67346 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 250 / Friday, December 29, 1995 / Proposed Rules

Maritime Buoyage System (MBS) of the

International Association of Lighthouse

Authorities (IALA). These changes

would help mariners avoid

misinterpreting signals they might see

when transiting different bodies of

water now subject to different marking

systems.

DATES: Please submit comments on or

before February 12, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to

the Executive Secretary, Marine Safety

Council (G–LRA, Room 3406) [CGD 94–

091], U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters,

2100 Second Street SW., Washington,

DC 20593–0001, or may be delivered to

room 3406 at the same address between

8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through

Friday, except Federal holidays. the

telephone number is (202) 267–1477.

The Executive Secretary maintains the

public docket for this notice and request

for comments. Comments will become

part of this docket and will be available

for inspection or copying at room 3406,

U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, between

8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through

Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

LTJG Chad Asplund, Division of Short

Range Aids to Navigation, Telephone:

(202) 267–1386.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

The Coast Guard encourages

interested persons to participate in this

notice and request for comments by

submitting written data, views, or

arguments. Persons submitting

comments should include their names

and addresses, identify this rulemaking

[CG 94–091] and the specific section of

this notice to which each comment

applies, and give the reason for each

comment. Please submit two copies of

all comments and attachments in an

unbound format, no larger than 8+ by 11

inches, suitable for copying and

electronic filing. Persons wanting

acknowledgement of receipt of

comments should enclose stamped, selfaddressed postcards or envelopes.

Background and Purpose

In 1966 the USWMS was created to

provide a system that would adequately

mark State waters. At its inception it

was meant in part to supplement the

USATONS. It offered two types of aids

to navigation, a system of regulatory

markers as well as a system to

supplement the USATONS. It features

red and black buoys to mark lateral

hazards.

The WRMS was introduced to

establish a system that would

adequately mark the dynamic

waterways of the Mississippi River and

its Western counterparts. Some

deviations from the USATONS were

necessary to adequately mark these

waterways. The WRMS allowed for only

a few light characteristics to mark the

waterways. As the number of users

increased, and as the number of aids

increased, a need arose to differentiate

among the aids in the WRMS.

In 1982, the United States, along with

most of the world’s other maritime

Nations, became a party to the

agreement that established the MBS of

the IALA. In 1985 the United States

began converting the USATONS to

harmonize with the MBS; if finished in

1991. Yet the systems that mark the

Uniform State Waterways and the

Western Rivers are not fully in

conformance with the single system

comprising MBS and USATONS.

The purpose of this proposed change

is to develop an approach to adequately

mark the Uniform State Waterways and

Western Rivers while minimizing the

number of systems of aids to navigation.

The Coast Guard is considering the

following changes:

1. Allowing the five existing flash

characteristics authorized in the

USATONS to be used in the WRMS.

2. Using non-lateral daymarks as

crossing daymarks in the WRMS.

3. Replacing the black buoys in the

USWMS with green buoys.

4. Removing cardinal marks from the

USWMS.

5. Marking hazards in the USWMS

with the appropriate lateral marks as in

the USATONS.

Early Participation

The Coast Guard is consulting with

the National Association of State

Boating-Law Administrators and with

users in the Second Coast Guard

District, as well as with State maritime

authorities, to gather information

required for this proposed change.

Solicitation of Views

The Coast Guard solicits comments

from all segments of the marine

community and other interested persons

on economic and other impacts and

[suggested alternatives related to aids to

navigation system] to adequately mark

the Uniform State Waterways and the

Western Rivers. Persons submitting

comments should include their names

and addresses, identify this docket [CG

94–091], identify their concern or

concerns, state what impacts may result

from one or more of the alternatives

identified, suggest other alternatives,

and provide reasons to support the

suggested alternatives. The Coast Guard

is particularly interested in receiving

information, views, data, and reasons on

the following questions and areas of

concern:

1. WHAT WOULD BE THE

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF A

PROPOSED CHANGE IN LIGHTING

CHARACTERISTICS ON THE

WESTERN RIVERS?

Would users be adversely affected by

having additional lighting

characteristics within the WRMS?

What financial impact would this

have?

Who are the persons most affected?

2. WHAT OTHER FACTORS AFFECT

A PROPOSED CHANGE IN LIGHTING?

Is there any other information that

you feel may be helpful in

implementing this change with less

impact on the affected persons?

3. SHOULD CROSSING DAYBOARDS

USED IN THE WRMS BE REPLACED

BY THE NON-LATERAL DAYBOARDS

USED IN THE USATONS?

