Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders, 77962-77964 [2024-21721]
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lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
77962
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 24, 2024 / Notices
11, to approximately 10 miles south of
FM 1450, a distance of approximately
16 miles. The proposed FM 1053
roadway will consist of two undivided
12-foot-wide travel lanes with 10-footwide shoulders. Drainage will consist of
open ditches and single pipe culverts at
driveways. The project will include
replacing/updating the existing bridgeclass culvert. The actions by TxDOT and
Federal agencies and the laws under
which such actions were taken are
described in the Categorical Exclusion
Determination issued on August 5,
2024, and other documents in the
TxDOT project file. The Categorical
Exclusion Determination and other
documents in the TxDOT project file are
available by contacting the TxDOT
Odessa District Office at 3901 E
Highway 80, Odessa, TX 79761;
telephone: (432) 498–4697.
7. Loop 250 at Todd Road, Midland
County, Texas. The project will
construct main lanes between
Fairgrounds Road and CR 1150 and an
overpass at the intersection of Todd
Drive. The main lanes and overpass will
consist of two 12-foot lanes in each
direction, with 10-foot outside
shoulders and 4-foot inside shoulders.
The project will also construct an atgrade intersection under the overpass at
Todd Drive, along with turnaround
lanes. The actions by TxDOT and
Federal agencies and the laws under
which such actions were taken are
described in the Categorical Exclusion
Determination issued on August 28,
2024, and other documents in the
TxDOT project file. The Categorical
Exclusion Determination and other
documents in the TxDOT project file are
available by contacting the TxDOT
Odessa District Office at 3901 E
Highway 80, Odessa, TX 79761;
telephone: (432) 498–4697.
8. South Zarzamora Street from US 90
to Jennings Avenue, Bexar County,
Texas. The project will realign South
Zarzamora Street from US 90 to
Jennings Avenue and construct a grade
separation over the Frio City Road/Kirk
Place and Union Pacific Railroad
(UPRR) intersections. The project is
approximately 0.8 miles. The actions by
TxDOT and Federal agencies and the
laws under which such actions were
taken are described in the Final
Environmental Assessment (EA), the
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) issued on June 21, 2024, and
other documents in the TxDOT project
file. The EA, FONSI, and other
documents in the TxDOT project file are
available by contacting the TxDOT San
Antonio District Office at 4615 NW
Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78229;
telephone: (210) 615–5839.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:07 Sep 23, 2024
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9. FM 812 from US 183 to SH 21,
Travis and Bastrop Counties, Texas. The
project will include the realignment of
a 1.46-mile section of FM 812 between
US 183 and FM 973 and will upgrade
FM 812 from a two-lane undivided
roadway to a four-lane divided roadway.
The project will also include
improvements to a 0.75-mile portion of
FM 973 from 0.1-mile north of McAngus
Road to 0.2-mile south of FM 812. The
project is approximately 9.49 miles
long. The actions by TxDOT and Federal
agencies and the laws under which such
actions were taken are described in the
Final Environmental Assessment (EA),
the Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) issued on June 27, 2024, and
other documents in the TxDOT project
file. The EA, FONSI, and other
documents in the TxDOT project file are
available by contacting the TxDOT
Austin District Office at 7901 North I–
35, Austin, TX 78753; telephone: (512)
832–7000.
10. SH 249 from BW–8 N to I–45 N,
Harris County, Texas. The project will
reconstruct and widen SH 249 from BW
8 N to I–45 N from a six-lane roadway
to an eight-lane divided roadway, for a
total distance of 7.2 miles. Directions of
travel will be separated by a raised
median varying from 6 to 30 feet wide.
Turn bays for left and right movements
will be added at major intersections.
Ten-foot-wide sidepaths will be
constructed on both sides of the
roadway near the right-of-way limits.
The actions by TxDOT and Federal
agencies and the laws under which such
actions were taken are described in the
Final Environmental Assessment (EA),
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) issued on July 9, 2024 and
other documents in the TxDOT project
file. The EA, FONSI, and other
documents in the TxDOT project file are
available by contacting the TxDOT
Houston District Office at 7600
Washington Avenue, Houston, TX
77007; telephone: (713) 802–5000.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1).
