52340 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 170 / Friday, September 2, 2005 / Proposed Rules 

Environment 

We have analyzed this proposed rule 

under Commandant Instruction 

M16475.lD, which guides the Coast 

Guard in complying with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321–4370f), and 

have concluded that there are no factors 

in this case that would limit the use of 

a categorical exclusion under section 

2.B.2 of the Instruction. Therefore, this 

rule is categorically excluded, under 

figure 2–1, paragraph (34)(h), of the 

Instruction, from further environmental 

documentation. Special local 

regulations issued in conjunction with a 

regatta or marine parade permit are 

specifically excluded from further 

analysis and documentation under that 

section. 

Under figure 2–1, paragraph (34)(h), 

of the Instruction, an ‘‘Environmental 

Analysis Check List’’ and a ‘‘Categorical 

Exclusion Determination’’ are not 

required for this rule. Comments on this 

section will be considered before we 

make the final decision on whether to 

categorically exclude this rule from 

further environmental review. 

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 100 

Marine safety, Navigation (water), 

Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements, Waterways. 

For the reasons discussed in the 

preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to 

amend 33 CFR part 100 as follows: 

PART 100—SAFETY OF LIFE ON 

NAVIGABLE WATERS 

1. The authority citation for part 100 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1233; Department of 

Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1. 

2. Add a temporary § 100.35–T05–098 

to read as follows: 

§ 100.35–T05–098 Willoughby Bay, 

Norfolk, Virginia. 

(a) Regulated area. The regulated area 

is established for the waters of 

Willoughby Bay contained within the 

following coordinates: 

Latitude Longitude 

36°58′36.0′′ North ..... 076°18′42.0′′ West 

36°58′00.0′′ North ..... 076°18′00.0′′ West 

36°57′49.0′′ North ..... 076°18′14.0′′ West 

36°57′36.0′′ North ..... 076°17′55.0′′ West 

36°57′26.0′′ North ..... 076°18′06.0′′ West 

36°58′15.0′′ North ..... 076°19′08.0′′ West 

36°58′36.0′′ North ..... 076°18′42.0′′ West 

All coordinates reference Datum NAD 1983. 

(b) Definitions. (1) Coast Guard Patrol 

Commander means a commissioned, 

warrant, or petty officer of the Coast 

Guard who has been designated by the 

Commander, Coast Guard Sector 

Hampton Roads. 

(2) Official Patrol means any vessel 

assigned or approved by Commander, 

Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads 

with a commissioned, warrant, or petty 

officer on board and displaying a Coast 

Guard ensign. 

(3) Participant includes all vessels 

participating in the Hampton Roads 

Sailboard Classic under the auspices of 

the Marine Event Permit issued to the 

event sponsor and approved by 

Commander, Coast Guard Sector 

Hampton Roads. 

(c) Special local regulations. (1) 

Except for event participants and 

persons or vessels authorized by the 

Coast Guard Patrol Commander, no 

person or vessel may enter or remain in 

the regulated area. 

(2) The operator of any vessel in the 

regulated area must: 

(i) Stop the vessel immediately when 

directed to do so by any Official Patrol 

and then proceed only as directed. 

(ii) All persons and vessels shall 

comply with the instructions of the 

Official Patrol. 

(d) Enforcement period. This section 

will be enforced from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

on October 29 and 30, 2005. 

Dated: August 18, 2005. 

L.L. Hereth, 

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, 

Fifth Coast Guard District. 

[FR Doc. 05–17513 Filed 9–1–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

33 CFR Part 117 

[CGD08–05–049] 

RIN 1625–AA09 

Drawbridge Operation Regulation; 

Lafourche Bayou, Lafourche Parish, 

LA 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to 

change the regulations governing six 

bridges across Bayou Lafourche, south 

of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, in 

Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. The 

Lafourche Parish Council has requested 

that the bridges remain closed to 

navigation at various times on weekdays 

during the school year. These closures 

will facilitate the safe, efficient 

movement of staff, students and other 

residents within the parish. 

