Department of Transportation 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces a joint meeting of its Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) and Medical Review Board (MRB) on October 27, 2014, and a meeting of the MCSAC on Tuesday, October 28. MCSAC and the MRB will jointly identify concepts the Agency should consider in relation to Schedule II medications and their use by commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers in interstate commerce. This follows the MRB's consideration of the effects of Schedule II medications on CMV drivers' ability to operate safely on September 11, 2013, and July 29-30, 2014. On Tuesday, October 28, the MCSAC will meet to finalize its deliberations on financial responsibility requirements for motor carriers and to consider the findings of its Subcommittee on the Long-Haul Cross-Border Trucking Pilot Program with Mexico. Meetings are open to the public for their entirety, and there will be a public comment period at the end of each day.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its decision to grant a limited 2-year exemption to Van Hool N.V. and Coach USA (Van Hool/Coach USA) that will allow Coach USA/ Megabus to operate double deck motorcoaches constructed with a sleeper berth than has an exit that does not meet the minimum dimensional requirements specified in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). Section 393.76(c)(1) of the FMCSRs requires sleeper berths installed after January 1, 1963 to have an exit that is at least 18 inches high and 36 inches wide. The exemption will allow Coach USA/ Megabus to operate double deck motorcoaches with an exit area from the sleeper berth that, while not meeting the specified dimensions, is only slightly smaller in overall size from what is required in the FMCSRs. FMCSA believes that permitting the reduced exit area size will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption.

DOT publishes the names of the persons selected to serve on the various Departmental PRBs as required by 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4).

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering a proposal to authorize the release and exchange of approximately 7.231 acres of the airport property at the Acadiana Regional Airport, New Iberia LA, owned by the New Iberia Parish. The Parish is proposing a land swap to exchange this 7.231 acre parcel for another parcel of approximately 10.548 acres. The acreage being released is not needed for aeronautical use as currently identified on the Airport Layout Plan. The new proposed parcel will be used for the Acadiana Regional Airport, New Iberia LA, Access Road project from Louisiana Highway 675 (Jefferson Island Road) to Louisiana Highway 3212 (Northwest Bypass). The acreage being released comprising this parcel was originally acquired in 1970 when the Parish governing body petitioned the U.S. government for release of 2,100 acres of previously the Naval Air Station New Iberia property for civil aviation use through the General Services Administration excess land disposal process. In exchange for the 7.231 acres the airport will receive a new parcel of land described above for the Acadiana Regional Airport, New Iberia LA, Access Road project. The 7.231 acre parcel (Tract 14) is Zoned ``I-1: Industrial'' and has access to LA Highway 3212 (Prairie Road) and is being proposed to be swapped for approximately 10.548 acres (Tract 13) Zoned ``A-1: Agricultural''. The appraised fair market value of the proposed 7.231 acres parcel is $64,000, the fair market value of the proposed acquired parcel is $58,000. The difference of $6,000 in fair market value between Tract 14 and Tract 13 will be compensated by the Iberia Parish Council to the Iberia Airport Authority to accommodate FAA auditing standards and requirements to prevent the potential for ``diversion of funds (assets)''. A Phase I, Environmental Site Assessment was conducted and published on April 14, 2014 resulting in the assessment that did not reveal any evidence of Recognized Environmental Conditions (RECs) in connection with the new acquired property. This action and the affected properties have been evaluated by the Department of the Army, New Orleans District, Corps of Engineers, the State Office of Historic Preservation, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, and the Louisiana Ecological Services Office with a determination of an activity that would not negatively affect any wetland subject to Corps' jurisdiction, historical properties or threatened or endangered species respectively. Approval does not constitute a commitment by the FAA to financially assist in the disposal of the subject property nor a determination of eligibility for grant-in-aid funding from the FAA. The disposition of proceeds (or compensation) 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(c)(2)(B) 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 and concurring with the proposed land swap.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for renewal of an existing information collection that is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

FMCSA requests public comment on an application for exemption from Dealers Choice Truckaway System, Inc. (Truckmovers) to allow the use of plastic blocks to build up the height of the front end of a towed vehicle in driveaway-towaway operations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) permit the use of ``hardwood blocks of good quality'' for this purpose but the use of materials other than hardwood blocks is not addressed. Truckmovers believes the use of ultra-high molecular polyethylene plastic blocks will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to the level of safety achieved without the exemption. Truckmovers is requesting the temporary exemption in advance of petitioning FMCSA to conduct a rulemaking to amend 49 CFR 393.71(k)(4) to allow the use of vehicle support blocks made of any suitable material to support the weight of vehicles when towing multiple vehicles in driveaway-towaway operations.

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-61A, D, E, L, N, NM (serial number 61454), R, and V; Croman Corporation Model SH-3H, Carson Helicopters, Inc., Model S-61L; Glacier Helicopters, Inc. Model CH-3E; Robinson Air Crane, Inc. Model CH-3E, CH-3C, HH-3C, and HH-3E; and Siller Helicopters Model CH-3E and SH-3A helicopters. This SNPRM is prompted by comments received in response to a previous SNPRM and a reevaluation of the relevant data. This SNPRM retains the proposed actions in the previous SNPRM, provides an increased estimated cost of the main rotor shaft (MRS) replacement, and clarifies some of the language in the Required Actions section of the AD. The proposed actions are intended to prevent MRS structural failure, loss of power to the main rotor, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

These special conditions are issued for the Hawker Beechcraft Model No. 400A airplane as modified by Nextant Aerospace. This modification will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with an installed emergency power supply and standby attitude module that use rechargeable lithium batteries and battery systems. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the NOI to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed construction project for the reconstruction of NY 112 from the Long Island Expressway, I-495 North Service Road to NY 25 in Suffolk County, New York is being rescinded. On December 19, 2002, the FHWA issued an NOI to advise the public that an EIS would be prepared for a proposed construction project for the Reconstruction of NY Route 112, from I-495 to Skips Road (Mill Road Connector), Suffolk County, New York (67 FR 77823).

