Proposed Rule2022-09378
Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Okeechobee Waterway, Stuart, FL
Primary source
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Published
May 3, 2022
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentCoast Guard
Abstract
The Coast Guard is seeking information and comments on a proposed change to the operating regulations for the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railroad Bridge, mile 7.4, and the SR 707 (Dixie Hwy) Bridge, mile 7.5, across the Okeechobee Waterway (OWW), at Stuart, Florida. In anticipation of passenger rail service across the FEC Railroad Bridge, the Coast Guard intends to propose a change that will allow the drawbridge to operate on a more predictable schedule. The Coast Guard intends to propose a similar operating schedule for the adjacent SR 707 (Dixie Hwy) Bridge. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 85 (Tuesday, May 3, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 3, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 26145-26146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-09378]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[Docket No. USCG-2022-0222]
RIN 1625-AA09
Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Okeechobee Waterway, Stuart, FL
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notification of inquiry, request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is seeking information and comments on a
proposed change to the operating regulations for the Florida East Coast
(FEC) Railroad Bridge, mile 7.4, and the SR 707 (Dixie Hwy) Bridge,
mile 7.5, across the Okeechobee Waterway (OWW), at Stuart, Florida. In
anticipation of passenger rail service across the FEC Railroad Bridge,
the Coast Guard intends to propose a change that will allow the
drawbridge to operate on a more predictable schedule. The Coast Guard
intends to propose a similar operating schedule for the adjacent SR 707
(Dixie Hwy) Bridge. We invite your comments on this proposed
rulemaking.
DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or
before July 5, 2022.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2022-0222 using Federal Decision Making Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion
of the
[[Page 26146]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on submitting
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice,
call or email Ms. Jennifer Zercher, Bridge Management Specialist,
Seventh Coast Guard District, telephone 305-415-6740, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d19bb4bfbfb8b7b4a3ff9fff8bb4a3b2b9b4a391a4a2b2b6ffbcb8bd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91dbf4fffff8f7f4e3bfdfbfcbf4e3f2f9f4e3d1e4e2f2f6bffcf8fd">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Table of Abbreviations
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
E.O. Executive Order
FR Federal Register
Sec. Section Symbol
U.S.C. United States Code
FEC Florida East Coast
SR State Route
WAMS Waterways Analysis and Management System
OWW Okeechobee Waterway
HWY Highway
II. Background, Purpose and Purpose
The FEC Railroad Bridge across the OWW, mile 7.4, at Stuart,
Florida is a single-leaf bascule railroad bridge with a six-foot
vertical clearance at mean high water in the closed position. The
normal operating schedule for the bridge is found in 33 CFR 117.317(c).
The SR 707 (Dixie Hwy) Bridge across the OWW, mile 7.5, at Stuart,
Florida is a double-leaf bascule bridge with a 14-foot vertical
clearance at mean high water in the closed position. The normal
operating schedule for the bridge is found in 33 CFR 117.317(d).
Navigation on the waterway is commercial and recreational.
In response to All Aboard Florida Railway's (Brightline) expansion
project development and environmental study, U.S. Coast Guard Sector
Miami Waterways Management Office conducted a Waterways Analysis and
Management System (WAMS) review of the Intracoastal Waterway from miles
925-1005 in 2018. The WAMS included a focused review of the railroad
bridges over the St Lucie River (OWW) and Loxahatchee River. The WAMS
concluded that, with the addition of passenger rail service, the FEC
Railroad Bridge over the OWW would create an unreasonable obstruction
to navigation if operated under the current regulation, 33 CFR
117.317(c). U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port Miami, based on the
WAMS, recommended the regulation for the railroad bridge be changed to
allow for reasonable usage of competing modes of transportation and
provide a predictable opening schedule.
III. Information Requested
To aid us in further developing a proposed rule, we seek responses
from waterway users to the following questions:
(1) Do you currently transit through the FEC Railroad Bridge
crossing the Okeechobee Waterway, mile 7.4, at Stuart, Florida?
(2) How often do you transit this waterway?
(3) If railway traffic impedes your navigation of this area, how
long are you normally delayed?
(4) How would you propose to regulate the balance of railway and
maritime traffic in this area?
(5) What challenges have you experienced when transiting this area
due to these bridges and/or railway activity?
(6) Is a 15 minute hourly opening schedule sufficient for marine
traffic? If not, please explain why.
(7) Should the SR 707 (Dixie Hwy) Bridge opening schedule mirror
the operating schedule of the FEC Railroad Bridge?
IV. Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to submit comments in response to this notice of
inquiry through the Federal Decision Making Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. To do so, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, type
USCG-2022-0222 in the search box and click ``Search.'' Next, look for
this document in the Search Results column, and click on it. Then click
on the Comment option. In your submission, please include the docket
number for this notice of inquiry and provide a reason for each
suggestion or recommendation. If your material cannot be submitted
using <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> contact the person in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate
instructions.
To view documents mentioned in this proposed rule as being
available in the docket, find the docket as described in the previous
paragraph, and then select ``Supporting & Related Material'' in the
Document Type column. Public comments will also be placed in our online
docket and can be viewed by following instructions on the <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> Frequently Asked Questions web page. We review all
comments received, but we may choose not to post off-topic,
inappropriate, or duplicate comments that we receive. Additionally, if
you go to the online docket and sign up for email alerts, you will be
notified when comments are posted or a final rule is published.
We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> will include any personal information you have
provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this
document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226,
March 11, 2020).
We may hold a public meeting, if necessary, to receive oral
comments on this Notice of Inquiry and will announce the date, time,
and location in a separate document published in the Federal Register.
If you signed up for docket email alerts mentioned in the paragraph
above, you will receive an email notice when the public meeting notice
is published and placed in the docket.
This document is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 33
U.S.C. 499.
Dated: April 22, 2022.
Brendan C. McPherson,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander Coast Guard Seventh District.
[FR Doc. 2022-09378 Filed 5-2-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
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