Department of Transportation June 12, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA has received an application from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for an exemption from certain provisions of the Agency's hours-of-service (HOS) regulations. DOE proposes that its contract motor carriers and their employee-drivers engaged in the transportation of transuranic waste (TRU) be granted an exemption from the HOS rules pertaining to use of a sleeper berth (SB). Current HOS rules require that all SB rest regimens include, in part, the regular use of a SB period of at least 8 hourscombined with a separate period of at least 2 hours, either in the SB, off-duty or some combination of bothto gain the equivalent of at least 10 consecutive hours off-duty. DOE proposes that its contract drivers be allowed to take the equivalent of 10 consecutive hours off duty by splitting SB time into two periods, provided neither of the two periods is less than 2 hours. DOE asserts that if its request for exemption is granted, the level of safety of its TRU operations would be equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety that would be obtained by complying with the current HOS regulations. FMCSA requests public comment on DOE's application for exemption.

This action withdraws the direct final rule published in the Federal Register April 14, 2008 modifying Class D Airspace at Brunswick, ME. After publication it came to our attention that there had been a miscommunication about the operating hours of the Brunswick NAS Air Traffic Control Tower. The tower itself is still a 24-hour operation; therefore, there is no need to modify the Class D Airspace to reflect part-time status.

This action confirms the effective date of a direct final rule that establishes Class E Airspace at Cranberry Township, PA, to support a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Special Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) that has been developed for medical flight operations into the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Passavant-Cranberry Heliport. Additionally, this action corrects a minor typing error in the publication of the coordinates for the UPMC Passavant-Cranberry Heliport.

This action confirms the effective date of a direct final rule that establishes a Class E airspace area to support Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Special Instrument Approach Procedures (IAPs) that serve the Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg, PA. Additionally, this action corrects a minor technical error in the publication of the coordinates for the Evangelical Community Hospital East Heliport.

DOT is amending a number of its regulations to reflect reorganization of some elements of DOT and the move of DOT's Headquarters site in Washington, DC. This action is taken on DOT's initiative.