Department of Transportation March 3, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document proposes to extend by 18 months a requirement that trailers with antilock brake systems be equipped with an external antilock malfunction indicator lamp. It also considers making the requirement permanent. The indicator lamp requirement, which is included in the Federal motor vehicle safety standard that governs vehicles equipped with air brakes, was originally scheduled to sunset on March 1, 2009, but has been extended to September 1, 2009 in an interim final rule published in today's Federal Register. Under our proposal, the sunset date would be extended until March 1, 2011. This rulemaking is in response to a petition from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), which has asked that this requirement be made permanent. Extending the sunset date for an additional 18 months would enable the agency to fully analyze CVSA's request that the requirement be made permanent, and avoid a potential confusing time gap in the vehicles subject to the requirement.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby announces that it is seeking renewal of the following currently approved information collection activities. Before submitting these information collection requirements (ICRs) for clearance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.

In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2009, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory Review,'' published in the Federal Register on January 26, 2009, FMCSA is seeking public comment on a contemplated delay of 90 days in the effective date of its January 16, 2009, final rule entitled ``Elimination of Route Designation Requirement for Motor Carriers Transporting Passengers over Regular Routes.'' The final rule announced the discontinuation of 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 effective date of the rule is March 17, 2009, with a compliance date of July 15, 2009. The FMCSA is considering a temporary 90-day extension in the effective date to June 15, 2009, to allow the Agency the opportunity for further review and consideration of the final rule. FMCSA acknowledges that the January 20, 2009, memorandum only recommends 60 days, but is allowing for 90 days to give us enough time to consider and respond to comments.

FMCSA previously announced its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 9 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The Agency has reviewed the comments submitted in response to the previous announcement and concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 11 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemption renewals will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this notice to advise the public that it is making available a FONSI/ROD, a Written Reevaluation of New Information Concerning Section 4(f) Mitigation Measures, and a Supplemental Section 4(f) Determination, effective February 4, 2009, for the proposed extension of Runway 6-24 at Erie International Airport (ERI), Tom Ridge Field, Erie, Pennsylvania.