Should the currently used single-color

crossing dayboards be replaced by the

red-and-white or green-and-white nonlateral marks for better visibility?

4. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO

MARK OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE

USWMS?

Should cardinal marks be retained, or

should the States adopt a system similar

to that of the USATONS?

5. SHOULD THE MEANING OF THE

RED-AND-WHITE STRIPED BUOYS IN

THE USWMS BE CHANGED SO SUCH

BUOYS MARK SAFE WATER AS IN

THE USATONS?

Dated: December 20, 1995.

Rudy K. Peschel,

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Office

of Navigation Safety and Waterway Services.

[FR Doc. 95–31376 Filed 12–28–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–14–M

33 CFR Part 117

[CGD13–95–050]

Drawbridge Operation Regulations;

South Slough, OR

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: At the request of the Oregon

Department of Transportation (ODOT),

the Coast Guard is considering an

amendment to the regulations governing

the operation of the South Slough

Bridge at Charleston, Oregon. The

proposed change would require one

hour notice at all times when requesting

openings of the drawspan of the bridge

for the passage of vessels.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before February 27, 1996.
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 250 / Friday, December 29, 1995 / Proposed Rules 67347

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

mailed to Commander (oan), Thirteenth

Coast Guard District, 915 Second

Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98174–

1067. The comments and other

materials referenced in this notice will

be available for inspection and copying

at 915 Second Avenue, Room 3410,

Seattle, Washington. Normal office

hours are between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15

p.m., Monday through Friday, except

federal holidays. Comments may also be

hand-delivered to this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John E. Mikesell, Chief, Plans and

Programs Section, Aids to Navigation

and Waterways Management Branch,

(Telephone: (206) 220–7270).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

The Coast Guard encourages

interested persons to participate in this

rulemaking by submitting written data,

views, or arguments. Persons submitting

comments should include their names

and addresses, identify this rulemaking

(CGD13–95–050) and the specific

section of this proposal to which each

comment applies, and give the reason

for each comment. Please submit two

copies of all comments and attachments

in unbound format, no larger than 81⁄2

by 11 inches, suitable for copying and

electronic filing. Persons wanting

acknowledgment of receipt of comments

should enclose stamped, self-addressed

postcards or envelopes.

The Coast Guard will consider all

comments received during the comment

period. It may change this proposal in

view of the comments.

The Coast Guard plans no public

hearing. Persons may request a public

hearing by writing to the Commander,

Thirteenth Coast Guard District at the

address under ADDRESSES. The request

should include the reasons why a

hearing would be beneficial. If it

determines that the opportunity for oral

presentations will aid this rulemaking,

the Coast Guard will hold a public

hearing at a time and place announced

by a later notice in the Federal Register.

Drafting Information

The drafters of this notice are Austin

Pratt, Project Officer, Thirteenth Coast

Guard District Aids to Navigation and

Waterways Management Branch, and

Lieutenant Commander John C. Odell,

Project Attorney, Thirteenth Coast

Guard District Legal Office.

Background and Purpose

At the request of the Oregon

Department of Transportation (ODOT),

the Coast Guard is considering an

amendment to the regulations governing

the operation of the South Slough

Bridge at Charleston, Oregon. The

proposed change would require one

hour notice at all times when requesting

openings of the drawspan of the bridge

for the passage of vessels. Current

regulations require the drawspan to

open on signal, except that the

drawspan need only open on the hour

and half hour from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from

June 1 through September 30. The

current regulations provide an

exception to the summertime on-thehour-and-half-hour provisions for

vessels in distress, commercial tugs

and/or tows, and public vessels of the

United States.

In recent years the total number of

annual openings has decreased

continuously from 2014 in 1988 to 765

in 1995. This year the greatest number

of openings occurred in April. During

April, 1995, there were a total of 89

openings, averaging somewhat less than

3 per day.

Because of the decreased number of

openings during the summer months,

ODOT no longer feels that the on-thehour-and-half-hour provision is

necessary for the efficient operation of

the bridge. In recent years, ODOT has

voluntarily waived the on-the-hour-andhalf-hour restriction and has opened the

bridge on signal whenever requested.

Under the proposed change, the

provision that allows the bridge to open

only on the hour or half hour during the

summer months would be removed. The

exception for vessels in distress,

commercial tugs and/or tows, and

public vessels of the United States

would also be removed. Under the

proposed change, vessels needing

emergency openings would still be able

to request such openings under the

general provisions of § 117.31 of this

part. No new exception to the one-hour

notice requirement will be created for

commercial tugs and tows or public

vessels because transit of the bridge by

these types of vessels have become rare.

