Department of Transportation August 28, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for MARTA's I-20 East Transit Initiative project, which would extend the existing east-west rail line from the Indian Creek Station to the Mall at Stonecrest in eastern DeKalb County and an Environmental Assessment (EA) for a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service along I-20 between downtown Atlanta and a new station at Wesley Chapel Road, east of I-285 in DeKalb County. The EIS and EA will be prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), provisions of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), and will also address the requirements of other federal and state environmental laws. The extension of the existing MARTA east-west rail line and the new BRT service along I-20 were selected as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) based on a two year Detailed Corridor Analysis (DCA) completed in April 2012. The DCA revisited the analysis and conclusions of the I-20 East Corridor Study Alternatives Analysis (AA) completed in 2004 and complied with FTA's New Starts project development process. The purpose of this Notice of Intent (NOI) is to advise interested agencies and the public regarding the plan to prepare the EIS and EA, to provide information on the nature of the proposed transit project, to invite participation in the NEPA process, including comments on the scope of the EIS and EA proposed in this notice, and to announce where and when public scoping meetings will be conducted. Scoping meetings are an opportunity for government agencies, affected stakeholders, and the general public to provide input and feedback on the project Purpose and Need, the alternatives to be studied, as well as to identify any significant physical, cultural, natural, and social environmental issues within the study area.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces changes to the Carrier Safety Measurement System (SMS). A preview of the original improvements became available to motor carriers and law enforcement on March 27, 2012, and will remain available until the SMS changes become operational. The SMS improvements are now scheduled to be operational in December 2012. Comments to the preview were reviewed and considered. This notice explains the Agency's modifications to the changes announced in March and describes four additional changes that will be implemented in December.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that, effective immediately, the Notice of Intent (NOI) (Federal Register Vol. 72, No. 214; FR Doc. 07-5518) to prepare an EIS for the proposed Sheep Mountain Parkway Transportation Project, which includes highway, transit, and non-motorized trail components in Clark County, Nevada is being withdrawn. The NOI for the EIS was announced on November 6, 2007.

Pursuant to Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C. App. 2), notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC). The meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 9, 2012, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Wednesday, October 10, 2012, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., at the National Housing Center, 1201 15th Street NW., Washington, DC, 20005. This will be the 56th meeting of the COMSTAC. The proposed agenda for October 9 features meetings of the working groups as follows:

The recently enacted Pilot's Bill of Rights (PBR) provides, among other things, that ``air traffic data'' should be made accessible to, or obtainable by, an airman in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigations when such data are in the FAA's possession and the data will facilitate the individual's ability to participate in a proceeding related to an FAA investigation. Some ``air traffic data'' are in the possession of government contractors providing operational services to the FAA. This notice specifies how and where an airman may request the FAA's assistance in seeking ``air traffic data'' from government contractors.

This action proposes special conditions for the Airbus Model A318-112 airplane. This airplane as modified by Fokker Services B.V. will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with a cooktop installation. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

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 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 its review and approval. FMCSA requests approval to revise an ICR entitled, ``Annual Report of Class I and Class II Motor Carriers of Property (formerly OMB 2139-0004),'' which is used to ensure that motor carriers comply with FMCSA's financial and operating statistics requirements at chapter III of title 49 CFR part 369 entitled, ``Reports of Motor Carriers.'' The agency invites public comment on this ICR. On April 20, 2012, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice allowing for a 60-day comment period on the ICR. One comment was received in responses to the above notice from the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc., (NMFTA) in support of continuing this ICR. FMCSA concurs with this comment.