DATES: Comments and related material 

must reach the Coast Guard on or before 

November 1, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments 

and related material to Commander 

(obc), Eighth Coast Guard District, 500 

Poydras Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 

70130–3310. The Commander, Eighth 

Coast Guard District, Bridge 

Administration Branch maintains the 

public docket for this rulemaking. 

Comments and material received from 

the public, as well as documents 

indicated in this preamble as being 

available in the docket, will become part 

of this docket and will be available for 

inspection or copying at the Bridge 

Administration office between 7 a.m. 

and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David Frank, Bridge Administration 

Branch, telephone 504–589–2965. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Request for Comments 

We encourage you to participate in 

this rulemaking by submitting 

comments and related material. If you 

do so, please include your name and 

address, identify the docket number for 

this rulemaking (CGD08–05–049), 

indicate the specific section of this 

document to which each comment 

applies, and give the reason for each 

comment. Please submit all comments 

and related material in an unbound 

format, no larger than 81⁄2 by 11 inches, 

suitable for copying. If you would like 

to know they reached us, please enclose 

a stamped, self-addressed postcard or 

envelope. We will consider all 

comments and material received during 

the comment period. We may change 

this proposed rule in view of them. 

Public Meeting 

We do not now plan to hold a public 

meeting. You may submit a request for 

a meeting by writing to Commander, 

Eighth Coast Guard District, Bridge 

Administration Branch at the address 

under ADDRESSES explaining why one 

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. 

Background and Purpose 

The U. S. Coast Guard, at the request 

of the Lafourche Parish Council, 

proposes to modify the existing 

operating schedules of six bridges across 

Bayou Lafourche south of the Gulf 

Intracoastal Waterway in Lafourche 

Parish, Louisiana. The six bridges 

include: Golden Meadow Vertical Lift 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 170 / Friday, September 2, 2005 / Proposed Rules 52341 

Bridge, mile 23.9; the Galliano Pontoon 

Bridge, mile 27.8; the Galliano/South 

Lafourche (Tarpon) Vertical Lift Bridge, 

mile 30.6; the Cote Blanche Pontoon 

Bridge, mile 33.9; the Cutoff Vertical 

Lift Bridge, mile 36.3; and the Larose 

Pontoon Bridge, mile 39.1. The 

modification of the existing regulations 

will allow these bridges to remain 

closed to navigation from 7 a.m. to 8 

a.m.; from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; and from 

4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through 

Friday from August 15 through May 31. 

At all other times, the bridges would 

open on signal for the passage of 

vessels. 

Presently, only two of these bridges 

have special operation regulations 

published in the Code of Federal 

Regulations. The Galliano/South 

Lafourche (Tarpon) Vertical Lift Bridge, 

mile 30.6, and the Cote Blanche 

Pontoon Bridge, mile 33.9, open on 

signal; except that, from 2:30 p.m. to 

3:30 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 

p.m. Monday through Friday except 

Federal holidays, the draws need not 

open for the passage of vessels. The 

other four bridges open on signal for the 

passage of vessels pursuant to 33 CFR 

117.5. 

Traffic counts and vessel openings 

vary among the six bridges. The 

Louisiana Department of Transportation 

and Development provided information 

on vessel openings and traffic counts for 

the Larose Pontoon Bridge, mile 39.1; 

the Galliano/South Lafourche (Tarpon) 

Vertical Lift Bridge, mile 30.6; and the 

Golden Meadow Vertical Lift Bridge, 

mile 23.9. The Lafourche Parish Council 

provided information on vessel 

openings and traffic counts for the 

Cutoff Vertical Lift Bridge, mile 36.3; 

the Cote Blanche Pontoon Bridge, mile 

33.9; and the Galliano Pontoon Bridge, 

mile 27.8. 

The Larose Pontoon Bridge, mile 39.1, 

is the first bridge south of the Gulf 

Intracoastal Waterway intersection. This 

bridge is located just south of a flood 

control structure that has a horizontal 

clearance of 56 feet and a depth over the 

sill of 10 feet. The bridge opens an 

average of 410 times a month for 

vessels. Based upon the request, 

approximately 18% of the vessels would 

be affected by the proposed closures. 

