19656 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 76 /Tuesday, April 21, 1998 /Rules and Regulations

TABLE FIVE

Vessel No.

Masthead lights

not over all other

lights and obstructions. Annex

I, sec. 2(f)

Forward masthead light not in

forward quarter of

ship. Annex I,

sec. 3(a)

After masthead

light less than 1⁄2

ship’s length aft

of forward masthead light. Annex

I, sec. 3(a)

Percentage

horizontal

separation attained

* * * * * * *

USS BLUE RIDGE ........................................................ LCC 19 N/A N/A X 84

* * * * * * *

Dated: March 31, 1998.

Approved:

R.R. Pixa,

Captain, JAGC, U.S. Navy, Deputy Assistant

Judge Advocate General (Admiralty).

[FR Doc. 98–10435 Filed 4–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[CGD 08–98–012]

Drawbridge Operating Regulation;

Lake Pontchartrain, LA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation

from regulations.

SUMMARY: The Commander, Eighth

Coast Guard District has issued a

temporary deviation from the regulation

governing the operation of the draws of

the Greater New Orleans Expressway

Commission causeway, north bascule

spans across Lake Pontchartrain,

between Metairie, Jefferson Parish,

Louisiana, and Mandeville, St.

Tammany Parish, Louisiana. From May

4, 1998, through July 2, 1998 the draw

will remain closed Mondays through

Saturdays, except for the Memorial Day

holiday weekend. This temporary

deviation is issued to allow for cleaning

and painting of the bascule structures,

an extensive but necessary maintenance

operation.

DATES: This deviation is effective from

12:01 a.m. on May 4, 1998 through

12:01 a.m. on July 2, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Phil Johnson, Bridge Administration

Branch, Commander (ob), Eighth Coast

Guard District, 501 Magazine Street,

New Orleans, Louisiana 70130–3396,

telephone number 504–589–2965.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The north

bascule spans of the Greater New

Orleans Expressway Commission

causeway across Lake Pontchartrain,

Louisiana have a vertical clearance of 42

feet above mean high water in the

closed to navigation position and

unlimited clearance in the open to

navigation position. Navigation on the

waterway consists of small tugs with

tows, fishing vessels, sailing vessels,

and other recreational craft. As an

alternate route, the south channel span

provides a vertical clearance of 50 feet

above mean high water.

The Greater New Orleans Expressway

Commission sent a letter to the Coast

Guard requesting this temporary

deviation from normal drawbridge

operating regulations so that the draw

spans can be cleaned and painted. The

equipment used for this procedure has

to be removed each time the draw span

is opened. Since this process is time

consuming and costly, the equipment

should remain in place for 6-day

periods, allowing the contractor to

maximize work time. Painting

operations in the counterweight area

will require the bridges to be placed in

the open to navigation position. During

the time in which the span of one bridge

is in the open position to be painted, the

span of the other bridge will need to be

closed to detour vehicular traffic. The

short term inconvenience, attributable

to a delay of vessel traffic for a

maximum of six days, is outweighed by

the long term benefits to be gained by

keeping the bridges free of corrosion

and in proper working condition. This

work is essential for the continued

operation of the draw spans.

This deviation allows the draws of the

Greater New Orleans Expressway

Commission causeway, north bascule

spans, to remain closed to navigation

from 12:01 a.m. on Mondays until 12:01

a.m. on Sundays from May 4 through

July 2, 1998 except for the holiday

weekend of May 23, 24 and 25, 1998. In

the event of an approaching tropical

storm or hurricane, the bridges will be

returned to the normal operation within

24 hours of notification by the Coast

Guard.

This deviation will be effective from

12:01 a.m. on May 4, 1998 through

12:01 a.m. on July 2, 1998. Presently,

the draw opens on signal if at least three

hours’ notice is given, as required by 33

CFR 117.467.

Dated: April 10, 1998.

T.W. Josiah,

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander,

Eighth Coast Guard District.

[FR Doc. 98–10550 Filed 4–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–15–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 165

[CGD1–98–029]

RIN 2115–AA97

Safety Zone: Bath/Woolwich Bridge

Construction Project, Bath, ME

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is

establishing a temporary moving safety

zone to close a portion of the Kennebec

River to waterway traffic in a 100-foot

radius around each of two construction

barges operating in the vicinity of the

Carlton Bridge, Bath, Maine, from May

10, 1998 at 7 a.m. through October 1,

1998 at 7 a.m. This safety zone is

needed to protect persons, vessels and

others in the maritime community from

the safety hazards associated with

construction barges working in a bridge

construction capacity. Entry into this

safety zone is prohibited unless

authorized by the Captain of the Port.

DATES: This regulation is effective from

May 10, 1998 at 7 a.m. until October 1,

1998 at 7 a.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lieutenant J.D. Gafkjen, Chief of

Response and Planning, Captain of the

Port, Portland at (207) 780–3251.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 76 /Tuesday, April 21, 1998 /Rules and Regulations 19657

Regulatory History

As authorized by 5 U.S.C. 553, a

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)

was not published for this regulation.

