Department of Transportation June 23, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

PHMSA is extending until September 6, 2005, the period for interested persons to submit comments on the March 9, 2005 notice of proposed rulemaking. In the March 9, 2005 NPRM, we proposed to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations to adopt standards for the design, construction, maintenance and use of cylinders and multiple-element gas containers (MEGCs) based on the standards contained in the United Nations (UN) Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Aligning the HMR with the UN Recommendations will promote flexibility, permit the use of technological advances for the manufacture of pressure receptacles, provide for a broader selection of pressure receptacles, reduce the need for exemptions, and facilitate international commerce in the transportation of compressed gases.

The FMCSA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register on June 8, 2005, concerning request for comments on proposed revisions to the cargo securement requirements. The NPRM contained an incorrect docket number in which comments must be received.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Turbomeca Artouste III series turboshaft engines. That AD currently requires smoke emission checks after every ground engine shutdown, and if necessary, additional checks and possibly removing the engine from service. That action also requires inspection of central labyrinths not previously inspected, or not replaced after the engine logged 1,500 operating hours, and, replacement if necessary. That action also requires the removal of injection wheels at a new lower life limit. This proposed AD includes the same requirements as the existing AD, but reduces the compliance time for the initial inspection of the central labyrinth and adds repetitive inspections of the central labyrinth. This proposed AD results from reports and analyses of in-flight engine shutdowns occurring since we issued AD 2002-22-11. We are proposing this AD to prevent injection wheel cracks and excessive central labyrinth wear, which could result in an in- flight engine shutdown.

The agencies listed in this document are amending the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, which was published in the Federal Register on June 18, 1991, to change all references to the Office for Protection from Research Risks (OPRR) to the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP); revise the footnote found at the end of Sec. .101(i) by deleting references to research involving fetuses, pregnant women, or human in vitro fertilization and subpart B of 45 CFR part 46; and update the Control Number for the approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the information collection requirements of this Federal Policy.

On October 25, 2002, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published the final rule for Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 136, National Parks Air Tour Management (67 FR 65662). The rule became effective on January 23, 2003. On January 27, 2005, the FAA published a notice of opportunity for commercial air tour operators granted interim operating authority (IOA) under the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (the Act) to review and self-correct annual authorizations (70 FR 3972). based on the responses to that notice, the FAA made some corrections to interim operating authority. The Act also requires the interim operating authority granted under the Act to be published in the Federal Register for notice and the opportunity for comment. This notice fulfills that statutory requirement.