Traffic counts indicate that 9,000 

vehicles cross the bridge daily and 

approximately 23% of those vehicles 

cross during the requested closure 

times. Vessel openings of the bridge 

delay vehicular traffic nine minutes per 

opening, delaying 20 vehicles per 

opening. 

The Larose Pontoon Bridge is 

presently scheduled for replacement. 

The new bridge will be a vertical lift 

bridge and it will be located 0.4 miles 

downstream from its present location. 

Once the new bridge is constructed, the 

old bridge will be removed. The special 

operating regulation for the old bridge, 

if approved, may not be transferred to 

the new bridge and a new request for a 

special operation regulation must be 

made for the new bridge. 

The Cutoff Vertical Lift Bridge, mile 

36.3 is the next bridge downstream from 

the Larose Pontoon Bridge. The bridge 

opens an average of 419 times a month 

for vessels. Based upon the request, 

approximately 23% of the vessels would 

be affected by the proposed closures. 

Traffic counts indicate that 7180 

vehicles cross the bridge daily and 

approximately 33% of those vehicles 

cross during the requested closure 

times. Vessel openings of the bridge 

delay vehicular traffic five minutes per 

opening, delaying 80 vehicles per 

opening. 

The Cote Blanche Pontoon Bridge, 

mile 33.9 is the next bridge downstream 

from the Cutoff Vertical Lift Bridge. The 

bridge opens an average of 441 times a 

month for vessels. Based upon the 

request, approximately 23% of the 

vessels would be affected by the 

proposed closures. Traffic counts 

indicate that 7180 vehicles cross the 

bridge daily and approximately 33% of 

those vehicles cross during the 

requested closure times. Vessel 

openings of the bridge delay vehicular 

traffic five minutes per opening, 

delaying 54 vehicles per opening. 

The Galliano/South Lafourche 

(Tarpon) Vertical Lift Bridge, mile 30.6 

is the next bridge downstream from the 

Cote Blanche Pontoon Bridge. The 

bridge opens an average of 430 times a 

month for vessels. Based upon the 

request, approximately 20% of the 

vessels would be affected by the 

proposed closures. Traffic counts 

indicate that 8000 vehicles cross the 

bridge daily and approximately 28% of 

those vehicles cross during the 

requested closure times. Vessel 

openings of the bridge delay vehicular 

traffic six minutes per opening, delaying 

43 vehicles per opening. 

The Galliano Pontoon Bridge, mile 

27.8 is the next bridge downstream from 

the Galliano/South Lafourche (Tarpon) 

Vertical Lift Bridge. The bridge opens an 

average of 580 times a month for 

vessels. Based upon the request, 

approximately 23% of the vessels would 

be affected by the proposed closures. 

Traffic counts indicate that 5040 

vehicles cross the bridge daily and 

approximately 34% of those vehicles 

cross during the requested closure 

times. Vessel openings of the bridge 

delay vehicular traffic five minutes per 

opening, delaying 60 vehicles per 

opening. 

The Golden Meadow Vertical Lift 

Bridge, mile 23.9 is the next bridge 

downstream from the Galliano Pontoon 

Bridge. The bridge opens an average of 

610 times a month for vessels. Based 

upon the request, approximately 30% of 

the vessels would be affected by the 

proposed closures. Traffic counts 

indicate that 2400 vehicles cross the 

bridge daily and approximately 30% of 

those vehicles cross during the 

requested closure times. Vessel 

openings of the bridge delay vehicular 

traffic six minutes per opening, delaying 

16 vehicles per opening. 

Navigation at the sites of the bridges 

consists primarily of commercial and 

recreational fishing vessels, crew boats, 

and some tugboats with barges. 

Alternate routes are not readily 

accessible. 

