Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 51 / Thursday, March 16, 1995 / Rules and Regulations 14221

Captain of the Port before anchoring in

Anchorages A or B.

Dated: January 10, 1995.

William P. Leahy,

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander,

Seventh Coast Guard District.

[FR Doc. 95–6435 Filed 3–15–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–14–M

33 CFR Part 117

[CGD8–94–027]

RIN 2115–AE47

Drawbridge Operation Regulations;

Mermentau River, LA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: At the request of the

Louisiana Department of Transportation

and Development (LDOTD), the Coast

Guard is changing the regulation

governing the operation of the swing

span bridge on State Route 82, across

the Mermentau River, mile 7.1, at Grand

Chenier, Cameron Parish, Louisiana, by

permitting the draw to open on signal

from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and open on four

hours notice from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Presently, the draw is required to open

on signal from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and from

9 p.m. to 5 a.m. the bridge opens on 4

hours notice. This action will provide

relief to the bridge owner, thereby

creating a savings to the taxpayer, and

still provide for the reasonable needs of

navigation.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This regulation

becomes effective on April 17, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Unless otherwise indicated,

documents referred to in this preamble

are available for inspection or copying

at the office of the Commander (ob),

Eighth Coast Guard District, 501

Magazine Street, Room 1313, New

Orleans, Louisiana 70130–3396,

between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday

through Friday, except Federal holidays.

The telephone number is (504) 589–

2965.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. John Wachter, Bridge

Administration Branch, at the address

given above, telephone (504) 589–2965.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Drafting Information

The drafters of this regulation are Mr.

John Wachter, project officer, and LT

Elisa Holland, project attorney.

Regulatory History

On October 4, 1994, the Coast Guard

published a notice of proposed

rulemaking entitled Drawbridge

Operation Regulation; Mermentau River,

LA, in the Federal Register (59 FR

50529). The Coast Guard received three

letters commenting on the proposal. No

public hearing was requested, and none

was held.

Background and Purpose

LDOTD requested the 4 hour

reduction in the number of hours the

bridge owner is required to have an

attendant on duty, due to the small

number of vessels which use the

Mermentau River bridge. Data provided

by LDOTD show that from January 1,

through December 31, 1993, the number

of vessels broke down to 8.0 vessels per

24 hour period. The four hour reduction

will allow the bridge owner relief from

having a person available at the bridge

site during that period, thereby, creating

a savings to the taxpayer while still

serving the reasonable needs of

navigational interests.

Discussion of Comments and Changes

Three letters of comment were

received in response to the proposal.

The Federal Emergency Management

Agency, the National Marine Fisheries

Service and the Louisiana Department

of Wildlife & Fisheries offered no

objection to the rule change. Therefore,

the Final Rule remains unchanged from

the Proposed Rule.

Assessment

This regulation is not a significant

regulatory action under Section 3(f) of

Executive Order 12866 and does not

require an assessment of potential cost

and benefits under Section 6a(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).

Small Entities

The economic impact has been found

to be so minimal that a full regulatory

evaluation is unnecessary. The basis for

this conclusion is the number of vessels

which pass the bridge, (8.0 per 24 hour

period). The three comments received

offered no objection to the proposed

rule. Therefore, the Coast Guard certifies

under section 605(b) of the Regulatory

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

this rule will not have a significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small entities.

Collection of Information

This rule contains no collection-ofinformation requirements under the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.).

Federalism

This action has been analyzed in

accordance with the principles and

criteria contained in Executive Order

12612, and it has been determined that

the final rulemaking does not have

sufficient federalism implications to

warrant the preparation of a Federalism

Assessment.

Environment

This rulemaking has been thoroughly

reviewed by the Coast Guard and it has

been determined to be categorically

excluded from further environmental

documentation in accordance with

section 2.B.2.g.5 of Commandant

Instruction M16475.1B. A Categorical

Exclusion Determination statement has

been prepared and placed in the

rulemaking docket.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 117

Bridges.

Regulations

In consideration of the foregoing, Part

117 of Title 33, Code of Federal

Regulations, is amended 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).

2. Section 117.480 is revised to read

as follows:

§ 117.480 Mermentau River.

The draw of the S82 bridge, mile 7.1

at Grand Chenier, shall open on signal;

except that, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. the

draw shall open on signal if at least 4

hours notice is given. During the

advance notice period, the draw will

open on less than 4 hours notice for an

emergency and will open on demand

should a temporary surge in waterway

traffic occur.

Dated: February 1, 1995.

C.B. Newlin,

Acting Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief of

Staff.

[FR Doc. 95–6434 Filed 3–15–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–14–M