Department of Transportation July 11, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department is directing all interested persons to show cause why it should not issue an order withdrawing its approval under 49 U.S.C. 41309 for an International Air Transport Association (``IATA'') agreement, the Provisions for the Conduct of the IATA Traffic Conferences, insofar as that agreement establishes conferences whereby IATA's member carriers discuss and agree upon passenger fares and cargo rates for U.S.-Australia/Europe markets. If the Department withdraws its approval for the agreement, the agreement will no longer have immunity from the antitrust laws under 49 U.S.C. 41308 for conference discussions of fares and rates for the U.S.-Australia/Europe markets.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542, and 555 series turbofan engines. This proposed AD would require a dimensional inspection of the intermediate pressure turbine (IPT) disk or an ultrasonic inspection of the seal arm contact between the high pressure turbine (HPT) and the IPT disk seal arm and rework or replacement of the IPT disk if wear outside acceptable limits is found. This proposed AD results from reports of a number of HPT disk failures, some of which resulted in portions of the HPT disk being released. We are proposing this AD to prevent HPT disk failure, which can result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

PHMSA is granting Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C. (M&N) a waiver of compliance from certain PHMSA regulations for the United States portion of its pipeline system. This waiver increases the maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) for the pipeline. This waiver decision also authorizes M&N to increase the design factor for its compressor station piping, grants relief from the strength testing requirements for M&N's compressor station piping, grants relief in establishing the MAOP of pipelines operating above prescribed hoop stresses, grants relief from the capacity requirements of pressure limiting stations, and authorizes M&N to maintain the pressure rating of portions of the waiver area subject to a change in class location. Before granting the waiver, PHMSA performed a thorough technical review of M&N's application and supporting documents. PHMSA requested and received supplementary information on numerous technical aspects of M&N's design, engineering, operations, and maintenance practices. The materials are available in docket PHMSA-2006-23448 at https:// dms.dot.gov. PHMSA also sought comments from the public and received positive feedback from States along the pipeline and the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee. The waiver is subject to and conditional upon supplemental safety criteria set forth in this notice. The supplemental safety criteria address the life-cycle management of the subject pipeline and require M&N to adhere to maintenance, inspection, monitoring, control, and reporting standards exceeding existing regulatory requirements.

PHMSA is granting Rockies Express Pipeline, L.L.C. (Rockies Express) a waiver of compliance from the pipeline safety regulation that prescribes the design factor to be used in the design formula for steel pipe. This waiver allows the Rockies Express pipeline to operate at hoop stresses up to 80 percent of the specified minimum yield strength (SMYS) in Class 1 locations. The waiver also grants Rockies Express relief from equipment requirements for pressure relieving and limiting stations. Before granting the waiver, PHMSA performed a thorough technical review of Rockies Express's application and supporting documents. PHMSA requested and received supplementary information pertaining to numerous technical aspects of its metallurgy, pipeline design, and engineering practices. These materials are available in the docket PHMSA-2006-23998 at https://dms.dot.gov. PHMSA also sought comments from the public and received positive feedback from the impacted States along the pipeline and the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee. The waiver is subject to and conditional upon supplemental safety criteria set forth in this notice. The supplemental safety criteria address the life cycle management of the subject pipeline and require Rockies Express to adhere to maintenance, inspection, monitoring, control, and reporting standards exceeding existing regulatory requirements.