Department of Transportation 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) issue this early scoping notice to advise other agencies and the public that they intend to explore potential alternatives for expanding the existing Tacoma Link light rail transit system in Tacoma, Pierce County Washington, in order to improve connections to the regional transit system and major activity centers. This notice invites the public to help frame the upcoming alternatives analysis by commenting on: the project's purpose and need, the transportation problems to be addressed by the study, potential solutions to the problems, the relevant transportation and community impacts and benefits to be considered, the appropriate extent of the study area, and ways for the public to participate in the alternatives analysis process. The alternatives analysis is likely to conclude with the identification of a preferred mode and corridor. If preparation of an environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is warranted following completion of the planning alternatives analysis, FTA will publish a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS. This early scoping process is intended to support the alternatives analysis and a future National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping process, as appropriate. In addition, it supports FTA planning requirements associated with the New Starts (``Section 5309'') funding program for certain kinds of major capital investments. While recent legislation may lead to changes in the New Starts process, Sound Transit will comply with relevant FTA requirements relating to planning and project development to help it analyze and screen alternatives in preparation for NEPA. Public meetings are described immediately below. Following that is a more detailed discussion of the project and this early scoping process.

The FAA publishes a monthly notice, as appropriate, of PFC approvals and disapprovals under the provisions of the Aviation Safety and Capacity Expansion Act of 1990 (Title IX of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990) (Pub. L. 101-508) and Part 158 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 158). This notice is published pursuant to paragraph d of Sec. 158.29.

This action amends Class D airspace at Sault Ste Marie, ON. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to coincide with the Canadian control zone over Sault Ste Marie Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR part 107, subpart B), notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the applications described herein. This notice is abbreviated to expedite docketing and public notice. Because the sections affected, modes of transportation, and the nature of application have been shown in earlier Federal Register publications, they are not repeated here. Requests for modification of special permits (e.g. to provide for additional hazardous materials, packaging design changes, additional mode of transportation, etc.) are described in footnotes to the application number. Application numbers with the suffix ``M'' denote a modification request. These applications have been separated from the new application for special permits to facilitate processing.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 707 airplanes, and Model 720 and 720B series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracking of the midspar fittings, and of the engine and nacelle strut separating from the airplane. This AD requires performing a detailed inspection of the midspar fittings of the nacelle strut to confirm that the correct part number is installed, and installing the correct part number if necessary; performing repetitive high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections of the midspar fittings of the nacelle strut for cracks, and repair if necessary; and performing repetitive general visual inspections of the nacelle struts to verify that the nacelle strut has not drooped below its normal position, applying the droop stripe to the nacelle strut and sailboat fairing if necessary, and performing repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the midspar fitting, which could result in separation of the nacelle strut and engine from the airplane while in flight, and consequent loss of controllability of the airplane.

This action modifies the Salt Lake City, UT, Class B airspace to contain aircraft conducting Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) instrument approach procedures to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), Salt Lake City, UT. The FAA is taking this action to improve the flow of air traffic, enhance safety, and reduce the potential for midair collision, while accommodating the concerns of airspace users. Further, this effort supports the FAA's national airspace redesign goal of optimizing terminal and en route airspace to reduce aircraft delays and improve system capacity. Minor corrections have been made to the geographic coordinates of the affected legal descriptions, as well as editorial corrections.

