Department of Transportation 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action delays the effective date for the establishment of four low altitude Area Navigation (RNAV) T-routes, designated T-257, T- 259, T-261 and T-263, in the Sacramento and San Francisco, CA, terminal areas until September 25, 2008. The FAA is taking this action to allow additional time for processing and charting.

This action confirms the effective date and corrects an error in the airport name listed in a direct final rule published in the Federal Register January 30, 2008, that established Class E controlled airspace at Emporium, PA (73 FR 5432) Docket No. FAA-2007-0275.

This notice announces revisions to (1) Chapter 4, Special Airworthiness Certification, Section 9 of the FAA Order 8130.2F, Airworthiness Certification of Aircraft and Related Products, (2) Advisory Circular (AC) 20-27G, Certification and Operation of Amateur- Built Aircraft (AC 20-27G is the result of combining AC 20-27F and AC 20-139, Commercial Assistance During Construction of Amateur-Built Aircraft), and (3), requests comments on the percentage of fabrication and assembly that must be completed by an amateur builder to obtain an experimental airworthiness certificate for an amateur-built aircraft. This action is being taken because the FAA has determined that the existing Order and ACs do not adequately state the required levels of fabrication/assembly or guidance on use of commercial assistance. As a result, the existing Order and Advisory Circulars require revision. The FAA is seeking comments on these revisions.

This notice announces two fact-finding informal airspace meetings to solicit information from airspace users and others concerning a proposal to revise the Class B airspace area at Cleveland, OH. The purpose of these meetings is to provide interested parties an opportunity to present views, recommendations, and comments on the proposal. All comments received during these meetings will be considered prior to any revision or issuance of a notice of proposed rulemaking. Times and Dates: The informal airspace meetings will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2008, from 2 p.m.-7 p.m., and Wednesday, September 17, 2008, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Comments must be received on or before September 25, 2008.

This document requests comments on data about passenger motor vehicle thefts that occurred in calendar year (CY) 2006 including theft rates for existing passenger motor vehicle lines manufactured in model year (MY) 2006. The preliminary theft data indicate that the vehicle theft rate for CY/MY 2006 vehicles (2.08 thefts per thousand vehicles) increased by 12.4 percent from the theft rate for CY/MY 2005 vehicles (1.85 thefts per thousand vehicles). Publication of these data fulfills NHTSA's statutory obligation to periodically obtain accurate and timely theft data, and publish the information for review and comment.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, this notice announces the Department of Transportation's (DOT) intention to request extension of a previously approved information collection.

On January 25, 2007, NHTSA published a notice announcing a public hearing and requesting comments on an agency report titled, ``The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) Suggested Approaches for Future Program Enhancements.'' This notice summarizes the comments received and provides the agency's decision on how it will improve the NCAP ratings program. For model year (MY) 2010, the agency will make changes to its existing front and side crash rating programs. For the frontal crash test program, NHTSA will maintain the 35 mph (56 kmph) full frontal barrier test protocol but will update the test dummies and associated injury criteria used to assess and assign a vehicle's frontal impact star rating. For side impact, NHTSA will maintain the current moving deformable barrier test at 38.5 mph (63 kmph) but will update that test to include new side impact test dummies and new injury criteria that are used to assign a vehicle's side impact star rating. Additionally, vehicles will also be assessed using a new pole test and a small female crash test dummy. For rollover, the agency will continue to rate vehicles for rollover propensity, but will wait to update its rollover risk model to allow for more real-world crash data of vehicles equipped with electronic stability control. Also for MY 2010, the agency will implement a new ratings program that will rate vehicles on the presence of select advanced technologies and establish a new overall Vehicle Safety Score that will combine the star ratings from the front, side, and rollover programs. Finally, for the agency's vehicle labeling program, we are announcing that the side score, rather than being based only on the moving deformable barrier test, will be based on the combination of the moving deformable barrier test and the pole test. Additionally, the agency will initiate rulemaking to include the new overall crashworthiness rating on the Monroney label.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this notice to advise the public of the approval of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on an Environmental Assessment for proposed Federal actions at Chicago/Rockford International Airport, Rockford, Illinois. The FONSI specifies that the proposed federal actions and local development projects are consistent with existing environmental policies and objectives as set forth in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and will not significantly affect the quality of the environment. A description of the proposed Federal actions is: (a) To issue an environmental finding to allow approval of the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) for the development items listed below. The items in the local airport development project are to: Acquire approximately 18 acres of vacant land, in fee simple title, in the Runway 25 Approach and Runway Protection Zone. Copies of the environmental decision and the Short Form EA are available for public information review during regular business hours at the following locations: 1. Chicago/Rockford International Airport, 60 Airport Drive, Rockford, IL 61109. 2. Division of AeronauticsIllinois Department of Transportation, One Langhorne Bond Drive, Capital Airport, Springfield, IL 62707. 3. Federal Aviation Administration, Chicago Airports District Office, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Room 320, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared and considered for the proposed extension of a runway, corresponding taxiway extension, associated levee construction and realignment of drainage, and reprogramming of the GPS Instrument Approach for the extended runway. To ensure that all significant issues related to the proposed action are identified, a public scoping meeting will be held.