Good cause exists for not publishing an

NPRM and for making this regulation

effective in less than 30 days after

Federal Register publication. Due to the

complex planning and coordination

involved, final details for the channel

closure were not provided to the Coast

Guard until April 3, 1998, making it

impossible to publish an NPRM or a

final rule 30 days in advance.

Publishing an NPRM and delaying its

effective date would effectively suspend

construction of the new Bath/Woolwich

Bridge which would be contrary to the

public interest.

Background and Purpose

A portion of the Kennebec River will

be closed to all marine traffic from May

10, 1998 at 7 a.m. until October 1, 1998

at 7 a.m. The safety zone covers a

portion of the Kennebec River in a

radius of 100 feet around each of two

construction barges, which will be

functioning as platforms for cranes, and

operating in the vicinity of the Carlton

Bridge, Bath, Maine. This safety zone is

required to protect construction

personnel and the maritime community

from the hazards associated with heavy

bridge construction. Vessels and

recreational craft venturing close to the

construction equipment present a safety

risk to both themselves and the

construction personnel. Entry into this

zone will be prohibited unless

authorized by the Captain of the Port.

Because the safety zone encompasses

only a portion of the Kennebec River,

vessel traffic will not be impeded.

Regulatory Evaluation

This temporary final rule is not a

significant regulatory action under

section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866

and does not require an assessment of

potential costs and benefits under

section 6(a)(3) of that order. It has not

been reviewed by the Office of

Management and Budget under that

order. It is not significant under the

regulatory policies and procedures of

the Department of Transportation (DOT)

(44 FR 11040; February 26, 1979). The

Coast Guard expects the economic

impact of this proposal to be so minimal

that a full Regulatory Evaluation under

paragraph 10e of the regulatory policies

and procedures of DOT is unnecessary.

This safety zone involves only a portion

of the Kennebec River. The effect of this

regulation will not be significant for

several reasons: the area covered by the

safety zone restricts only a portion of

the main channel allowing traffic to

continue to pass through; advance

coordination of port operations around

the channel closure has been

established to minimize the effect on

commercial vessel traffic; and advance

maritime advisories will be made.

Small Entities

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act

(5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the Coast Guard

must consider whether this proposal

will have a significant economic impact

on a substantial number of small

entities. ‘‘Small entities’’ may include

(1) small businesses and not-for-profit

organizations that are independently

owned and operated and are not

dominant in their fields and (2)

governmental jurisdictions with

populations of less than 50,000.

For the reasons addressed under the

Regulatory Evaluation above, the Coast

Guard expects the impact of this

regulation to be minimal and certifies

under section 605(b) of the Regulatory

Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) that

this final rule will not have a significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small entities. If, however,

you think that your business or

organization qualifies as a small entity

and that this rule will have a significant

economic impact on your business or

organization, please submit a comment

explaining why you think it qualifies

and in what way and to what degree this

rule will economically affect it.

Collection of Information

This rule contains no collection of

information requirements under the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.).

Federalism

The Coast Guard has analyzed this

rule under the principles and criteria

contained in Executive Order 12612 and

has determined that this rule does not

have sufficient federalism implications

to warrant the preparation of a

Federalism Assessment.

Environment

The Coast Guard has considered the

environmental impact of this regulation

and concluded that, under section

2.B.2.e. of Commandant Instruction

M16475.1B, (as revised by 59 FR 38654,

July 29, 1994), this rule is categorically

excluded from further environmental

documentation. A Categorical Exclusion

Determination and an Environmental

Analysis Checklist is available in the

docket for inspection or copying.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation

(water), Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Security measures,

Waterways.

Regulation

For the reasons set out in the

preamble, the Coast Guard amends 33

CFR Part 165 as follows:

1. The authority citation for Part 165

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 50 U.S.C. 191;

33 CFR 1.05–1(g), 6.04–1, 6.04–6 and 160.5;

49 CFR 1.46.

2. A temporary section, 165.T01–

CGD1–141, is added to read as follows:

§ 165.T01-029 Carlton Bridge Construction

Project, Bath, ME.

(a) Location. The safety zone covers a

portion of the Kennebec River in a

radius of 100 feet around each of two

construction barges operating in the

vicinity of the Carlton Bridge, Bath,

Maine.

(b) Effective date. This regulation is

effective from May 10, 1998 at 7 a.m.

until October 01, 1998 at 7 a.m. unless

terminated sooner by the Captain of the

Port.

(c) Regulations. The general

regulations contained in 33 CFR 165.23

apply.

Dated: April 7, 1998.

Burton S. Russell,

Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of

the Port, Portland, Maine.

[FR Doc. 98–10549 Filed 4–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–15–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 187

[CGD 89–050]

RIN 2115–AD35

Vessel Identification System; Effective

Date Change

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Interim final rule; change in

effective date.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard extends the

delay of the effective date of part of its

regulations establishing the vessel

identification system. Subpart D of these

regulations addressing guidelines for

State vessel titling systems was to

become effective on April 24, 1998.

Based on comments received from the

States and banking interests, the Coast

Guard needs more time to address the

issues raised. Therefore, by extending