[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 93 (Wednesday, May 13, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 28546-28548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09462]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG 2020-0027]
RIN 1625-AA09


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Trent River, New Bern, NC

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that 
governs the U.S. 70 (Alfred C. Cunningham) Bridge across the Trent 
River, mile 0.0, in New Bern, North Carolina. This proposed 
modification will allow the drawbridge to be maintained in the closed 
position during peak traffic hours and provide daily scheduled openings 
to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or 
before June 12, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG 
2020-0027 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 proposed 
rule, call or email Mr. Martin A. Bridges, Fifth Coast Guard District 
(dpb), at (757) 398-6422, email Martin.A.Bridges@uscg.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Table of Abbreviations

CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
OMB Office of Proposed Management and Budget
NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking
Sec.  Section
U.S.C. United States Code

II. Background, Purpose and Legal Basis

    The North Carolina Department of Transportation, who owns and 
operates the U.S. 70 (Alfred C. Cunningham) Bridge across the Trent 
River, mile 0.0, in New Bern, North Carolina, has requested this 
modification to allow the drawbridge to be maintained in the closed-to-
navigation position to address traffic congestion created during peak 
traffic hours and to provide scheduled daily openings to effectively 
balance the needs of land transportation with the reasonable needs of 
navigation.
    The U.S. 70 (Alfred C. Cunningham) Bridge across the Trent River, 
mile 0.0, in New Bern, North Carolina has a vertical clearance of 14 
feet above mean high water in the closed position and unlimited 
vertical clearance above mean high water in the open position. The 
current operation schedule for the drawbridge is published in 33 CFR 
117.843(a)
    This proposed final rule is necessary to help alleviate traffic 
congestion during morning and evening commutes, Monday through Friday, 
except holidays; and balance the needs of land transportation with the 
reasonable needs of navigation. Vessels that can safely transit through 
the bridge in the closed position may do so at any time.
    The Coast Guard is proposing this rulemaking under authority in 33 
U.S.C. 499.

III. Discussion of Proposed Rule

    Under this proposed final rule, the draw shall open on the hour and 
the half hour from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; except from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 
a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
holidays, when the draw shall remain closed. The draw shall open on 
signal from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to all vessels and shall open upon 
request at all times for vessels as defined in 33 CFR 117.31.

IV. Regulatory Analyses

    We developed this proposed rule after considering numerous statutes 
and Executive Orders related to rulemaking. Below we summarize our 
analyses based on these statutes and Executive Orders and we discuss 
First Amendment rights of protestors.

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. Executive Order 13771 directs agencies to control 
regulatory costs through a budgeting process. This NPRM has not been 
designated a ``significant regulatory action,'' under Executive Order 
12866. Accordingly, the NPRM has not been reviewed by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) and pursuant to OMB guidance it is exempt 
from the requirements of Executive Order 13771.
    This regulatory action determination is based on the fact that 
vessels can still transit the bridge on signal from 10 p.m.

[[Page 28547]]

to 6 a.m., and on the hour and the half hour from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 
except from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except holidays, when the draw shall remain closed. The 
draw shall open upon request at all times for vessels as defined in 33 
CFR 117.31.

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 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.
    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 Government

    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 rule 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 rule. 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 eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using 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 
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).
    Documents mentioned in this NPRM 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.

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:

[[Page 28548]]

PART 117--DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS

0
1. The authority citation for part 117 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 33 U.S.C. 499; 33 CFR 1.05-1; DHS Delegation No. 
0170.1.

0
2. Revise Sec.  117.843(a) to read as follows:


Sec.  117.843  Trent River

    (a) The draw of the U.S. 70 Bridge, mile 0.0, at New Bern:
    (1) Shall open on the hour and the half hour from 6 a.m. to 10 
p.m., except during the times authorized in accordance with (a) (2) of 
this section.
    (2) Shall remain closed from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 4:30 
p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday; except holidays.
    (3) Shall open on signal from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
    (4) Shall open upon request at all times for vessels as defined in 
Sec.  117.31.
* * * * *

    Dated: April 28, 2020.
K.M. Smith,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2020-09462 Filed 5-12-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P


