Department of Transportation January 21, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces that the O'Hare Modernization Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois is available for public review and comment. The DEIS identifies alternatives intended to address the projected needs of the Chicago region by reducing delays at O'Hare, thereby enhancing capacity of the National Airspace System, and ensuring that terminal facilities and supporting infrastructure can efficiently accommodate airport users. All of the development alternatives would result in wetland, property acquisition, air quality and noise impacts, as well as other impacts. The FAA intends to host public hearings on the DEIS with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) Bureau of Water. The public hearings on the DEIS will be held on the following dates: Tuesday, February 22, 2005, at the Avalon Banquets, 1905 East Higgins Road, Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007; Wednesday, February 23, 2005, at the Waterford Conference Center, 933 South Riverside Drive, Elmhurst, Illinois 60126; and Thursday, February 24, 2005, at the White Eagle, 6839 North Milwaukee Avenue, Niles, Illinois 60714. All three of these hearings will start at 2 p.m. (central standard time), and registration to participate in the hearings will conclude by 9 p.m. (central standard time). Repressentatives of FAA, USACE and IEPA will be available to provide information about the DEIS at an informational session held at the same time as the public hearings. Spanish language translators will be available at the hearings. The procedural rules governing the hearing are available from Michael W. MacMullen. The comment period is open as of the date of this Notice of Intent and closes Wednesday, March 23, 2005. All comments are to be submitted to Michael W. MacMullen of the FAA, at the address shown below. The USACE and IEPA have requested that the FAA be the recipient of all comments regarding their actions. These comments must be sent to Michael W. MacMullen of the FAA at the address shown below, and the comments must be postmarked and email must be sent by no later than midnight, Wednesday, March 23, 2005. The USACE is participating in the public hearings because implementation of any development alternatives, if selected, would require the USACE to approve issuance of a permit to fill wetlands under section 404 of the Clean Water Act Section. The IEPA is participating in the public hearings because implementation of any wetland development alternative, if selected, would also require IEPA to issue a Water Quality Certification under section 401 of the Clean Water Act.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) along with the Federal Highway Administration is issuing this notice to advise the public that a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Final General Conformity Determination has been prepared for the proposed Master Plan Improvements at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. FAA is seeking comments on revised and updated information and analyses disclosed in Volume A of the Final EIS and related appendices (Appendices A-1, A-2a, A-2b, A-3a, A-3b, A-3c, A-3d, and A-4).

This action proposes to revoke jet route 711 (J-711), modify jet routes 133 and 889R (J-133 and J-889R), and modify two colored Federal airway (B-25 and A-1) in Alaska. The FAA is proposing this action to remove all airways and routes off the Hinchinbrook, AK, Nondirectional Radio Beacon (NDB) in preparation for the NDB's eventual decommissioning from the National Airspace System (NAS).

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Omnitrans are issuing this notice to advise agencies and the public that, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, FTA and Omnitrans, in cooperation with San Bernardino Association of Governments, Southern California Association of Governments and other public entities, will complete the Alternatives Analysis, adopt a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) and then prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate transit improvements, including a potential bus rapid transit (BRT) line and other alternatives in the E Street corridor from California State University at San Bernardino to the City of Loma Linda in San Bernardino County, California. This Notice of Intent is being published at this time to notify all interested parties and to invite them to participate in the study. Conceptual alternatives to be considered may include No Action/No Build, transportation system management (TSM), bus rapid transit (BRT), and light rail transit (LRT). Other conceptual alternatives may be identified during the scoping sessions.

As authorized by Public Law 105-383 and Public Law 107-295, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.- build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below. The complete application is given in DOT docket 2005-20089 at https:// dms.dot.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 Public Law 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR Part 388 (68 FR 23084; April 30, 2003), that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.-flag vessels in that business, a waiver will not be granted. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in Sec. 388.4 of MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR Part 388.

As authorized by Public Law 105-383 and Public Law 107-295, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.- build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below. The complete application is given in DOT docket 2005-20088 at https:// dms.dot.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 Public Law 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR Part 388 (68 FR 23084; April 30, 2003), that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.-flag vessels in that business, a waiver will not be granted. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in Sec. 388.4 of MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR Part 388.

As authorized by Public Law 105-383 and Public Law 107-295, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.- build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below. The complete application is given in DOT docket 2005-20090 at https:// dms.dot.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 Public Law 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388 (68 FR 23084; April 30, 2003), that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.-flag vessels in that business, a waiver will not be granted. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in Sec. 388.4 of MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388.

As authorized by Public Law 105-383 and Public Law 107-295, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.- build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below. The complete application is given in DOT docket 2005-20093 at https:// dms.dot.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 Public Law 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388 (68 FR 23084; April 30, 2003), that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.-flag vessels in that business, a waiver will not be granted. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in Sec. 388.4 of MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388.

The Department seeks comment on a proposal to revise its rules on charter operations. This proposal arises from a petition filed by the National Air Carrier Association (NACA). NACA seeks to make changes to the definitions and standards the Department uses to determine whether to grant or deny foreign air carrier requests to conduct certain types of international charter flights. The Department grants NACA's petition, and proposes to make some, but not all of the changes sought by NACA. The Department proposes to make revisions to definitions relating to charter types, and to modify the Department's current charter application form so as to require updated reciprocity information as well as numbers of U.S.-homeland services vs. U.S.-non-homeland services. The Department does not anticipate adopting NACA's requests to impose a reciprocity standard that ensures substantially equivalent opportunities for U.S. carriers in the homeland of the applicant, or to accord U.S. carriers a right of ``first refusal'' over foreign carrier requests to conduct certain U.S.-originating charter operations. Specifically, the Department proposes to clarify the definition of ``fifth freedom charter'' by adding definitions of ``sixth- and seventh-freedom charters.'' The Department also proposes modifications to OST Form 4540 (Foreign Air Carrier Application for Statement of Authorization). Specifically, the Department proposes to require an updated reciprocity statement by foreign carriers for a statement of authorization to allow us to ensure that our reciprocity standards have been satisfied and are properly supported. The Department also proposes to require that foreign carrier applicants for a statement of authorization include historical data relative to the applicant's U.S.- home country operations to allow the Department to readily evaluate levels of third- and fourth-freedom versus fifth-, sixth-, and seventh- freedom operations. This data will allow the Department to satisfy any concerns we might have as to the applicant's reliance on fifth-, sixth- and seventh-freedom operations. These proposed modifications will ensure that the Department has the most current information on the state of reciprocity for each foreign carrier applicant for fifth-, sixth-, or seventh-freedom charter authority.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a supplement to a Final Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for a proposed highway project in Shelby County, Tennessee.

This document provides guidance to operators of gas transmission pipelines regarding semi-annual reporting of performance measures for integrity management. Operators of gas transmission pipelines subject to Subpart O, ``Pipeline Integrity Management,'' must submit four overall measures of their integrity management performance on a semi-annual basis. The first report was due August 31, 2004, and was the subject of RSPA/OPS Advisory Bulletin ADB-04-02 (69 FR 43881) which published on July 22, 2004. This document provides additional guidance for operators regarding on-line reporting that will be available for the report due in February 2005 and subsequent reports.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, exemptions from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR Part 107, Subpart B), notice is hereby given that the office of hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein. Each mode of transportation for which a particular exemption is requested is indicated by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft.