7910 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 1995 / Rules and Regulations

(b) Effective Dates. This section

becomes effective on January 30, 1995

and will terminate on March 31, 1995.

(c) Regualtions. The general

regulations under § 165.23 which

prohibit entry into the described zone

without the authority of the Captain of

the Port, St. Louis, apply.

Dated: January 25, 1995.

S.P. Cooper,

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the

Port, St. Louis, Missouri.

[FR Doc. 95–3431 Filed 2–9–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–14–M

33 CFR Part 165

[COTP Huntington 95–001]

RIN 2115–AA97

Safety Zone; Ohio River, Mile 308.0 to

310.0, Symmes Creek, Chesapeake,

OH, and Adjacent Landside Areas

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is

establishing a safety zone on the Ohio

River, at the entrance to Symmes Creek,

Chesapeake, Ohio, and all adjacent

landside areas within a 1,000 foot radius

of each specific explosive detonation

site. This regulation is needed to control

vessel, vehicular, and pedestrian traffic

in the regulated area to prevent

potential safety hazards for transiting

vessels and the general public resulting

from the demolition of the 6th Street

Bridge at mile 308.7, Ohio River,

Huntington, West Virginia. Vessel

movements within this safety zone are

permitted under the criteria set forth in

this regulation.

EFFECTIVE DATES: This regulation is

effective at 6 a.m. EST on February 1,

1995. It terminates on June 1, 1995 at 8

p.m. EDT, unless terminated sooner by

the Captain of the Port Huntington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LT

Sean Moon, Chief of the Port Operations

Department, Captain of the Port,

Huntington, West Virginia at (304) 529–

5524.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Drafting Information

The drafters of this regulation are LT

Sean Moon, Project Officer, Marine

Safety Office, Huntington, West Virginia

and LT S. Moody, Project Attorney,

Second Coast Guard District Legal

Office.

Regulatory History

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553, a

notice of proposed rulemaking was not

published for this regulation and good

cause exists for making it effective in

less than 30 days after Federal Register

publication. Following normal

rulemaking procedures would have

been impracticable. Specifically,

anticipated demolition operations,

including explosive detonations, as part

of a bridge removal project at mile

308.7, Ohio River, Huntington, West

Virginia, have created a situation which

presents an immediate hazard to

navigation, life, and property. As a

result, the Coast Guard deems it to be in

the public’s best interest to issue a

regulation immediately.

Background and Purpose

The activity requiring this regulation

is a bridge demolition undertaken as a

part of the new bridge construction

under United States Coast Guard Bridge

Permit Number 4–90–2 dated May 25,

1990. The Captain of the Port

Huntington did not receive notice of the

explosive and demolition operations

until January 18, 1995. C.J. Mahan

Construction Company of Grove City,

Ohio, working under contract for the

State of West Virginia, completed

construction of the new bridge on

November 2, 1994. The bridge permit

included the requirement that the old

bridge be demolished within 180 days

of completion of the new bridge.

Landside dismantling of the old bridge

began shortly after completion of the

new bridge. Waterside demolition

operations, involving the use of crane

barges and explosives in and near the

navigation channel, will begin on or

about February 1, 1995 at mile 308.7 on

the Ohio River. Completion of the

bridge removal is expected to occur on

or before June 1, 1995. Bridge spans and

bridge piers will be removed in sections,

one at a time, over a period of several

months. In addition to the explosive

hazard associated with several different

detonations, the regular presence of a

crane barge, tow boats and submerged

steel will pose an obstructive hazard to

waterborne traffic operating in the

vicinity of the project work site. In order

to provide for the safety of vessel and

vehicular traffic and the general public,

the Captain of the Port Huntington

intends to regulate vessel traffic in that

portion of the Ohio River and Symmes

Creek where the explosives and steel

removal operations will be taking place,

and to work with local law enforcement

officials to secure all landside areas

within a 1,000 foot radius of each

specific blast site until the hazard from

the explosive detonations is mitigated.

During critical phases of the

demolition project, the affected portions

of the Ohio River, the entrance to

Symmes Creek, and adjacent landside

areas in proximity to the blast site will

be subject to periodic closures. No

vessels will be allowed to transit either

waterway when blasting and steel

removal operations will affect safe

navigation. Additionally, local law

enforcement officials will secure

landside areas as appropriate to

safeguard the general public from the

explosive hazard during detonations.

Notification of river and creek closure

will be made via Broadcast Notice to

Mariners at periods 24 hours, 2 hours,

and 5 minutes prior to each blast.

Notification will be via VHF radio

channel 16.

During all river and creek entrance

closures, two boats will be available for

the security of the closed river area. The

boats will be placed up and down river

of the blasting area. These boats will

patrol and warn any recreational/

commercial vessel traffic of the

impending blast.

No blasting will be permitted unless

all river and creek traffic is removed to

a safe location outside of the blasting

area. No blasting will take place when

there is restricted visibility (the

contractor must be able to see from bank

to bank before blasting). No blasting will

take place unless the river stage is at or

below 5 feet above normal pool and

falling.

Unless overtaken by circumstances,

periodic river and creek closures will be

less than 24 hours in duration. Closures

of Symmes Creek will be very

abbreviated, during blasting operations

only. Closures of the Ohio River will be

during blasting and clearing operations

and will remain in effect until the river

is cleared and the safety of transiting

vessels is ensured. Local law

enforcement officials will restrict access

and secure landside areas as necessary

to protect the public from explosive

hazards. Road closures, evacuations,

and other appropriate security measures

will be imposed for abbreviated periods

only.

When the blasting and obstructive

hazards have been mitigated, the

Captain of the Port Huntington will

reopen the river and creek. Notification

of the reopening of the river and creek

will be via VHF radio on channel 16.

The entrance to Symmes Creek will be

reopened to vessel traffic entering the

Ohio River upon the conclusion of each

blasting operation. Vessels transiting to

or from Symmes Creek must contact the

on scene contractor vessels for passing

instructions to ensure safe operation

within the safety zone. Local law

enforcement officials will reopen

landside areas immediately upon

conclusion of blasting operations.
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 1995 / Rules and Regulations 7911

Notice of this safety zone and updates

on periodic closures will also be

published in the Local Notice to

Mariners.

The establishment of this safety zone

regulation ensures that vessels will not

transit on the Ohio River in the vicinity

of the blasting area during explosive

detonations or when the main channel

is obstructed by submerged steel to

eliminate attendant risks associated

with these operations. The Captain of

the Port will also work with local law

enforcement officials to protect the

safety of the general public in adjacent

landside areas. The safety zone also

ensures that communication is

established between the contractors and

vessels transiting the waters within the

safety zone during the non-critical

phases of the demolition project. With

proper communication between both

parties, the contractor is assured of

having ample time to comply with any

request to relocate work boats

temporarily to allow a vessel to navigate

through the safety zone.

Regulatory Evaluation

This regulation is not a significant

regulatory action under section 3(f) of

Executive Order 12866 an does not

require an assessment of potential costs

and benefits under section 6(a)(3) of that

order. It has been exempted from review

by the Office of Management and

Budget under that order. It is not 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 regulation to be so

minimal that a full Regulatory

Evaluation under paragraph 10e of the

regulatory policies and procedures of

DOT is unnecessary, due to the limited

duration of actual river closures.

Small Entities

The Coast Guard finds that the impact

on small entities is not substantial.

Therefore, the Coast Guard certifies

under section 605(b) of the Regulatory

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

this temporary rule will not have a

significant economic impact on a

substantial number of small entities.

Collection of Information

This rule contains no collection of

information requirements under the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq).

Federalism Assessment

The Coast Guard has analyzed this

regulation under the principles and

criteria contained in Executive Order

12612 and has determined that it does

not raise sufficient federalism

implications to warrant the preparation

of a Federalism Assessment.

Environmental Assessment

The Coast Guard considered the

environmental impact of this regulation

and concluded that, under section 2.B.2

of Commandant Instruction M16475.1B,

this regulation is categorically excluded

from further environmental

documentation. A Categorical Exclusion

Determination is available in the docket

for inspection.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165

Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation

(water), Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Security measures,

Waterways.

Temporary Regulation

In consideration of the foregoing,

Subpart F of Part 165 or Title 33, Code

of Federal Regulations, is amended as

follows:

PART 165—[AMENDED]

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.T02–002

is added, to read as follows:

§ 165.T02–002 Safety Zone: Ohio River,

Symmes Creek, and Adjacent Landside

Areas

(a) Location. The Ohio River between

308.0 and 310.0, the entrance to

Symmes Creek, Chesapeake, Ohio, and

adjacent landside areas within 1,000

feet of each specific blast site are

established as a safety zone.

