Air Transportation of the COVID-19 Vaccines, 5932-5933 [2022-02017]

Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5932-5933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02017]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0116]


Air Transportation of the COVID-19 Vaccines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
FAA invites public comments about its intention to request the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) grant emergency approval for a new 
information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day 
comment period soliciting comments is waived, as this is an emergency 
action in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. This action 
would enable the FAA to collect voluntary information from air carriers 
authorized to conduct operations under the Code of Federal Regulations 
that participate or have participated in transport of the COVID-19 
vaccines to support continued operational safety and efficiency.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by March 4, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben Supko, Executive Director, FAA 
Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (AXH-1), by email at: 
[email protected]; phone: (202) 267-7211.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the FAA's performance; (b) 
the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for the FAA to enhance 
the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (d) 
ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of 
the collected information.
    OMB Control Number: To be determined.
    Title: Air Transportation of the COVID-19 Vaccines.
    Form Numbers: N/A.
    Type of Review: Clearance of a new information collection.
    Background: The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment 
period soliciting comments on the following collection of information 
is waived, as this is an emergency action regarding transport of the 
COVID-19 vaccines. The FAA seeks this information collection in 
connection with the FAA

[[Page 5933]]

COVID-19 Vaccine Air Transport Team's work with air carriers, and other 
aviation stakeholders to aid in the safe, expeditious, and efficient 
transport of the COVID-19 vaccines. This new collection would enable 
the FAA to collect voluntary information from air carriers authorized 
to operate under parts 121 and 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) that participate or have participated in transport 
of the COVID-19 vaccines.
    The continuing mission of the FAA is to provide the safest, most 
efficient aerospace system in the world. The FAA's authority on 
aviation safety is found in title 49, United States Code (U.S.C.). The 
authority described in 49 U.S.C. 106(f) vests final authority in the 
Administrator to carry out all functions, powers, and duties of the 
Administration relating to the promulgation of regulations, rules, 
orders, circulars, bulletins, and other official publications of the 
Administration. Section 44701(a)(5) of title 49, U.S.C. also requires 
the Administrator to promulgate regulations and minimum standards for 
other practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds 
necessary for safety in air commerce and national security. Pursuant to 
49 U.S.C. 44701(b)(1), the Administrator may prescribe minimum safety 
standards for an air carrier to whom an air carrier operating 
certificate is issued under 49 U.S.C. 44705. When prescribing a 
regulation or minimum standard under section 44701(a) or (b), the 
Administrator must consider the duty of an air carrier to provide 
service with the highest possible degree of safety in the public 
interest, as prescribed by 49 U.S.C. 44701(d). Regulations and minimum 
standards necessary for the safe and efficient air transport of the 
COVID-19 vaccines are within the scope of these authorities and are in 
the public interest. The safe and efficient distribution of COVID-19 
vaccines helps save lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 illnesses 
and the associated strains on healthcare systems, and facilitate 
economic recovery.
    The FAA has worked closely with air carriers, industry 
associations, and other aviation stakeholders to address safety 
matters, such as changed packaging configurations, data loggers, and 
increased dry ice limits in the context of air carrier operations to 
support transport of the COVID-19 vaccines. For example, on December 
10, 2020, the FAA issued ``Safety Alert for Operators 20017,'' \1\ 
which identifies specific considerations related to the air transport 
of dry ice.
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    \1\ Available at: https://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo/all_safos/media/2020/SAFO20017.pdf.
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    Since December 4, 2020, the Department of Transportation and the 
FAA have led a recurrent Vaccine Distribution Engagement Meeting (VDEM) 
to bring together government and industry to share ideas, successes, 
challenges, and ask questions related to transporting the COVID-19 
vaccines. Aviation industry associations, air carriers, government 
partners, and other stakeholders have engaged to provide information 
and voice concerns--with no consensus recommendations sought for any 
governmental action--related to the logistics of transport by air of 
the COVID-19 vaccines. The entities represented at the recurrent VDEMs 
have collaborated to successfully transport the COVID-19 vaccines, 
while upholding the highest standards of aviation safety.
    During VDEMs, both FAA and industry stakeholders identified common 
interest in querying participants to capture lessons learned. 
Accordingly, the FAA seeks voluntary information from air carriers 
authorized to operate under 14 CFR parts 121 and 135 that participate 
or have participated in transport of the COVID-19 vaccines. Information 
collected from these stakeholders may further enhance safety efforts 
and facilitate development of pertinent regulations, minimum standards, 
guidance, and other information.

Questions

    1. Did the volume of vaccines transported per pound of dry ice 
increase over the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic? Please provide 
data that captures the change.
    2. Were there observed lower sublimation rates due to improved 
packaging technology or other factors, and to what factors do you 
attribute these lower sublimation rates?
    3. What risk mitigations have you utilized to enable safe and 
efficient air operations with larger than normal quantities of dry ice?
    4. Was there anything that limited your ability to transport COVID-
19 vaccines efficiently while maintaining aviation safety? If so, 
please describe.
    5. What are key takeaways or accomplishments from the COVID-19 
vaccine transportation effort over the past year that show the value of 
working closely with shippers, airframe manufacturers, and the FAA for 
data-driven safe and efficient operations?
    6. What additional regulations, minimum standards, guidance, or 
other information would you like to see concerning the air transport of 
dry ice?
    Respondents: The FAA estimates that a total of 39 entities will 
voluntarily submit responses for this information collection request.
    Frequency: The FAA expects the submissions warrant a one-time 
burden to take place over the next three to six months for entities 
that choose to comply. The FAA may conduct this survey additional 
times, depending upon the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, any 
significant developments in COVID-19 vaccine logistics and transport, 
and interest from VDEM participants.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 5 hours reporting and 0 
hours recordkeeping.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 195 hours reporting and 0 hours 
recordkeeping.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 27, 2022.
Daniel Benjamin Supko,
Executive Director, FAA, Office of Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 2022-02017 Filed 2-1-22; 8:45 am]
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