The existing regulations on the 

Galliano/South Lafourche (Tarpon) 

Vertical Lift Bridge, mile 30.6 and the 

Cote Blanche Pontoon Bridge, mile 33.9, 

were established on September 20, 

1995. Since the establishment of these 

special operation regulations, the Coast 

Guard has not received any formal 

complaints regarding the operation of 

the bridges. It has been approximately 

ten years since the last formal request to 

change the operating regulations of the 

Cote Blanche Bridge and the Galliano/ 

South Lafourche Bridge. The Coast 

Guard is interested in obtaining 

comments in response to this current 

request from all interested parties with 

regard to how the proposed changes to 

the regulations will affect them. 

Discussion of Proposed Rule 

The proposed rule would modify the 

existing regulations in 33 CFR 117.465 

to facilitate the movement of high 

volumes of vehicular traffic across the 

bridges during periods of increased 

transits during the school year. These 

closures would allow for vehicles and 

school busses to transit across the 

bridges unimpeded both before and after 

school hours. The change would allow 

these six bridges on Bayou Lafourche 

south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, 

mile 35.6 west of Harvey Lock, in 

Larose, to remain closed to navigation 

from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.; from 2 p.m. to 4 

p.m.; and from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

Monday through Friday from August 15 

to May 31. At all other times, the 

bridges will open on signal for the 

passage of vessels. The proposed 

regulation does not affect the SR 1 

(Leeville) Vertical Lift Bridge, mile 13.3. 

This bridge is a mid-level vertical lift 

bridge and is scheduled to be replaced 

52342 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 170 / Friday, September 2, 2005 / Proposed Rules 

by a high-level fixed bridge in the near 

future. 

Regulatory Evaluation 

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. It is not 

‘‘significant’’ under the regulatory 

policies and procedures of the 

Department of Homeland Security. We 

expect the economic impact of this 

proposed rule to be so minimal that a 

full Regulatory Evaluation under the 

regulatory policies and procedures of 

DHS is unnecessary. 

This proposed rule would allow 

vessels to transit this waterway with 

proper notification before and after the 

peak vehicular traffic periods. 

According to the information provided 

by the applicant, the public at large is 

better served by the closure times. 

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 proposed rule would affect 

the following entities: the owners and 

operators of vessels needing to transit 

the bridges during the requested closure 

periods. 

If you think that your business, 

organization, or governmental 

jurisdiction qualifies as a small entity 

and that this proposed 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 proposed 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 the Eighth 

Coast Guard District Bridge 

Administration Branch at the address 

above. The Coast Guard will not 

retaliate against small entities that 

question or complain about this 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 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. 

Taking of Private Property 

This proposed rule would not affect 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 proposed 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 Commandant Instruction 

M16475.1D, which guides the Coast 

Guard in complying with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321–4370f), and 

have concluded that there are no factors 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 170 / Friday, September 2, 2005 / Proposed Rules 52343 

in this case that would limit the use of 

a categorical exclusion under section 

2.B.2 of the Instruction. Therefore, this 

proposed rule is categorically excluded, 

under figure 2–1, paragraph (32)(e), of 

the Instruction, from further 

environmental documentation. 

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117 

Bridges. 

Regulations 

For the reasons discussed in the 

preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to 

amend 33 CFR part 117 as follows: 

PART 117—DRAWBRIDGE 

OPERATION REGULATIONS 

1. The authority citation for part 117 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 499; Department of 

Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1; 33 

CFR 1.05–1(g); section 117.255 also issued 

under the authority of Pub. L. 102–587, 106 

Stat. 5039. 

2. § 117.465(a) is revised to read as 

follows: 

§ 117.465 Lafourche Bayou. 

(a) The draws of the following bridges 

shall open on signal; except that, from 

August 15 through May 31, the draw 

need not open for the passage of vessels 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays, from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.; from 2 

p.m. to 4 p.m.; and from 4:30 p.m. to 

5:30 p.m.: 

(1) SR 308 (Golden Meadow) Bridge, 

mile 23.9, at Golden Meadow. 

(2) Galliano Pontoon Bridge, mile 

27.8, at Galliano. 

(3) SR 308 (South Lafourche (Tarpon)) 

Bridge, mile 30.6, at Galliano. 

