Department of Transportation September 17, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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, ``Quarterly Report of Class I Motor Carriers of Property (formerly OMB 2139-0002),'' which the Agency uses to ensure that motor carriers comply with its financial and operating statistics requirements in chapter III of title 49 CFR part 369 entitled, ``Reports of Motor Carriers.'' FMCSA 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. In response to the above notice, the Agency received one comment from the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA), which requested that these reports no longer be required. FMCSA may consider this request in a future rulemaking regarding this information collection requirement.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) are planning to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Sound Transit's proposed new Light Rail Operations and Maintenance Satellite Facility (OMSF). The OMSF would allow Sound Transit to meet future maintenance and storage needs of an expanded fleet of light rail vehicles identified in the Sound Transit 2 (ST2) Plan. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Washington's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). This Notice of Intent initiates scoping for the EIS, invites interested parties to participate in the EIS process, provides information about the preliminary purpose and need for the proposed transit project, includes site alternatives being considered for evaluation in the EIS, and identifies potential environmental effects to be considered. The notice invites public comments on the scope of the EIS and announces the public scoping meetings that will be conducted. Alternatives being considered for evaluation include a No-Build alternative and five sites where the OMSF could be built.

This notice announces NHTSA's publication of a technical report describing relationships between a vehicle's mass, footprint (size), and body type and its rate of involvement in fatal crashes. The report's title is: Relationships Between Fatality Risk, Mass, and Footprint in Model Year 2000-2007 Passenger Cars and LTVsFinal Report.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A. Model P-180 Airplanes. 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 jamming of the external bearing of the screwjack drive gear, which resulted in failure of the main wing outboard flap external actuator. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain serial numbers of Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PW901A auxiliary power units (APUs) approved under Technical Standard Order TSO-C77A and installed on, but not limited to, Boeing 747-400 series airplanes. This AD requires modifications of the rear gas generator case, exhaust duct support, and turbine exhaust duct flanges. This AD was prompted by several events of high-pressure turbine blade fracture leading to separation of the rear gas generator case and release of high energy debris. We are issuing this AD to prevent separation of the rear gas generator case and release of high energy debris, which could result in injury and damage to the airplane.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Thielert Aircraft Engines (TAE) GmbH Models TAE 125-01, TAE 125-02-99, and TAE 125-02-114 Reciprocating Engines. The existing AD currently requires installation of full-authority digital electronic control (FADEC) software version 2.91. Since we issued that AD, we have received reports of possible power loss on airplanes equipped with TAE 125 engines. This proposed AD would require removing all software mapping versions prior to 292, 301, or 302, applicable to the TAE engine model. We are proposing this AD to prevent engine power loss or in-flight shutdown, resulting in reduced control of or damage to the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A318, A319, and A320 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of a torn out aspirator due to the aspirator interfering with the extrusion lip of the off-wing escape slide (OWS) enclosure during the initial stage of the deployment sequence. This AD requires modifying the OWS enclosures on both sides. We are issuing this AD to prevent both off-wing exits from being inoperative, which, during an emergency, would impair the safe evacuation of occupants, possibly resulting in personal injuries.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam srl Model P2006T airplanes. 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 cracking, bulging, deformation, or oil leakage in the lower lid of the landing gear emergency accumulator, which could result in decreasing the airplane's structural integrity and jeopardizing the landing gear emergency extension in case of system failure in normal mode. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.