[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 17, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 15066-15067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05140]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2020-0052]


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Long Creek, Nassau, NY

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations; request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has issued a temporary test deviation from the 
operating schedule that governs the Loop Parkway Bridge across Long 
Creek, mile 0.7 at Nassau, New York. This deviation will test a change 
to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine if the proposed 
operating schedule changes will meet the reasonable needs of maritime 
traffic and vehicular traffic. Coast Guard is seeking comments from the 
public about the impact to both train and vessel traffic generated by 
this change.

DATES: 
    Effective date: This deviation is effective without actual notice 
from March 17, 2020 through 11:59 p.m. on July 27, 2020. For purposes 
of enforcement actual notice will be used from12:01 a.m. on January 30, 
2020, until March 17, 2020.
    Comment date: Comments and related material must reach the Coast 
Guard on or before April 16, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2020-0052 using Federal e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
    See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion 
of the

[[Page 15067]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on submitting 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this 
temporary deviation, call or email Ms. Stephanie E. Lopez, First Coast 
Guard District, Project Officer, telephone 212-514-4335, email 
Stephanie.E.Lopez@uscg.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Abbreviations

    CFR Code of Federal Regulations
    DHS Department of Homeland Security
    FR Federal Register

I. Background, Purpose and Legal Basis

    The Loop Parkway Bridge at mile 0.7, across Long Creek, Nassau, New 
York, has a vertical clearance of 21 feet at mean high water and 25 at 
mean low water. Horizontal clearance is approximately 75.5 feet. The 
waterway users include recreational and commercial vessels including 
fishing vessels. The existing drawbridge operating regulations are 
listed at 33 CFR 117.799(f).
    In 2005, the owner of the bridge, New York State Department of 
Transportation, requested a temporary test deviation for an alternate 
drawbridge operation regulation; however, it was never followed up with 
a rulemaking. The bridge owner assumed since the temporary deviation 
was a success they made new signage reflecting the temporary deviation 
and have been operating the bridge under this temporary deviation for 
the past 15 years. After a recent construction operation the bridge 
operator began operating the bridge under the original 2005 regulation 
and USCG Sector Long Island Sound received several complaints from 
mariners who were upset the bridge was no longer operating under the 
old temporary test deviation. Based on the data that was provided by 
the bridge owner, the number of requested bridge openings has decreased 
over the years, while the vehicular traffic has increased. The schedule 
restricts bridge openings during vehicular rush hours allowing openings 
twice per hour. This schedule allows less congestion build up for 
vehicular traffic while providing mariners with a reliable, consistent 
time they can request a bridge opening. The Coast Guard is publishing 
this temporary deviation to test the proposed change to the bridge's 
operating schedule and determine whether a permanent change to the 
schedule is necessary to better balance the needs of marine and rail 
traffic.
    Under this deviation, commercial vessels engaged in commerce, the 
draw shall open Monday thru Friday from 6:20 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. and 3:20 
p.m. to 7:20 p.m. on signal at 20 and 50 minutes after the hour, and on 
signal at all other times. For all other vessels, the draw shall open 
on Monday thru Friday from 6:20 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. on signal at 20 and 
50 minutes after the hour, and the draw shall open on Saturday, Sunday 
and Federal holidays from 7:20 a.m. to 8:20 p.m. on signal at 20 and 50 
minutes after the hour, and on signal at all other times. The reason 
for these changes is to minimize excessive bridge openings which were a 
direct cause of accelerated deterioration of the bridge.
    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 will also inform the users of the waterways through 
our Local and Broadcast Notices to Mariners of the change in operating 
schedule for the bridge so that vessel operators can arrange their 
transits to minimize any impact caused by the temporary deviation.

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, 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 the 
docket, visit http://www.regulations.gov/privacynotice.
    Documents mentioned in this notification 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 10, 2020.
C.J. Bisignano,
Supervisory Bridge Management Specialist, First Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2020-05140 Filed 3-16-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P


