because the volume of 
train traffic and maneuvering of train movements from the adjacent rail 
yard across the bridge cause significant delays to marine traffic.
    The Lehigh Valley Bridge across the Newark Bay, mile 4.3, at 
Newark, New Jersey is a lift bridge with a vertical clearance of 35 
feet at mean high water and 39 feet at mean low water in the closed 
position. The existing drawbridge operating regulations are listed at 
33 CFR 117.5 and 33 CFR 117.735.
    The waterway users are seasonal recreational vessels and commercial 
vessels of various sizes. Coordination with waterway users indicated no 
objection to extend the test period.
    The Coast Guard is publishing this modified temporary deviation to 
test the proposed regulation change to determine whether a permanent 
change to the schedule is necessary to better balance the needs of 
marine and rail traffic.
    Under this modified deviation, in effect from 12:01 a.m. on April 
1, 2018 to 11:59 p.m. on June 29, 2018, the Lehigh Valley Bridge will 
open on signal if at least one hour advance notice is given.
    Vessels able to pass through the bridge in the closed position may 
do so at any time. There are no alternate routes. The bridge will be 
able to open for emergencies.
    The Coast Guard contacted the waterway users regarding extending 
the current temporary deviation in order to continue testing a proposed 
change to the Drawbridge Operation Regulations. No objections were 
received. The Coast Guard will inform the users of the waterways 
through our Local and Broadcast Notices to Mariners and other 
appropriate local media of the change in operating schedule for the 
bridge so that vessel operators may arrange their transits to minimize 
any impact caused by the temporary deviation.
    In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridge must return to 
its regular operating schedule immediately at the end of the effective 
period of this temporary deviation. This deviation from the operating 
regulations is authorized under 33 CFR 117.35.

II. 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, indicating the specific section of this document to which 
each comment applies, and provide reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions.
    We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
person information you have provided. For more about privacy and the 
docket, visit http://www.regulations.gov/privacynotice.
    Documents mentioned in this notice as being available in this 
docket and all public comments, will be in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website's 
instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up 
for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a 
final rule is published.

    Dated: March 26, 2018.
Christopher J. Bisignano,
Supervisory Bridge Management Specialist, First Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2018-06424 Filed 3-29-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P


