Department of Transportation May 23, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 17 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) ``Driver Qualification (DQ) Files'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review and approval. Motor carriers must maintain a DQ file on each employee-driver and document therein that the individual meets the minimum qualification requirements for a driver of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. The Agency's estimate of the number of drivers subject to these requirements has been revised to exclude any consideration of drivers and motor carriers operating exclusively in intrastate commerce. In addition, this revision request includes an updated estimate of the interstate drivers and an increase in the estimated annual burden hours for this ICR. The bulk of the increase in burden hours is the result of a more accurate Agency estimate of the number of job openings for CMV drivers offered each year. On March 5, 2013, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice allowing for a 60-day comment period on this ICR. The agency received five comments in response to that notice.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (Eurocopter) Model EC135 P1, P2, P2+, T1, T2, and T2+ helicopters to require inspecting each linear transducer bearing (bearing) for freedom of movement. This proposed AD would also require replacing the bearing if there is binding or rough turning or if there is chafing or damage on the lower side of the floor. Also, this proposed AD would require modifying and re-identifying a certain rod. This proposed AD is prompted by an incident involving limited control of a tail rotor because of the binding of a bearing. The proposed actions are intended to detect and replace each bearing subject to binding, which could lead to subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

This notice provides interested parties with the opportunity to comment on the Maritime Administration's (MarAd) new policy to certify cruise vessel security and safety training providers. As a result of the enactment of the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (``CVSSA''), the USCG, in consultation with the FBI, MarAd headquarters and the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), developed training standards and curricula to allow for the certification of passenger vessel security personnel, crewmembers, and law enforcement. In addition, the CVSSA provided the Maritime Administrator with the discretionary authority to certify organizations in the United States and abroad that offer the curriculum for training and certification. Pursuant to this authority, the agency is now proposing a voluntary certification program for training providers to assure the general public that passenger cruise vessel security and safety personnel have received training that is in strict compliance with the CVSSA mandated model standards. MarAd certification would serve to assist the cruise industry in identifying and obtaining qualified training services. MarAd invites public comment on this new proposed policy.

PHMSA is sponsoring a two-day public awareness workshop on June 19 and June 20, 2013, at the Hyatt Regency North Dallas hotel in Richardson, Texas. The workshop serves as an opportunity to bring pipeline safety stakeholders together to discuss ways to improve public awareness outreach. Federal and state regulators will share general findings from recent public awareness inspections and various stakeholders (Federal and state regulators, industry, pipeline operators, public, emergency response officials, local public officials, land planners, and excavators) will share their perspectives on what is working and what is not working with existing public awareness requirements and API RP 1162 (1st edition). The goal of the workshop is to discuss ways to strengthen pipeline safety public awareness. The workshop will be webcast.