Department of Transportation March 13, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announce the availability of its revised Section 139 Environmental Review Process guidance (previously referred to as the SAFETEA-LU Environmental Review Process Final Guidance), which was amended to reflect provisions of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). The document provides guidance on environmental review process requirements and best management practices for transportation projects funded or approved by the FHWA, FTA, or both agencies. The revisions to the joint guidance reflect the FHWA and FTA's proposed implementation of the MAP-21 changes within their statutory environmental review process requirements, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other Federal laws. The FHWA and FTA request public comments on the proposed guidance.

This document provides the public notice that FRA has created an electronic mailbox to receive petitions for waivers and exemptions from railroad safety rules and regulations, as well as applications for modification or discontinuance of railroad signal systems (block signal applications) and certain special approvals from railroad safety rules and regulations. The email address for this inbox is FRAWaivers@dot.gov. FRA requests that all railroad safety waiver and exemption requests, as well as block signal applications and special approval applications be submitted either to FRA's Docket Clerk in accordance with the existing requirements in Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 211, Rules of Practice, or to this email address.

This action establishes Class E airspace at the Rogue Valley VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range Tactical Air Navigation Aid (VORTAC), Rogue Valley, OR, to facilitate vectoring of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft under control of Seattle and Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs). This action enhances the safety and management of IFR operations within the National Airspace System (NAS).

This action establishes Class E airspace and modifies Class D and Class E surface area airspace at Prescott, AZ, to accommodate aircraft departing and arriving under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) at Ernest A. Love Field. New Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures have made this action necessary for the safety and management of IFR operations at the airport. The geographic coordinates of the airport are adjusted in the respective Class D and Class E airspace areas. This also corrects the airport name to Ernest A. Love Field.

This action establishes Class E airspace at the Hazen VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range Tactical Air Navigation Aid (VORTAC), Hazen, NV, to facilitate vectoring of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft under control of Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). This action enhances the safety and management of IFR operations within the National Airspace System (NAS).

This action establishes Class E Airspace at North Adams, MA, to accommodate new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) serving Harriman- and-West Airport. This action enhances the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations for SIAPs within the National Airspace System.

This action proposes to establish Class D and Class E surface area airspace and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Aurora State Airport, Aurora, OR, to accommodate a new air traffic control tower. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations for Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at the airport.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its decision to grant Volvo/Prevost, LLC's (Volvo/Prevost) application for a limited two-year exemption from 49 CFR 393.60(e)(1) on behalf of motor carriers that will be operating commercial motor vehicles (CMV) manufactured by the company to use lane departure warning (LDW) systems mounted in the windshield area at a height lower than what is currently allowed by the regulation. The LDW system alerts drivers who unintentionally drift out of their lane of travel, thus promoting improved safety performance. The Agency has determined that the placement of the LDW system camera in the windshield area would not have an adverse impact on safety and that the terms and conditions of the exemption would achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety provided by the regulation.