November 4, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Model 205B and 212 helicopters with certain main rotor blade (blade) assemblies installed. That AD currently requires washing the upper and lower surfaces of each blade and visually inspecting the grip plates, doublers, and the remaining upper and lower surfaces of the blades in the area between blade stations 24.5 to 40 for an edge void, corrosion, or a crack. This amendment retains the requirements of that AD for the affected part-numbered blades but increases the scope and frequency of the inspections and expands the applicability to include the Model 205A-1 and 210 helicopters, additional blade part numbers, and all helicopter serial numbers for the affected helicopter models. This amendment also requires applying a light coat of preservative oil (C-125) to all surfaces of the blade in addition to the inspection areas as required in the existing AD. This amendment is prompted by an additional report of a fatigue crack on a blade installed on a Model 212 helicopter. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect an edge void, corrosion, or a crack on a blade, and to prevent loss of a blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

This Notice announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) has extended the designation of Nicaragua for temporary protected status (TPS) for 18 months from its current expiration date of January 5, 2012 through July 5, 2013. The Secretary has determined that an extension is warranted because the conditions in Nicaragua that prompted the TPS designation continue to be met. There continues to be a substantial, but temporary, disruption of living conditions in Nicaragua resulting from Hurricane Mitch, and Nicaragua remains unable, temporarily, to handle adequately the return of its nationals. This Notice also sets forth procedures necessary for nationals of Nicaragua (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Nicaragua) with TPS to re-register and to apply for an extension of their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) (Forms I-766) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Re-registration is limited to persons who previously registered for TPS under the designation of Nicaragua and whose applications have been granted or remain pending. Certain nationals of Nicaragua (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Nicaragua) who have not previously applied for TPS may be eligible to apply under the late initial registration provisions. USCIS will issue new EADs with a July 5, 2013 expiration date to eligible Nicaraguan TPS beneficiaries who timely re-register and apply for EADs under this extension. Given the timeframes involved with processing TPS re-registration applications, DHS recognizes that all re-registrants may not receive new EADs until after their current EADs expire on January 5, 2012. Accordingly, this Notice automatically extends the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designation of Nicaragua for 6 months, through July 5, 2012, and explains how TPS beneficiaries and their employers may determine which EADs are automatically extended and their impact on Form I-9 and E-Verify processes.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), published a proposed rule and notice of availability of a revised draft supplemental environmental impact statement on the translocation of southern sea otters (revised draft SEIS) in the Federal Register on August 26, 2011. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concurrently published a notice of availability of the revised draft SEIS. The 60- day comment period for our notice ended on October 24, 2011. This notice announces a 15-day reopening of the comment period.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for ECD Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters. This action requires revising the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) by inserting certain temporary pages into the Emergency and Performance Data sections of the RFM to alert the operators to monitor the power display when a generator is deactivated and provides appropriate actions. This amendment is prompted by reports of too high a current flow when one generator is deactivated. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent failure of the remaining generator when one generator is deactivated, loss of electrical power, loss of systems necessary for flight safety, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.