July 8, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified type-certificated military surplus helicopters. The AD would require: Creating a component history card or equivalent record for each main rotor grip (grip); determining and recording the total hours time-in-service (TIS) for each grip; visually inspecting the upper and lower tangs of the grip for a crack; inspecting the grip buffer pads for delamination and if delamination is present, inspecting the grip surface for corrosion or other damage; inspecting the grip for a crack using ultrasonic (UT) and fluorescent-penetrant inspection methods; and establishing a retirement life for certain grips. This proposal is prompted by three in-flight failures of grips installed on Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (BHTI) Model 212 helicopters, which resulted from cracks originating in the lower main rotor blade bolt lug. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of the grip, separation of a main rotor blade, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

A final rule, published in the Federal Register April 1, 2010, establishing low altitude area navigation (RNAV) route T-284 for the Houston, TX, terminal area, is being withdrawn. As a result of Houston Area Air Traffic System (HAATS) Project, Phase 3C, program actions, the route is pending redesign and will be resubmitted for rulemaking at a future date.

On or about June 30, 2010, the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) of EPA is making available for public comment a draft document: Policy Assessment for the Review of the Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality StandardsSecond External Review Draft. This draft document will serve to ``bridge the gap'' between the scientific information and the judgments required of the Administrator in determining whether it is appropriate to retain or revise the standards as part of the review of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM).

This action will establish Class E airspace at Bryce Canyon, UT, to accommodate aircraft using a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at Bryce Canyon Airport. This will improve the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action amends the legal description of the Bishop International Airport, Flint, MI, Class C airspace area by amending the airport reference point (ARP) information for the airport. This amendment is necessitated by the removal of Runway 5/23 and installation of a parallel taxiway along a portion of Runway 9/27, which changed the configuration of the airport and, consequently, changed the ARP. This action is necessary for the safety of aircraft operating in the Flint, MI, airspace area.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is making efforts to reduce the paperwork burden. USAID invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act for 1995. Comments are requested concerning: (a) Whether the proposed or continuing collections of information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Farm Credit Administration (FCA or we) is considering the promulgation of Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital standards for Farm Credit System (FCS or System) institutions. The Tier 1/Tier 2 capital structure would be similar to the capital tiers delineated in the Basel Accord that the other Federal financial regulatory agencies have adopted for the banking organizations they regulate. We are seeking comments to facilitate the development of this regulatory capital framework, including new minimum risk-based and leverage ratio capital requirements that take into consideration both the System's cooperative structure of primarily wholesale banks owned by retail lender associations that are, in turn, owned by their member borrowers, and the System's status as a Government-sponsored enterprise.

NMFS has received an application from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting a marine seismic survey in the Arctic Ocean during August to September, 2010. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS requests comments on its proposal to authorize USGS to incidentally take, by Level B harassment only, small numbers of marine mammals during the aforementioned activity.

This establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

In 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act (Pub. L. 110-140) directed the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2). The first requirement stipulated in the legislation was to develop a methodology to estimate storage potential that could be applied uniformly to geologic formations across the United States, and then to announce the publication of the methodology in the Federal Register. The methodology, ``A Probabilistic Assessment Methodology for the Evaluation of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage,'' was published as an Open-File Report by the USGS and can be downloaded from: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1127. This new methodology incorporates comments from the public, the heads of affected Federal and State agencies, and technical experts from Federal agencies, institutions of higher education, nongovernmental organizations, State organizations, industry, and international geoscience organizations, as required by the legislation. The new methodology will allow the USGS to assess the geologic CO2 storage resource potential for the United States. The results of the USGS national assessment will provide important information to evaluate the potential for CO2 storage as a mitigation option for global climate change.