Department of Transportation May 21, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the provisions of Title 49, U.S.C. Section 47153(d), notice is being given that the FAA is considering a request from Fergus County, MT, and the City of Lewistown, MT, to waive the surplus property requirements for approximately 5.82 acres of airport property located at Lewistown Municipal Airport, in Lewistown, MT. Approximately 3.43 acres of the subject parcel is currently part of the right of way for West Main Street. An additional 0.84 acres is proposed for right of way along West Main Street, and 1.55 acres is proposed for right of way along Airport Road. These portions of the subject parcel are currently vacant. It has been determined through study and master planning that the subject parcel will not be needed for aeronautical purposes. The proceeds of the sale will be used exclusively for developing, improving, operating, or maintaining the Lewistown Municipal Airport.

FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it intends to grant the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), a subsidiary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a waiver from FRA's Buy America requirement under 49 U.S.C. 24405(a)(2)(B) for the purchase of seven (7) turnouts manufactured by VAE Nortrak North America, Inc. at its plant in Birmingham, Alabama, for use in the LIRR North East Corridor Congestion Relief Project at Harold Interlocking. The turnouts will contain four components (ZU1-60 steel left and right switch point rail sections and Schwihag roller assemblies and plates) not produced in the U.S. The roller assemblies and plates are manufactured in Switzerland, and the ZUl-60 steel switch point rail sections are manufactured in Austria. The foreign material comprises approximately 11.9 percent of the turnouts' $3.1 million cost or approximately $367,000. FRA believes a waiver is appropriate under 49 U.S.C. 24405(a)(2)(B) for the ZUI-60 steel switch point rail sections and roller assemblies and plates because domestically-produced components meeting the specific needs of LIRR are not currently ``produced in sufficient and reasonably available amount or are not of a satisfactory quality.''

The FAA is withdrawing a previously published document granting special conditions for the Cirrus Design Corporation model SF50 airplane. We are withdrawing Special Condition No. 23-246-SC through mutual agreement with Cirrus Design Corporation.

PHMSA is proposing to amend the natural and other gas pipeline safety regulations (49 CFR part 192) to address regulatory requirements involving plastic piping systems used in gas services. These proposed amendments are intended to correct errors, address inconsistencies, and respond to petitions for rulemaking. The requirements in several subject matter areas are affected, including incorporation of tracking and traceability provisions; design factor for polyethylene (PE) pipe; more stringent mechanical fitting requirements; updated and additional regulations for risers; expanded use of Polyamide-11 (PA-11) thermoplastic pipe; incorporation of newer Polyamide-12 (PA-12) thermoplastic pipe; and incorporation of updated and additional standards for fittings.

This rule amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at Tekamah Municipal Airport, Tekamah, NE. A Class E extension is no longer required due to the decommissioning of the Tekamah VHF Omni-directional radio range (VOR) facility and its associated standard instrument approach procedures (SIAPs). This would enhance the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Turbomeca S.A. Arrius 2F turboshaft engines with a certain part number oil pump installed. This proposed AD was prompted by cases of deterioration of the gas generator front bearing due to a link loss between the pump driver and the oil pump shaft. This proposed AD would require inspection, and if necessary, replacement before further flight of the oil pump driver assembly and/or the oil pump shaft, or the oil pump itself. We are proposing this AD to prevent link loss between the pump driver and the oil pump shaft, which could lead to an engine in- flight shutdown, forced landing, and damage to the helicopter.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR part 107, subpart B), notice is hereby given of the actions on special permits applications in (October to October 2014). The mode of transportation involved are identified by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft. Application numbers prefixed by the letters EE represent applications for Emergency Special Permits. It should be noted that some of the sections cited were those in effect at the time certain special permits were issued.

This document sets forth an interpretation of the definition of ``motor vehicle equipment'' in the United States Code, as amended by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act, and requests comments on two proposed changes to the motorcycle helmet safety standard, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218. Continued high levels of motorcycle related fatalities, the ongoing use of novelty helmets by motorcyclists and the poor performance of these helmets in tests and crashes have prompted the agency to clarify the status of such helmets under federal law to ensure that all relevant legal requirements are readily enforceable. All helmets that are sold to, and worn on the highway by, motorcyclists and that, based on their design and/or other factors, have the apparent purpose of protecting highway users are motorcycle helmets subject to the jurisdiction and standard of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (``NHTSA'' or ``agency''). NHTSA is simultaneously proposing to amend its helmet standard, FMVSS No. 218. First, NHTSA is proposing to add a definition of ``motorcycle helmet.'' Second, we are proposing to modify the existing performance requirements of the standard by adding a set of dimensional and compression requirements. These requirements and the associated test procedures would identify those helmets whose physical characteristics indicate that they likely cannot meet the existing performance requirements of the standard. Third, we are incorporating an optional alternative compliance process for manufacturers whose helmets do not comply with the proposed dimensional and compression requirements, but do comply with the performance requirements and all other aspects of FMVSS No. 218. NHTSA will publish a list of helmets that have complied with the alternative compliance process and can therefore be certified by their manufacturers. This document is the result of the agency's assessment of other actions that could be taken to increase further the percentage of motorcyclists who wear helmets that comply with the helmet standard.