(b) Effective dates. This section

becomes effective on February 1, 1995 at

6 a.m. EST. It terminates on June 1, 1995

at 8 p.m. EDT, unless terminated sooner

by the Captain of the Port Huntington.

(c) Regulations. (1) Except with the

permission of the Captain of the Port, all

vessels must:

(i) Remain outside the safety zone

during all periods of closure, as

announced by Coast Guard Broadcast

Notice to Mariners and as enforced on

scene by personnel from the Coast

Guard Marine Safety Office Huntington,

WV.

(ii) Communicate with the contract

vessel M/V MISS MAY or M/V

MICHAEL D on channel 16 VHF–FM to

arrange for safe passage through the

safety zone at all other times, providing

at least twenty (20) minutes advance

notice prior to transiting through the

regulated area.

(iii) Provide the contract vessel M/V

MISS MAY or M/V MICHAEL D at least

twenty (20) minutes advance notice to

move/suspend operations in any case

where the transiting vessel operator

believes the safe passage of any vessel

or tow is jeopardized by the presence/

operation of the crane barge during

operations not involving river closure.

(2) Except with the permission of the

Captain of the Port, vessels involved

with the 6th Street Bridge demolition

operations must:

(i) M/V MISS MAY or M/V MICHAEL

D: Communicate with and arrange safe

passage through the safety zone for all

vessels not involved in the demolition

project.

(ii) M/V MISS MAY or M/V

MICHAEL D: Initiate appropriate

broadcast notices to local mariners over

channel 16 VHF–FM 24 hours, 2 hours,

and 5 minutes prior to initiation of

blasting operations.

(iii) M/V MISS MAY or M/V

MICHAEL D: Ensure that all vessel

traffic is outside the area of the safety

zone and the waterside blast area is

secured prior to any explosive

detonation, with that information

effectively communicated to the

contractors conducting the blasting.

(iv) M/V MISS MAY or M/V

MICHAEL D: Monitor operations

involving steel and debris removal after

each detonation and, following

clearance of the river, the conduct of

subsequent subsurface sweeps of the

main channel.

(v) M/V MISS MAY or M/V MICHAEL

D: Notify the Coast Guard Captain of the

Port Huntington once a successful

sweep has determined that the Ohio

River main shipping channel is clear (a

minimum underwater clearance of 20

feet below normal river pool), with no

obstructions to impede the safe

navigation of vessels.

(vi) All other contract vessels:

Relocate to a safe area prior to any

blasting operations.

(3) Except with the permission of the

Captain of the Port, C. J. MAHAN

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY must:

(i) Not detonate explosives if a vessel

not involved with the blasting operation

is inside the safety zone, or if any

contract vessel has not relocated to a

safe distance away from the blast area,

as verified and communicated by the M/

V MISS MAY or M/V MICHAEL D.

(ii) Not initiate any blasting

operations until local law enforcement

officials have verified and

communicated that landside security is

established and that landside portions

of the safety zone are clear.

(iii) Not initiate any blasting

operations in periods of restricted

visibility (operator must ensure there is

clear bank-to-bank visibility).
7912 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 1995 / Rules and Regulations

(4) Except with the permission of the

Captain of the Port, all pedestrians and

vehicular traffic must remain outside

the affected landside portions of the

safety zone, as enforced by local law

enforcement officials.

(5) The Captain of the Port may, upon

request, authorize a deviation from any

rule in this section if he determines that

the proposed operations can be done

safely.

(6) The Captain of the Port may direct

the movement of any vessel within the

safety zone as appropriate to ensure the

safe navigation of vessels through the

safety zone.

Dated: January 23, 1995, 5 pm e.s.t.

F.A. Nyhuis,

Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of

the Port, Huntington, WV.

[FR Doc. 95–3429 Filed 2–9–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–14–M

POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 20

Discontinuation of Authorization to

Use Domestic Postal Money Orders

Internationally

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The Postal Service is

discontinuing the Semidomestic Money

Order Service. The domestic money

order form is no longer being used for

payments to Anguilla; Antigua and

Barbuda; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize;

British Virgin Islands; Canada;

Dominica; Grenada; Jamaica;

Montserrat; St. Christopher and Nevis;

St. Lucia; St. Vincent and the

Grenadines; and Trinidad and Tobago.

