Department of Transportation 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). These actions relate to a proposed highway project known as the Marin Sonoma Narrows High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Widening project on US 101 from south of the Route 37 Interchange in the City of Novato, Marin County, to north of the Corona Road Overcrossing in the City of Petaluma, Sonoma County, State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for GE CF34-8E series turbofan engines with certain part number (P/N) full authority digital electronic controls (FADECs) installed. That AD currently requires removing certain P/N FADECs. This superseding AD requires removal of 12 more P/Ns of FADECs. This AD results from 20 additional reports received of loss of thrust control events since AD 2008-16-01 was issued. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of thrust control of the airplane.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) revision of a current information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on September 8, 2009, vol. 74, no. 172, page 46292. FOQA is a voluntary program for the routine collection and analysis of digital flight data from airplane operations.

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) that applies to all Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747- 100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747-400F, and 747SR series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive inspections to find cracking of the web, strap, inner chords, and inner chord angle of the forward edge frame of the number 5 main entry door cutouts, and repair, if necessary. This proposed AD would expand the inspection areas to include the frame segment between stringers 16 and 23. This proposed AD would reinstate the repetitive inspections specified above for certain airplanes. This proposed AD would also require repetitive inspections for cracking of repairs. This proposed AD results from additional reports of cracks that have been found in the strap and inner chord of the forward edge frame of the number 5 main entry door cutouts, between stringers 16 and 23. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct such cracks. This condition, if not corrected, could cause damage to the adjacent body structure, which could result in depressurization of the airplane in flight.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in cooperation with the City of Hercules, CA (City) is planning to prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the construction of a proposed intermodal transit center project which includes a new passenger train station on the existing Capitol Corridor line, a transit bus terminal, access roadways, and parking facilities, located in Hercules, California. The project would serve commuters, visitors and recreational users who desire an alternative way to travel to and from the City of Hercules and the San Francisco Bay area and the Sacramento area to access employment, entertainment, and recreational destinations. This EIS/EIR will not study a ferry terminal as part of the proposed project. Any future ferry terminal will be evaluated under a separate environmental document. However, the potential for a future ferry terminal will be considered in the cumulative impact analysis for this project. The purpose of this Notice of Intent (NOI) is to alert interested parties on the preparation of an EIS/EIR, to provide information on the proposed transit project, to invite participation in the EIS/EIR process, including comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR, and to announce the public scoping meeting that will be conducted.

This document contains a correction to the title of the Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment served and published in the Federal Register on Monday, October 26, 2009 (74 FR 55085) by the Board's Section of Environmental Analysis. That notice, published in this docket, was titled ``Eastern Iowa Industrial Center Rail Project Construction and Operation ExemptionCity of Davenport, Iowa.'' The correct title should read, ``City of Davenport, IAConstruction and Operation Exemptionin Scott County, IA.''

This proposed rule would prohibit any person holding a certificate to conduct certain operations from knowingly employing, or making a contractual arrangement with, certain individuals to act as an agent or a representative of the certificate holder in any matter before the FAA under certain conditions. These restrictions would apply if the individual, in the preceding 2-year period: Directly served as, or was directly responsible for the oversight of, a Flight Standards Service Aviation Safety Inspector; and had direct responsibility to inspect, or oversee the inspection of, the operations of the certificate holder. This proposed rule would also apply to persons who own or manage fractional ownership program aircraft that are used to conduct operations under specific regulations described in this document. This proposed rule would establish these restrictions to prevent potential organizational conflicts of interests which could adversely affect aviation safety.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 27 individuals for exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the Federal vision standard.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.

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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its findings on the noise compatibility program update submitted by the Louisville Regional Airport Authority (LRAA).

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Bryce Canyon Airport, Bryce Canyon, UT. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate aircraft using a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) at Bryce Canyon Airport, Bryce Canyon, UT. The FAA is proposing this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft operations at Bryce Canyon Airport.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Monterey Peninsula Airport, Monterey, CA. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate aircraft using a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Required Navigation Performance (RNP) Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) at Monterey Peninsula Airport. The FAA is proposing this action to enhance the safety and management of aircraft operations at Monterey Peninsula Airport, Monterey, CA.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above that would supersede an existing AD. 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:

This action corrects the geographic coordinates of a final rule that was published in the Federal Register October 16, 2009, amending Class D and Class E airspace at New Orleans NAS, Alvin Callender Field, LA.

The State of Texas has petitioned for approval of alternate requirements to certain requirements under Federal odometer law. NHTSA has initially determined that Texas's alternate requirements satisfy Federal odometer law, with limited exceptions. Accordingly, NHTSA has preliminarily decided to grant Texas's petition, on the condition that before NHTSA makes a final determination, Texas amends its program to meet all the requirements of Federal odometer law or demonstrates that it meets the requirements of Federal law. This notice is not a final agency action.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a decision and order under the Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs excluding a service agent, Michael R. Bennett, Workplace Compliance, Inc. in North Carolina, Texas, and all other places it is incorporated, franchised, or otherwise doing business, and all other individuals who are officers, employees, directors, shareholders, partners, or other individuals associated with Workplace Compliance, Inc., from providing drug and alcohol testing services in any capacity to any DOT-regulated employer for a period of 5 years. Mr. Bennett and his company provided Medical Review Officer services to DOT-regulated employers directly and through other service agents when Mr. Bennett was not qualified to act as a Medical Review Officer.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics invites the general public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on the continuing need for and usefulness of BTS collecting a sample of airline passenger itineraries with the dollar value of the passenger ticket. Certificated air carriers that operated scheduled passenger service with at least one aircraft having a seating capacity of over 60 seats report these data. Comments are requested concerning whether: (a) The collection is still needed by the Department of Transportation; (b) BTS accurately estimates the reporting burden; (c) there are other ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collected; and (d) there are ways to minimize reporting burden, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2006-17- 01, AD 2006-15-07, AD 2000-02-25, and AD 97-25-02, which apply to certain Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) various Model MU-2B airplanes. An FAA-led MU-2B safety evaluation resulted in the standardization of the MU-2B specific training and the FAA-accepted pilot operating checklists through a special federal aviation regulation (SFAR). MHI revised the airplane flight manuals (AFMs) to align them with the information in that training and the checklists. In addition, incorporating all AFM revisions up to and including this latest AFM revision will incorporate all AFM compliance actions required by the four above-mentioned ADs. This proposed AD would retain from AD 2006-17-01 the inspection of the engine torque indication system and possible recalibration of the torque pressure transducers and would require incorporating all revisions up to and including the latest revisions of the AFM. We are proposing this AD to correct inconsistencies in critical operating procedures between the MU-2B specific training, the FAA-accepted pilot operating checklists, and the AFMs. This condition, if not corrected, could result in operators using FAA-accepted pilot operating checklists that differ from the AFM in certain critical operating procedures, which could result in failure to properly operate the airplane. This failure could lead to loss of control.