January 20, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain EMBRAER Model EMB-120, -120ER, -120FC, -120QC, and -120RT airplanes. This AD requires installing a rivet and washer in the hole of the upper frame of the auxiliary power unit (APU) firewall. This AD results from a report indicating that, during production, a pinhole was left open at the upper frame of the APU firewall. We are issuing this AD to ensure that the APU compartment is isolated from the rest of the airplane in the event of an APU fire.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Model CL-600-1A11 (CL-600), CL-600-2A12 (CL-601), and CL-600-2B16 (CL-601-3A, CL-601-3R, & CL-604) airplanes. This AD requires modifying the rudder balance spring assembly by installing a new adjustable balance spring, and rigging the assembly to suit the rudder of each airplane. This AD results from production inspections that showed that the spring assembly that controls rudder balance may not have the correct pre-load on some airplanes. We are issuing this AD to prevent uncommanded yaw movements and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A310-203, -204, and -222 airplanes, and Model A310-300 series airplanes. This AD requires a one-time rototest inspection for cracking of the frame foot and adjacent frames and skin in the area surrounding the frame foot run-outs from fuselage frames (FR) 43 through FR 46, and repair if necessary. This AD also requires modification of certain fastener holes. This AD results from a structural evaluation of Model A310 airplanes for widespread fatigue damage of the frame foot run-outs from FR 43 through FR 46. The evaluation revealed that, on in-service airplanes, undetected cracking in this area can lead to the rupture of the frame foot and subsequent cracking of the adjacent frames and fuselage skin. We are issuing this AD to prevent fatigue cracking of the frame foot run-outs, which could lead to rupture of the frame foot and cracking in adjacent frames and skin, and result in reduced structural integrity of the fuselage.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is proposing new regulations to implement the amendments to the affirmative action provisions of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (``VEVRAA'') that were made by the Jobs for Veterans Act (``JVA'') enacted in 2002. JVA amended VEVRAA by: Raising the dollar amount of the Government contracts that are subject to the requirements of VEVRAA; changing the categories of veterans protected under the law; and changing the manner in which the mandatory job listing requirement is to be implemented. The JVA amendments apply to Government contracts entered into on or after December 1, 2003. For the convenience of contractors, veterans, and other interested parties, OFCCP proposes to publish the regulations implementing the JVA amendments to VEVRAA in a new part. This proposed rule would apply only to Government contracts entered into on or after December 1, 2003. The existing VEVRAA implementing regulations will continue to apply to Government contracts entered into before December 1, 2003. Contractors with Government contracts entered into both before, and on or after December 1, 2003, would be subject to both the requirements found in the existing VEVRAA implementing regulations and the requirements in today's proposal.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the Chief of Naval Operations Environmental and Natural Resources Program Manual (OPNAV Instruction 5090.1B), the Department of the Navy, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) on the potential environmental impacts associated with using a more efficient shipping container system for spent nuclear fuel to support refueling and defueling U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company (NNS) in Virginia, and the associated rail shipment of this spent nuclear fuel to the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF) in Idaho for temporary storage.