83 FR 8936 - Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Petaluma River, Haystack Landing (Petaluma), CA

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 42 (March 2, 2018)

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Northwestern Pacific (SMART) railroad bridge across the Petaluma River, mile 12.4, at Haystack Landing (Petaluma), CA. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is appropriate. This test deviation will modify the existing regulation to add an advance notification requirement for obtaining bridge openings.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 42 (Friday, March 2, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8936-8937]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04251]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2018-0091]


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Petaluma River, Haystack Landing 
(Petaluma), CA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

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

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the 
operating schedule that governs the Northwestern Pacific (SMART) 
railroad bridge across the Petaluma River, mile 12.4, at Haystack 
Landing (Petaluma), CA. This deviation will test a change to the 
drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change 
to the schedule is appropriate. This test deviation will modify the 
existing regulation to add an advance notification requirement for 
obtaining bridge openings.

DATES: This deviation is effective from 6 a.m. on March 19, 2018 to 6 
a.m. on June 17, 2018.
    Comments and related materials must reach the Coast Guard on or 
before July 2, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2018-0091 using Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
    See the ``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 test 
deviation, call or email Carl T. Hausner, Chief, Bridge Section, 
Eleventh Coast Guard District; telephone 510-437-3516; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background, Purpose and Legal Basis

    Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) owns the Northwestern 
Pacific railroad bridge across the Petaluma River, mile 12.4, at 
Haystack Landing (Petaluma), CA. The bridge has a vertical clearance of 
3.6 feet above mean high water in the closed-to-navigation position and 
unlimited vertical clearance in the open-to-navigation position, and 
currently operates under 33 CFR 117.187(a).
    In 2015, SMART replaced the original swing bridge with a single 
leaf bascule bridge. Prior to 2015, the swing bridge was rarely used 
and was maintained in the fully open position. Commuter rail service 
began on August 25, 2017. Currently 32 trains cross the bridge each 
day. The Petaluma River supports commercial and recreational traffic. 
Due to an increase in said rail traffic, SMART has requested the 
drawspan remain in the closed-to-navigation position to avoid 
unnecessary bridge openings. The Coast Guard is publishing this 
temporary deviation to test the proposed schedule change SMART has

[[Page 8937]]

requested to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is 
appropriate to better balance the needs of marine and rail traffic.
    Under this temporary deviation, in effect from 6 a.m. on March 19, 
2018 to 6 a.m. on June 17, 2018, the bridge shall open on signal from 3 
a.m. to 11 p.m. if at least 2 hours notice is given to the drawtender. 
At all other times, the draw shall be maintained in the fully open 
position, except for the passage of trains or for maintenance. To 
request an opening, mariners can contact the drawtender via marine 
radio VHF-FM channel 16/9 or by telephone at (707) 890-8650. Vessels 
able to pass through the bridge in the closed position may do so at 
anytime. The bridge will be required to open as soon as practicable for 
vessels engaged in emergency response. SMART will log dates and times 
of vessels requesting openings. There are no alternate routes for 
vessels transiting upstream of the bridge on the Petaluma River.
    The Coast Guard will also inform the users of the waterways through 
our Local and Broadcast Notices to Mariners and through direct outreach 
to local harbors, marinas, and water-based business of the temporary 
change in the operating schedule for the bridge so that vessel 
operators can arrange their transits to minimize any impact caused by 
the temporary deviation.
    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.

II. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking, 
and will consider all comments and materials received during the 
comment period. Your comments can help shape the outcome of this 
rulemaking. If you submit a comment, please include the docket number 
for this rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to 
which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions.
    We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the 
docket, visit http://www.regulations.gov/privacynotice.
    Documents mentioned in this document as being available in this 
docket and all public comments, will be in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website's 
instructions. 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.

    Dated: February 26, 2018.
Carl T. Hausner,
District Bridge Chief, Eleventh Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2018-04251 Filed 3-1-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P