June 14, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 announces the deletion of the Naval Magazine Indian Island Superfund Site, Port Hadlock, Washington, from the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is defined in Appendix B of 40 CFR part 300 which is the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), which EPA promulgated pursuant to Section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended. EPA and the State of Washington have determined that the Site poses no significant threat to public health or the environment. All appropriate response actions have been implemented, therefore, no further remedial measures pursuant to CERCLA are appropriate.

EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns particulate matter (PM) emissions from fluid catalytic cracking units at oil refineries. We are proposing to approve SCAQMD Rule 1105.1 to regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

This document revises an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas transport category airplanes, that would have required an inspection of the upper lock link assembly of the nose landing gear (NLG) to determine the manufacturer, repetitive eddy current inspections for cracking, and modification or replacement if necessary. That proposal also would have provided for optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This new action revises the proposed rule by adding new airplanes to the applicability and adding related concurrent actions. The actions specified by this new proposed AD are intended to prevent fracture of the upper lock link assembly of the NLG, which could result in failure of the NLG to extend following a gear-down selection, and consequent gear-up landing, structural damage, and possible injury to passengers and crew. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Boeing Model 727 airplanes. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections for cracks of the body skin, doubler, and bear strap at the forward edge of the upper and lower hinge cutouts of the forward entry door, related investigative actions, and corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD also would require a preventive modification. This proposed AD is prompted by reports of skin and bear strap cracks at hinge cutouts. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the skin and bear strap at the hinge cutouts of the forward entry door, which could result in rapid decompression of the airplane.

The FAA proposes to revise an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. (Pilatus) (also identified as Fairchild Republic Company and Fairchild Heli Porter) Model PC-6 airplanes. The earlier NPRM proposed to require you to repetitively inspect the stabilizer-trim attachment and structural components for cracks, corrosion, and discrepancies and replace any defective part with a new part. The earlier NPRM also proposed to require you to replace all Fairchild connecting pieces with a Pilatus connecting piece. The earlier NPRM resulted from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Switzerland. This proposed AD would retain the actions from the earlier NPRM and would require you to replace fittings without an index after the part number (P/N) with an improved part. This proposed AD results from incorporating revised manufacture service information to include a procedure for replacing certain fittings with an improved part and to correct the allowable limits of the actuator attachment hole diameters. This proposed AD also clarifies the applicability. Since this action imposes an additional burden over that proposed in the NPRM, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on this additional action.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone encompassing the navigable waters of Rochester Harbor and the Genesee River. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessel traffic from a portion of Rochester Harbor and the Genesee River, Rochester, New York during a boat parade. This safety zone is necessary to ensure the safety of spectators.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the Boston Fourth of July Fireworks. The safety zone is necessary to protect the life and property of the maritime public from the potential hazards posed by a fireworks display. The safety zone will temporarily prohibit entry into or movement within this portion of the Charles River during its effective period.

This statement summarizes the major changes and the implications of publishing the revised policy, and background on the need for a revised policy. The revised FIS Policy updates the existing 1998 FAA Airborne FIS Policy to reflect the current FIS data link status and provides the basis for transition from the current (FAA) industry Flight Information Services Data Link (FISDL) service to the planned evolution of an FAA FIS data link service using National Airspace System (NAS) technologies such as the Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) and/or Next Generation Air-Ground Communication (NEXCOM). During the transition, the revised FIS Policy supports continuation of the FISDL service by temporarily extending the current use of VHF channels through FAA-industry agreement. In 1998 the FAA Administrator published the current Airborne Flight Information Services Policy Statement (see attachment). That policy provided the basis for implementing the existing FISDL service through FAA-industry agreement. Under the agreement, FAA provides two VHF frequencies and management oversight while industry (Honeywell) provides the FISDL network and cockpit products. In 2002 the FAA published the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Link Decision which includes providing FIS-B services via the UAT network. The Safe Flight 21 program is developing the ADS-B technology and has intalled a ``pocket'' UAT network along the East Coast. The major purpose for publishing the revised FIS Policy is to establish a strategy for transitioning from the existing industry- government FIS data link service to one or more FAA-only FIS data link services. The existing industry-government service, called FIS Data Link (FISDL), is owned and operated by Honeywell Inc. The replacement FAA-only system(s) will be the Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) and/ or NEXCOM. During the transition to an FAA FIS data link service, the FAA will provide temporary extension of two VHF channels for continuation of the FISDL service.

On September 5, 2000, EPA issued a proposed rule, in response to a petition filed under section 313(e)(1) of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), to add a diisononyl phthalate (DINP) category to the list of toxic chemicals subject to the reporting requirements under EPCRA section 313 and section 6607 of the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA). EPA proposed to add this chemical category to the EPCRA section 313 toxic chemical list pursuant to its authority to add chemicals and chemical categories because EPA believes this category meets the EPCRA section 313(d)(2)(B) toxicity criterion. The purpose of today's action is to inform interested parties that, in an effort to ensure adequate opportunities for input from all affected parties, EPA is making available for public comment a revised hazard assessment for DINP.

On November 22, 2004, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) seeking comments on its policy regarding selective discounting by natural gas pipeline companies. The Commission has determined that it will take no further action in this proceeding and, therefore, it terminated Docket No. RM05-2-000.

