Department of Transportation March 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action amends the using agency of Restricted Areas R-2203 A, B, & C; Eagle River, AK, and R-2205, Stuart Creek, AK. These changes reflect the U.S. Army's current organization in Alaska. There are no changes to the boundaries, designated altitudes, time of designation, or activities conducted within the affected restricted areas.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347 (as amended), Council on Environmental Quality NEPA implementing regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] parts 1500 to 1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, the FAA is announcing the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (Final EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for Pegasus Launches at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Final EA was prepared to address the potential environmental impacts of the FAA's Proposed Action for issuing or renewing Launch Operator Licenses to operate Pegasus launch vehicles at CCAFS. Activities addressed in the Final EA include carrier aircraft takeoff and landing from a CCAFS runway and launch of Pegasus vehicle at an altitude of 40,000 feet and approximately 90 nautical miles offshore over the Atlantic Ocean. The Final EA tiers from the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for Licensing Launches (2001 PEIS) and focuses on localized and site-specific effects of FAA issuing or renewing Launch Operator Licenses to operate Pegasus expendable launch vehicles at CCAFS. The 2001 PEIS, evaluated the launch impacts associated with four vehicle categories (small, medium, intermediate, and heavy-payload capacities); three propellant types (solid, liquid, and hybrid propellant); and three launch scenarios (land, air, and sea). The Pegasus launch vehicle falls within the parameters of the small-payload capacity vehicle using solid propellant to launch from the air. The 2001 PEIS evaluated the impacts of launching 72 small capacity rockets, including the Pegasus launch vehicle family, over a 10-year period. The estimated annual number of launches ranged from four to nine launches, with an average of seven annual launches. The rate of Pegasus launches at CCAFS under the FAA's Proposed Action would not be expected to exceed the rate of launches analyzed in the 2001 PEIS. The only alternative to the Proposed Action is the No Action Alternative. Under this Alternative, the FAA would not issue or renew Launch Operator Licenses to operate Pegasus launch vehicles at CCAFS. Resource areas were considered to provide a context for understanding and assessing the potential environmental effects of the Proposed Action, with attention focused on key issues. The resources areas considered in the Final EA included air quality; biological resources (including fish, wildlife, and plants); compatible land use; Department of Transportation Section 4(f) resources; hazardous materials, pollution prevention, and solid waste; historical, architectural, archaeological, and cultural resources; noise; socioeconomic impacts; and water quality (including floodplains and wetlands). Potential cumulative impacts of the Proposed Action were also addressed in the Final EA. After careful and thorough consideration of available data and information on existing conditions and potential impacts, the FAA has determined that there will be no significant short-term, long-term, or cumulative impacts to the environment or surrounding populations from the issuance or renewal of Launch Operator Licenses to operate Pegasus launch vehicles at CCAFS. The proposed Federal action is consistent with existing national environmental policies and objectives as set forth in Section 101 of NEPA and other applicable environmental requirements and will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the meaning of NEPA. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Action is not required and the FAA issued a FONSI. The FAA has posted the Final EA and FONSI on the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation Web site at https://www.faa.gov/about/ officeorg/headquartersoffices/ast/environmental/review/launch /.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget OMB) for review and comments. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on December 8, 2010 (Citation 75 FR 76518). No comments were received from that notice.

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:

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:

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Model 777-200 and -300 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require removing the electrical system control panel, changing the wiring, installing a new electrical power control panel, and installing new operational software for the electrical load management system and configuration database. This proposed AD results from an in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems review. We are proposing this AD to ensure that the flightcrew is able to turn off electrical power to the IFE system and other non-essential electrical systems through a switch in the flight compartment in the event of smoke or flames. In the event of smoke or flames in the airplane flight deck or passenger cabin, the flightcrew's inability to turn off electrical power to the IFE system and other non-essential electrical systems could result in the inability to control smoke or flames in the airplane flight deck or passenger cabin during a non-normal or emergency situation.

This document grants in full the petition of General Motors Corporation's (GM) petition for an exemption of the Chevrolet Sonic vehicle line in accordance with 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard. 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 (49 CFR part 541).

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347 (as amended), Council on Environmental Quality NEPA implementing regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500 to 1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, the FAA is announcing the availability of a FONSI, based on the analysis and findings of the May 1988 United States Air Force (USAF) Medium Launch Vehicle Environmental Assessment (EA), Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida. The 1988 EA evaluates the potential environmental impacts of renovating Launch Complex (LC)-17 and other support facilities at CCAFS to support 12 annual launches of the Delta II vehicle. USAF issued a FONSI, which concluded that the environmental impacts associated with their Proposed Action would not significantly impact the quality of the human environment, and therefore the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was not required. Under the FAA's Proposed Action as stated in the FONSI, the FAA would renew a Launch Operator License to Orbital Sciences Corporation for the continued operation of Delta II expendable launch vehicles at CCAFS. A Launch Operator License would authorize launches of Delta II vehicles over the 5-year term of the license. In accordance with the requirements of FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, paragraph 410, the FAA has independently evaluated the information contained in the 1988 EA and has verified the continued validity of the analysis contained in the EA. The FAA has determined that the 1988 EA sufficiently addresses the concerns of the FAA and complies with FAA requirements for implementing NEPA as stated in FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1. The FAA has determined that there is no new information or analysis that would require preparation of a new or supplemental EA or EIS according to the CEQ Regulations (40 CFR 1502.9(c)(1)). Therefore, the FAA issues the FONSI concurring with the analysis of impacts and findings in the 1988 EA and formally adopts the EA in compliance with the requirements of 40 CFR 1506.3 to support renewing a Launch Operator License to Boeing for the continued operation of Delta II expendable launch vehicles at CCAFS. The 1988 EA is incorporated by reference and is summarized as necessary in the FONSI. The FAA has posted the FONSI on the Internet at https://www.faa.gov/ about/officeorg/headquartersoffices/ast/.

