Document ID: USCG-2009-0670-0001
Agency: uscg
Document Type: Notice
Title: Drawbridge Operating Regulations; Franklin Canal, Franklin, LA (Federal Register Publication)
Posted Date: 2009-08-19T04:00Z

[Federal Register: August 19, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 159)]
[Rules and Regulations]               
[Page 41789-41790]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19au09-1]                         

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Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. 
Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each 
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[[Page 41789]]

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2009-0670]

 
Drawbridge Operating Regulations; Franklin Canal, Franklin, LA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations; request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a 
temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the 
Chatsworth Road Bridge across the Franklin Canal, mile 4.8, at 
Franklin, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. This deviation will test a change 
to the operating schedule to determine whether a permanent change to 
the schedule is needed. It will allow the bridge to remain unmanned 
during most of the day by requiring a one-hour notice for an opening of 
the draw.

DATES: This deviation is effective from 5 a.m. on August 19, 2009 until 
9 p.m. on February 16, 2010. Comments and related material must be 
received by the Coast Guard on or before October 19, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2009-0670 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-355-9329.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these methods. See 
``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on submitting 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this rule, 
call or e-mail Phil Johnson, Bridge Administration Branch, Eighth Coast 
Guard District; telephone 504-671-2128, e-mail 
Philip.R.Johnson@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting 
comments and related materials. All comments received will be posted, 
without change, to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided.

Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
rulemaking (USCG-2009-0670), indicate the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each 
suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material 
online (http://www.regulations.gov), or by fax, mail or hand delivery, 
but please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online 
via http://www.regulations.gov, it will be considered as having been 
received by the Coast Guard when you successfully transmit the comment. 
If you fax, hand deliver, or mail your comment, it will be considered 
as having been received by the Coast Guard when it is received at the 
Docket Management Facility. We recommend that you include your name and 
a mailing address, an e-mail address, or a phone number in the body of 
your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding 
your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
click on the ``submit a comment'' box, which will then become 
highlighted in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box insert ``USCG-2009-0670'' 
click ``Search'' and then click on the balloon shape in the ``Actions'' 
column. If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit 
them in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable 
for copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would 
like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and 
material received during the comment period and may change the rule 
based on your comments.

Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble 
as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
click on the ``read comments'' box, which will then become highlighted 
in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box insert ``USCG-2009-0670'' and click 
``Search.'' Click the ``Open Docket Folder'' in the ``Actions'' column. 
You may also visit either the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-
140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation West 
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. We 
have an agreement with the Department of Transportation to use the 
Docket Management Facility.

Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any 
of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice 
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the 
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Public Meeting

    We do not now plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a 
request for one on or before September 3, 2009.

Background and Purpose

    The St. Mary Parish Government has requested that the operating 
regulation of the Chatsworth Road swing span

[[Page 41790]]

bridge, located on the Franklin Canal at mile 4.8 in Franklin, St. Mary 
Parish, Louisiana, be changed in order for the bridge not to have to be 
continuously manned by a draw tender. Currently, the bridge opens on 
signal from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Because of the relocation of a public boat 
landing downstream of the bridge, vessel traffic has become infrequent, 
and it is no longer necessary to have a bridge tender continuously man 
the bridge.
    Currently, the bridge operates as follows: The draw of the 
Chatsworth Road Bridge, mile 4.8 at Franklin, shall open on signal from 
5 a.m. to 9 p.m. From October 1 through January 31 from 9 p.m. to 5 
a.m., the draw shall open on signal if at least three hours notice is 
given. From February 1 through September 30 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the 
draw shall open on signal if at least 12 hours notice is given.
    This Temporary Deviation from Drawbridge Operating Regulations 
allows the bridge to operate as follows: The draw of the Chatsworth 
Road Bridge, mile 4.8 at Franklin, shall open on signal from 5 a.m. to 
9 p.m. if at least one hour notice is given. From October 1 through 
January 31 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the draw shall open on signal if at 
least three hours notice is given. From February 1 through September 30 
from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the draw shall open on signal if at least 12 
hours notice is given.
    While some commercial vessels use the waterway to access commercial 
facilities upstream of the bridge, they are able to schedule operations 
around the advance notices required for an opening. The majority of 
waterway usage consists of small recreational fishing craft that now 
utilize the boat launch that has been relocated downstream of the 
bridge. The bridge provides a vertical clearance of 7 feet above mean 
high water in the closed-to-navigation position and unlimited in the 
open-to-navigation position. Thus, the majority of recreational fishing 
craft that may wish to transit through the bridge will be able to do so 
without requesting an opening of the draw.
    A Notice of Proposed Rule Making [USCG-2009-0672] is being issued 
in conjunction with this Temporary Deviation to obtain public comments. 
The St. Mary Parish Government states that the decrease in vessel 
traffic, due to the relocation of the boat ramp downstream of the 
bridge, has resulted in such infrequency of drawbridge openings that it 
is impractical to man the bridge full time from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. 
A bridge tender will be on call to open the bridge with a one-hour 
notice by calling the telephone number that will be posted on the 
bridge. The Coast Guard will evaluate public comments from this 
Temporary Deviation and the above referenced Notice of Proposed Rule 
Making to determine if a change to the permanent special drawbridge 
operating regulation is warranted.
    In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridge must return to 
its regular operating schedule immediately at the end of the designated 
period. This deviation from the operating regulations is authorized 
under 33 CFR 117.35.

    Dated: August 4, 2009.
David M. Frank,
Bridge Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-19824 Filed 8-18-09; 8:45 am]

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