(4) Cote Blanche Pontoon Bridge, mile 

33.9, at Cutoff. 

(5) Cutoff Vertical Lift Bridge, mile 

36.3, at Cutoff. 

(6) SR 310 (Larose Pontoon) Bridge, 

mile 39.1, at Larose. 

* * * * * 

Dated: August 26, 2005. 

Kevin L. Marshall, 

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting 

Commander, 8th Coast Guard Dist. 

[FR Doc. 05–17509 Filed 9–1–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

33 CFR Part 117 

[CGD08–05–046] 

RIN 1625–AA09 

Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Gulf 

Intracoastal Waterway, West Larose, 

LA 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to 

change the regulation governing the 

operation of the SR 1 (West Larose) 

vertical lift bridge across the Gulf 

Intracoastal Waterway, mile 35.6 west of 

Harvey Lock, at Larose, Louisiana. The 

Lafourche Parish Council has requested 

that the bridge remain closed to 

navigation at various times on weekdays 

during the school year. These closures 

will facilitate the safe, efficient 

movement of staff, students and other 

residents within the parish. 

DATES: Comments and related material 

must reach the Coast Guard on or before 

November 1, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments 

and related material to Commander 

(obc), Eighth Coast Guard District, 500 

Poydras Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 

70130–3310. The Commander, Eighth 

Coast Guard District, Bridge 

Administration Branch maintains the 

public docket for this rulemaking. 

Comments and material received from 

the public, as well as documents 

indicated in this preamble as being 

available in the docket, will become part 

of this docket and will be available for 

inspection or copying at the Bridge 

Administration office between 7 a.m. 

and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David Frank, Bridge Administration 

Branch, telephone 504–589–2965. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Request for Comments 

We encourage you to participate in 

this rulemaking by submitting 

comments and related material. If you 

do so, please include your name and 

address, identify the docket number for 

this rulemaking (CGD08–05–046), 

indicate the specific section of this 

document to which each comment 

applies, and give the reason for each 

comment. Please submit all comments 

and related material in an unbound 

format, no larger than 81⁄2 by 11 inches, 

suitable for copying. If you would like 

to know they reached us, please enclose 

a stamped, self-addressed postcard or 

envelope. We will consider all 

comments and material received during 

the comment period. We may change 

this proposed rule in view of them. 

Public Meeting 

We do not now plan to hold a public 

meeting. You may submit a request for 

a meeting by writing to Commander, 

Eighth Coast Guard District, Bridge 

Administration Branch at the address 

under ADDRESSES explaining why one 

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. 

Background and Purpose 

The U. S. Coast Guard, at the request 

of the Lafourche Parish Council, 

proposes to modify the existing 

operating schedule of the SR 1 (West 

Larose) vertical lift bridge across the 

Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, mile 35.6 

west of Harvey Lock, at Larose, 

Louisiana. The modification of the 

existing regulations will allow the 

bridge to remain closed to navigation 

from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.; from 2 p.m. to 4 

p.m.; and from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., 

Monday through Friday during the 

school year. Currently, the bridge opens 

on signal pursuant to 33 CFR 117.5. 

Approximately 11,600 vehicles cross 

the bridge daily, 25% of which cross the 

bridge during the requested closure 

times. The bridge averages 976 openings 

a month. Approximately 25% of the 

bridge openings occur during the 

requested closure times. The average 

length of a bridge opening is 

approximately 10 to 12 minutes. 

Navigation at the site of the bridge 

consists primarily of tugboats with 

barges. Alternate routes east and west 

through the bridge are not readily 

accessible; however, the bridge, in the 

closed-to-navigation position provides a 

vertical clearance of 35 feet above high 

water. 

It should be noted that there have 

been two previous requests by the 

Lafourche Parish to establish special 

operating regulations for this bridge. On 

December 7, 1994, the Coast Guard 

published a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal 

Register (59 FR 63068). The proposed 

change to the regulation would have 

required that from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. 

and from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays, 

the draw of the bridge would remain 

closed to navigation for passage of 

vehicular traffic during peak traffic 

periods. At all other times the draw