Michael T. Leary,
Director, Planning and Program Development,
Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024–21771 Filed 9–23–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–22–P
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA–2024–0024]
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption
Applications; Epilepsy and Seizure
Disorders
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA), Department
of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of final disposition.
AGENCY:
FMCSA announces its
decision to exempt 12 individuals from
the requirement in the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs)
that interstate commercial motor vehicle
(CMV) drivers have ‘‘no established
medical history or clinical diagnosis of
epilepsy or any other condition which
is likely to cause loss of consciousness
or any loss of ability to control a CMV.’’
The exemptions enable these
individuals who have had one or more
seizures and are taking anti-seizure
medication to operate CMVs in
interstate commerce.
DATES: The exemptions were applicable
on September 16, 2024. The exemptions
expire on September 16, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical
Programs Division, FMCSA, DOT, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590–0001, (202) 366–4001,
fmcsamedical@dot.gov. Office hours are
from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
If you have questions regarding viewing
or submitting material to the docket,
contact Dockets Operations, (202) 366–
9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
I. Public Participation
A. Viewing Comments
To view comments go to
www.regulations.gov. Insert the docket
number, (FMCSA–2024–0024) in the
keyword box and click ‘‘Search.’’ Next,
sort the results by ‘‘Posted (OlderNewer),’’ choose the first notice listed,
and click ‘‘Browse Comments.’’ If you
do not have access to the internet, you
may view the docket online by visiting
Dockets Operations on the ground floor
of the DOT West Building, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590–0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
ET Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays. To be sure someone is
there to help you, please call (202) 366–
9317 or (202) 366–9826 before visiting
Dockets Operations.
E:\FR\FM\24SEN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 24, 2024 / Notices
B. Privacy Act
In accordance with 49 U.S.C.
31315(b)(6), DOT solicits comments
from the public on the exemption
requests. DOT posts these comments,
without edit, including any personal
information the commenter provides, to
www.regulations.gov. As described in
the system of records notice DOT/ALL
14 (Federal Docket Management
System), which can be reviewed at
https://www.transportation.gov/
individuals/privacy/privacy-act-systemrecords-notices, the comments are
searchable by the name of the submitter.
II. Background
On August 12, 2024, FMCSA
published a notice announcing receipt
of applications from 12 individuals
requesting an exemption from the
epilepsy and seizure disorders
prohibition in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(8) and
requested comments from the public (89
FR 65703). The public comment period
ended on September 11, 2024, and one
comment was received.
FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility
of these applicants and determined that
granting exemptions to these
individuals would likely achieve a level
of safety that is equivalent to, or greater
than, the level that would be achieved
by complying with § 391.41(b)(8).
The physical qualification standard
for drivers regarding epilepsy found in
§ 391.41(b)(8) states that a person is
physically qualified to drive a CMV if
that person has no established medical
history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy
or any other condition which is likely
to cause the loss of consciousness or any
loss of ability to control a CMV.
In addition to the regulations, FMCSA
has published advisory criteria 1 to
assist medical examiners (MEs) in
determining whether drivers with
certain medical conditions are qualified
to operate a CMV in interstate
commerce.
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III. Discussion of Comments
FMCSA received one comment in this
proceeding. However, the comment is
outside the scope of this notice.
IV. Basis for Exemption Determination
Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and
31315(b), FMCSA may grant an
exemption from the FMCSRs for no
longer than a 5-year period if it finds
such exemption would likely achieve a
level of safety that is equivalent to, or
1 These criteria may be found in APPENDIX A TO
PART 391—MEDICAL ADVISORY CRITERIA,
section H. Epilepsy: § 391.41(b)(8), paragraphs 3, 4,
and 5, which is available on the internet at https://
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2015-title49-vol5/pdf/
CFR-2015-title49-vol5-part391-appA.pdf.
