Department of Transportation August 2, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Surface Transportation Board (Board) approved the Settlement Agreement negotiated in these cases by the United States Departments of Energy and Defense (the Government) and by the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP), prescribed the Agreement's rate and rate update methodologies as the maximum reasonable rate level, extinguished UP's liability for reparations, and agreed not to entertain cross- complaints against UP in subsequent proceedings involving the Government's claims for reparations against remaining railroad defendants that participated in through rates with UP. The Board declined in part to rule on, and granted in part, the Government's separate request for ground rules to govern future proceedings against remaining railroad defendants and granted the Government's request to continue holding these proceedings in abeyance subject to the Government reporting quarterly on the progress of settlement negotiations.

This notice proposes to establish Class E3 airspace at Riverside March Field, CA. Class E3 airspace is necessary to contain and protect circling maneuvers for Category E aircraft executing these maneuvers in conjunction with Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at the airport. This action would establish Class E3 airspace extending upward from the surface to, but not including, the base of the overlying Class C airspace area.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), began development of an Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) and associated Environmental Assessment (EA) for Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park in February 2003. The ATMP is being established pursuant to the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-181) and its implementing regulations contained in Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 136, National Parks Air Tour Management. The objective of the ATMP is to develop acceptable and effective measures to mitigate or prevent the significant adverse impacts, if any, of commercial air tour operations upon the natural resources, cultural resources, and visitor experiences of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The FAA and NPS have now decided to proceed with development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this project. This decision is based on information received through the EA scoping process, the environmental analysis completed by the Agencies to date, the consideration of preliminary ATMP alternatives, and through consultations conducted pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. By this notice the FAA and NPS are initiating a 30-day scoping period for this EIS. The FAA and NPS are now inviting the public, agencies, and other interested parties to provide written comments, suggestions, and input regarding the scope of issues and the identification of significant issues to be addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Comments previously submitted in response to the EA scoping will not need to be resubmitted, as they will be considered as part of the EIS process and record. No additional scoping meetings are scheduled.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 747-200B, 747-300, 747-400, and 747-400D series airplanes. This AD requires modifying the lateral shear beam for the Door 5 crew rest and, for certain airplanes, replacing Zone E tie rods and modifying the Zone E stowbin ladder. This AD results from a report indicating that the lateral shear beam for the Door 5 crew rest does not meet the 9G forward loading requirement. We are issuing this AD to prevent the structural support for the Door 5 crew rest and Zone E stowbins from failing, which could result in the crew rest or stowbins falling during an emergency and consequent injury to crew and passengers.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Raytheon Model HS.125 series 700A airplanes, Model BAe.125 series 800A airplanes, and Model Hawker 800 and Hawker 800XP airplanes. This AD requires inspecting to determine the current rating of the circuit breakers of certain cockpit ventilation and avionics cooling system blowers; and replacing the circuit breakers and modifying the blower wiring, as applicable. This AD results from a report indicating that a blower motor seized up and gave off smoke. We are issuing this AD to prevent smoke and fumes in the cockpit in the event that a blower motor seizes and overheats due to excessive current draw.