This document amends NHTSA's regulations that prescribe fees authorized by 49 U.S.C. Sec. 30141 for various functions performed by the agency with respect to the importation of motor vehicles that are not originally manufactured to conform to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety and bumper standards. An importer must file with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) a Department of Transportation (DOT) conformance bond at the time that a nonconforming motor vehicle is offered for importation into the United States, or in lieu of such a bond, the importer may post cash deposits or obligations of the United States to ensure that the vehicle will be brought into conformance with all applicable standards within 120 days from the date of importation, or will be exported from, or abandoned to, the United States. To avoid the costs of a DOT conformance bond, some importers have attempted to post cash deposits, which would relieve the importers of the bonding costs, but cause the agency to expend considerable resources. The amendments adopted today establish a fee of $459.00 that will permit the government to recover all the direct and indirect costs incurred by the agency in processing cash deposits or obligations of the United States that are furnished in lieu of a DOT conformance bond.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for PW models JT9D-7, -7A, -7AH, -7H, -7F, and -7J turbofan engines. This proposed AD would require initial and repetitive borescope inspections of the 2nd stage high-pressure turbine (HPT) rotor and stator assembly. This proposed AD results from an uncontained failure of a 2nd stage HPT rotor disk that caused the engine to separate from the airplane. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the 2nd stage HPT rotor disk, which could result in uncontained engine failure, damage to the airplane, and the engine separating from the airplane.

As authorized by Public Law 105-383 and Public Law 107-295, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.- build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below. The complete application is given in DOT docket MARAD-2008-XXXX at https:// www.regulations.gov. Interested parties may comment on the effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD determines, in accordance with Public Law 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388 (68 FR 23084; April 30, 2003), that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.- flag vessels in that business, a waiver will not be granted. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in Sec. 388.4 of MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388.

As authorized by Public Law 105-383 and Public Law 107-295, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.- build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below. The complete application is given in DOT docket MARAD-2008-0063 at https:// www.regulations.gov. Interested parties may comment on the effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD determines, in accordance with Public Law 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388 (68 FR 23084; April 30, 2003), that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.- flag vessels in that business, a waiver will not be granted. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in Sec. 388.4 of MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388.

This notice announces Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval and extension until March 28, 2011 for an information collection request entitled ``Hazardous Materials Public Sector Training and Planning Grants,'' under OMB Control No. 2137-0586. This ICR was revised to implement a statutory provision authorizing PHMSA to request information from states concerning fees related to the transportation of hazardous materials. We are reserving these questions for use in a pilot project we are currently developing. In addition, this ICR was revised to include more detailed information from grantees to enable us to more accurately evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program in meeting emergency response planning and training needs. These questions are to be answered during the close-out procedures conducted and submitted at the end of the application cycle.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This 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:

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) Model 206A, 206B, 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, and 206L-4 helicopters. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The aviation authority of Canada, with which we have a bilateral agreement, states in the MCAI: ``It has been determined that some helicopters have been fitted with a CRES steel fitting, part number (P/N) 407-030-750-103, and the installation of the tailboom attachment bolt does not meet the design criteria.'' We are issuing this AD to require actions that are intended to address the unsafe condition that results from an improper installation of the tailboom attachment bolt in the upper left-hand tailboom attachment CRES steel fitting.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Agusta S.p.A. Model AB 139 and AW 139 helicopters. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Technical Agent for Italy, with which we have a bilateral agreement, which indicates that the Agusta AB 139's and AW 139's Fuselage Frame 5700 middle section is prone to fatigue damage. The actions are intended to detect cracks in the fuselage frame structure and to prevent structural failure in this area.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) Model 222, 222B, 222U, 230 and 430 helicopters that requires rewiring and testing the fuel valve switch on each engine and testing the ignitor system. This amendment is prompted by an in-flight incident in which a fuel valve switch failed, causing the fuel valve to inadvertently close. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent interruption of the fuel supply caused by failure of the fuel switch, which could result in loss of engine power and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

This notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of any petition or its final disposition.

This action confirms the effective date of a direct final rule published in the Federal Register (73 FR 15061) that establishes Class E Airspace at Milford, 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 Myer Airport.

This notice solicits comments from the public, from importers and manufacturers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment, and from other interested parties concerning best practices to be followed by importers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment to reduce the likelihood of importing products that contain defects related to motor vehicle safety or do not comply with applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.