These special conditions are issued for the modification of the Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) model 206B and 206L series helicopters. These model helicopters will have novel or unusual design features when modified by installing the Hoh Aeronautics, Inc. (Hoh) complex autopilot/stabilization augmentation system (AP/SAS) that has potential failure conditions with more severe adverse consequences than those envisioned by the existing applicable airworthiness regulations. These special conditions contain the added safety standards the Administrator considers necessary to ensure the failures and their effects are sufficiently analyzed and contained.

This action proposes to amend Class E Airspace at Orangeburg, SC, to accommodate the additional airspace needed for the Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) developed for Orangeburg Municipal Airport. This action shall enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also shall make a minor adjustment to the geographic coordinates of the airport.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 16 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision standard. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these CMV drivers.

We are rescinding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. The existing AD, AD 98-09-27, resulted from aircraft certification testing which revealed that stresses on the thrust reverser hinge were higher than had been anticipated during engine certification, and the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority, issuing AD 008-03-97. Since we issued AD 98-09-27, we discovered that its requirements were duplicated in airplane-level AD 2001-09-14, issued by the FAA Transport Airplane Directorate. We proposed to rescind the engine-level AD.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces that its Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) will hold a public meeting on March 31 and April 1, 2011, in Louisville, Kentucky. Discussion will focus on Patterns of Safety Violations by Motor Carrier Management (Committee Task 11-01), which was begun at the December 2010 meeting. The meeting will be held as part of the Mid America Trucking Show and will be open to the public for oral comment.

The FAA has tentatively decided that it is in the best interests of the United States Government and the general public to modify Section 9 of the June 1, 2006, MOA for Industry Access to Aircraft Situation Display (ASDI) and National Airspace System Status Information (NASSI) data, between the FAA and Direct Subscribers to ASDI and NASSI data-feeds. In recognition of the fact that the Privacy Act does not protect general aviation operators from public knowledge of their flight information, the FAA proposes to require Direct Subscribers (as a condition of signing the MOA) and Indirect Subscribers (as a condition of signing agreements with Direct Subscribers) to block from ASDI and NASSI data-feeds available to the public any general aviation aircraft registration number for which a Certified Security Concern has been provided to the FAA.

This document grants in full the petition of Toyota Motor North America, Inc's., (Toyota) petition for an exemption of the Corolla vehicle line in accordance with 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard. 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 (49 CFR part 541).

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.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This ICR will be used to collect information on recent interstate household goods shippers' (consumers) awareness of the Household Goods (HHG) Consumer Information Program messages and activities.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the selection of projects funded with unallocated Section 5309 discretionary program funds for the Urban Circulator program in support of DOT's Livability Initiative, which was announced in the Urban Circulator Systems Program notice of funding availability on December 8, 2009. The Urban Circulator program makes funds available to assist State and local governmental authorities in constructing new fixed guideway and corridor-based bus capital projects including the acquisition of real property, the initial acquisition of rolling stock for the systems, the acquisition of rights-of-way, and relocation. Through the Urban Circulator Program grants, FTA will invest in five projects that provide a transportation option that connects urban destinations and fosters the redevelopment of urban spaces into walkable mixed use, high density environments.

This action supersedes emergency airworthiness directive (AD) 2011-05-51 that was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of the products listed above. That AD requires inspecting the fuel ejector in the body of the fuel ejector assembly for proper installation by checking that the circlip is properly seated in its groove. That AD was prompted by three reports of incorrectly assembled low-pressure fuel system ejectors; with one of them resulting in an uncommanded engine in-flight shutdown. This AD requires the same actions and compliance times as the emergency AD, after receipt of the emergency AD, and expands the AD applicability by including helicopters having one or two affected engines and experiencing no starting difficulties. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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:

FRA is proposing amendments to its primary regulations on grade crossing safety. The major amendments proposed would require a railroad that dispatches a train through a public or private highway- rail or pathway grade crossing to establish and maintain a system that allows a member of the public to call the railroad and report an emergency or other unsafe condition at the crossing. Upon receiving such a report, the railroad would be required to warn all trains authorized to operate through the crossing of the reported unsafe condition, inform local law enforcement of the reported unsafe condition, and either investigate the report itself or request that the railroad with maintenance responsibility for the crossing investigate the report. If the report is substantiated, the railroad with maintenance responsibility for the crossing would be required to take certain actions to remedy the condition found.

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.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 147: Minimum Operational Performance Standards for Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems Airborne Equipment Agenda for the 72nd meeting.