Department of Transportation April 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action modifies VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) Federal airway V-595 in Oregon due to the scheduled decommissioning of the Portland, OR, VOR/DME navigation aid, which currently serves as an end point for the route.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-900 and -900ER series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of early fatigue cracks at chem-mill areas on the crown skin panels. This AD requires repetitive inspections for cracking of the fuselage skin along chem-mill steps at certain crown skin and shear wrinkle areas, and repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the skin panel at the specified chem-mill step locations, which could result in rapid decompression of the airplane.

This action gives notice to the American public and aviation industry of the FAA's Aviation Safety Office's (AVS) furlough implementation. Under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011 and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, across-the-board budget cuts require the FAA to implement furloughs. AVS and its Services/Offices will implement the required 11 days of furlough beginning April 21, 2013 and continuing through September 30, 2013. AVS will continue to focus resources on those initiatives that would have the highest safety and economic value for the American public and aviation industry. The furlough days vary, with each office scheduling those days in accordance with mission requirements, workload considerations, and applicable collective bargaining agreements. For specific information, please see the FAA Web site at https://www.faa.gov/about/officeorg/ headquartersoffices/avs/operationssequestration.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 15 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.

FMCSA announces and requests public comment on data and information concerning the Pre-Authorization Safety Audit (PASA) for RAM Trucking SA de CV (RAM) with U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) number 2063285, which applied to participate in the Agency's long-haul pilot program to test and demonstrate the ability of Mexico- domiciled motor carriers to operate safely in the United States beyond the municipalities in the United States on the United States-Mexico international border or the commercial zones of such municipalities. This action is required by the ``U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007'' and all subsequent appropriations.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 25 individuals from its rule prohibiting persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

This notice announces the availability of draft Airman Certification Standards (ACS) documents developed by the ATSTWG for the private pilot certificate and the instrument rating. These documents are available for public review, download, and comment.

The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans, and other Federal Agencies: US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), US Fish and Wildlife, USDA Six Rivers National Forest: Smith River National Recreation Area, US National Park Service, NOAA National Marine Fisheries, that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, the 197/199 Safe STAA Access Project which involves curve realignment and widening at seven locations on SR 197 p.m. 3.2- 4.5, and US 199 20.5-26.5, and the replacement of a bridge on US 199 p.m. 24.08 in the County of Del Norte, State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

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.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model DC-10-10, DC-10-10F, DC-10-15, DC-10-30, DC-10-30F (KC-10A and KDC-10), DC-10-40, DC-10-40F, MD-10-10F, MD-10-30F, MD-11, and MD-11F airplanes. This AD was prompted by fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. This AD requires adding design features to detect electrical faults and to detect a pump running in an empty fuel tank. We are issuing this AD to reduce the potential of ignition sources inside fuel tanks, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in fuel tank explosions and consequent loss of the airplane.

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 of the actions on special permits applications in (March to March 2013). The mode of transportation involved are identified by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft. Application numbers prefixed by the letters EE represent applications for Emergency Special Permits. It should be noted that some of the sections cited were those in effect at the time certain special permits were issued.

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.

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 document describes one collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

The FAA withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 777-200 and -300 series airplanes. The proposed AD would have required installing new operational software in the cabin management system, and loading new software into the mass memory card. Since the proposed AD was issued, we have received new data that indicates the unsafe condition would not be adequately addressed by the proposed action. Subsequently, we are considering issuing new rulemaking that positively addresses the unsafe condition identified in the NPRM and eliminates the need for the actions proposed in the NPRM. Accordingly, the proposed AD is withdrawn.

The FAA withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 777-200 series airplanes. The proposed AD would have required installing a new circuit breaker, relays, and wiring to allow the flightcrew to turn off electrical power to the in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems and other non-essential electrical systems through a switch in the flight compartment, and doing other specified actions. That NPRM would also have required changing the wiring at the cabin management system in the purser station. Since the proposed AD was issued, we have received new data that indicates the unsafe condition would not be adequately addressed by the proposed action. Subsequently, we are considering issuing new rulemaking that positively addresses the unsafe condition identified in the NPRM and eliminates the need for the actions proposed in the NPRM. Accordingly, the proposed AD is withdrawn.

The FAA withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 777-200 and -300 series airplanes. The proposed AD would have required 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. Since the proposed AD was issued, we have received new data that indicates the unsafe condition would not be adequately addressed by the proposed action. Subsequently, we are considering issuing new rulemaking that positively addresses the unsafe condition identified in the NPRM and eliminates the need for the actions proposed in the NPRM. Accordingly, the proposed AD is withdrawn.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Inc. (BHT) Model 206A, 206B, and 206L helicopters. This proposed AD would require replacing certain part-numbered engine auto-relight kit control boxes. This proposed AD is prompted by a design review that revealed the control box chipset did not meet the required temperature range requirements, which could cause the control box to malfunction, disabling the engine auto-relight system. This condition could result in increased pilot workload during a power loss emergency and subsequent loss of control of the aircraft.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for ECD Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters. This proposed AD would require inspecting the rigging of the power-boosted control system and, if there is a nonparallel gap between the rigging wedges and the inner sleeves, performing a rigging procedure. This proposed AD is prompted by the discovery, during rigging of the main rotor controls, of movement of the longitudinal main rotor actuator piston after shut-down of the external pump drive. Such movement could cause incorrect rigging results. The proposed actions are intended to prevent incorrect rigging results, which could impair freedom of movement of the upper controls and subsequent reduced control of the helicopter.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A helicopters to require modifying the No. 1 engine forward firewall center fire extinguisher discharge tube (No. 1 engine tube). This proposed AD is prompted by the discovery that the No. 1 engine tube installed on the helicopters is too long to ensure that a fire could be effectively extinguished on a helicopter. The proposed actions are intended to ensure the No. 1 engine tube would allow for complete coverage of an extinguishing agent in the No. 1 engine compartment area, ensure that a fire would be extinguished and prevent the loss of helicopter control.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting public comments on the following information collection was published on August 14, 2012 (Federal Register/Vol. 77, No. 157/pp. 48608-48609).

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3519 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) gives notice of its intent to seek from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the information collections required for (1) complaints filed under 49 U.S.C. 721, 10701-10707, 11101 and 11701- 11707 and 49 CFR 1111; (2) petitions for declaratory orders under 5 U.S.C. 554(e) and 721; and (3) ``catch all'' petitions (for relief not otherwise specified) under 49 U.S.C. 721 and 49 CFR part 1117. Under these statutory and regulatory sections, the Board provides procedures for persons to make a broad range of claims and to seek a broad range of remedies before the Board. The information collections relevant to these complaints and petitions are described separately below. For each collection, comments are requested concerning: (1) The accuracy of the Board's burden estimates; (2) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (3) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology when appropriate; and (4) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Board, including whether the collection has practical utility. Submitted comments will be summarized and included in the Board's request for OMB approval.

The Federal Transit Administration invites public comment about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the following new information collections: 49 U.S.C. Section 5307Capital Assistance Program and Section 5309Urbanized Area Formula Program; 49 U.S.C. Section 5310Capital Assistance Program for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities and Section 5311Nonurbanized Area Formula. The information collected is necessary to determine eligibility of applicants and ensure the proper and timely expenditure of federal funds within the scope of each program. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments was published on February 6, 2013 (Citation 78 FR 8690). No comments were received from that notice.

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.

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.