May 22, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The EPA issued a final rule on March 22, 2007, entitled ``Treatment of Data Influenced by Exceptional Events.'' The rule governs the review and handling of air quality monitoring data determined to be influenced by exceptional events. This document makes minor corrections to language contained in the regulatory text for the rule.

This final decision responds to a petition filed by Spyker Automobielen B.V. (Spyker) requesting that it be exempted from the generally applicable average fuel economy standard of 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) for model years 2006 and 2007, and that, for Spyker, lower alternative standards be established. In this document, NHTSA establishes an alternative average fuel economy standard for Spyker of 18.9 mpg for MYs 2006 and 2007.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations for the ``Hampton Cup Regatta'', a power boat race to be held on the waters of Mill Creek, near Fort Monroe, Hampton, Virginia. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic in portions of Mill Creek adjacent to Fort Monroe during the power boat race.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations during the ``East Coast Boat Racing Club power boat race'', a marine event to be held over the waters of the Chesapeake Bay adjacent to Cape Charles, Virginia. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic on the Chesapeake Bay in the vicinity of Cape Charles Beach, Cape Charles, Virginia during the event.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Boeing Model 727 airplanes. The existing AD requires a boost pump dry bay inspection to detect leakage of fuel through an arced-through conduit, and corrective action as necessary. The existing AD also requires repetitive inspections of the in-tank fuel boost pump wiring to detect chafing of the wire insulation, evidence of electrical arcing, or arc-through of the conduit wall, and applicable corrective action; and installation of sleeving over the in- tank fuel boost pump wires as a method to protect the wiring from chafing. This new AD removes certain inspection requirements from the existing AD. This new AD adds new repetitive inspections for damage of the electrical wire and sleeve that run to the fuel boost pump through a conduit in the fuel tank, and arcing damage of the conduit and signs of fuel leakage into the conduit; applicable investigative and corrective actions; and a new repetitive engine fuel suction feed operational test. Initiation of the new inspections terminates the requirements of the existing AD. This AD results from reports of a fuel tank explosion on a Model 727-200F airplane on the ground; and of chafed wires and a damaged power cable sleeve of a fuel boost pump that were discovered during an inspection required by an existing AD on a Model 737-300 airplane. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct chafing of the fuel boost pump electrical wiring and leakage of fuel into the conduit, and to prevent electrical arcing between the wiring and the surrounding conduit, which could result in arc-through of the conduit, and consequent fire or explosion of the fuel tank.

Base (1% annual chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and modified BFEs are made final for the communities listed below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are the basis for the floodplain management measures that each community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of being already in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

This action proposes to revise Class E airspace at Ruby, AK. Two Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) are being amended for the Ruby Airport at Ruby, AK. Adoption of this proposal would result in revision of existing Class E airspace upward, from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface, at the Ruby Airport, Ruby, AK.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) issues a final rule to incorporate classification changes adopted by the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Agreement). These changes became effective January 1, 2007, and are listed in the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (9th ed., 2006), which is published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). In addition, the Office is amending some punctuation and spelling in certain wording so the wording conforms to what appears in the Nice Agreement.

This action proposes to revise Class E airspace at Fort Yukon, AK. One Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) is being amended and three new SIAPs are being developed for the Fort Yukon Airport. A Departure Procedure (DP) and a Direction Finding (DF) procedure (used by Flight Service Station personnel) is also being amended. Adoption of this proposal would result in revision of existing Class E airspace upward from the surface, from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface, at Fort Yukon Airport, Fort Yukon, AK.

DoD is conducting a review of the Department's contract profit/fee policies. As part of this review, DoD would like to hear the views of interested parties regarding the effectiveness of the profit/ fee policies presently used for DoD contracts.

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to address statutory provisions relating to leasing. The proposed rule permits the lease of a vessel, aircraft, or combat vehicle only if the contract will be long-term or will provide for a substantial termination liability.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Turbomeca Arrius 2F turboshaft engines. That AD currently requires removing from service certain serial number (SN) fuel control units (FCUs) or replacing the constant delta pressure (delta P) diaphragm in those FCUs. This AD requires replacing all FCUs not incorporating modification Tf 55 with FCUs that incorporate modification Tf 55. This AD results from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Turbomeca expanding the applicability to the full population of FCUs installed on Arrius 2F turboshaft engines. FCUs not incorporating modification Tf 55 are susceptible to having an improperly assembled constant delta P diaphragm. We are issuing this AD to prevent an uncommanded engine in-flight shutdown on a single-engine helicopter, resulting in a forced autorotation landing or an accident.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), proposes to amend its regulations at 43 CFR part 3130 pertaining to oil and gas resources in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). The proposed rule would make oil and gas administrative procedures in NPR-A consistent with Section 347 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The proposed rule would amend the administrative procedures for the efficient transfer, consolidation, segregation, suspension, and unitization of Federal leases in the NPR-A. The rule would also make changes to the way the BLM processes lease renewals, lease extensions, lease expirations, lease agreements, exploration incentives, lease consolidations, and termination of administration for conveyed lands in the NPR-A. Finally, the rule would make the NPR-A regulation on additional bonding consistent with the regulations that apply outside of the NPR-A.

This document contains final regulations under sections 401(a) and 411(d)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code. These regulations provide rules permitting distributions to be made from a pension plan upon the attainment of normal retirement age prior to a participant's severance from employment with the employer maintaining the plan. These regulations provide the public with guidance regarding distributions from qualified pension plans and will affect administrators of, and participants in, such plans.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to reorganize and rewrite in plain language general provisions applicable to its compensation and pension regulations, including general evidence requirements, general effective dates for new awards, revision of decisions, and protection of existing ratings. These revisions are proposed as part of VA's rewrite and reorganization of all of its compensation and pension rules in a logical, claimant-focused, and user-friendly format. The intended effect of the proposed revisions is to assist claimants and VA personnel in locating and understanding these general provisions.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the second seasonal apportionment of the 2007 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deep-water species fishery in the GOA has been reached.

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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:

This notice proposes to establish Class E2 airspace at Vero Beach, FL. As a result of an evaluation, it has been determined Class E Airspace Designated as Surface Areas should be established for Vero Beach Municipal Airport. Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center has communications capabilities and weather observation reporting when the Vero Beach tower is closed. Therefore, the airport will meet criteria for Class E2 airspace. Class E2 surface area airspace is required when the control tower is closed to contain Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and other Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action would establish Class E2 airspace extending upward from the surface to and including 2,500 feet MSL within a 4.2- mile radius of the airport and within 3.2 miles each side of the 261[deg] bearing from the Vero Beach Nondirectional Radio Beacon (NDB) extending from the 4.2 mile radius of the Vero Beach Municipal Airport to 7 miles west of the NDB.