Department of Transportation December 20, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby announces that it is seeking renewal of the following currently approved information collection activities. Before submitting these information collection requirements (ICRs) for clearance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for the renewal of a currently approved information collection. 14 CFR Part 61 requires airmen to notify the FAA of any conviction or administrative action resulting from any alcohol or drug related motor vehicle offense within 60 days of the offense. A notice was published in the Federal Register announcing our intention to request renewal of this collection on September 6, 2005, vol 70, 171, pages 53039-53040.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection. The FAA has undertaken an effort to improve aviation safety by collecting data on pilots' training and experience with transport category rudder control systems. A Federal Register notice for public comment was published on April 12, 2005, vol 70, 69, page 19144.

FRA is amending a portion of the accident reporting regulations. Specifically, FRA is amending the method for calculating the monetary threshold for reporting rail equipment accidents/ incidents. The amendment is necessary because, in 2001, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) ceased collecting and publishing railroad wage data used by FRA in the calculation. Consequently, FRA has had to seek a new source of publicly-available data. In the new formula, FRA uses wage data collected and maintained by the Surface Transportation Board (STB) in place of the unavailable BLS wage data. As equipment data remain available from the BLS, there is no change to the source of the equipment component of the reporting threshold. The purpose of the rule is to ensure and maintain comparability between different years of accident data by having the threshold keep pace with any increases or decreases in equipment and labor costs so that each year accidents involving the same minimum amount of railroad property damage are included in the reportable accident counts. In addition, FRA is using the newly established formula to calculate a new accident/incident monetary reporting threshold for calendar year 2006. This final rule increases the monetary threshold for reporting rail equipment accidents/incidents from $6,700 to $7,700, and applies to accidents and incidents involving railroad property damage that occur on or after January 1, 2006.

This document revises an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-9-10, -20, -30, -40, and -50 series airplanes; Model DC-9-81 (MD-81), -82 (MD-82), -83 (MD-83), and -87 (MD-87) airplanes; and Model MD-88 airplanes. That proposed AD would have required repetitive inspections and functional tests of the static port heater assemblies, an inspection of the static port heaters and insulators, and corrective actions if necessary. This new action revises the proposed AD by adding repetitive inspections of the static port heaters and insulators and revising the functional test of the static port heater. The actions specified by this new proposed AD are intended to prevent an electrical short of the static port heater from sparking and igniting the insulation blanket adjacent to the static port heater, which could result in smoke and/or fire in the cabin area. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain 747-100, -200, and -300 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive inspections to detect cracking of certain lower lobe fuselage frames, and repair if necessary. This proposed AD would retain all the requirements of the existing AD, and add airplanes to the applicability. This proposed AD results from reports indicating that fatigue cracks were found in lower lobe frames on the left side of the fuselage. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of certain lower lobe fuselage frames, which could lead to fatigue cracks in the fuselage skin, and consequent rapid decompression of the airplane.

This action revises Class E airspace at Koliganek, AK to provide adequate controlled airspace to contain aircraft executing two new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs). This rule results in revised Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface at Koliganek Airport, AK.

This action proposes to revise the Class E airspace at Sand Point, AK. Three new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs), a revised Departure Procedure (DP) and a revised SIAP are being published for the Sand Point Airport. Adoption of this proposal would result in revised Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface at Sand Point, AK.

This action establishes Class E airspace at New Stuyahok, AK to provide adequate controlled airspace to contain aircraft executing two new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs). This rule results in new Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) above the surface at New Stuyahok Airport, AK.

The ``Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006'' (Pub. L. 109-115), signed into law by President Bush on November 30, 2005, appropriates funds for all of the surface transportation programs of the Department of Transportation for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006. This notice provides information on the FY 2006 transit appropriations for the FTA assistance programs, and apportions and allocates FY 2006 funds. The Notice also makes corrections to information in the SAFETEA-LU implementation Notice published in the Federal Register on November 30, 2005.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes to revise its procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, Order 1050.1E, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, with proposed Order 1050.1E, Change 1. The revisions in proposed Order 1050.1E, Change 1, include: Changes for clarification; changes for consistency; a change for addition of information; corrections; editorial changes, and the addition of Categorical Exclusion 311f for prohibited areas. This notices provides the public opportunity to comment on the proposed changes. All comments on the proposed changes will be considered in preparing the final version of FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1.

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Przedsiebiorstwo Doswiadczalno-Produkcyjne Szybownictwa ``PZL-Bielsko'' Model SZD-50-3 ``Puchacz'' gliders. This AD requires you to perform a visual inspection of the turnbuckle link for cracks or wear and replace if cracks or wear is found. This action only applies to those gliders where the turnbuckle is directly connected to the pedal. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Poland. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the turnbuckle link, which could result in failure of the rudder cable. This failure could lead to loss of control of the glider.