July 19, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing an interim final rule to amend the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) regulations to make certain firefighters hired under a temporary appointment eligible to be enrolled in a health benefits plan under the FEHB.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for MDHI Model 500N, 600N, and MD900 helicopters to require determining the cure date for each NOTAR fan blade tension-torsion strap (T-T strap), establishing a calendar-time retirement life for certain T-T straps, reducing the retirement life of certain T-T straps, marking each T-T strap with the expiration date, creating a component record card for each T-T strap, and revising the airworthiness limitations section of the maintenance manual to reflect the changes to the retirement life. This proposal is prompted by a report from the T-T strap manufacturer that, over a period of time, moisture may reduce the strength of a T-T strap. The proposed actions are intended to prevent failure of a T-T strap, loss of directional control and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2012 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in the West Yakutat District of the GOA.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Piper Aircraft, Inc. (type certificate previously held by The New Piper Aircraft Inc.) Models PA-18 and PA-19 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by incidents of inadvertent magneto switch shut off in flight. This proposed AD would require moving all magneto switches that are now or are at any time located on the left cabin panel, adjacent to the front seat, to the instrument panel. We are proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations on the waters of Rada Fajardo in Fajardo, Puerto Rico during the Fajardo Offshore Festival II, a series of high-speed boat races. The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 16, 2012. Approximately 30 high-speed power boats will be participating in the races. It is anticipated that approximately 20 spectator vessels will be present during the races. These special local regulations are necessary for the safety of race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public on the navigable waters of the United States during the event. The special local regulations establish the following three areas: a race area, where all persons and vessels, except those persons and vessels participating in the high-speed boat races, are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within; a buffer zone around the race area, where all persons and vessels, except those persons and vessels enforcing the buffer zone, are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within; and a spectator area, where all vessels are prohibited from anchoring unless authorized by the Captain of the Port San Juan or a designated representative.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Amtrak Railroad Bridge across the Niantic River, mile 0.0, at Niantic, Connecticut. The deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for a 48 hour period and for periodic overnight closures to facilitate pier alignment and completion of work on machinery and the lift span.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the General Edwards Bridge, mile 1.7, across the Saugus River between Lynn and Revere, Massachusetts. The deviation is necessary to facilitate major bridge rehabilitation construction. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position during the rehabilitation of the electrical and mechanical components that lift the bridge spans.

We are adopting an airworthiness directive (AD) superseding an existing airworthiness directive for Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (Bell) Model 407 and 427 helicopters. The existing AD requires inspecting certain hydraulic servo actuators (servo) to determine whether the shaft turns independently of the nut or the clevis assembly, and additional actions based upon the inspection's outcome. The AD also requires reidentifying the servo. Since we issued that AD, Bell has learned that additional servos may need repair or removal. This AD expands the scope of the current AD to include inspections for all servos, and requires that servos meeting inspection requirements be marked with the letter ``V'' after the part number on the data plate. The actions are intended to detect any loose or misaligned parts in the servo that could lead to failure of the servo and subsequent loss of helicopter control.

NMFS proposes to implement management measures described in Amendment 35 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). If implemented, this rule would establish sector annual catch limits (ACLs) and sector annual catch targets (ACTs) for greater amberjack; revise the sector accountability measures (AMs) for greater amberjack; and establish a commercial trip limit for greater amberjack. Additionally, Amendment 35 would modify the greater amberjack rebuilding plan. The intent of Amendment 35 is to end overfishing of greater amberjack, modify the greater amberjack rebuilding plan and help achieve optimum yield (OY) for the greater amberjack resource in accordance with the requirements of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) proposes to revise the small business size standards for nine industries in North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Sector 22, Utilities. Six of those industries deal with electric power generation, distribution and transmission (NAICS 221111, NAICS 221112, NAICS 221113, NAICS 221119, NAICS 221121, and NAICS 221122) and have a common size standard based on electric output. For those six industries, SBA proposes to replace the current size standard of 4 million megawatt hours in electric output with an employee based size standard of 500 employees. SBA also proposes to increase the small business size standards for three industries in NAICS Sector 22 that have receipt based size standards, namelyNAICS 221310, Water Supply and Irrigation Systems, from $7 million to $25.5 million; NAICS 221320, Sewage Treatment Facilities, from $7 million to $19 million; and NAICS 221330, Steam and Air-conditioning Supply, from $12.5 million to $14 million. As part of its ongoing initiative to review all size standards, SBA evaluated all industries in NAICS Sector 22 that have either electric output based or receipts based size standards to determine whether the existing size standards should be retained or revised. This rule is one of a series of proposed rules that will examine industries grouped by NAICS sector. SBA has issued a White Paper entitled ``Size Standards Methodology'' and published in the October 21, 2009 issue of the Federal Register a notice that ``Size Standards Methodology'' is available on its Web site at www.sba.gov/size for public review and comments. The ``Size Standards Methodology'' White Paper explains how SBA establishes, reviews and modifies its small business size standards. In this proposed rule, SBA has applied its methodology that pertains to establishing, reviewing, and modifying a size standard based on average annual receipts and electric output.

This action amends the legal descriptions of Jet Routes J-45 and J-79, and VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) Federal airways V-3, V-51, V-159, V-225, V-295 and V-537, in the vicinity of Vero Beach, FL. The FAA is taking this action because the name of the Vero Beach, FL, VOR Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) facility, which is included in the descriptions of the above routes, is being changed to the Treasure VORTAC.

This action establishes Class E airspace at West Memphis, AR. Separation of existing Class E airspace surrounding West Memphis Municipal Airport from the Class E airspace of Memphis International Airport, Memphis, TN, has made this action necessary to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action amends Class E airspace at Grinnell Regional Airport, Grinnell, IA, by removing reference to the Grinnell NDB from the legal description, and amends the geographic coordinates of the airport. The Grinnell NDB has been decommissioned and is not needed as part of the airspace description. This action does not change the boundaries or operating requirements of the airspace.