The US Coast Guard is asking for your comments on allowing the bridge to be closed 50% of the time for FECR. This is detrimental to those west of the bridges. Please share this post. While FNAA applauds the efforts of the USCG to respond to the overwhelming request of the public asking for protection of our waterway navigation, we believe this solution of allowing the bridge to be closed up to 50% of the time is an inequitable resolution to homeowners and businesses west of the bridges. In particular, the bridge over the St. Lucie River is the only bridge that connects The Gulf of Mexico with the Atlantic Ocean as well as the only bridge and point along the entire line, which will remain a single track. Other bridges along the route will be double tracked allowing trains to supposedly be timed to travel north and south at the same time and thus we are told will reduce closure time. We do agree that a live bridge tender at each bridge is a positive step in the right direction but allowing the bridge to be closed 50% of the time will have an irreparable negative impact on business and real estate values west of the bridge. Our concern is that the bridge is not currently, or historically, down 50% of the time, but this new ruling would allow FECR to close the bridge 50% of the time. This would happen regardless of whether All Aboard Florida comes to fruition. Historically, FECR had over 24 freight trains per day but very few people felt that was obtrusive, and the bridge was not in the down position 50% of the time. Who is the rule change going to benefit? FECR now will have a rule allowing them to have the bridge down 50% of the time. Our communities will be left with a rule imposed on them that will limit our navigation along the St. Lucie River like we have never seen. The USCG should conduct a survey and study of those impacted to the west of the St. Lucie Bridge. The St. Lucie Bridge is far different from the Fort Lauderdale Bridge and, therefore, warrants its own test patterns and public opinion meetings. If you do not support a ruling allowing any of the bridges to be closed up to 50% of the time, we ask you to act now and send a letter to the Coast Guard by the deadline of 12/3/2015. Full details available at this link. http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=USCG-2015-0271-0010 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this proposed rule, call or email Mr. Rod Elkins with the Coast Guard; telephone 305–415– 6989, email Rodney.J.Elkins@uscg.mil. DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or before December 3, 2015. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG– 2015–0271 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http:// www.regulations.gov. A note from the USCG portal: “Organizations often encourage their members to submit form letters designed to address issues common to their membership. Organizations including industry associations, labor unions, and conservation groups sometimes use form letters to voice their opposition or support of a proposed rulemaking. Many in the public mistakenly believe that their submitted form letter constitutes a “vote” regarding the issues concerning them. Although public support or opposition may help guide important public policies, agencies make determinations for a proposed action based on sound reasoning and scientific evidence rather than a majority of votes. A single, well-supported comment may carry more weight than a thousand form letters.”