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all GROB-WERKE (GROB) Model G120A airplanes. This AD requires you to repetitively inspect the nose landing gear (NLG) assembly, paying special attention to the NLG swivel tube and the engine truss in the area of the NLG attachment, for cracks and damaged (defective) welding seams. If you find cracks or defects during any inspection, this AD requires you to replace the cracked or defective part. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Germany. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks and defects in the NLG assembly, which could result in failure of the NLG. This failure could lead to a hard landing and/or loss of control of the airplane during landing operations.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) to supersede AD 79-10-15, which applies to all Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Models 401, 401A, 401B, 402, 402A, 402B, 411, and 411A airplanes. AD 79-10-15 currently requires repetitive inspections of the right and left wing spar lower cap areas for fatigue cracks and requires wing spar cap repair or replacement as necessary. This AD is the result of fatigue and crack growth analyses of the wings of these airplanes, recent cracks found on similar design Model 402C airplanes, and the FAA's determination that repetitive inspections and a wing spar modification are necessary to address the unsafe condition. Consequently, this AD would require repetitive inspections and a spar strap modification on each wing. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent wing spar cap failure caused by undetected fatigue cracks. Such failure could result in loss of a wing with consequent loss of airplane control. FAA is also issuing AD 2005-12-13 to require the spar strap modification and long-term inspections on Models 402C and 414A airplanes.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) (formerly Bendix) S-20, S- 1200, D-2000, and D-3000 series magnetos equipped with impulse coupling assemblies. That AD currently requires replacing riveted-impulse coupling assemblies and snap-ring coupling assemblies, which are worn beyond limits, with serviceable riveted-impulse coupling assemblies or snap-ring impulse coupling assemblies. This ad requires a reduced inspection interval for magnetos with riveted-impulse coupling assemblies installed on certain Lycoming engine models. This AD does not lower the inspection interval for magnetos with snap-ring impulse coupling assemblies. This AD also limits the applicability to certain Lycoming engine models. This AD results from data provided by the manufacturer that shows a need to reduce the inspection intervals for riveted-impulse coupling assemblies used on certain Lycoming engine models. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the magneto impulse coupling assembly and possible engine failure.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is amending its nuclear plant decommissioning trust fund (Fund) guidelines to remove the requirement that the financial report that public utilities furnish to the Commission each year must show all purchases and sales of investments and substitute a requirement that public utilities must include in their report a summary amount for purchases of fund investments and a summary amount for sales of fund investments. All other reporting requirements in the special provisions that relate to Fund reports remain in place; e.g., records of individual purchases and sales of investments must still be maintained even if such individual transactions are not routinely reported. These modifications are the result of a review conducted by the Commission's Information Assessment Team (FIAT), identifying the Commission's current information collections, evaluating their original purposes and current uses, and proposing ways to reduce the reporting burden on industry through the elimination, reduction, streamlining or reformatting of current collections. These changes in the Commission's regulations will reduce the reporting burden on the electric industry while simultaneously simplifying Fund reports and making it easier for the Commission to review them.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A helicopters. This action requires replacing the main gearbox (MGB) lubrication/scavenge pump vespel spline adapters (vespel spline adapters) before further flight, and thereafter, replacing them at certain intervals. This amendment is prompted by a reported incident of an in-flight loss of oil pressure. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent loss of lubrication to the MGB, which could cause failure of one or both engine input drives, or planetary gear to sun gear tooth mesh failure, resulting in loss of power to the rotor system and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain transport category airplanes. That AD currently requires modification of the reinforced flight deck door. This new AD expands the applicability of the existing AD and requires other actions related to the reinforced flight deck door. These other actions include modifying the door, inspecting and modifying wiring in the area, and revising the maintenance program to require more frequent testing of the decompression panels of the flight deck door. This AD is prompted by reports of discrepancies with the reinforced flight deck door. We are issuing this AD to prevent inadvertent release of the decompression latch and consequent opening of the decompression panel in the flight deck door, or penetration of the flight deck door by smoke or shrapnel, any of which could result in injury to the airplane flightcrew. This AD also requires finding and fixing wire chafing, which could result in arcing, fire, and/or reduced controllability of the airplane.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 announces the deletion of the surface soils at the South Tacoma Field Operable Unit of the South Tacoma Channel Superfund Site (the Site) from the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is defined in Appendix B of 40 CFR part 300 which is the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), which EPA promulgated pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended. This partial deletion pertains to the South Tacoma Field soils portion of the Site. This partial deletion does not pertain to the groundwater portion of the South Tacoma Field or to other operable units of the South Tacoma Channel Site. EPA and the State of Washington have determined that the Site poses no significant threat to public health or the environment. All appropriate response actions for soils have been implemented, therefore, no further remedial measures pursuant to CERCLA are appropriate. Partial deletion of STF soils from the NPL will not affect the status of STF soils on any Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) lists and does not preclude Ecology from conducting future investigations or requiring response under State law on any portion of the Site.

EPA is approving the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality's submittals of revisions to the Arizona state implementation plan that include substitution of the clean fuel fleet program requirement with the cleaner burning gasoline program, adoption of the 1-hour serious area ozone plan and adoption of the 1-hour ozone maintenance plan for the Phoenix metropolitan 1-hour ozone nonattainment area. We are also approving Arizona's request to redesignate the Phoenix metropolitan 1-hour ozone nonattainment area from nonattainment to attainment. EPA is taking these actions pursuant to those provisions of the Clean Air Act that obligate the agency to take action on submittals of revisions to state implementation plans and requests for redesignation.