The decreased number of requested

openings throughout the year has also

made it unnecessary and cost-inefficient

to require that a draw operator be

present at the bridge at all hours. Under

the proposed change, the one-hour

notice requirement would allow time for

the draw operator to travel to the bridge

for requested openings.

Discussion of Proposed Rule

The proposed rule would amend 33

CFR 117.892 to state that the draw shall

open on signal if at least one hour notice

is provided. This one-hour notice

requirement would apply year-around.

The provision that allows the bridge to

open only on the hour or half hour

during the summer months would be

removed along with the exception for

vessels in distress, commercial tugs

and/or tows, and public vessels of the

United States.

Regulatory Evaluation

This proposed rule is not a significant

regulatory action under 3(f) of Executive

Order 12866 and does not require an

assessment of potential cost 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 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 proposed rule to be so

minimal that a full regulatory evaluation

under paragraph 10e of the regulatory

policies and procedures of DOT is

unnecessary. This expectation is based

on the fact that vessel operators would

not be unreasonably impeded or incur

additional expense by a requirement to

provide one hour notice for draw

openings.

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 effect on a

substantial number of small entities.

‘‘Small entities’’ include independently

owned and operated small businesses

that are not dominant in their field and

that otherwise qualify as ‘‘small

business concerns’’ under section 3 of

the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).

The Coast Guard certifies under 5 U.S.C.

605(b) that this proposal, if adopted,

will not have a significant impact on a

significant number of small entities.

Collection of Information

This proposal 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

proposal under the principles and

criteria contained in Executive Order

12612, and it has been determined that

the proposed rulemaking does not have

sufficient federalism implications to

warrant the preparation of a Federalism

Assessment.

Environment

The Coast Guard considered the

environmental impact of this proposal

and concluded that, under section 2.B.2.

of Commandant Instruction M16475.B,
67348 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 250 / Friday, December 29, 1995 / Proposed Rules

this proposal is categorically excluded

from further environmental

documentation. A ‘‘Categorical

Exclusion Determination’’ is available in

the docket for inspection or copying.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117

Bridges.

Proposed Regulations

For the reasons set out in the

preamble, the Coast Guard proposes to

amend part 117 of title 33, Code of

Federal Regulations, 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; 49 CFR 1.46; 33

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

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

Stat. 5039.

2. Section 117.892 is revised to read

as follows:

§ 117.892 South Slough.

The draw of the Oregon State highway

bridge across South Slough at

Charleston, Oregon, shall open on signal

for the passage of vessels if at least one

hour notice is given.

Dated: December 19, 1995.

J.W. Lockwood,

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander,

13th Coast Guard District.

[FR Doc. 95–31521 Filed 12–28–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–14–M

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket 95–79, Notice 2]

RIN 2127–AG01

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard;

Steering Control Rearward

Displacement

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Proposed Rule, extension of

comment period.

SUMMARY: On November 16, 1995, (60

FR 57565) the agency published a

proposal to exclude certain vehicles

from the application of Federal Motor

Vehicle Safety Standard No. 204,

Steering Control Rearward

Displacement. The excluded vehicles

would be passenger cars and other light

vehicles that are certified to comply

with the frontal barrier crash test

requirements of the agency’s occupant

crash protection standard by means of

an airbag. A 60-day comment period

was announced for that proposal.

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety

requested an extension of the period to

submit written comments. Advocates

urged the agency to extend the time to

comment, due to significant demands

on their staff, responding to other

NHTSA dockets and participation in

NHTSA Negotiated Rulemaking

meetings in January. The agency agrees

that the unusual coincidence of

numerous agency activities of interest to

Advocates may result in inadequate

time to respond to this notice.

Additionally the agency recognizes the

limited resources available to

commenters during this holiday season.

Therefore, by this notice, the agency

extends the comment period for another

30 days.

DATES: Written comments must be

received by February 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: All written comments

should be mailed to the Docket Section,

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration, Room 5109, 400 7th

Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590.

Please refer to the docket number of the

original docket, that is Docket 95–79;

Notice 1, when submitting written

comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Clarke B. Harper, Office of Vehicle

Safety Standards, NPS–12, NHTSA, 400

7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590

(telephone 202–366–2264, fax 202–366–

4329). By electronic mail:

charper@nhtsa.dot.gov.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115,

30117, and 30166; delegation of authority at

49 CFR 1.50.

Barry Felrice,

Associate Administrator for Safety

Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 95–31511 Filed 12–28–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P