January 18, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule amends the roof truss testing procedures in the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards by adopting certain recommendations made by the Manufactured Home Consensus Committee (MHCC), as modified by HUD. Pursuant to the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974, HUD published a recommendation submitted by MHCC to revise the existing roof truss testing procedures in 2003. In response to public comments, HUD returned the proposal to MHCC for further evaluation. After further consideration, MHCC submitted to HUD an amended version of its original proposal on roof truss testing. HUD was in agreement with the majority of MHCC's revised recommendations on roof truss testing which were published as a proposed rule on June 16, 2010. Many of MHCC's recommendations are included in this final rule. HUD identifies MHCC's proposals that were not accepted, or that were modified in light of public comments received or upon further evaluation, and provides its reasons for not accepting or for modifying these proposed revisions.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission seeks comment on procedures to determine what areas are eligible for Connect America Phase II funding and how carriers may elect to accept or decline a statewide commitment in Connect America Phase II.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is amending the airworthiness standards for airplane propellers. This action would require a safety analysis to identify a propeller critical part. Manufacturers would identify propeller critical parts, and establish engineering, manufacturing, and maintenance processes for propeller critical parts. These new requirements provide an added margin of safety for the continued airworthiness of propeller critical parts by requiring a system of processes to identify and manage these parts throughout their service life. This rule would eliminate regulatory differences between part 35 and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) propeller critical parts requirements, thereby simplifying airworthiness approvals for exports.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (Eurocopter) Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters. This proposed AD would require determining if a certain serial-numbered bevel gear is installed in the tailrotor intermediate gear box (IGB). If such a bevel gear is installed in the IGB, this AD would require recording the bevel gear's reduced life limit in the Airworthiness Limitations section of the maintenance manual and on the component history card or equivalent IGB record. If the bevel gear's life limit has been reached or exceeded, this AD would require, before further flight, replacing the bevel gear with an airworthy bevel gear. This proposed AD is prompted by the discovery that the tooth foot fillets in certain bevel gears fell below the minimum dimensions required in the design documents to ensure safe functioning of the bevel gear until reaching its approved life limit. The proposed actions are intended to prevent failure of a bevel gear before reaching its currently approved life limit, failure of the IGB, and subsequent loss of helicopter control.

The Coast Guard has issued temporary deviations from the regulations governing the operation of the following two bridges in Miami, Florida: The Venetian Causeway Bridge (West), mile 1088.6, across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway; and the Venetian Causeway Bridge (East), across Biscayne Bay. The deviations are necessary due to the high volume of vessel and vehicle traffic anticipated during the Miami International Boat Show, which will be held in Miami Beach, Florida from February 11, 2013, through February 19, 2013. These deviations will result in the bridges opening to navigation on the hour and half-hour before, during, and after the Miami International Boat Show.

The Federal Election Commission is requesting comment on certain aspects of its enforcement process. First and foremost, the Commission welcomes public comment on whether this agency is doing an effective job in enforcing the Act and Commission regulations. Additionally, the Commission is currently reviewing and seeks public comment on: Its policies, practices, and procedures during the enforcement process stage set forth in 2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(1), prior to the Commission's determination of whether there is ``reason to believe'' that a person has committed, or is about to commit, a violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, 2 U.S.C. 431 et seq. (``FECA'' or ``the Act'') and/or the Commission's implementing regulations; and the Commission's authority under 2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(5) to seek civil penalties from respondents pursuant to a finding of ``probable cause to believe'' that a respondent has violated the Act and/or Commission regulations, as well as the Commission's practice of seeking civil penalties prior to a finding of probable cause.

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 757-200, -200PF, and -200CB series airplanes powered by Rolls-Royce engines. That AD currently requires repetitive inspections of the shim installation between the drag brace fitting vertical flange and bulkhead, and repair if necessary; for certain airplanes, an inspection for cracking of the four critical fastener holes in the horizontal flange, and repair if necessary; and, for airplanes without conclusive records of previous inspections, performing the existing actions. This new AD reduces the repetitive inspection interval; adds repetitive detailed inspections for cracking of the bulkhead, and repair if necessary; allows an extension of the repetitive intervals for certain airplanes by also doing repetitive ultrasonic inspections for cracking of the bulkhead, and repair if necessary; and provides an option for a high frequency eddy current inspection for cracking of the critical fastener holes, and repair if necessary. This action also adds a terminating action for certain repetitive inspections. This AD was prompted by reports of loose fasteners and cracks at the joint common to the aft torque bulkhead and strut-to-diagonal brace fitting, and one report of such damage occurring less than 3,000 flight cycles after the last inspection. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks, loose and broken bolts, and shim migration in the joint between the aft torque bulkhead and the strut-to-diagonal brace fitting, which could result in damage to the strut and consequent separation of the strut and engine from the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. Model PC-7 airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as cracks in the engine mount fittings caused by stress corrosion. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The NCUA Board (Board) is issuing a final rule amending the definition of ``troubled condition'' as that term is used to trigger the statutory requirement to give the Board notice and an opportunity to disapprove a change of credit union officials, and as that term appears elsewhere in NCUA's regulations. Generally, the current definition allows only a state supervisory authority (SSA) to declare a federally insured, state-chartered credit union (FISCU) to be in ``troubled condition.'' The final rule amends the definition to allow either NCUA or an SSA to declare a FISCU in ``troubled condition.'' NCUA is adopting the amended definition of ``troubled condition'' as proposed.

The NCUA Board (Board) is amending its low-income credit unions regulation by extending the time period in which a federal credit union (FCU) may accept a low-income designation. Under the current rule, an FCU that receives notice from NCUA of its eligibility for a low-income designation has 30 days to notify NCUA in writing that it wishes to accept the designation. The final rule extends an FCU's response time from 30 days to 90 days to make certain an FCU has adequate time to respond. The final rule also makes minor, nonsubstantive technical amendments to NCUA's requirements for insurance regulation to reflect current agency practice.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office or USPTO) sets or adjusts patent fees in this rulemaking as authorized by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (Act or AIA). The fees will provide the Office with a sufficient amount of aggregate revenue to recover its aggregate cost of patent operations, while helping the Office implement a sustainable funding model, reduce the current patent application backlog, decrease patent application pendency, improve patent quality, and upgrade the Office's patent business information technology (IT) capability and infrastructure. The fees also will further key policy considerations. The Office also reduces fees for micro entities under section 10(b) of the Act by 75 percent in this rulemaking and extends the existing fee discount of 50 percent for small entities to additional fees in this rulemaking.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), in cooperation with the State of Alaska, propose to establish a nonessential experimental population of wood bison in central Alaska, in accordance with section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. This proposal, if made final, would also establish provisions under which wood bison in Alaska would be managed. We are seeking comments on this proposal and on our draft environmental assessment, prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, which analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed reintroduction.

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747-400F, 747SR, and 747SP series airplanes; and certain Model 757-200, -200PF, and -300 series airplanes. That AD currently requires replacing the control switches of the forward, aft, and nose cargo doors of Model 747 airplanes; and requires replacing the control switches of cargo doors 1 and 2 of Model 757 series airplanes. This new AD adds airplanes to the applicability and revises the initial compliance times for those airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of problems associated with the uncommanded operation of cargo doors. We are issuing this AD to prevent injuries to persons and damage to the airplane and equipment.