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18:07 Sep 23, 2024
Jkt 262001
greater than, the level that would be
achieved absent such exemption. The
statutes allow the Agency to renew
exemptions at the end of the 5-year
period. However, FMCSA grants
medical exemptions from the FMCSRs
for a 2-year period to align with the
maximum duration of a driver’s medical
certification.
The Agency’s decision regarding these
exemption applications is based on the
2007 recommendations of the Agency’s
Medical Expert Panel. The Agency
conducted an individualized assessment
of each applicant’s medical information,
including the root cause of the
respective seizure(s) and medical
information about the applicant’s
seizure history, the length of time that
has elapsed since the individual’s last
seizure, the stability of each individual’s
treatment regimen and the duration of
time on or off of anti-seizure
medication. In addition, the Agency
reviewed the treating clinician’s
medical opinion related to the ability of
the driver to safely operate a CMV with
a history of seizure and each applicant’s
driving record found in the Commercial
Driver’s License Information System for
commercial driver’s license (CDL)
holders, and interstate and intrastate
inspections recorded in the Motor
Carrier Management Information
System. For non-CDL holders, the
Agency reviewed the driving records
from the State Driver’s Licensing
Agency. A summary of each applicant’s
seizure history was discussed in the
August 12, 2024, Federal Register
notice (89 FR 65703) and will not be
repeated in this notice.
These 12 applicants have been
seizure-free over a range of 37 years
while taking anti-seizure medication
and maintained a stable medication
treatment regimen for the last 2 years. In
each case, the applicant’s treating
physician verified his or her seizure
history and supports the ability to drive
commercially.
The Agency acknowledges the
potential consequences of a driver
experiencing a seizure while operating a
CMV. However, the Agency believes the
drivers granted this exemption have
demonstrated that they are unlikely to
have a seizure and their medical
condition does not pose a risk to public
safety.
Consequently, FMCSA finds further
that in each case exempting these
applicants from the epilepsy and seizure
disorder prohibition in § 391.41(b)(8)
would likely achieve a level of safety
equal to that existing without the
exemption, consistent with the
applicable standard in 49 U.S.C.
31315(b)(1).
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V. Conditions and Requirements
The terms and conditions of the
exemption are provided to the
applicants in the exemption document
and include the following: (1) each
driver must remain seizure-free and
maintain a stable treatment during the
2-year exemption period; (2) each driver
must submit annual reports from their
treating physicians attesting to the
stability of treatment and that the driver
has remained seizure-free; (3) each
driver must undergo an annual medical
examination by a certified ME, as
defined by § 390.5T; and (4) each driver
must provide a copy of the annual
medical certification to the employer for
retention in the driver’s qualification
file, or keep a copy of his/her driver’s
qualification file if he/she is selfemployed. The driver must also have a
copy of the exemption when driving, for
presentation to a duly authorized
Federal, State, or local enforcement
official.
VI. Preemption
During the period the exemption is in
effect, no State shall enforce any law or
regulation that conflicts with this
exemption with respect to a person
operating under the exemption.
VII. Conclusion
Based upon its evaluation of the 12
exemption applications, FMCSA
exempts the following drivers from the
epilepsy and seizure disorder
prohibition in § 391.41(b)(8), subject to
the requirements cited above:
Rosario Basone (NY)
Kimberly Breker (ND)
Ed Eskridge (IN)
David Garner (IA)
Carlos Kelly (NC)
Jaxon Krisko (OH)
Justin McGinnis (KS)
Dalton Nicodemus (WV)
Zachary Pfister (IN)
Daniel Richey (TX)
Jessica Schmit (PA)
Teri Smieja (WI)
In accordance with 49 U.S.C.
