April 3, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a 600 foot radius safety zone in the vicinity of Hopewell, VA centered on position 37[deg]-19'-11'' N/077[deg]-16'-55'' W on May 12, 2007 in support of the Celebration 2007 event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic movement on the Appomattox River to protect mariners from the hazards associated with fireworks displays.

Notice is hereby given that the Department of State is amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) regarding Vietnam at 22 CFR 126.1 to make it United States policy to consider on a case-by-case basis licenses, other approvals, exports or imports of non-lethal defense articles and defense services destined for or originating in Vietnam. The United States will deny licenses, other approvals, exports or imports of lethal defense articles and services destined for or originating in Vietnam. Under this policy, the exports of lethal-end items, components of lethal-end items (unless those components are non-lethal, safety-of-use spare parts for lethal-end items), non-lethal crowd control defense articles and defense services, and night vision devices to end-users with a role in ground security will not be approved.

We are amending the cut flowers regulations to establish specific requirements for the importation of cut flowers that are hosts of chrysanthemum white rust (CWR) from countries where the disease is known to occur. We are also amending the nursery stock regulations to update lists of countries where CWR is known to occur. We are making these changes in order to make our cut flowers and nursery stock regulations consistent. This action is necessary because of numerous recent findings of CWR on cut flowers from Europe that pose a risk of introducing CWR in the United States.

This technical amendment corrects a final rule published in the Federal Register on July 24, 2006 (71 FR 41728), Docket No. FAA- 2005-23361, Airspace Docket No. 05-ANM-17. In that rule, the reference to FAA Order 7400.9 was published as FAA Order 7400.9O. The correct reference is FAA Order 7400.9P. Also, the corresponding date that refers to the date the Order was signed was omitted. The final rule should state ``* * * dated September 1, 2006 * * *'' (prior to the effective date), instead of ``* * * updated yearly * * *''. This technical amendment corrects those errors.

The Coast Guard is establishing a permanent security zone on the waters of the upper Potomac River. This action is necessary to provide for the security of a large number of visitors to the annual July 4th celebration on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The security zone will allow for control of a designated area of the river and safeguard spectators and high-ranking officials.

The Farm Credit Administration (FCA) published a final rule under parts 652 and 655 on December 26, 2006 (71 FR 77247). This final rule is intended to more accurately reflect risk in the risk-based capital stress test (RBCST) in order to improve the RBCST's output Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's regulatory minimum risk- based capital level. In accordance with 12 U.S.C. 2252, the effective date of the final rule is 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register during which either or both Houses of Congress are in session. Based on the records of the sessions of Congress, the effective date of the regulations is March 31, 2007.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing (previously The Lancair Company) Models LC40-550FG, LC41-550FG, and LC42-550FG airplanes. This AD requires you to add information to the Limitations section of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM). This AD also requires you to repetitively inspect the aileron and the elevator linear bearings and control rods for foreign object debris, scarring, or damage and take all necessary corrective actions. This AD results from reports of possible foreign object contamination of the linear bearings. We are issuing this AD to prevent jamming in the aileron and elevator control systems, which could result in failure. This failure could lead to loss of control.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Honeywell FMSs served by Honeywell NZ-2000 navigation computers and IC- 800 integrated avionics computers. This AD requires identifying affected computers by part number and software modification level and revising the Limitations section of applicable airplane flight manuals to provide procedures for retaining optimum position determination and intended navigation. This AD results from reports of in-flight unannunciated shifts of computed position in airplanes with the subject flight management system (FMS) computers. We are issuing this AD to prevent a shift in the FMS computed position, which could result in uncommanded deviations from the intended flight path of the airplane and, if those deviations are undetected by the flight crew, compromised terrain/traffic avoidance.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain EMBRAER Model ERJ 170 airplanes. This AD requires replacing the mini-latches on certain lavatory waste compartment doors with new, stronger latches, and other specified actions. This AD results from reports of certain lavatory waste compartment doors opening during flight due to movement of the waste compartment during takeoff, because the mini-latches installed on the doors of those compartments lose their strength over time. We are issuing this AD to prevent the inability of the waste compartment doors to adequately contain a fire inside the lavatory waste compartment, and consequent uncontained fire and smoke within a lavatory during flight.

EPA is updating the materials submitted by Delaware that are incorporated by reference (IBR) into the State implementation plan (SIP). The regulations affected by this update have been previously submitted by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and approved by EPA. This update affects the SIP materials that are available for public inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center located at EPA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and the Regional Office.

Locomotives and marine diesel engines are important contributors to our nation's air pollution today. These sources are projected to continue to generate large amounts of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions that contribute to nonattainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM2.5 and ozone across the United States. The emissions of PM and ozone precursors from these engines are associated with serious public health problems including premature mortality, aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, aggravation of existing asthma, acute respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis, and decreased lung function. In addition, emissions from locomotives and marine diesel engines are of particular concern, as diesel exhaust has been classified by EPA as a likely human carcinogen. EPA is proposing a comprehensive program to dramatically reduce emissions from locomotives and marine diesel engines. It would apply new exhaust emission standards and idle reduction requirements to diesel locomotives of all typesline-haul, switch, and passenger. It would also set new exhaust emission standards for all types of marine diesel engines below 30 liters per cylinder displacement. These include marine propulsion engines used on vessels from recreational and small fishing boats to super-yachts, tugs and Great Lakes freighters, and marine auxiliary engines ranging from small gensets to large generators on ocean-going vessels. The proposed program includes a set of near- term emission standards for newly-built engines. These would phase in starting in 2009. The near-term program also contains more stringent emissions standards for existing locomotives. These would apply when the locomotive is remanufactured and would take effect as soon as certified remanufacture systems are available (as early as 2008), but no later than 2010 (2013 for Tier 2 locomotives). We are requesting comment on an alternative under consideration that would apply a similar requirement to existing marine diesel engines when they are remanufactured. We are also proposing long-term emissions standards for newly-built locomotives and marine diesel engines based on the application of high-efficiency catalytic aftertreatment technology. These standards would phase in beginning in 2015 for locomotives and 2014 for marine diesel engines. We estimate PM reductions of 90 percent and NOX reductions of 80 percent from engines meeting these standards, compared to engines meeting the current standards. We project that by 2030, this program would reduce annual emissions of NOX and PM by 765,000 and 28,000 tons, respectively. These reductions are estimated to annually prevent 1,500 premature deaths, 170,000 work days lost, and 1,000,000 minor restricted-activity days. The estimated annual monetized health benefits of this rule in 2030 would be approximately $12 billion, assuming a 3 percent discount rate (or $11 billion assuming a 7 percent discount rate). These estimates would be increased substantially if we were to adopt the remanufactured marine engine program concept. The annual cost of the proposed program in 2030 would be significantly less, at approximately $600 million.