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Beechcraft Corporation Model G58 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of fuel leaks due to fuel cells that did not properly fit in Model G58 airplanes. This proposed AD would require inspecting for and replacing, as necessary, certain fuel cells. This proposed AD would also require inspecting and replacing parts, as necessary, of the left and right fuel system installations and correcting torques on fuel system fittings; and prohibit future installations of certain fuel cells. We are proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

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 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 notice presents the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's research program on vehicle electronics and our progress on examining the need for safety standards with regard to electronic systems in passenger motor vehicles. The agency undertook this examination pursuant to the requirements of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) Division C, Title I, Subtitle D, Section 31402, Subsection (a). In addition, and in accordance with MAP-21, we are seeking comment (through this document) on various components of our examination of the need for safety standards in this area. As MAP-21 also requires this agency to report to Congress on our findings pursuant to this examination, we intend to submit a report to Congress based in part on our findings from this examination and public comments received in response to this document.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Brantly International, Inc. (Brantly) Model B-2, Model B-2A, and Model B-2B helicopters with certain main rotor blades. This AD requires inspecting each main rotor (M/R) blade for a crack or delamination and removing the blade if a crack exists or if the delamination exceeds certain thresholds. This AD was prompted by multiple reports of M/R blade cracks and an incident in which a crack that originated near the M/R blade trailing edge resulted in the loss of a large section of the M/R blade. The actions of this AD are intended to prevent loss of the M/R blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 75-20-06 for certain Alexandria Aircraft LLC (type certificate previously held by Bellanca Aircraft Corp., Viking Aviation, Inc., and Bellanca, Inc.) Models 14-19-3A, 17-30, 17-30A, 17-31, 17-31A, 17-31ATC, and 17-31TC airplanes. AD 75-20-06 required repetitively inspecting the aft fuselage structure near the top of the vertical side tubing, which connects the horizontal stabilizer carry-through to the upper fuselage longeron, for cracks and installing the manufacturer's service repair kit as a terminating action for the repetitive inspections to repair any cracks found. Since we issued AD 75-20-06, we have determined that installing the service kit has not prevented cracks from occurring. We have also determined that all affected airplane serial numbers should be included in the Applicability section. This AD requires continued repetitive inspections of the aft fuselage structure near the top of the vertical side tubing for cracks and making all necessary replacements of cracked parts. This AD also adds additional serial number airplanes to the Applicability section. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S. A. (EMBRAER) Models EMB-110P1 and EMB- 110P2 airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as corrosion and cracking on the rudder trim tab actuator terminal. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2011-07-05 for certain Sicma Aero Seat 9140, 9166, 9173, 9174, 9184, 9188, 9196, 91B7, 91B8, 91C0, 91C2, 91C4, 91C5, and 9301 series passenger seat assemblies; and Sicma Aero Seat 9501311-05, 9501301-06, 9501311-15, 9501301-16, 9501441-30, 9501441-33, 9501311-55, 9501301-56, 9501441-83, 9501441-95, 9501311-97, and 9501301-98 passenger seat assemblies. AD 2011-07-05 required a general visual inspection for cracking of backrest links, replacement with new links if cracking is found, and eventual replacement of all links with new links. This new AD requires a new general visual inspection for cracking of backrest links, which includes new seat backrest links; replacement with new links if cracking is found; and eventual replacement of all links with new links. This AD was prompted by a report that new seat backrest links could be affected by cracks similar to those identified on the backrest links with the previous design. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the backrest links, which could affect the structural integrity of seat backrests. Failure of the backrest links could result in injury to an occupant during emergency landing conditions.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on July 31, 2014, vol. 79, no. 147, page 44486. A Special Federal Aviation Regulation requires passengers who intend to use an approved POC to present a physician statement before boarding. The flight crew must then inform the pilot-in-command that a POC is on board.

This final rule amends the FHWA and FTA joint procedures that implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by adding new categorical exclusions (CE) for FHWA and FTA; allowing State departments of transportation (State DOT) to process certain CEs without FHWA's detailed project-by-project review and approval as long as the action meets specific constraints; and adding a new section on programmatic agreements between FHWA and State DOTs that allow State DOTs to apply FHWA CEs on FHWA's behalf, as described in section 1318 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Kaman Model K-1200 helicopters with certain main rotor blades (MRB) installed. This proposed AD would require inspecting each MRB for a crack or damage. This proposed AD is prompted by a report that a crack was found on an MRB during a tear-down inspection. The proposed actions are intended to detect a crack in the MRB, which could lead to failure of the MRB and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

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.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of missing clamps that are required to provide positive separation between the alternating current (AC) feeder cables and the hydraulic line of the landing gear alternate extension. This AD requires an inspection for missing clamps that are required to provide positive separation between the AC feeder cables and the hydraulic line of the landing gear alternate extension, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct chafing of the AC feeder cable. A chafed and arcing AC feeder cable could puncture the adjacent hydraulic line, which, in combination with the use of the alternate extension system, could result in an in- flight fire.