31315(b), each exemption will be valid
for 2 years from the effective date unless
revoked earlier by FMCSA. The
exemption will be revoked if the
following occurs: (1) the person fails to
comply with the terms and conditions
of the exemption; (2) the exemption has
resulted in a lower level of safety than
was maintained prior to being granted;
or (3) continuation of the exemption
would not be consistent with the goals
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 24, 2024 / Notices
and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136, 49
U.S.C. chapter 313, or the FMCSRs.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2024–21721 Filed 9–23–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[Docket No. MARAD–2024–0126]
Coastwise Endorsement Eligibility
Determination for a Foreign-Built
Vessel: Raven Heart (Sail); Invitation
for Public Comments
Maritime Administration, DOT.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Secretary of
Transportation, as represented by the
Maritime Administration (MARAD), is
authorized to issue coastwise
endorsement eligibility determinations
for foreign-built vessels which will carry
no more than twelve passengers for hire.
A request for such a determination has
been received by MARAD. By this
notice, MARAD seeks comments from
interested parties as to any effect this
action may have on U.S. vessel builders
or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.flag vessels. Information about the
requestor’s vessel, including a brief
description of the proposed service, is
listed below.
DATES: Submit comments on or before
October 24, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
identified by DOT Docket Number
MARAD–2024–0126 by any one of the
following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov. Search
MARAD–2024–0126 and follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket
Management Facility is in the West
Building, Ground Floor of the U.S.
Department of Transportation. The
Docket Management Facility location
address is U.S. Department of
Transportation, MARAD–2024–0126,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West
Building, Room W12–140, Washington,
DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except on
Federal holidays.
Note: If you mail or hand-deliver your
comments, we recommend that you
include your name and a mailing
address, an email address, or a
telephone number in the body of your
document so that we can contact you if
we have questions regarding your
submission.
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SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:07 Sep 23, 2024
Jkt 262001
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name and
specific docket number. All comments
received will be posted without change
to the docket at www.regulations.gov,
including any personal information
provided. For detailed instructions on
submitting comments, or to submit
comments that are confidential in
nature, see the section entitled Public
Participation.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Patricia Hagerty, U.S. Department of
Transportation, Maritime
Administration, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Room W23–461,
Washington, DC 20590. Telephone:
(202) 366–0903. Email:
patricia.hagerty@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As
described in the application, the
intended service of the vessel Raven
Heart is:
Intended Commercial Use of Vessel:
Requester intends to offer passenger
charters.
Geographic Region Including Base of
Operations: California, Oregon,
Washington, Alaska. Base of Operations:
Los Angeles, California.
Vessel Length and Type: 39.9′ Sail.
The complete application is available
for review identified in the DOT docket
as MARAD 2024–0126 at https://
www.regulations.gov. Interested parties
may comment on the effect this action
may have on U.S. vessel builders or
businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag
vessels. If MARAD determines, in
accordance with 46 U.S.C. 12121 and
MARAD’s regulations at 46 CFR part
388, that the employment of the vessel
in the coastwise trade to carry no more
than 12 passengers will have an unduly
adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or
a business that uses U.S.-flag vessels in
that business, MARAD will not issue an
approval of the vessel’s coastwise
endorsement eligibility. Comments
should refer to the vessel name, state the
commenter’s interest in the application,
and address the eligibility criteria given
in section 388.4 of MARAD’s
regulations at 46 CFR part 388.
Public Participation
How do I submit comments?
Please submit your comments,
including the attachments, following the
instructions provided under the above
heading entitled ADDRESSES. Be advised
that it may take a few hours or even
days for your comment to be reflected
on the docket. In addition, your
comments must be written in English.
We encourage you to provide concise
comments and you may attach
additional documents as necessary.
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Sfmt 9990
There is no limit on the length of the
attachments.
Where do I go to read public comments,
and find supporting information?
Go to the docket online at https://
www.regulations.gov, keyword search
MARAD–2024–0126 or visit the Docket
Management Facility (see ADDRESSES for
hours of operation). We recommend that
you periodically check the Docket for
new submissions and supporting
material.
Will my comments be made available to
the public?
Yes. Be aware that your entire
comment, including your personal
identifying information, will be made
publicly available.
May I submit comments confidentially?
