April 28, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) to supersede AD 2003-06-01, which applies to all Air Tractor, Inc. (Air Tractor) Models AT-300, AT-301, AT-302, and AT-400A airplanes that have aluminum spar caps; certain Air Tractor Models AT-400 airplanes that have aluminum spar caps; and all Models AT-300 and AT-301 airplanes that have aluminum spar caps and are or have been converted to turbine power. AD 2003-06-01 requires replacing the wing spar lower caps at a specified safe life limit; allows extending the safe life limit on certain airplanes if a wing lower spar cap splice rework is done; allows a limited time of continued operation beyond the safe life limit provided parts are ordered, the replacement is scheduled, and repetitive inspections reveal no cracks; and requires a report of any cracks found during any inspection to the FAA. This AD results from a recent report of cracks found on a Model AT-301 airplane at hours below the modification time specified in AD 2003-06-01. Consequently, this AD retains the wing spar lower cap replacement and reporting requirements from AD 2003-06-01 and adds a repetitive eddy-current inspection. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the wing centerline splice joint. If not detected and corrected, these cracks could result in the wing separating from the airplane during flight.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to incorporate by reference in its regulations the latest version (Version 001) of certain standards adopted by the Wholesale Electric Quadrant (WEQ) of the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB). NAESB's standards revise its Open Access Same-Time Information Systems (OASIS) business practice standards and four business practice standards relating to reliability issues, add new standards on transmission loading relief for the Eastern Interconnection and public key infrastructure, and add a new OASIS implementation guide.

Pursuant to section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission proposes to approve six modified Reliability Standards submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Five modified Reliability Standards pertain to interchange scheduling and coordination and one pertains to transmission loading relief procedures. In addition, the Commission proposes to approve NERC's proposed interpretations of five specific requirements of Commission- approved Reliability Standards.

The NCUA is proposing to use median family income (MFI) to determine if a credit union qualifies for a low-income designation and assistance from the Community Development Revolving Loan Fund (CDRLF). The proposed rule will eliminate the confusion associated with adjusting median household income (MHI) in metropolitan areas with higher costs of living. Additionally, it will better align NCUA criteria for a low-income designation with the criteria for the addition of an underserved area to a federal credit union (FCU) field of membership and certification as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations to implement certain provisions of the Chief Human Capital Officers Act of 2002, which set forth new OPM and agency responsibilities and requirements to enhance and improve the strategic management of the Federal Government's civilian workforce, as well as the planning and evaluation of agency efforts in that regard. Further, we are including a plain language rewrite of the subpart titled ``Authority for Personnel Actions in Agencies.''

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) Model MD900 series helicopters that requires modifying the pilot and co-pilot dual-control directional pedal assemblies, or the pilot single-control directional pedal assembly (directional control pedal assembly). This amendment is prompted by an accident which has been attributed to loss of directional control due to failure of the welds in the directional control pedal assembly. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent fatigue cracking in the welds that connect the directional control pedal to the pedal shaft, resulting in loss of directional control and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The FAA's Aviation Safety, an organization responsible for the certification, production approval, and continued airworthiness of aircraft, and certification of pilots, mechanics, and others in safety related positions, publishes proposed non-regulatory documents that are available for public comment on the Internet at https://www.faa.gov/ aircraft/draftdocs/.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reopening for 90 days, the comment period for the proposed rule, published in the Federal Register of February 20, 2002 (67 FR 7620), on the classification of encapsulated amalgam alloy and dental mercury, the reclassification of dental mercury, and the issuance of special controls for amalgam alloy. In the Federal Register of July 17, 2002 (67 FR 46941), the initial comment period was reopened for 60 days. The agency is taking this action to provide the public with an additional opportunity to comment and to request data and information that may have become available since publication of the proposed rule.