Department of Transportation August 29, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C. App. 2), and 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), notice is hereby given of a special closed session of the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC). The special closed session will be an administrative session for the Committee members to review the provisions of the COMSTAC Charter; the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA); 41 CFR, Parts 101-6 and 102-3; and the Department of Transportation and FAA Orders concerning advisory committee management. The meeting will take place on Thursday, October 10, 2013, at the National Housing Center, 1201 15th Street NW., Washington, DC 20005, from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.

This document denies a rulemaking petition submitted by BMW Group, BMW of North America, LLC, to amend the Federal motor vehicle safety standard on occupant crash protection to permit optional certification using a seat belt interlock for front seat occupants as an alternative to the unbelted crash test requirements. The agency is denying the petition because the supporting material provided by the petitioner is not sufficient for the agency to fully evaluate the safety need, benefits, effectiveness, and acceptability of seat belt interlock systems. Furthermore, in 2012, the agency initiated the development of a research program on seat belt interlocks in light of its newly-acquired statutory authority to allow consideration of seat belt interlocks as a compliance option. The agency believes that making a determination to amend its performance standards prior to the completion of its research is premature.

This document grants in full Fuji Heavy Industries U.S.A., Inc.'s (FUSA) petition for exemption of the Subaru [confidential] vehicle line in accordance with 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard 49 CFR part 541, Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard. FUSA requested confidential treatment for specific information in its petition. The agency has addressed FUSA's request for confidential treatment by letter dated June 28, 2013. However, FUSA has stated that it will provide the agency with the nameplate of the vehicle prior to its introduction for sale into commerce in order to allow the agency to notify law enforcement agencies and the public of a new vehicle line exempted from the parts- marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), on January 23, 2013 (78 FR 4986), the agency published a notice in the Federal Register soliciting public comment on the proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. In further compliance, the agency now publishes this additional notice announcing that the information collection request has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment.

This action establishes two new low-altitude RNAV routes, designated T-287 and T-299, to enhance the flow of air traffic to the west of the Washington-Dulles International Airport. Also, there is a name change to one of the navigation fixes; an adjustment to the coordinates of another navigation fix, and a change from a waypoint to a fix for a navigation point.