If you wish to submit comments
under a claim of confidentiality, you
should submit the information you
claim to be confidential commercial
information by email to SmallVessels@
dot.gov. Include in the email subject
heading ‘‘Contains Confidential
Commercial Information’’ or ‘‘Contains
CCI’’ and state in your submission, with
specificity, the basis for any such
confidential claim highlighting or
denoting the CCI portions. If possible,
please provide a summary of your
submission that can be made available
to the public.
In the event MARAD receives a
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
request for the information, procedures
described in the Department’s FOIA
regulation at 49 CFR 7.29 will be
followed. Only information that is
ultimately determined to be confidential
under those procedures will be exempt
from disclosure under FOIA.
Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic
form of all comments received into any
of our dockets by the name of the
individual submitting the comment (or
signing the comment, if submitted on
behalf of an association, business, labor
union, etc.). For information on DOT’s
compliance with the Privacy Act, please
visit https://www.transportation.gov/
privacy.
(Authority: 49 CFR 1.93(a), 46 U.S.C. 55103,
46 U.S.C. 12121)
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024–21783 Filed 9–23–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77962-77964]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-21721]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2024-0024]
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Epilepsy and
Seizure Disorders
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department
of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of final disposition.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 12 individuals from the
requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs)
that interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers have ``no
established medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any
other condition which is likely to cause loss of consciousness or any
loss of ability to control a CMV.'' The exemptions enable these
individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-
seizure medication to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.
DATES: The exemptions were applicable on September 16, 2024. The
exemptions expire on September 16, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Christine A. Hydock, Chief,
Medical Programs Division, FMCSA, DOT, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
Washington, DC 20590-0001, (202) 366-4001, [email protected]. Office
hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays. If you have questions regarding viewing or submitting
material to the docket, contact Dockets Operations, (202) 366-9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Public Participation
A. Viewing Comments
To view comments go to www.regulations.gov. Insert the docket
number, (FMCSA-2024-0024) in the keyword box and click ``Search.''
Next, sort the results by ``Posted (Older-Newer),'' choose the first
notice listed, and click ``Browse Comments.'' If you do not have access
to the internet, you may view the docket online by visiting Dockets
Operations on the ground floor of the DOT West Building, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
ET Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To be sure someone
is there to help you, please call (202) 366-9317 or (202) 366-9826
before visiting Dockets Operations.
[[Page 77963]]
B. Privacy Act
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(6), DOT solicits comments
from the public on the exemption requests. DOT posts these comments,
without edit, including any personal information the commenter
provides, to www.regulations.gov. As described in the system of records
notice DOT/ALL 14 (Federal Docket Management System), which can be
reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/privacy/privacy-act-system-records-notices, the comments are searchable by the name of
the submitter.
II. Background
On August 12, 2024, FMCSA published a notice announcing receipt of
applications from 12 individuals requesting an exemption from the
epilepsy and seizure disorders prohibition in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(8) and
requested comments from the public (89 FR 65703). The public comment
period ended on September 11, 2024, and one comment was received.
FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility of these applicants and
determined that granting exemptions to these individuals would likely
achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the
level that would be achieved by complying with Sec. 391.41(b)(8).
The physical qualification standard for drivers regarding epilepsy
found in Sec. 391.41(b)(8) states that a person is physically
qualified to drive a CMV if that person has no established medical
history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which
is likely to cause the loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to
control a CMV.
In addition to the regulations, FMCSA has published advisory
criteria \1\ to assist medical examiners (MEs) in determining whether
drivers with certain medical conditions are qualified to operate a CMV
in interstate commerce.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ These criteria may be found in APPENDIX A TO PART 391--
MEDICAL ADVISORY CRITERIA, section H. Epilepsy: Sec. 391.41(b)(8),
paragraphs 3, 4, and 5, which is available on the internet at
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2015-title49-vol5/pdf/CFR-2015-title49-vol5-part391-appA.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
III. Discussion of Comments
FMCSA received one comment in this proceeding. However, the comment
is outside the scope of this notice.
IV. Basis for Exemption Determination
Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), FMCSA may grant an exemption
from the FMCSRs for no longer than a 5-year period if it finds such
exemption would likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to,
or greater than, the level that would be achieved absent such
exemption. The statutes allow the Agency to renew exemptions at the end
of the 5-year period. However, FMCSA grants medical exemptions from the
FMCSRs for a 2-year period to align with the maximum duration of a
driver's medical certification.
The Agency's decision regarding these exemption applications is
based on the 2007 recommendations of the Agency's Medical Expert Panel.
The Agency conducted an individualized assessment of each applicant's
medical information, including the root cause of the respective
seizure(s) and medical information about the applicant's seizure
history, the length of time that has elapsed since the individual's
last seizure, the stability of each individual's treatment regimen and
the duration of time on or off of anti-seizure medication. In addition,
the Agency reviewed the treating clinician's medical opinion related to
the ability of the driver to safely operate a CMV with a history of
seizure and each applicant's driving record found in the Commercial
Driver's License Information System for commercial driver's license
(CDL) holders, and interstate and intrastate inspections recorded in
the Motor Carrier Management Information System. For non-CDL holders,
the Agency reviewed the driving records from the State Driver's
Licensing Agency. A summary of each applicant's seizure history was
discussed in the August 12, 2024, Federal Register notice (89 FR 65703)
and will not be repeated in this notice.
These 12 applicants have been seizure-free over a range of 37 years
while taking anti-seizure medication and maintained a stable medication
treatment regimen for the last 2 years. In each case, the applicant's
treating physician verified his or her seizure history and supports the
ability to drive commercially.
The Agency acknowledges the potential consequences of a driver
experiencing a seizure while operating a CMV. However, the Agency
believes the drivers granted this exemption have demonstrated that they
are unlikely to have a seizure and their medical condition does not
pose a risk to public safety.
Consequently, FMCSA finds further that in each case exempting these
applicants from the epilepsy and seizure disorder prohibition in Sec.
391.41(b)(8) would likely achieve a level of safety equal to that
existing without the exemption, consistent with the applicable standard
in 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(1).
V. Conditions and Requirements
The terms and conditions of the exemption are provided to the
applicants in the exemption document and include the following: (1)
each driver must remain seizure-free and maintain a stable treatment
during the 2-year exemption period; (2) each driver must submit annual
reports from their treating physicians attesting to the stability of
treatment and that the driver has remained seizure-free; (3) each
driver must undergo an annual medical examination by a certified ME, as
defined by Sec. 390.5T; and (4) each driver must provide a copy of the
annual medical certification to the employer for retention in the
driver's qualification file, or keep a copy of his/her driver's
qualification file if he/she is self-employed. The driver must also
have a copy of the exemption when driving, for presentation to a duly
authorized Federal, State, or local enforcement official.
VI. Preemption
During the period the exemption is in effect, no State shall
enforce any law or regulation that conflicts with this exemption with
respect to a person operating under the exemption.
VII. Conclusion
Based upon its evaluation of the 12 exemption applications, FMCSA
exempts the following drivers from the epilepsy and seizure disorder
prohibition in Sec. 391.41(b)(8), subject to the requirements cited
above:
Rosario Basone (NY)
Kimberly Breker (ND)
Ed Eskridge (IN)
David Garner (IA)
Carlos Kelly (NC)
Jaxon Krisko (OH)
Justin McGinnis (KS)
Dalton Nicodemus (WV)
Zachary Pfister (IN)
Daniel Richey (TX)
Jessica Schmit (PA)
Teri Smieja (WI)
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315(b), each exemption will be valid
for 2 years from the effective date unless revoked earlier by FMCSA.
The exemption will be revoked if the following occurs: (1) the person
fails to comply with the terms and conditions of the exemption; (2) the
exemption has resulted in a lower level of safety than was maintained
prior to being granted; or (3) continuation of the exemption would not
be consistent with the goals
[[Page 77964]]
and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136, 49 U.S.C. chapter 313, or the
FMCSRs.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2024-21721 Filed 9-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P