Department of Transportation September 11, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice requests public participation in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval process for the renewal and extension of an information collection: ``Pipeline Safety: Periodic Underwater Inspections.'' PHMSA invites the public to submit comments over the next 60 days on whether the existing information collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of DOT.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

The FMCSA published a notice in the Federal Register on April 19, 2007, requesting comments on the renewal of a currently approved information collection. The subject line in the notice contained an incorrect type of information collection request for which comments were received.

FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2007-03 recommending that owners of track carried on one or more railroad bridges adopt safety practices to prevent the deterioration of railroad bridges and reduce the risk of casualties from train derailments caused by structural failures of such bridges.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is reopening the comment period on its April 6, 2007, notice and request for comments concerning a proposed survey of motor carriers operating small-passenger-carrying commercial motor vehicles to obtain additional feedback from motor carriers and interested parties.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This collection, entitled ``Driver Qualification Files,'' accounts for the information that motor carriers must obtain and maintain on the qualifications of the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers they employ. On May 23, 2007, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice allowing for a 60-day comment period on the ICR. No comments were received.

The Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC) is taking action to rectify what may be a mischaracterization of some test results as being substituted specimens. In appropriate cases, ODAPC will reconsider the employee's original refusal result, when reported from September 1998 through May 2003, and based upon a ``substitution'' finding in a given numerical range.

This final rule incorporates a dynamic pole test into Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 214, ``Side impact protection.'' To meet the test, vehicle manufacturers will need to assure head and improved chest protection in side crashes. It will lead to the installation of new technologies, such as side curtain air bags and torso side air bags, which are capable of improving head and thorax protection to occupants of vehicles that crash into poles and trees and vehicles that are laterally struck by a higher-riding vehicle. The side air bag systems installed to meet the requirements of this final rule will also reduce fatalities and injuries caused by partial ejections through side windows. Vehicles will be tested with two new, scientifically advanced test dummies representing a wide range of occupants, from mid-size males to small females. A test dummy known as the ES-2re will represent mid-size adult male occupants. A test dummy known as the SID-IIs will represent smaller stature occupants. The SID-IIs is the size of a 5th percentile adult female. This final rule also enhances FMVSS No. 214's moving deformable barrier (MDB) test. The current 50th percentile male dummy in the front seat of tested vehicles will be replaced with the more biofidelic ES- 2re. In the rear seat, the new 5th percentile female SID-IIs dummy will be used, thus improving protection to a greater segment of occupants seated in rear seating positions. The ``Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU),'' was enacted in August 2005. Section 10302 of the Act directed the agency ``to complete a rulemaking proceeding under chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, to establish a standard designed to enhance passenger motor vehicle occupant protection, in all seating positions, in side impact crashes.'' In accordance with Sec. 10302, the side impact air bags installed in front seats and vehicle changes made to rear seats will enhance, substantially, passenger motor vehicle occupant protection in side impacts.