We are superseding two existing airworthiness directives (AD) for all Embraer S.A. Model ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 airplanes. Those ADs currently require revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to introduce limitations for the use of auxiliary power unit (APU) bleed and to prohibit dispatch with a failed air management system (AMS) controller card. This new AD requires replacing the AMS controller processor module with one containing new software, and a new AFM revision. This AD was prompted by reports of the possible loss of automatic activation of the engine inlet ice protection system. We are issuing this AD to prevent the possibility of a right-hand (RH) engine compressor stall after the APU becomes the active bleed source for the left side, which may result in an engine failure; and to prevent the intermittent communication failure between the AMS controller cards and both secondary power distribution assemblies (SPDAs), which could lead to the loss of automatic activation of the engine inlet ice protection system when flying in icing conditions, which could result in ice accretion in the engine inlet and subsequent dual engine failure.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at Marysville, OH. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAP) at Union County Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations for SIAPs at the airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering a proposal to change a portion of the airport from aeronautical use to non-aeronautical use and to authorize the sale of the airport property. The proposal consists of 1 parcel of land totaling approximately 37.744 acres. The land is currently used for agricultural crop production. No facilities are located within the property boundaries. The land was acquired under FAA Project Number 3-39-0044-01. The aforementioned land is not needed for aeronautical use, as shown on the Airport Layout Plan. There are no impacts to the airport by allowing the airport to dispose of the property. Approval does not constitute a commitment by the FAA to financially assist in the disposal of the subject airport property nor a determination of eligibility for grant-in-aid funding from the FAA. The disposition of proceeds from the disposal of the airport property will be in accordance with FAA's Policy and Procedures Concerning the Use of Airport Revenue, published in the Federal Register on February 16, 1999. In accordance with section 47107(h) of title 49, United States Code, this notice is required to be published in the Federal Register 30 days before modifying the land-use assurance that requires the property to be used for an aeronautical purpose.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400, -401, and -402 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of an in-service incident where the propeller de-icing system became unavailable due to burnt/ chafed wires within the alternating current contractor box (ACCB). This proposed AD would require inspection for chafing, damage, and loose wiring within an ACCB and repair if necessary; and would require rework and re-identification of the wiring installation within each ACCB. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct damaged, chafed, or loose wiring within an ACCB, which could affect the operation of the windshield heater, ice detector, angle of attack (AOA) vane heater, pilot probe heater, engine intake heater, or propeller de-icing system, and subsequently adversely affect the airplane's flight characteristics in icing conditions.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Revo, Incorporated Models COLONIAL C-1, COLONIAL C-2, LAKE LA-4, LAKE LA-4A, LAKE LA-4P, and LAKE LA-4-200 airplanes. The existing AD currently requires a one-time dye-penetrant inspection of the horizontal stabilizer attachment fitting and repetitive visual inspections of the fitting for any evidence of fretting, cracking, or corrosion (with necessary replacement and modification); replacement of the fitting upon reaching the 850-hours time-in-service (TIS) safe life; and reporting to the FAA the results of the initial inspection and any cracks found on repetitive inspections. Since we issued AD 2005-12-02, Revo, Incorporated informed the FAA that while the drawing numbers are different, the attachment fittings on the Model COLONIAL C-1 airplanes are identical in every other respect to those installed on the airplanes referenced in AD 2005-12-02. This proposed AD would retain the actions required by AD 2005-12-02, add the Model COLONIAL C-1 airplanes to the Applicability, and add an optional terminating action for the requirements. We are proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

In accordance with the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 5117(c), PHMSA is publishing the following list of special permit applications that have been in process for 180 days or more. The reason(s) for delay and the expected completion date for action on each application is provided in association with each identified application.

As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 12121, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of its environmental review of two standard terminal arrival route (STAR) procedures, and one conventional arrival procedure, at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). As required by the National Environmental Policy Act, an evaluation has been performed on the three proposed procedures to determine the level of environmental review warranted. The FAA has elected to ``Categorically Exclude from further environmental review'' the three proposed arrival procedures identified as FRDMM1 (RNAV), TRUPS1 (RNAV) and NUMMY.

FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain General Electric Company (GE) CF6-80C2 series turbofan engines. The existing AD requires replacement of the fuel tubes connected to the fuel flowmeter. Since we issued that AD, we received several additional reports of fuel leaks and two reports of engine fire due to mis-assembled supporting brackets on the fuel tube connecting the flowmeter to the Integrated Drive Generator (IDG) fuel- oil cooler. This proposed AD would require installing a new simplified one-piece bracket to eliminate mis-assembly. We are proposing this AD to prevent high-pressure fuel leaks caused by improper seating of fuel tube flanges, which could result in an engine fire and damage to the airplane.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Fort Morgan, CO, to accommodate aircraft using a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures at Fort Morgan Municipal Airport. This improves the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

By Federal Register notice (See 77 FR 27835-27836; May 11, 2012) the National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) invited interested persons to apply to fill six upcoming openings on the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). The notice invited interested persons to apply to fill six vacancies representing commercial air tour operators (2), general aviation (1), Native American tribal (1), and environmental (2) concerns due to the incumbent members' completion of three-year term appointments on October 9, 2012. This notice informs the public of the persons selected to fill five of the six vacancies on the NPOAG ARC. Vacancies filled include the two commercial tour operator openings, the general aviation opening, the tribal opening, and one of the environmental openings. Since the previous notice did not draw enough responses from individuals for the remaining environmental vacancy, NPS and FAA are also using this notice to invite other interested individuals to apply for the remaining environmental opening. If you responded to the initial notice for the environmental openings, you will still be under consideration and need not re-apply.

This notice grants the petition of Wheego Electric Cars, Inc. (Wheego) for the temporary exemption of its LiFe model from the electronic stability control requirements of FMVSS No. 126. The agency has considered Wheego's petition for exemption and has determined that the exemption would facilitate the development or field evaluation of a low-emission motor vehicle and would not unreasonably reduce the safety level of that vehicle.