In place of the domestic form, the Postal

Service will use the international postal

money order form (MP1) when issuing

a money order for payment in these

countries.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 1, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Al Gillum, (703) 905–3818.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal

Service has received numerous

complaints from foreign postal

administrations regarding the

acceptance of domestic postal money

orders by the banking system in those

countries. This practice circumvents the

policies and procedures regarding the

acceptance of international postal

money orders agreed to within the

Universal Postal Union.

The Postal Service is committed to

enforcing the agreements with its

foreign partners. A concerted effort is

being made to restrict the negotiation of

domestic postal money orders to the

United States and its possessions and

territories, and the Freely Associated

States (FAS). Possessions and territories

are American Samoa (including Manua

Island, Swain’s Island, Tutuila Island);

Baker Island; Guam; Howland Island;

Jarvis Island; Johnston Island; Kingman

Reef; Midway Island; Navassa Island;

Northern Mariana Islands (including

Rota Island; Saipan Island, Tinian

Island); Palmyra Island; Puerto Rico;

Sand Island; U.S. Virgin Islands

(including St. Croix Island; St. John

Island, St. Thomas Island); and Wake

Island. The FAS are Marshall Islands

(including Ebeye Island, Majuro Island);

Palau (including Koror Island); and

Micronesia (including Chuuk (Truk)

Island, Kosrae Island, Pohnepi Island,

Yap Island).

Semidomestic Money Order Service

permits the negotiation of domestic

postal money orders in the countries

listed in the Summary. In order to

restrict uniformly the negotiation of

domestic postal money orders to the

United States and its possessions and

territories and to the FAS, it is necessary

to discontinue Semidomestic Money

Order Service.

In light of the foregoing, the Postal

Service hereby adopts the following

amendments to the International Mail

Manual, which is incorporated by

reference in the Code of Federal

Regulations. See 39 CFR 20.1.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 20

Foreign relations, International postal

service.

PART 20—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for 39 CFR

part 20 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 401,

404, 407, 408.

2. Chapter 3 of the International Mail

Manual is amended by revising subchapter

390 as follows:

CHAPTER 3—SPECIAL SERVICES

* * * * *

390 Supplementary Services

391 International Money Orders

* * * * *

[Revise section 391.11 by deleting ‘‘and

Semi-Direct Service’’ to read as follows:]

International postal money order

service is available to transfer funds to

individuals or firms in countries that

have entered into agreements with the

United States Postal Service for the

exchange of postal money orders.

International postal money orders sent

by Direct Service may be sent by letter

mail or Express Mail International

Service (EMS).

* * * * *

[Revise section 391.2 by replacing

‘‘three’’ in the first sentence with ‘‘two’’;

by deleting section 391.2a in its entirety

and renumbering sections 391.2b and

391.2c to sections 391.2a and 391.2b,

respectively; and by adding the

countries in the Summary to the

renumbered section 391.2b to read as

follows:]

Postal money orders are exchanged

with countries in one of two ways:

a. Standard international postal

money orders. This method uses the

Authorization to Issue an International

Money Order form set. See Individual

Country Listings.

b. Direct international postal money

orders. This method uses the pink

international postal money order form

(MP1). The following countries accept

this form: Anguilla, Antigua and

Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,

Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Canada,

Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Dominica,

Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El

Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras,

Jamaica, Japan, Mali, Mexico,

Montserrat, Nigeria, Panama, St.

Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia, St.

Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra

Leone, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Money orders issued by these countries

in U.S. dollars, with the exception of

Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, are

negotiable in the United States. There

will be no money orders issued in

Bolivia, Cape Verde, Dominican

Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico,

Nigeria, Panama, and Sierra Leone for

payment in the United States. The MP1

cards issued in Japan for payment in the

United States must be shown in U.S.

dollars preceded by the capital letters

‘‘USD.’’

Money orders issued in Mali for

payment in the United States will be the

standard international postal money

order.

[Revise section 391.3 by replacing

‘‘three’’ with ‘‘two’’ in the first sentence;

by deleting section 391.3a in its entirety

and renumbering section 391.3c to

section 391.3a; and by adding the

countries in the Summary to the

renumbered section 391.3a to read as

follows:]

There are two separate fees for

international money orders:

a. The fee for money orders payable

in countries that accept the pink

international postal money order form

(MP1) is $3 per money order. These

countries are:

Anguilla