Department of Transportation December 16, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the United States Department of the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), as joint lead federal agencies and in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to evaluate the Route 460 Location Study Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and a Department of the Army Individual Permit (IP) Application. The purpose of this SEIS is to evaluate new information regarding the aquatic resource impacts to the preferred alternative described in the June 2008 FEIS and approved in the September 2008 Record of Decision (ROD). In addition, FHWA is evaluating proposed changes to the termini of the selected alternative and the proposed interchange at Route 620, and proposed changes to the selected alignment to avoid and minimize aquatic resource impacts. The USACE is preparing the document as part of its evaluation of the IP application submitted by U.S. Route 460 Mobility Partners (the Applicant) for the discharge of fill material into waters of the United States in conjunction with the construction of the Route 460 Corridor Improvements Project (Project).

The Department of Transportation (DOT) received no public comments following the publication of its 60-day notice of proposed information collection. As identified in the 60-day notice, the information is currently being collected under an approved Information Collection Request. OST requests that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) renew an Information Collection Request (OMB Control Number 2105-0569) in accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and requests additional comments and recommendations.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby announces that it is seeking renewal of the following currently approved information collection activities. Before submitting these information collection requirements for clearance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.

We are revising Airworthiness Directive (AD) 98-15-18 that applies to certain Maule Aerospace Technology, Inc. Models M-4, M-5, M- 6, M-7, MT-7, MX-7, MXT-7, and M-8 airplanes that are equipped with rear wing lift struts, part number (P/N) 2079E, and/or front wing lift struts, P/N 2080E. AD 98-15-18 required repetitively inspecting certain wing lift struts for internal corrosion and replacing of any wing lift strut where corrosion was found. Since we issued AD 98-15-18, we were informed by the manufacturer that Model MXT-7-420 airplanes are no longer in existence, are no longer type certificated, and should be removed from the Applicability section. We were also informed that paragraph (b) in AD 98-15-18 had been misinterpreted and caused confusion. This AD removes Model MXT-7-420 airplanes from the Applicability section and clarifies the intent of the language in paragraph (b) of AD 98-15-18. This AD also retains all other requirements of AD 98-15-18. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

This action amends Class E airspace at Gainesville, TX. Decommissioning of the Gainesville non-directional beacon (NDB) at Gainesville Municipal Airport has made reconfiguration necessary for standard instrument approach procedures and for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action establishes Class E Airspace at Chatom, AL, to accommodate the Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Roy Wilcox Airport. This action enhances the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. Geographic coordinates are also updated.

This action removes Class E airspace at Danville, IL. The FAA has determined that, because of changes in the composition of flight operations at Vermilion Regional Airport, a Class E surface area is no longer needed to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for General Electric Company (GE) GE90-110B1 and GE90-115B turbofan engines with certain high pressure compressor (HPC) rotor stage 2-5 spools installed. This AD requires removing these spools from service at times determined by a drawdown plan. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks in HPC rotor stage 2-5 spool aft spacer arms. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of a critical life-limited rotating engine part, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain EADS CASA (Type Certificate Previously Held by Construcciones Aeron[aacute]uticas, S.A.) Model C-212-CB, C-212-CC, C-212-CD, C-212- CE, and C-212-DF airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of the propeller pitch control (PPC) lever becoming disconnected from the engine due to a missing bolt. This AD requires modifying the PPC lever attachment system. We are issuing this AD to prevent PPC shaft disconnection, which could lead to a loss of propeller pitch control, possibly resulting in uncommanded change to the engine power settings and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane.