7208 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 28 / Thursday, February 11, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

33 CFR Part 117 

[Docket No. USCG–2016–0088] 

Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Gulf 

Intracoastal Waterway, Galveston, TX 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of deviation from 

drawbridge regulations. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has issued a 

temporary deviation from the operating 

schedule that governs the Galveston 

Causeway Railroad Vertical Lift Bridge 

across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, 

mile 357.2 west of Harvey Locks, at 

Galveston, Galveston County, Texas. 

The deviation is necessary to conduct 

maintenance on the bridge. This 

deviation allows the bridge to remain 

temporarily closed to navigation for two 

four-hour periods, on five consecutive 

days during day-light hours. 

DATES: This deviation is effective from 

March 7 through March 11, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: The docket for this 

deviation, [USCG–2016–0088] is 

available at http://www.regulations.gov. 

Type the docket number in the 

‘‘SEARCH’’ box and click ‘‘SEARCH’’. 

Click on Open Docket Folder on the line 

associated with this deviation. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If 

you have questions on this temporary 

deviation, call or email Jim 

Wetherington, Bridge Administration 

Branch, Coast Guard; telephone 504– 

671–2128, email james.r.wetherington@

uscg.mil. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway 

Company requested a temporary 

deviation from the operating schedule of 

the Galveston Causeway Railroad 

Vertical Lift Bridge across the Gulf 

Intracoastal Waterway, mile 357.2 west 

of Harvey Locks, at Galveston, 

Galveston County, Texas. This deviation 

was requested to allow the bridge owner 

to complete cable lubing and scheduled 

semi-annual maintenance. This bridge is 

governed by 33 CFR 117.5. 

This deviation allows the vertical lift 

bridge to remain closed to navigation 

from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and then again 

from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., daily, beginning 

March 7 through March 11, 2016. The 

bridge has a vertical clearance of 8.0 feet 

above mean high water, elevation 3.0 

feet (NAVD88), in the closed-tonavigation position and 73 feet above 

mean high water in the open-tonavigation position. Navigation at the 

site of the bridge consists mainly of 

tows with barges and some recreational 

pleasure craft. 

Vessels able to pass through the 

bridge in the closed position may do so 

at any time and should pass at the 

slowest safe speed. The bridge can open 

in case of emergency. No alternate 

routes are available. 

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. 

In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), 

the drawbridge must return to its regular 

operating schedule immediately at the 

end of the effective period of this 

temporary deviation. This deviation 

from the operating regulations is 

authorized under 33 CFR 117.35. 

Dated: February 5, 2016. 

David M. Frank, 

Bridge Administrator, Eighth Coast Guard 

District. 

[FR Doc. 2016–02777 Filed 2–10–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 

POSTAL SERVICE 

39 CFR PART 955 

Rules of Practice Before the Postal 

Service Board of Contract Appeals 

AGENCY: Postal Service. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This document revises a 

portion of the rules of practice before 

the Postal Service Board of Contract 

Appeals to clarify that the Associate 

Judicial Officer is not required to serve 

as the Board’s Vice Chairman. 

DATES: Effective: February 11, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: Correspondence regarding 

this document may be addressed to: 

Postal Service Judicial Officer 

Department, 2101 Wilson Boulevard, 

Suite 600, Arlington, VA 22201–3078. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Judicial Officer Gary E. Shapiro, (703) 

812–1910. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Background 

The Contract Disputes Act of 1978, as 

amended, established the Postal Service 

Board of Contract Appeals (PSBCA), and 

prescribed that its members consist of 

judges appointed by the Postmaster 

General, who shall meet the 

qualifications of and serve in the same 

manner as the members of the Civilian 

Board of Contract Appeals. (See 41 

U.S.C. 7105(d)). The Board’s current 

rules of practice state at 39 CFR 

955.1(b)(2) that the Board consists of the 

Judicial Officer as Chairman, the 

Associate Judicial Officer as Vice 

Chairman, and the Judges of the Board, 

as appointed by the Postmaster General 

in accordance with the Contract 

Disputes Act of 1978, 41 U.S.C. 7101– 

7109, which reflected the Board’s 

structure at the time the rules were 

implemented. While the Judicial Officer 

is appointed in accordance with the 

provisions of 39 U.S.C. 204, and serves 

as Chairman of the PSBCA, there is no 

statutory or other legal requirement that 

the Associate Judicial Officer serve as 

Vice Chairman. 

B. Explanation of Changes 

Accordingly, to enhance the 

efficiency and operational flexibility of 

the PSBCA, this document amends 

§ 955.1(b)(2) by removing the statement 

reflecting the PSBCA’s previously 

existing structure where the Associate 

Judicial Officer served as Vice Chairman 

of the Board, thus allowing any Judge of 

the Board to serve in that capacity. No 

other changes to the rules have been 

made. 

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 955 

Administrative practice and 

procedure, Government contracts. 

Accordingly, for the reasons stated, 

the Postal Service hereby amends 39 

CFR part 955 as follows: 

PART 955—RULES OF PRACTICE 

BEFORE THE POSTAL SERVICE 

BOARD OF CONTRACT APPEALS 

■ 1. The authority citation for 39 CFR 

part 955 continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 39 U.S.C. 204, 401; 41 U.S.C. 

7101–7109. 

■ 2. In § 955.1, revise the first sentence 

of paragraph (b)(2) to read as follows: 

§ 955.1 Jurisdiction, procedure, service of 

documents. 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(2) The Board consists of the Judicial 

Officer as Chairman, and the Judges of 

the Board, as appointed by the 

Postmaster General in accordance with 

the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, 41 

U.S.C. 7101–7109. * * * 

* * * * * 

Stanley F. Mires, 

Attorney, Federal Compliance. 

[FR Doc. 2016–02741 Filed 2–10–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–12–P 


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