Department of Transportation January 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This 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.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Turbomeca S.A. Arrius 2F turboshaft engines that have not incorporated Turbomeca Modification Tf75. That AD currently requires replacing the O-ring on the check valve piston in the lubrication unit at repetitive intervals. This proposed AD would require the same repetitive replacements and would require incorporating Modification Tf75 as terminating action to the repetitive O-ring replacements. Modification Tf75 replaces the check valve piston with a piston design not requiring an O-ring. This proposed AD results from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Turbomeca S.A. mandating the incorporation of Modification Tf75. We are proposing this AD to prevent an uncommanded in-flight shutdown of the engine, which could result in a forced autorotation landing and damage to the helicopter.

In accordance with the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 5117(c), PHMSA is publishing the following list of special permit applications that have been in process for 180 days or more. The reason(s) for delay and the expected completion date for action on each application is provided in association with each identified application.

Recent changes to the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) statute require changes in the TIFIA rule. In addition, the DOT has gained substantial administrative experience since the TIFIA rule was last amended in 2000. The DOT proposes to amend the TIFIA rule to implement the recent statutory changes and to incorporate certain other changes to the rule that it considers will improve the efficiency of the program and its usefulness to borrowers. In addition, the DOT seeks comment on policy issues with potentially significant impact on the TIFIA project selection process.

This action proposes to amend the altitude floor of the South Florida Low Offshore Airspace Area, located off the east coast of the United States (U.S.). This action would lower the floor of the area from 2,700 feet above mean sea level (MSL) to 1,300 feet MSL. The change would provide additional altitudes for air traffic control to vector aircraft on arrival to various east coast airports, ensuring the safety of aircraft and the efficient use of airspace within the National Airspace System.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is providing notice that it is withdrawing circular C5620.1, ``Guidelines for Preparing Environmental Assessments.'' The circular, which was issued in 1979, is outdated and should no longer be relied upon for guidance or cited in documents prepared for federally funded transit projects. FTA plans to develop new guidance at some point in the future.

This document grants in full the petition of General Motors Corporation (GM), for an exemption in accordance with Sec. 543.9(c)(2) of 49 CFR Part 543, Exemption from the Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard, for the GMC small crossover vehicle line beginning with model year (MY) 2010. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard.

This notice contains a summary of a petition 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 the petition or its final disposition.

As provided in 49 CFR Part 601, Subpart D, (72 FR 910, Jan. 9, 2007), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) must, by January 31 of each year, establish an Emergency Relief Docket so grantees and subgrantees affected by national or regional emergencies may request relief from FTA administrative requirements set forth in FTA policy statements, circulars, guidance documents, and regulations. By this notice, FTA is establishing an Emergency Relief Docket for calendar year 2009.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 211, Nickel-Cadmium, Lead Acid and Rechargeable Lithium Batteries.

FMCSA discontinues the administrative requirement that applicants seeking for-hire authority to transport passengers over regular routes submit a detailed description and a map of the route(s) over which they propose to operate. The Agency will register such carriers as regular-route carriers without requiring the designation of specific regular routes and fixed end-points. Once motor carriers have obtained regular-route, for-hire operating authority from FMCSA, they will no longer need to seek additional FMCSA approval in order to change or add routes. Each registered regular-route motor carrier of passengers will continue to be subject to the full safety oversight and enforcement programs of FMCSA and its State and local partners.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is amending its December 12, 2006 Order, which temporarily capped the scheduled operations at New York's LaGuardia Airport (LaGuardia) pending the implementation of a longer-term regulation to manage congestion there. In particular, we are amending the Order to move toward an hourly limit of 71 operations from 6 a.m. through 9:59 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, and 12 noon through 9:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Sunday. To move toward this new hourly limit, we do not through this amendment force air carriers to relinquish Operating Authorizations at the airport. Instead, the FAA will accept voluntary flight reductions for the duration of the Order, whereupon the FAA will retire the surrendered Operating Authorizations until an hourly average of 71 scheduled operations is achieved. In the event that the current final rule takes effect, that rule would impose a reduction in scheduled service using the air carriers' base of operations during the week of September 28, 2008. The FAA published that rule on October 10, 2008, and it is presently stayed pending judicial review. If it proves necessary to require a reduction in scheduled operations through a future amendment of the Order, air carriers that voluntarily surrender Operating Authorizations under this initiative will be credited with voluntary schedule reductions that they commit to on or before February 2, 2009. The FAA will accept voluntarily offered schedule reductions through February 2, 2009, and expects air carriers to suspend service at LaGuardia under this arrangement on or before May 31, 2009. The FAA separately extended the Order's expiration until 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on October 24, 2009.\1\

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-46-350P and PA-46R-350T airplanes. This proposed AD would require an inspection to verify the 35-amp and 250-amp current limiters are installed in the proper locations and would require a correction to the installation if the current limiters are not installed in the proper locations. This proposed AD would also limit operation to ``only under day visual flight rules (VFR)'' until the current limiter installation is inspected and corrected. This proposed AD results from three reports of incorrectly installed current limiters. We are proposing this AD to detect incorrect installation of 35-amp and 250-amp current limiters, which could result in failure of the 35-amp current limiter if installed in the 250-amp location. This failure could lead to a total loss of electrical power.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by General Mitchell International Airport under the provisions of Title I of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979 (Pub. L. 96-193) and 14 CFR Part 150 are in compliance with applicable requirements. The FAA also announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program that was submitted for General Mitchell International Airport under Part 150 in conjunction with the noise exposure map, and that this program will be approved or disapproved on or before June 21, 2009.

This action will amend Class E airspace at Alamosa, CO. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate aircraft using a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) at San Luis Valley Regional Airport/Bergman Field. This will improve the safety of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft executing the new RNAV GPS SIAP at San Luis Valley Regional Airport/Bergman Field, CO.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to the proposed Layton Interchange project in Davis County in the State of Utah. Those actions grant approvals for the highway project.

This notice provides information regarding the FHWA's finding that a Buy America waiver is appropriate for certain steel products used in Federal-aid construction projects in Oregon and Washington.